A young person belonging to a merchant family on the Unified Continent, where they listen to their grandmother's tales. Disconnected from their cultural heritage, they hold a mysterious family heirloom—a spear—and enter the Inverted Theater in their dreams.

A young warrior missing his left arm, which marks him with a cultural stigma of bad luck and dishonor. As an orphan claiming to be of the Daware Tribe, he seeks purpose and connection. He works under Commander Araya before swearing a sacred oath to deliver her prized spear across the country.

A skilled warrior of the Red Peacock brigade and the First Terror's favored son. Known as the Beautiful Knife for a violent past that began at age eight, he is now tormented by the voices of his victims. He desperately seeks to change his path, vowing never to kill again while escorting a dangerous passenger.

The eldest of the emperor's triplet sons, possessing the formidable ability to control wind and water. He is incredibly violent and power-hungry, yet fiercely devoted to his many sons in the Red Peacocks—especially his favorite, Jun.

The middle triplet of the emperor's sons, known for his cruelty and decadent lifestyle on the Thousand Rivers. He possesses the terrifying power to control people's actions through his speech, masking his deep-seated insecurities and longing for maternal attention.

An ancient celestial being who fell from the sky centuries ago and was trapped into providing heirs for the imperial dynasty. Disguised as an apparently lifeless older woman, she possesses immense power, manipulating those around her to enact her escape and put an end to her violent descendants.

A harsh, nostalgic older woman who longs for the Old Country. She attempts to keep her family's cultural identity alive by recounting myths of gods, magic, and the Inverted Theater to her grandchild. She chainsmokes hand-rolled cigarettes and shows little outward affection.

The mystical child of the Moon and the Water, acting as the primary performer in the Inverted Theater. The dancer manages the performances and directly speaks to the audience while physically embodying the unfolding epic of Keema and Jun.

The youngest of the emperor's triplet sons, burdened with a volatile shapeshifting ability but naturally possessing the head of a wolf. Kept hidden and treated as a monstrous beast by the emperor, he was sent away to the depths of the Joyrock prison.

The highly capable leader of the Tiger Gate, known affectionately as the Drunk Maiden. Despite her reputation, she is deeply respected by her troops and harbors secret, dangerous motives regarding the imperial family alongside a deeply personal mission.

The fifteen-year-old daughter of Commander Araya and the First Protector of the Induun family. She is a highly skilled warrior stationed outside the Divine City, carrying out a lifelong mission coordinated through secret letters with the mother she has never met.

A physically disabled tortoise with a cracked shell and malformed legs. Born with a flawed connection to the vast mental network that the imperial military exploits for communication, it yearns for freedom rather than a life locked in a watchtower.

A deaf nobleman who commands immense wealth and influence in the river region known as the Bowl of Heaven. Because he cannot hear, he is uniquely immune to the Second Terror's mind-controlling speech, allowing him to secretly organize a massive rebellion.

An ancient river spirit who now lives as a human woman caring for the people on the Thousand Rivers. She is the leader of the Gathering, a massive rebel faction plotting to overthrow the Second Terror's control of the region.

A traveling merchant who offers his wares to people on the road. Initially mischievous and opportunistic, he crosses paths with the young men multiple times as they travel the chaotic roads leading east.

The aging ruler of the Old Country. Obsessed with securing eternal life, he is a cruel patriarch who has long kept the Moon Goddess imprisoned beneath his palace to maintain his family's magical dominance.

An elemental force of nature and the celestial lover of the Moon Goddess. Mourning the loss of its partner, the Water's grief manifests as a cataclysmic force gathering on the horizon of the Unending Sea.