Agnieszka is a 17-year-old girl from the rural valley village of Dvernik. She is known for being clumsy and wild, completely lacking the grace expected of a tribute. Selected by the local wizard to serve in his tower, she soon discovers she possesses latent, untamed magical abilities. She is fiercely loyal to her loved ones and struggles with feelings of inadequacy compared to her peers.

Sarkan is a powerful, immortal wizard who serves as the protector of the valley, guarding the kingdom from the encroaching forest. He lives in an isolated tower and is feared by the local villagers, from whom he claims a 17-year-old girl every ten years as payment. Though initially appearing cold and impatient, he possesses a strict moral code and a genuine appreciation for the beauty of magic.

Kasia is Agnieszka's closest friend and the most beautiful, graceful girl in Dvernik. Raised by her mother to be the perfect tribute for the Dragon, she harbors hidden fears about her assumed fate while outwardly displaying extreme bravery. Her perceived perfection makes her the target of both admiration and secret envy in the village.

Prince Marek is the younger son of the King of Polnya. He is a famous military leader known for fighting monsters and leading campaigns against the rival kingdom of Rosya. Entitled and single-minded, he is desperate to retrieve his missing mother from the deadly forest and leverages his political status to bend others to his will.

Two legendary figures whose existence overshadows the valley. Queen Hanna is the former royal consort of Polnya who eloped with a rival prince twenty years ago and vanished into the monster-infested forest. The Wood-Queen is the ancient, malevolent intelligence that controls the woods, directing its walkers and corrupting influence toward human settlements.

Solya is the second most powerful wizard in Polnya. He wears a long white cloak and serves the royal court. Highly politically motivated, he allies himself closely with Prince Marek and views his fellow wizard, the Dragon, with intense jealousy and suspicion.

Alosha is a senior wizard at the Polnyan royal court. Rising from an enslaved background due to her magical aptitude, she has lived for centuries and specializes in forging magical weapons. Her incredibly long life has given her a pragmatic, occasionally ruthless perspective on mortal lives and kingdom security.

Father Ballo is a monk and wizard at the royal court, also known as the Owl. He spent his early life illuminating manuscripts before his immortality and magical gifts were discovered. He is an anxious, scholarly man who firmly believes that truth only exists if it is written in a book.

Wensa is Kasia's mother and a resident of Dvernik. She grooms her daughter to be the perfect tribute for the Dragon, viewing the decennial selection as a path to future wealth and prestige for her family.

Jerzy is a farmer from the village of Dvernik. He and his cattle fall victim to the surrounding corruption, displaying green, rotting skin and serving as a visceral demonstration of the forest's lethal sickness.

Crown Prince Sigmund is the older brother of Prince Marek and the heir to the Polnyan throne. Unlike his reckless brother, he commands the royal army in official capacities and carries the heavy responsibility of securing his family's lineage.

Stashek is the seven-year-old son of Crown Prince Sigmund and heir to the throne of Polnya. Despite his young age, he possesses a brave spirit and wishes to accompany his father into battle.

Marisha is the young daughter of Crown Prince Sigmund. She is too small to understand the political and magical dangers threatening her family and the capital city.

Old Jaga is an infamous witch who lived five hundred years before the events of the story. Her surviving spell journal contains wild, intuitive magic that modern, classically trained wizards dismiss as useless nonsense.

Ragostok the Splendid is an elegantly dressed wizard at the royal court in Kralia. He possesses significant magical power and wealth, completely ignoring newcomers who do not meet his standards of importance.

The Willow is a healer witch serving the royal court of Polnya. She is tasked with examining and treating those suspected of corruption, maintaining a snide and dismissive attitude toward outsiders.

The ruler of Polnya and father to Sigmund and Marek. He harbors deep political anxieties regarding his runaway wife's sudden return, attempting to manage public perception while preserving his own alliances.

The Baron of the Yellow Marshes is a large, physically imposing nobleman governing a province bordering the valley. He prioritizes honor and genuine security over strict obedience to corrupt political mandates from the capital.

Countess Ludmilla is a noblewoman from Sarkan's past. She once seduced the young wizard, manipulating him into desperately trying to cure her infected husband so she could secure her own social standing.

The Raven is the former protector of the valley who battled the corrupted woods centuries ago. She ultimately gave her life attempting to halt the forest's spread, demonstrating the lethal cost of the position.

Linaya is an ancient tree-woman from a bygone era. She belonged to a magical race that once occupied the valley, bearing witness to a tragic betrayal that birthed the modern threats facing the kingdom.