Papa LaBas is a 50-year-old voodoo priest, or houngan, operating out of the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral in Harlem. He possesses a relaxed demeanor that his detractors often mistake for laziness, though he is deeply invested in tracing the roots of Afrocentric mystic traditions. He sells herbs, potions, and talismans to the local community, firmly believing that the spreading phenomenon known as Jes Grew is a positive force meant to enliven Black culture.

Hinckle Von Vampton is a centuries-old member of the Knights Templar working alongside the Wallflower Order of the Atonist Path. He poses as a journalist and publisher of the *Benign Monster* magazine to exert influence over public perception. He acts as a highly manipulative agent attempting to recruit a "Talking Android"—a Black person who will operate from within their own community to suppress Jes Grew and praise Western civilization.

Berbelang is a former associate of the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral who leaves because he considers Papa LaBas's methods outdated and limiting. Seeking radical intervention, he leads the Mu'tafikah, an organized group dedicated to breaking into Western art museums to return pillaged non-Western artworks to their native lands. He is highly focused on his operations, demanding absolute commitment from his global crew.

Abdul Hamid is a well-known Black Muslim magazine editor who advocates for discipline and order in Harlem. Having spent nine years in prison educating himself, he argues that Black communities need modernized economic advancement rather than traditional spiritual practices like HooDoo. He operates carefully in public spaces, capable of shifting from harsh religious rhetoric to a friendly, conciliatory tone when it serves his interests.

Biff Musclewhite is a corrupt former police officer who uses his connections to secure a position as curator of the Center of Art Detention. He openly holds racist views and happily profits from institutions that marginalize and caricature Black people. He serves as an enforcer of white establishment power within the Northern city setting.

Benoit Battraville is the leader of a ship operating off the coast of New York City. He is a Haitian Voodoo practitioner fighting against the American military occupation of his home country. He holds deep knowledge about the origins of the Atonist holy war and provides crucial intelligence to allies working to protect Afrocentric culture.

Earline is Papa LaBas's assistant who manages the practical aspects of his HooDoo business. She frequently clashes with LaBas over his refusal to modernize, arguing that the community needs scientists and lawyers rather than mysticism. She occasionally neglects her traditional duties, such as feeding the Haitian loas, because she finds them overly esoteric.

Hubert Gould is an assistant to Hinckle Von Vampton and a silent partner in a sweatshop that exploits Black musicians. He considers himself an expert in "racial education" but privately views the artists he attempts to recruit as arrogant. He assists Von Vampton in physically tracking down leads and intimidating uncooperative targets.

Black Herman is a famously accomplished occultist operating in Harlem. He possesses a highly relaxed and intuitive approach to The Work, offering a contrast to LaBas's more rigid, technical methods. He acts as a reliable ally to the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral when supernatural phenomena require steady, experienced intervention.

Woodrow Wilson Jefferson, often called W.W., is a young farmer who leaves the rural South for Harlem in search of intellectual advancement. Having studied the works of Marx and Engels found in his grandfather's attic, he prefers objective reasoning over regional mysticism. He takes a job writing for the *Benign Monster*, hoping to establish himself as a serious thinker.

Thor is a young white man from a wealthy family who joins the Mu'tafikah to assist in their art reclamation missions. His presence in the group causes friction among other members who doubt his commitment to eradicating white supremacy from his own mind.

Charlotte is a worker at the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral who leaves to take a lucrative entertainment job at the Plantation House. She packages the traditional dances she learned from LaBas into theatrical performances for a wealthy white clientele, ignoring warnings about the spiritual dangers of commodifying The Work.

Hierophant 1 is the leader of the Wallflower Order who directs the global campaign against Jes Grew. He commands vast resources and political influence, orchestrating military invasions and presidential appointments to preserve the dominance of Atonist traditions over Afrocentric culture.

Buddy Jackson is a powerful Black mobster operating at the center of a New York gang war. He vigorously protects Harlem from outside criminal encroachment and uses his considerable illicit resources to support local cabarets and covert operations.

Warren Harding is a conservative politician whom the Wallflower Order places in the presidency, believing him to be the perfect bland candidate to enforce anti-Jes Grew measures. However, he quietly harbors a genuine appreciation for Black culture, making him an unreliable asset for the Atonists.

Harry is the mayor of New Orleans who hypocritically enjoys illegal alcohol while publicly maintaining a conservative political stance. He attempts to manage the initial outbreak of Jes Grew in his city out of fear that it will negatively impact his upcoming election prospects.

Zuzu is Mayor Harry's mistress in New Orleans. She is among the early individuals to physically exhibit the lively, uninhibited symptoms of the Jes Grew outbreak outside the makeshift infirmary.

Known as the Sarge of Yorktown, Schlitz is a white gangster who encroaches on Harlem territory. He helps corrupt officials build their fortunes through illicit protection schemes.

Reverend Jefferson is Woodrow Wilson Jefferson's father. He runs a rural Southern farm and maintains a fiercely protective, traditional hold over his ambitious son.

T Malice is an associate of Papa LaBas who assists with transportation and logistics for the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral. He actively follows the local cultural scene, enjoying the vibrant performances of Harlem's cabarets.

Fuentes is a member of the Mu'tafikah art reclamation group. He is highly suspicious of incorporating white members into their operations and voices his concerns directly during their planning sessions.

Yellow Jack is a dedicated member of the Mu'tafikah who assists Berbelang and the others in capturing hostile targets and reclaiming stolen cultural artifacts.

Major Young is an up-and-coming Black poet in Harlem. When approached by publishers seeking exaggerated, razzle-dazzle dialect poetry, he firmly rejects their condescending offers.

Nathan Brown is a young Black poet who is targeted by Atonist publishers seeking a malleable voice. He dismisses their clumsy recruitment attempts and instead actively seeks to connect with the authentic spirit of Jes Grew.

Doctor Peter Pick is Charlotte's theatrical partner at the Plantation House. He collaborates with her on designing performances that subvert and repackage traditional Black dances for commercial audiences.