Keevan is the smallest and youngest candidate hoping to become a dragonrider. Frequently mocked as "babe" by his peers, he compensates for his lack of physical stature by working twice as hard as anyone else. He is desperate to prove his worth on his first Hatching Day, though he battles internal self-doubt about his society's preference for size and physical strength.

As the oldest and largest of the dragonrider candidates, Beterli relies on intimidation and cruelty to maintain his senior status. Having failed to be chosen by a dragon in eight previous Impressions, he masks his deep-seated insecurities with aggression. He specifically targets the smallest candidate, Keevan, out of fear that the younger boy might succeed where he has failed.

Mende is Keevan’s gentle and compassionate foster mother and stepmother. Drawing on her extensive knowledge of Harper tales and her years of experience in the community, she serves as a vital voice of reason against the Weyr's superficial focus on physical strength. She tries to instill confidence in Keevan by insisting that dragons look into a person's heart rather than their height.

Heth is a highly prestigious bronze dragon. Because bronze dragons are rare and can potentially elevate their riders to Weyrleader, Heth is the source of intense anticipation and ambition among the candidates. Like all newly hatched dragons, his formidable potential contrasts with the physical fragility of his early hatchling state.

Lessa serves as the Weyrwoman, holding a position of immense authority within the dragonrider community. She is observant and perceptive, engaging in high-level debates about candidate parameters and the mysterious nature of dragon choices. She pays close attention to the behavior of the candidates under her watch.

F'lar is the Weyrleader of the community. According to Mende, F'lar was also considered small when he successfully Impressed his rare bronze dragon, Mnementh. Because of this history, he serves as an aspirational figure for the younger, less physically imposing candidates.

K'last is Keevan's father and a respected brown-rider. He perfectly embodies the community's physical ideals, as he is tall, large, and strong. This obvious physical difference from his son creates a puzzling gap between them, as K'last struggles to understand his much smaller child and often defaults to awkward comments about future growth spurts.