Hildred is a New York resident recovering from a head injury sustained during a fall from a horse. Following his stay in a psychiatric hospital, he reads the infamous play *The King in Yellow* and becomes convinced he is the rightful heir to the "Imperial Dynasty of America." He obsesses over his royal lineage and plots against those he views as obstacles to his imagined throne.

Alec is an American artist studying at the Beaux Arts in Paris. He harbors a deep, unrequited love for his friend's partner, Genevieve, choosing to maintain a facade of platonic friendship rather than ruin their dynamic. His repressed feelings surface painfully when he falls ill after reading *The King in Yellow*.

Boris is a talented sculptor living in a Parisian villa with his lover. He invents a bizarre chemical solution capable of turning living tissue into perfect white marble. Despite the unsettling nature of his discovery, he promises not to use it for his art, viewing it merely as a scientific curiosity.

Jack represents a recurring archetype of the American expatriate painter across several stories. Whether acting as a loyal friend to Alec or working through a complicated marriage during the Siege of Paris, the various Jacks embody the struggles, jealousies, and romantic entanglements of the bohemian artist lifestyle.

Hastings is a young, sheltered American from Connecticut who travels to Paris to study at the Beaux Arts. Unlike his cynical peers, he holds an idealistic view of the world and treats everyone with earnest respect. His innocence makes him an anomaly in the decadent Latin Quarter.

Valentine is a beautiful, worldly woman living in the Latin Quarter. She has a mysterious, widely-gossiped-about history that she guards closely. Accustomed to the transactional and cynical nature of bohemian men, she is entirely disarmed by Hastings's genuine respect.

Clifford is a boisterous art student who fully embraces the libertine lifestyle of the Latin Quarter. He drinks heavily, rarely attends classes, and constantly chases different women. Despite his own lack of morals, he feels protective of Hastings's innocence and mentors newer students.

Selby is an exceptionally talented, initially shy new art student in Paris. Guided by Clifford, he quickly falls under the intoxicating influence of the bohemian Latin Quarter. His infatuation with a mysterious local woman drives him to uncharacteristically impulsive and erratic behavior.

Mr. Scott is an older, established painter who professes strong Catholic beliefs but admits to lacking personal morals. He engages in a relationship with his much younger model. He finds himself increasingly unsettled by a pale, corpse-like watchman who lurks outside his building.

Philip is an American tourist who separates from his guide in the wilderness of Brittany, France. While preparing to sleep rough, he encounters a strange, antiquated world hidden in the mist. He quickly falls in love with his rescuer, adapting to her archaic customs.

Severn is an artist living in a small Parisian apartment on the Street of the Four Winds. He is a gentle, solitary man who spends his time daydreaming and painting. The arrival of a stray cat prompts him to seek out its owner, stirring up memories of a woman from his past.

Mr. Wilde is an eccentric, physically unusual man who calls himself a "repairer of reputations." He claims to manage a vast network of operatives across the city to fix the indiscretions of powerful men. He keeps a feral cat that constantly scratches him and feeds into Hildred's grand delusions about Carcosa and royal succession.

Genevieve is Boris's lover and frequent model for his sculptures. She cares deeply for both Boris and Alec, explicitly choosing Boris as her primary partner. Her emotional state becomes fragile and feverish, mirroring the strange atmosphere in the villa.

Sylvia acts as a recurring figure of womanhood and romantic history across the collection. She often exists as a lost love, a memory, or a wife with a complicated past. Her presence haunts the male protagonists, driving their feelings of jealousy, regret, or longing.

Tessie is Mr. Scott's young, devoted art model. She experiences vivid, terrifying dreams about a funeral procession driven by the church watchman. She gives Mr. Scott an onyx brooch she found on the street, unaware of its connection to the dark forces gathering around them.

Jeanne is the beautiful mistress of the Chateau d'Ys. She speaks an antiquated form of French and lives an isolated life with only her companions and nurses. She offers Philip hospitality and teaches him the old art of falconry, completely detached from the modern world.

Louis is Hildred's cousin and a military man. He represents a practical, grounded counterpoint to Hildred's delusions, seeing only cheap brass where Hildred sees royal jewels. He wishes to marry Constance, unaware that Hildred views him as a direct threat to a fictional throne.

Constance is the daughter of the local armorer and the sweetheart of Louis. She is a kind, ordinary young woman who becomes an unwitting pawn in Hildred's grand, delusional schemes regarding his royal succession.

Hawberk is a skilled armorer and the father of Constance. He maintains a practical outlook on life and correctly identifies his upstairs neighbor, Mr. Wilde, as a dangerous lunatic, putting him at odds with Hildred's warped perspective.

Rue Barrée is the nickname given to a beautiful, mysterious woman living in the Latin Quarter. She remains entirely aloof to the many art students who attempt to court her, working quietly as a pianist and ignoring the boisterous bohemian culture around her.

Elliott is an art student and Clifford's roommate at the Beaux Arts. He serves as a cynical sounding board for Clifford's many romantic declarations, pointing out his friend's exhausting pattern of falling in and out of love.

Hartman is an American expatriate widely disliked by his peers. He holds a complicated past with Sylvia and acts antagonistically toward the other artists, eventually facing accusations of being a Prussian spy during the siege.