Edgar is a 17-year-old boat builder with an intuitive grasp of mathematics, proportions, and structural design. After a brutal Viking raid destroys his home and upends his future, his family relocates to a meager farm at Dreng's Ferry. He applies his inventive mind to improving the community's infrastructure while adjusting to his reduced circumstances, refusing to accept the limitations of his social station.

Ragna is a 20-year-old noblewoman from Normandy who rejects the era's typical expectations of female domesticity. Beautiful and highly independent, she desires an equal partnership rather than a submissive role. Her infatuation with an English ealdorman brings her to Shiring, where she struggles to adapt to the English court's customs and the hostility of her new in-laws.

Aldred is a 33-year-old English monk devoted to the expansion of his monastery's scriptorium. He is one of the few clergymen genuinely interested in reform, though he wrestles with past scandals and his own carnal temptations. He actively opposes the corruption of church officials who use their positions for personal gain.

Dreng is the cruel, exploitative landlord at Dreng's Ferry and a cousin to Bishop Wynstan. He openly maintains two wives and several enslaved individuals, treating them all with brutal disregard. He exploits Edgar's vulnerable family by offering them poor farmland in exchange for excessive labor and unfair tolls.

Wynstan is the 30-year-old Bishop of Shiring who views his ecclesiastical office purely as an instrument for accumulating wealth and power. He freely indulges his physical appetites, frequently visiting brothels, and uses religious rhetoric to justify his greed. He actively schemes to maintain his family's control over the region's resources.

Wigelm is a 25-year-old thane who relies entirely on his family's reputation rather than his own merits. He is cowardly, illiterate, and openly cruel, particularly toward women and the peasants who pay him rent. He views others purely as objects for his amusement and financial benefit.

Wilwulf, known as Wilf, is the 40-year-old ealdorman of Shiring. He is a massive, confident warrior whose physical prowess commands immediate respect. While he initially appears as a dashing romantic partner to Ragna, his traditional views on marriage and his refusal to curb his infidelity quickly complicate their relationship.

Edgar's mother is a resilient, deeply pragmatic woman who holds her family together after her husband's murder. She possesses a highly refined sense of justice and refuses to back down from bullies. Despite her own profound grief, she aggressively negotiates for her family's survival at Dreng's Ferry.

Blod is an enslaved woman owned by Dreng. She suffers continuous physical and sexual abuse at his hands and is frequently rented out to passing travelers. Despite her horrific circumstances, she maintains a quiet dignity and forms a sympathetic bond with Edgar, who tries to protect her.

Cuthbert is a local priest and skilled jeweler living near Dreng's Ferry. He possesses technical skill but lacks moral fortitude, making him an easy target for manipulation. Bishop Wynstan easily coerces him into participating in a counterfeiting scheme, using Cuthbert's craftsmanship to melt and forge false coins.

Gytha is the mother of Wilwulf, Wynstan, and Wigelm. She is a cunning and fiercely protective matriarch who effectively rules the domestic sphere of Shiring. She views Ragna as an invading rival and actively plots to humiliate her and strip away her influence over Wilf.

Denewald, commonly known as Den, is the sheriff of the region. He commands a force of armed men, giving him significant local authority. He represents the king's law and occasionally allies with Aldred and Ragna when their interests align against the corrupt local nobility.

Inge is Wilwulf's first wife, whom he divorced because she lacked noble blood. Despite the separation, she continues to live on the estate and maintains a close, intimate relationship with Wilwulf, much to Ragna's distress. She actively enjoys watching Ragna struggle to adapt to the English court.

Garulf is the teenage son of Wilwulf and Inge. He shares his father's physical size and aggressive nature but lacks any noble titles due to his mother's common birth. He is coarse, violent, and indifferent to the pain of servants or commoners.

Cwenburg is Dreng's teenage daughter. She is highly sexually aggressive and uses her position to manipulate the men around her. She quickly instigates relationships with Edgar's brothers, securing her own marriage while tying Edgar's family permanently to her father's land.

Sungifu is a 21-year-old married woman living in Combe. She is trapped in a miserable marriage to an older man and plans to run away with Edgar to start a new life. Her tragic fate during the Viking raid serves as the catalyst for Edgar's sudden loss of direction.

Degbert is a local priest and brother to Dreng. He manages the poor farmland at Dreng's Ferry and frequently clashes with Edgar. Like his cousin Wynstan, he uses his religious title to cover for his greed, maintaining multiple wives and prioritizing rent collection over spiritual duties.

Agnes is Ragna's seamstress who travels with her from Normandy to England. She eventually marries a local reeve and becomes deeply embedded in the English community. Her loyalty to Ragna is severely tested when her husband is implicated in local crimes.

King Ethelred is the monarch of England. He struggles to contain the constant Viking threats and frequently relies on his ealdormen to maintain order. He is generally passive regarding domestic disputes, preferring to avoid conflict among his nobles rather than enforcing justice.

Count Hubert is Ragna's father and the ruler of Cherbourg. He is a proud Christian who retains a strong connection to his Viking heritage. He allows Ragna a degree of independence unusual for the era, permitting her to settle disputes and observe diplomatic meetings.

Genevieve is Ragna's mother. She understands the practical limitations placed on noblewomen and urges her daughter to abandon romantic fantasies in favor of political realities.