The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

Sefawynn is the novel’s deuteragonist, a dynamic and round character whose arc mirrors John’s journey of self-discovery. She is introduced as a pragmatic and cynical “skop,” a traveling poet and storyteller who uses her knowledge of folklore to grift locals. Her skepticism is her primary defense mechanism in a harsh world; she immediately sees through John’s initial “aelv” act, stating, “I know your type… Far too well” (33). This cynicism stems from her own secret: She believes her supposed spiritual powers are a sham and that she is a charlatan for pretending to bind and loose the invisible spirits, or “wights.” She perpetuates this lie out of a desperate need to survive and provide for her younger brother, Wyrm, revealing a deep-seated vulnerability and sense of duty beneath her hardened exterior.

Sefawynn’s primary motivation is the protection of her brother, which drives her to confront dangerous situations despite her fears and self-doubt. Her journey is about discovering her true capabilities in the power of words and defiance against suffering. This transformation connects directly to the theme of The Responsible Use of Power to Build Agency and Define Worth, as she learns her strength lies in being a voice of inspiration. The climax of her arc occurs during the Hordaman invasion of Maelport, where, feeling abandoned by her god, she screams her defiance at the heavens. This raw, honest outburst proves to be the most powerful “boast” she could perform. It inspires the frightened wights to rise up and defend the city, proving that her power as a skop was real all along, rooted in her ability to give voice to the people’s own feelings of righteous anger and will to survive. This act solidifies her identity not as a true spiritual leader and protector of her people.

Ealstan serves as a key supporting character, an archetypal steadfast leader who grounds John in the new dimension. As the thegn of Stenford, he embodies the Anglo-Saxon ideal of duty, honor, and fierce loyalty to his people. He possesses emotional depth and his core values remain constant throughout the narrative. He is defined by a sense of world-weariness born from immense loss, having lost both of his sons in a previous raid and living under the constant threat of annihilation. This grief makes him receptive to the new form of strength John represents.

Ealstan’s role is crucial to the development of the plot and its themes. He is the first person to believe in John, accepting his “aelv” persona and providing him with the respect and confidence he needs to begin acting heroically. His awe at John’s ability to heal him after being shot with arrows illustrates a central idea of the novel. For Ealstan, a man who has seen too much death, the power to preserve life is far more valuable and impressive than the power to take it. He represents the soul of the community John chooses to fight for, a man who believes true strength is found “to live without killing” (290). His unwavering loyalty and willingness to sacrifice himself for others provide a moral compass for John, showing him what it means to be a true protector.

Ulric Stromfin is the primary antagonist of the story, a static and flat character who represents the corrupting influence of John’s world. As the head of a powerful cartel, Ulric is defined by his singular desire for power, which he exerts through cruelty, fear, and technological superiority. He uses advanced weaponry like pistols to dominate the technologically inferior Anglo-Saxons, demonstrating a worldview where worth is measured solely by the ability to kill and control. His history with John is deeply personal; he is the architect of John’s shame, having ordered him to throw a championship boxing match and then permanently disabling his core platings to ensure his humiliation and subservience. This act reveals his sadistic nature, as he enjoys breaking others to maintain his dominance. Ulric’s ultimate goal is to exploit the dimension’s unique probability-altering properties for financial gain back in his own world, showing a complete disregard for the life and culture he threatens to destroy in the process. He functions as the embodiment of the oppressive past that John must overcome to achieve self-worth.

Quinn Jericho functions as Ulric’s primary enforcer and serves as a direct foil to John. Though largely a static character, he displays more complexity than his boss. His identity is linked to his history with John as a rival boxer in the Enhanced Fighting League. He is the man who defeated John in their title bout, a victory that cemented his high-ranking position with Ulric and John’s fall from grace. This shared history creates a dynamic of professional rivalry and a grudging respect between them. Unlike Ulric, Quinn demonstrates a flicker of a personal code, letting John go free in Wellbury because he feels he owes him for a past deed involving his wife, Tacy. This nuance makes him more than a simple brute and frames his final confrontation with John as more complex than a battle of pure good versus evil. For John, physically defeating Quinn is the necessary symbolic act to finally shed the “loser” label that has defined his life since their last match. Instead of revenge, John repays Quinn for his earlier lenience and sends him back to his world to make amends.

Ryan Chu is a heroic detective and John’s childhood friend, acting as a foil who represents the idealized hero John initially imagines himself to be. A static and somewhat flat character, Ryan is defined by his unwavering competence, moral certainty, and preparedness. He arrives in the dimension with a clear plan, the right equipment, and the leadership skills to rally a local resistance. His presence serves as a constant reminder to John of his own failures and inadequacies. Ryan also embodies the novel’s exploration of The Clash Between Scientific Rationality and Mythological Reality. He steadfastly refuses to accept the existence of magic, attributing the dimension’s supernatural occurrences to “a strange quantum fluctuation involving collapsing probability fields” (257). This rationalist worldview prevents him from understanding the true nature of the world he is in, highlighting the limitations of his otherwise perfect heroism. Ultimately, Ryan’s conventional competence makes John’s messy, improvisational, and more empathetic brand of heroism appear all the more remarkable.

Appearing for most of the novel as Thokk, a quirky and seemingly harmless elderly hearth-keeper, Logna is a goddess in disguise who functions as a trickster figure. She subtly manipulates events, guiding John and Sefawynn while testing their character. Her presence as John’s invisible “wight” is the source of much of the inexplicable magic, from unlocking doors to disassembling weapons. As the goddess of monsters, words, and cunning, she represents a mythological reality that directly challenges the scientific worldview of the travelers from John’s world. She serves as a narrative counterweight to the oppressive god Woden, embodying a different form of divine power based not on fear and sacrifice but on cleverness, inspiration, and a desire for interesting stories. Her eventual reveal clarifies the magical rules of the world and sets up Sefawynn’s ultimate triumph.

Yazad is a minor character who acts as a helper, offering unconditional aid and shelter to the protagonists. As a missionary from a distant land, he represents an outsider’s perspective, introducing different religious and philosophical ideas into the narrative. His cheerful optimism and belief in a loving god stand in stark contrast to the grim fatalism of the Anglo-Saxons and their relationship with the vengeful Woden. Yazad’s kindness and joy in simple things, like sailing, serve to highlight the harshness of the local culture while also demonstrating that hope and compassion can exist even in a brutal world. He provides a safe harbor for the characters at a crucial moment, allowing them to rest and regroup before their final confrontation.

Wyrm is Sefawynn’s younger brother, a minor character whose primary role is to serve as a catalyst for the plot. His kidnapping by Ulric’s men is the event that forces Sefawynn and John to pursue the antagonists to Wellbury. As an archetype, he is the innocent, and his plight provides Sefawynn with her core motivation. He represents the defenseless people that the heroes are fighting to protect, and his successful rescue is their first significant victory as a team, solidifying their alliance and giving them the momentum to continue their quest against Ulric.

Wealdsig, the reeve of Wellbury, is a minor antagonist who functions as a wild card. Initially allied with Ulric, he is an unpredictable figure driven by profound grief. Having lost all seven of his sons to battle, he is obsessed with finding a source of power strong enough to protect his people. His allegiance shifts dramatically when he witnesses John’s healing abilities. Realizing that the power to preserve life is more valuable than the power to kill, he turns on Ulric and aids the protagonists. This character turn is a pivotal moment that directly illustrates the novel’s critique of different forms of power, showing that leadership based on protection and restoration is ultimately more compelling than leadership based on fear and destruction.