Mark is a sociology Fellow at Bracton College who desperately desires inclusion in any elite inner circle. His intense need for social acceptance and professional prestige blinds him to ethical concerns, making him an easy target for recruitment by the N.I.C.E. Once inside the organization, he struggles to define his actual job duties while trying to maintain his newly acquired status.

Jane is a young newlywed who feels stifled and isolated in her domestic life. While attempting to write a thesis on John Donne, she suffers from vivid, disturbing dreams that intrude upon her waking hours. Upon discovering these dreams are prophetic visions, she is reluctantly drawn into a secret conflict alongside the eclectic residents of the St. Anne's manor.

The charismatic, perpetually youthful leader of St. Anne's, also known as Dr. Ransom. He suffers from a chronic foot injury obtained during past interplanetary travels. He serves as the Pendragon of Logres, bridging the gap between earthly humans and celestial beings to repel the growing darkness in England.

John Wither is the elusive, bureaucratic leader of the N.I.C.E. at Belbury. He speaks in long, roundabout sentences that intentionally confuse his subordinates. He has physically separated his mind from his body, allowing him to operate in a trance-like state while advancing the organization's dark goals.

A high-ranking initiate at the N.I.C.E. who has completely abandoned emotion in favor of pure, cold objectivity. He conducts psychological conditioning and seeks to mold Mark into a perfectly obedient tool for the organization, believing that human morality is an outdated obstacle.

Also known as the Fairy, she is the formidable, sadistic head of the Institutional Police for the N.I.C.E. She actively engineers riots and violence to justify expanding her police powers, and she relishes intimidating and interrogating prisoners to extract information.

Merlin is an ancient figure of Arthurian legend, recently awakened from a long slumber beneath Bragdon Wood. Operating with a medieval worldview that predates modern morality, he represents an immense, wild power sought by both sides of the conflict. He struggles to understand twentieth-century customs but brings formidable knowledge to the current struggle.

The warm, maternal wife of Dr. Dimble. She provides emotional support to Jane and becomes an active member of the St. Anne's community after losing her cherished home and garden to the N.I.C.E.'s aggressive expansion.

A history professor at Northumberland College and Jane's former academic mentor. He possesses deep knowledge of Arthurian legend and ancient languages, particularly the Great Tongue, which proves essential to the group at St. Anne's. Despite his academic demeanor, he takes an active role in the physical and spiritual defense of Logres.

Camilla and Arthur Denniston are a young married couple residing at the St. Anne's manor. They represent a healthy, balanced partnership that contrasts sharply with the troubled marriage of Mark and Jane Studdock. The couple actively works to recruit Jane, gently introducing her to the esoteric history and current mission of their group.

A highly logical, proper doctor and psychologist at St. Anne's. She evaluates Jane's prophetic dreams, confirming their reality, and serves as a direct caretaker for the Director's chronic pain. She dresses exclusively in black and maintains a strict, unyielding bedside manner.

A cynical, pragmatic Ulsterman who demands facts over speculation. Despite his constant questioning of the group's methods and supernatural elements, he remains a loyal fixture at St. Anne's, frequently challenging the Director's decisions to ensure they remain grounded in logic.

Dick Devine is a slick, opportunistic figure who bridges the academic world of Bracton College and the sinister operations of the N.I.C.E. He recruits Mark but quickly discards any loyalty when circumstances shift, prioritizing his own survival above all other concerns.

Alcasan is a famed radiologist of Arab descent sentenced to death for poisoning his wife. Following his execution, the N.I.C.E. takes a dark interest in his remains, preserving his severed head in a highly sterile environment to serve as a gruesome conduit for their scientific experiments.

A bewildered beggar who finds himself detained by the N.I.C.E. leadership under mistaken pretenses. Once brought to Belbury, he happily plays along with his captors to enjoy an unexpected influx of food, comfortable lodging, and fine clothes.

The Sub-Warden of Bracton College. He is deeply entrenched in academic bureaucracy and easily manipulated by Lord Feverstone into selling historical college land to the N.I.C.E., prioritizing financial gain over the college's legacy.

Also known as Bill the Blizzard, he is an old-fashioned, principled colleague from Bracton College. He intends to resign from the N.I.C.E. in disgust over their unethical methods, placing himself in grave danger with the organization's enforcers.

A brilliant, large Italian physiologist working within the inner circle of the N.I.C.E. He harbors a deep hatred for organic life and dreams of a sterilized world where human minds can exist indefinitely without biological bodies. His scientific expertise is responsible for keeping Alcasan's head functional.

Known as the Mad Parson, he is a fanatical religious man aligned with the N.I.C.E. He believes that science is God's instrument for establishing a violent, physical kingdom of heaven on Earth, viewing traditional religion as too mystical.

Ivy is a hardworking woman who, after being turned out of her home by the N.I.C.E., finds refuge and equality among the group at St. Anne's. She adapts well to the egalitarian structure of the manor.

Tom is Ivy's husband, who is subjected to the N.I.C.E.'s experimental "remedial treatment" while serving time in prison. He eventually finds his way to the safety of St. Anne's to reunite with his wife.

A large, tame brown bear residing at St. Anne's. Despite his intimidating appearance, he is a harmless and cherished member of the household, living peacefully under the Director's care before being temporarily captured by the N.I.C.E.

Miss Hardcastle's second-in-command within the Institutional Police. He assists in the media manipulation and law enforcement aspects of the N.I.C.E.'s expanding control over Edgestow.

The bursar at Bracton College. He is focused on the financial aspects of the institution and is easily persuaded to support the N.I.C.E.'s presence in Edgestow due to the monetary benefits it brings the college.

A department head at the N.I.C.E. who fiercely protects his bureaucratic territory. He resents Mark's sudden arrival and high-level connections, actively making Mark's integration into the workplace difficult.

A low-level employee at the N.I.C.E. who takes Mark on his first field assignment. He is thoroughly bored by quaint rural life and eager to write reports that justify destroying local villages for the N.I.C.E.'s expansion.

A writer-turned-public figure who serves as the pompous, technical head of the N.I.C.E. Despite his lofty title, he is merely a figurehead who remains entirely ignorant of the organization's true scientific and supernatural purposes.

A defensive man working at the N.I.C.E. He is later tasked with leading the search party to find Merlin's cave, reporting directly to the Deputy Director when the search yields no results.