ConaLee is a young girl raised in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia following the outbreak of the Civil War. Forced into the role of caretaker for her deeply traumatized mother, she shoulders immense responsibility at a young age. She experiences episodes of "losing time" and "seeing lights" as a psychological defense against the harsh realities of her isolated environment.

Eliza is a resilient woman who fled her privileged plantation upbringing to survive in the remote mountains of West Virginia. The violences of war and home invasion force her into a defensive, mute withdrawal to protect herself. Admitted to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum under the false name "Miss Janet," she slowly attempts to reconstruct a sense of safety.

Born into enslavement on a Virginia plantation, he escapes to the mountains and later joins the Union Army hoping to secure lasting freedom. A severe head wound at the Battle of the Wilderness leaves him without his memory, prompting him to take the name John O'Shea. He eventually finds employment as the night watch at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, hiding his facial scars behind a tin eye patch.

Dearbhla is an Irish indentured servant who raises an adoptive son on a Virginia plantation before escaping to the Appalachian ridges. Possessing deep knowledge of local flora, healing, and survival, she acts as a spiritual and practical guide to her family. Many townspeople fear her, mistakenly believing she practices dark magic, though she relies primarily on keen observation and emotional intelligence.

A former Confederate soldier and opportunistic criminal who invades Eliza's isolated mountain home following the war. He renames Eliza and insists on being called "Papa," using manipulation, sexual violence, and psychological dominance to assert total control over the household. He represents the lingering violence and societal instability of the Reconstruction era.

The physician superintendent of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Coming from a prestigious medical family in Pennsylvania, he attempts to implement a philosophy of "moral treatment" focusing on community, respect, and humane care. He is immediately intrigued by Eliza's case and begins bending professional boundaries in his desire to draw her out of her silence.

A young, highly observant boy living at the asylum, characterized by one blind white eye and one sharp blue eye. Raised primarily by the asylum's cook, he spends his days navigating the building's hidden spaces, gathering trinkets, and silently watching the complex dynamics between patients and staff from high vantage points.

The head cook at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum who exercises significant informal power over the institution's daily operations. She operates a makeshift nursery for children connected to the asylum. Possessing a keen understanding of human nature, she uses her position to manipulate outcomes and protect the vulnerable residents within the hospital walls.

The strict matron of the asylum, brought in from Pennsylvania to help run the institution. She values order and protocol, initially resisting the irregular admission of Eliza and the employment of young ConaLee as a nurse.

A working nurse at the asylum tasked with training ConaLee. She holds traditional, often harsh views on mental health care, preferring to suppress patients' delusions rather than engage with them. She secretly uses hatpins to physically control disruptive patients, directly contradicting Dr. Story's progressive policies.

A patient at the asylum who suffers from specific historical delusions, most notably believing she is Abraham Lincoln's grieving widow. She forms a gentle attachment to Eliza during their outdoor walks, seeking comfort in their shared routine despite constant reprimands from the nursing staff.

A dedicated Union surgeon working in Alexandria. He takes a deep personal interest in an amnesiac sharpshooter, saving his life and eventually welcoming the man into his own home during his lengthy recovery.

A Union soldier who turned to robbing banks with a Confederate prisoner. He is a violent opportunist who attempts to assault Eliza on her property, initiating the chain of events that leads to a hostile takeover of her home.

An enslaved woman who befriends Dearbhla. After having a child with the plantation owner, she entrusts her young son to Dearbhla's care, hoping to protect him from the harsh realities and brutal punishments of enslavement.

ConaLee's younger brother, born during the dark period when Papa occupies their mountain home. He is cared for primarily by ConaLee in his early years before the family is forcibly separated.