Charles is a 20-year-old African American man living in a Harlem apartment with his disabled father. To earn a living, he operates as a small-time street hustler, carrying a scuffed guitar case to give off the impression of being a down-on-his-luck musician. He possesses sharp street smarts and a pragmatic worldview, taking odd jobs for eccentric clients to pay the rent while masking his intelligence behind a clueless persona when dealing with white authority figures.

Robert Suydam is a wealthy, older white man with fluffy white hair and a gray beard who lives in a secluded Flatbush mansion. He carries a lion-headed cane and exhibits a paternalistic savior complex toward people of color. He maintains a deep obsession with arcane lore and offers exorbitant sums of money to recruit specific individuals for a mysterious upcoming gathering.

Detective Malone is a tall, thin white New York police officer who monitors illegal activities in the immigrant-heavy neighborhood of Red Hook. Unlike his overtly brutal partner, Malone considers himself open-minded and sensitive to supernatural forces. However, his passive racial prejudice colors his interactions, leading him to view the people he polices with paternalistic curiosity rather than genuine respect.

Otis is a 41-year-old retired bricklayer whose years of heavy manual labor have left him with gnarled hands and a stooped back. A disability keeps him largely confined to his bedroom, where he spends his time playing the guitar. He serves as a moral anchor for his son, using his own hard-lived experiences to warn Charles about the dangers of dealing with white employers.

Ma Att is an older, gaunt white woman who lives as a total hermit in a segregated neighborhood in Queens. She hires Charles to procure and deliver a mysterious yellow book titled *Zig Zag Zig*. She displays a highly guarded and unfriendly demeanor, refusing to let couriers or investigators fully inside her home.

Buckeye is a young West Indian immigrant from Montserrat living in Harlem. He possesses a sharp sense of humor and frequently teases Charles about his terrible singing voice. He represents a connection to the local Caribbean community and offers Charles a sense of genuine friendship and joy away from the pressures of street life.

Mr. Howard is a tall, wide private investigator working in conjunction with the New York Police Department. He utilizes brute force and overt intimidation to get what he wants, displaying aggressive racism toward the people he encounters in his investigations. He strictly focuses on physical realities and lacks any interest in the mystical elements surrounding his cases.