Littlest One is the youngest and smallest dream-giver in her local colony, known as the Heap. She is a barely formed, almost transparent entity with an energetic and intensely inquisitive personality. Her gentle touch allows her to gather delicate memory fragments from household objects to craft comforting dreams for humans. She deeply wishes to help the people she visits, though her persistent questions often exasperate older members of her community.

John is an angry eight-year-old boy carrying severe trauma from physical and psychological abuse. Placed in foster care while his mother attempts to stabilize her living situation, he uses harshness and defiance as a defense mechanism to keep caretakers at a distance. Beneath his combative exterior and cruel comments, he is deeply frightened, distrustful of adults, and heavily burdened by terrifying nightmares.

John's Mother is a quiet survivor of severe domestic abuse who lives alone in a cramped apartment. She works to find steady employment and secure a safe environment so she can eventually reunite with her son. Haunting memories of her marriage often leave her fearful and prone to harsh self-criticism, but her intense love for John pushes her to pursue therapy and stability.

The Elderly Woman is a 72-year-old former music teacher who lives a peaceful, solitary life surrounded by old photographs and inherited dishes. Accustomed to a quiet routine with her rescue dog, she bravely volunteers to foster a troubled child. She approaches this massive life disruption with immense patience, refusing to take the boy's angry provocations personally.

Thin Elderly is a highly experienced and heavily wrinkled dream-giver who approaches his nightly tasks with gentleness and precision. Unlike other mentors, he appreciates creativity in novices and recognizes the value of asking questions. He guides his eager student with warmth while keeping a vigilant watch against the dark, nightmarish entities that target vulnerable humans.

Duane is an abusive, controlling man whose violent actions shattered his family before the events of the story. Though he operates entirely in the past and in nightmares, his legacy of cruelty heavily influences the fears, habits, and defense mechanisms of the people who survived his presence.

Fastidious is a strict, irritable dream-giver who prefers absolute order and quiet environments. She finds questions exhausting and views playfulness as a flaw, making her poorly suited to training the newest member of the colony.

Most Ancient is the oldest and most authoritative dream-giver in the local colony. He no longer leaves the Heap to bestow dreams personally, choosing instead to focus on leadership, monitoring supernatural threats in the area, and preserving the history of his kind.

Strapping is a strong, orderly dream-giver assigned to John's Mother as a developmental challenge by his colony's leader. Initially annoyed by his human's chaotic surroundings, he develops profound empathy for her struggles and works diligently to scour her broken belongings for pieces of hope.

Toby is a scruffy, mottled rescue dog who provides vital companionship to his aging owner. Having survived neglect and freezing temperatures as an abandoned puppy, he offers a quiet presence in the home and slowly becomes a bridge to trust for a troubled foster boy.

Dowager is the formidable leader of Strapping's colony of dream-givers. She possesses a keen understanding of her subordinates' weaknesses, strategically assigning them specific humans to challenge their patience and improve their empathy.

Rotund is a former dream-giver who succumbed to the menacing side of memory gathering. His transformation into a creature of nightmares serves as a grim warning to young trainees about the perils of pressing too intensely into human pain.