Amina is a middle-aged, retired pirate captain living quietly in the mountains with her daughter, Marjana. She is unusually tall, physically imposing, and highly skilled with weapons like her grandfather's dagger. Though she attempts to embrace a peaceful domestic life, she deeply misses the ocean and harbors a lingering guilt over her desire to return to piracy. When a wealthy woman offers her an exorbitant sum to rescue a kidnapped teenager, Amina leaves retirement to assemble her former crew.

Dunya/Jamal is the sixteen-year-old child of the late sailor Asif, possessing a deep knowledge of magical relics gained from studying in their family's esoteric library. Fleeing an arranged marriage in Aden, they become entangled with the Frankish sorcerer Falco, who seeks to use their magical knowledge to find the Moon of Saba. They identify as male and prefer the name Jamal, a truth they hide from their overbearing grandmother.

Raksh is a demon and Amina's fourth husband, capable of taking on both a beautiful human form and a monstrous, blue-skinned shape. He survives by feeding on the intense ambition and desires of humans, forming binding magical contracts with them. He views the world through an alien, selfish lens, contrasting with the loyalty exhibited by Amina's crew.

Falco Palamenestra, also known as The Frank, is a European sorcerer who became disillusioned with religion following his experiences in the Crusades. He seeks to gather powerful magical artifacts, specifically the Moon of Saba, to rival divine power and recreate the world according to his own vision. He binds his followers to him through fear and dark magic, physically altering them into monstrous hybrids.

Salima is an extremely wealthy, elderly woman from Aden who hires Amina to locate her missing grandchild. She is fiercely protective of her family's reputation and willing to liquidate her vast assets to secure Dunya/Jamal's return. Wily and uncompromising, she uses Amina's lingering guilt over her son Asif's death as leverage to force the pirate captain out of retirement.

Dalila is a small, fiercely loyal woman known as the "Mistress of Poisons." She serves on Amina's crew and operates a dangerous pharmaceutical business, often sporting singed hair from her chemical experiments. A Christian living in a predominantly Islamic region, she keeps her origins mysterious but remains one of Amina's most trusted advisors and lethal assets.

Tinbu is a sailor from the Malabar coast who serves as Amina's capable second-in-command aboard the Marawati. Originally enslaved as a teenager, he found freedom and purpose under Amina's command. He maintained the ship during her long retirement and is deeply relieved when she returns to take charge, preferring to support rather than lead.

Majed is the former navigator of the Marawati who left the pirating life to start a respectable, law-abiding family in Mogadishu. A devout Muslim and skilled cartographer, he functions as a stabilizing, older-brother figure to Amina. Despite his comfortable domestic life, he retains his passion for exploration and eventually agrees to help Amina track down the magical Moon of Saba.

Asif is Salima's late son and Dunya/Jamal's father, who once sailed on the Marawati under Amina's command. His mysterious and tragic death has haunted Amina for years, leading her to believe she was responsible. Driven by an intense desire for fame and respect, he made a reckless magical bargain with Raksh that ultimately cost him his soul.

Marjana is Amina's young daughter, living quietly with her mother and grandmother in a hidden mountain home. Though she appears to be a normal child, she occasionally exhibits strong intuition and dark eyes that make Amina worry about her hidden lineage. She serves as the primary emotional anchor keeping Amina tied to a domestic life on land.

Amina's unnamed mother lives with her and Marjana in their isolated mountain home. She strongly disapproves of Amina's return to the sea, fearing for her daughter's life and the stability of their family. Despite her vocal objections, she provides Amina with prepared food and affection before her departure.

Nasteho is a tall Somali woman and the wife of Majed. She runs a prosperous household and knows the full truth about her husband's pirating past. Wise and observant, she understands the conflict between loving one's children and loving one's career, and she uses this insight to help Amina process her guilt over leaving Marjana.

Yusuf is a Jewish man living in Aden and Tinbu's romantic partner. When Tinbu is arrested for piracy, Yusuf loudly defends him to the authorities. Amina accuses him of theft during a staged argument, resulting in his temporary arrest alongside her and Dalila in order to infiltrate the prison.

Layth is an agent working for the Frankish sorcerer Falco, tasked with tracking down Amina and her crew. He attempts to hire Amina on Falco's behalf to collect magical objects. He is magically bound to his employer, a condition that proves fatal when he attempts to divulge Falco's secrets.

Magnun is an exceptionally tall Egyptian nakhuda (captain) operating out of the pirate haven on Socotra. Unlike the other cautious captains, he immediately offers his ship and crew to assist Amina in her assault on Falco's beachside stronghold. He provides Amina with specialized armor and a magical iron knife capable of severing magical bonds.

Yazid is one of Falco's magically enhanced henchmen. He is granted Amina's favorite scimitar by his master after Falco captures the ship. He possesses supernatural strength due to his magical tether to Falco, making him a deadly opponent in physical combat.

The Marid is an enormous, ancient sea monster controlled against its will by Falco's magic. Falco uses the creature to destroy ships and devour disloyal crew members. It is bound by magical tethers that force it to obey the sorcerer until those bonds are physically severed.