Ezeulu is the High Priest of Ulu, the leading deity of the six villages of Umuaro. As a leader who considers himself half-man and half-spirit, he continually works to distinguish human decision-making from divine will. He observes the arrival of British administrators and missionaries with cautious pragmatism, sending one of his sons to learn their ways. This willingness to adapt draws heavy criticism from traditionalists within his community, forcing him to defend his authority.

Obika is Ezeulu's handsome second-eldest son and obvious favorite. He possesses a hot temper that frequently leads him into trouble, a trait exacerbated by his habit of drinking heavy amounts of palm wine. Despite his reckless streak, he demonstrates fierce loyalty to his family. As he prepares for marriage, he slowly begins to show signs of accepting adult responsibility.

Edogo is the eldest son of Ezeulu. He is a skilled and diligent woodcarver known for creating powerful ancestral masks on schedule. He feels overshadowed by his younger brothers and harbors quiet resentment over his father's apparent favoritism. He worries deeply about the future of the priesthood and occasionally finds himself sympathizing with his father's local critics.

Captain Winterbottom is the local British District Officer in Okperi. Having served in Africa for fifteen years, he views himself as an expert on local customs and takes pride in his title "Breaker of Guns." He approaches orders from his own superiors with irritation, preferring his personal methods of administration while attempting to enforce indirect rule over the nearby villages.

Nwaka is a powerful speaker and wealthy elder in Umuaro. He consistently opposes Ezeulu's authority, publicly criticizing the High Priest's openness to British influence. Backed by other religious figures, he uses his oratorical skills to turn public opinion against Ezeulu's leadership.

Nwafo is Ezeulu's youngest son. He demonstrates an unusually strong early attraction to the rituals of his father's priesthood. Ezeulu suspects that the deity Ulu has already marked the boy as a future leader. Nwafo frequently observes his father's actions closely and respectfully, representing the next generation of traditional authority.

Oduche is the son Ezeulu selects to attend the British church and school. Tasked with learning the ways of the white men, he quickly becomes absorbed in Christian teachings. He struggles to balance his father's expectations with the demands of his new faith, eventually committing a shocking act against a local sacred python to prove his religious devotion.

Tony Clarke is a recently arrived Assistant District Officer in Okperi. He questions the strict, fact-based logic of British colonial rule, presenting a softer alternative to his hardened superior. He frequently feels out of his depth when managing prisoners and executing administrative tasks on his own.

Akuebue is one of Ezeulu's few deeply trusted friends. He acts as a sounding board for the High Priest, offering honest counsel even when it contradicts Ezeulu's views. He frequently attempts to mediate family disputes within his friend's household and worries about the escalating tensions in the village.

Matefi is Ezeulu's senior wife. She is fiercely protective of her own children and frequently expresses her unhappiness with her husband's decisions. She harbors intense jealousy toward her younger co-wife, creating a tense domestic environment within the compound.

Ugoye is Ezeulu's younger wife. While generally more mild-mannered than the senior wife, she is quick to defend her children from punishment. She worries deeply about the spiritual consequences of her son Oduche's involvement with the Christian church.

John Nwodika is an African man working in the British administration's service. Originally from Umunneora, he serves Captain Winterbottom's household to earn wages. He eventually forms an unexpected connection with the imprisoned High Priest of Umuaro, proving his personal integrity.

John Wright is a British official tasked with constructing infrastructure. He employs unpaid local laborers and frequently resorts to physical violence to maintain control over his workers. He holds a dismissive attitude toward local inhabitants and openly mocks the strict formalities of his British superiors.

Okuata is a tall, striking young woman who marries into Ezeulu's family. Her arrival introduces a stabilizing presence for her volatile husband. She carries herself with pride and quickly integrates into the complex household dynamics of the High Priest's compound.

Ezidemili is the priest of Idemili, the deity of the sacred python. He harbors long-standing resentment against the supremacy of Ezeulu's priesthood, as his own deity predates the creation of Ulu. He encourages opposition to the High Priest from behind the scenes.

Moses Unachukwu is recognized as the first and most prominent Christian convert in Umuaro. Because he speaks English fluently, he serves as a vital intermediary between British officials and local laborers. He commands respect through his knowledge of both cultures.

John Goodcountry is the catechist at the local Christian church in Umuaro. He pushes his students to take bold, sometimes provocative actions against traditional beliefs to demonstrate their devotion to their new religion, directly leading to major village conflicts.

Okeke Onenyi is Ezeulu's estranged half-brother and a skilled medicine man. He holds lingering bitterness over the historical division of their father's spiritual powers. Despite their emotional distance, he maintains involvement in major family matters and negotiations.

Akueke is a daughter of Ezeulu from his deceased first wife. She seeks refuge in her father's compound to escape domestic violence. Her situation forces her family to intervene violently and eventually negotiate with her husband's relatives for her safety.

Obiageli is a young daughter in Ezeulu's compound. She spends her time listening to stories and playing with the other children, observing the religious and familial tensions of the household from a child's perspective.

Ibe is a man from a neighboring village who marries into the High Priest's family. He severely oversteps customary bounds by physically abusing his wife, resulting in a violent retaliation from her relatives that leaves him severely injured.

Dr. Mary Savage is a medical missionary stationed near the British compound. She provides intense, emotional medical care to British officials suffering from illness and injury in the harsh climate.

Akukalia is a fiery, proud man sent as a messenger to a neighboring village to settle a land dispute. Secretly insecure about his own physical impotence, he reacts explosively to insults from his hosts, triggering a violent conflict between the two settlements.