John is a tall, handsome, blonde white man dressed entirely in black who rides a 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle into the Reserve. He is actually Nanabush, the ancient Anishnawbe trickster demigod, who has survived into modern times despite a general loss of belief. Unpredictable and chaotic, he brings disruption to the community by manipulating desires and ignoring social conventions. He holds a deep, historic connection to the land and its people.

Maggie is the Chief of the Otter Lake First Nation band, a highly stressful position she took on following the death of her husband three years ago. Tall and beautiful, she feels bogged down by governmental demands and the endless needs of her people. She operates as a cautious mother who has put her personal happiness on hold, a status quo that shatters when a mysterious stranger arrives to change her flat tire.

Virgil is Maggie's thirteen-year-old son. He frequently cuts school, a quiet rebellion stemming from the emotional distance and neglect he feels due to his mother's consuming job as Chief. Despite his lack of effort in the classroom, he is intelligent and sharply observant, quickly growing wary of the new stranger who takes an intense interest in his mother.

Lillian is the revered matriarch of the Benojee family and a survivor of the abusive Catholic residential school system. Renowned for her historic beauty and community strength, she managed to balance her Anishnawbe heritage with the Catholic faith she adopted in her youth. Her secretive deathbed summons brings a powerful, ancient force back to Otter Lake.

Wayne is Lillian's youngest child, an eccentric recluse who has lived alone on an island in Otter Lake for four years. He is a self-taught martial artist who blends traditional fighting styles with Indigenous elements to create his own system called "the Marten." He distrusts modern society and remains protective of his family from afar.

Dakota is Virgil's thirteen-year-old cousin. She is a dreamy teenager experiencing the early stages of adolescence. She quickly becomes fascinated by the mysterious motorcycle rider, viewing him with a mixture of intense infatuation and occasional visceral discomfort.

Sammy is Lillian's cousin, a brilliant but severely traumatized survivor of the residential school system. Unable to cope with his childhood abuse, he lives as an isolated adult who relies heavily on alcohol. As a form of lifelong rebellion against his abusers, he speaks Anishnawbe exclusively in Shakespearean iambic pentameter.

Jesus is the central figure of the Christian faith that was forced upon the Anishnawbe children at the residential schools. He appears in the narrative within a dream, engaging in a casual conversation with the trickster demigod about religion, their followers, and their mutual love for Lillian.

Marie is Maggie's older sister and one of Lillian's daughters. She enjoys local gossip at Charlie's Saloon and frequently encourages her younger sister to step away from her demanding political duties to enjoy her personal life.