Viola is a fourteen-year-old Black girl with dark hair and brown eyes. Raised in isolation after being left on Caveat as an infant, she possesses a cautious and observant nature. She loves reading books and holds a deep curiosity about the history of Dickerson's Sea before the Great Blow ruined the waters. Initially shy, she grows more proactive as she uncovers clues about the outside world.

Wilmur is a tall, thin fifteen-year-old boy with pale skin and reddish hair. Unlike his companion Viola, he is outgoing and eager to establish connections with others. He enthusiastically takes on chores and integrates easily into the various ship crews they encounter. His primary motivation is finding a true sense of belonging and a family to call his own.

Cadence Chase is the gruff, secretive captain of the Calamary Rose. She dresses in men's clothing and keeps her hands covered with gloves at all times. She arrives at Caveat specifically to claim a mysterious journal written by Alias Crowe. A skilled sword fighter with an aristocratic fighting style, she maintains emotional distance from her crew while relentlessly pursuing her personal goals.

Herman is the head of the Queensmen and the final surviving member of Parliament. He is a severe, bald man who dresses in black suits adorned with traditional gilded mourning bones. He bears the heavy responsibility of having ordered the purge that initiated the Pirate Massacre fifteen years ago. Beneath his cold exterior, he actively searches for his missing son.

Hail Meridian is the historical Queen of Dickerson's Sea, known for ruling from the opulent island of Faire Distance. According to legend, she was a beautiful young woman with gold hair and violet eyes. Stories claim that her assassination by an infamous pirate caused the cataclysmic storm known as the Great Blow. Her legacy looms heavily over the current state of the world.

Ves is a tall, willowy man with silver hair and green eyes. He exists largely in the background of the narrative, acting as a manipulative force pulling strings behind major historical events. He controls the destructive power of the Silver Circle and commands flocks of unnatural seagulls that poison their targets.

Elvey is an eighteen-year-old Black girl living in the impoverished sections of Wilder's Green. She leads a group of orphans known as the Sons of the Requiem Sharks. Having lost her baker parents during the Pirate Massacre, she acts as a fierce protector for the younger children in her community. She possesses a bright, optimistic outlook despite her difficult circumstances.

Hestur is the original caretaker of Wilmur and Viola on the isolated island of Caveat. She kept a mysterious brass-bound journal hidden under her pillow and warned the children about the dangers of the outside world. She vanished mysteriously years ago, leaving the children to fend for themselves.

Clem is the first mate of the Calamary Rose. She is a sweet-faced woman with short blonde hair and broad shoulders. She serves as a grounding force on the ship, handling the practical details of running the vessel while mitigating Captain Chase's intense temperament.

Jacoby is a heavily tattooed sailor and former pirate who works on the Calamary Rose. He frequently boasts about his past adventures, claiming each tattoo represents a specific survival story. He is quick to jump into a duel for entertainment.

Fives is a sailor aboard the Calamary Rose. With a history as a former pirate, Fives is deeply integrated into the ship's tight-knit crew and spends much of the time arguing with Jacoby.

Zope is a sailor on the Calamary Rose who uses they/them pronouns. They are famous among the crew for surviving numerous fatal accidents, including volcanic eruptions and a harpoon through the head, earning them a reputation as either the luckiest or unluckiest person alive.

Alma is a woman sailor on the Calamary Rose who enjoys spreading rumors. She provides Viola with background information about the crew's pirate origins and speculates wildly about the captain's hidden past.

Alias Crowe is the historical author of the bizarre journal that the children guard. His writings detail strange experiments regarding the Lacuna Laridae and the erasure of things from reality. His notes become increasingly fragmented as his research consumes him.

Jacquelin is the petite, serious captain of the Queensmen ship Excelsis. She keeps a lock of her dead twin brother's hair pinned inside her uniform. Despite working for the government, she openly criticizes the Pirate Massacre and challenges Herman's worldview.

Derringer is a friendly sailor serving on the Excelsis. He easily accepts Wilmur into the crew's daily routines and observes the unusual attention Herman pays to the boy.

Quagga is an old woman with ties to the criminal underworld of Dickerson's Sea. She tracks Chase down in the salt pack to deliver a fatal warning about the encroaching Silver Circle.

Prickpost is the arrogant captain of the merchant ship SCS Brightest and Best. He is quick to congratulate himself for his supposed heroism and eagerly imprisons those he suspects of piracy.

Gubb is an elderly man living among the orphaned children of the Requiem Sharks. He serves as the community's storyteller, passing down the history and secret codes of the pirate courts to the younger generation.

Rhosymedre is a six-year-old girl living in Wilder's Green. Despite her young age and the harsh environment, she is helpful and resourceful, acting as a guide to the hidden parts of the city.