Lennon is a 24-year-old Black woman from Colorado who feels aimless and trapped in a controlling relationship. After discovering her fiancé's infidelity, she is drawn to Drayton College, where she discovers her rare ability to open gates through space. She questions the ethical implications of her new powers and the cutthroat academic environment.

Dante is a tenured professor of persuasion at Drayton College in his early thirties. Covered in moth tattoos, he serves as Lennon's enigmatic academic advisor. He possesses immense magical will and a troubled past, balancing his role as a teacher with his internal questions regarding the ethics of power.

Eileen is the vice-chancellor of Drayton College and a descendant of its founder, John Drayton. She is a strict authority figure who values the school's legacy and power above all else. She views the students strictly in terms of their utility to the institution.

Blaine is a beautiful, blonde former hospice nurse from Chicago who becomes Lennon's roommate at Ethos House. Fleeing an abusive marriage, she seeks refuge and power at Drayton. She is highly popular among the students but harbors a fierce loyalty to Lennon.

Wyatt is an older professor and Lennon's fiancé at the start of the story. He uses his age and status to infantilize Lennon and keep her dependent on him, ultimately betraying her trust.

Sophia is Wyatt's colleague. Her frequent presence in his and Lennon's life acts as a source of tension before Lennon discovers her true relationship with Wyatt.

Benedict is an eccentric gatekeeper for Drayton College who conducts Lennon's initial interview from his house in Utah. He pushes his students to their absolute physical and mental limits, employing ruthless methods to test their magical fortitude.

Sawyer is a second-year student at Drayton and a former librarian. He is kind, observant, and becomes one of Lennon's closest allies, often providing her with historical context about the school and its traditions.

Ian is a first-year student from Pathos House who formerly worked at a convenience store. He projects an aggressive image that masks deep insecurities, leading to a volatile and increasingly hostile dynamic with Lennon.

William Irvine is a legendary historical figure in Drayton's lore. He is renowned as a powerful gatekeeper who used his abilities to conceal the campus from the rest of Savannah.

Emerson is Dante's primary advisee before Lennon's arrival and the president of Logos House, Drayton's elite dormitory. She is fiercely protective of her status and views newcomers with suspicion.

Kieran is a prominent Logos House resident and former chemistry prodigy who was expelled from Stanford for running a meth lab. He is highly knowledgeable about the illicit uses of persuasion and serves as the campus drug supplier.

Claude is Benedict's apprentice and romantic partner, tasked with eventually protecting the portal to Drayton in Utah. He is deeply devoted to his mentor and prone to intense emotional outbursts.

Alec Becker is the Persuasion II professor at Drayton. He is notoriously difficult and ruthless, frequently pushing his students to the point of physical harm during sparring sessions.

Nadine is a first-year student who almost became a nun before enrolling at Drayton. She views her magical abilities through a strict, judgmental religious lens and frequently disapproves of her classmates' actions.

Carly is Lennon's sister. Their relationship is fraught with tension due to Lennon's sudden departure for Colorado years earlier, but Carly remains deeply concerned for her sister's well-being and safety.

Dr. Lund is the meditation professor at Drayton College. He strictly forbids the use of persuasion during his highly vulnerable classes to protect the students' minds.

August is a former Drayton student and classmate of Dante. His mysterious past and struggle with the corrupting effects of persuasion haunt the current faculty and fuel ongoing rumors.

Gregory is a small, timid laboratory rat assigned to Lennon. She feels deep empathy for the creature and struggles with the ethics of manipulating its mind for class exercises.

Antonio is an unusually large laboratory rat with intelligent eyes. Kieran gave the creature a human-like soul during a persuasion exercise, complicating the ethics of its existence.