Matilda is a young goddess possessing both Skyward and Underling heritage, making her an outsider in both divine clans. As a herald, she serves as a messenger between the divine domains and the mortal world. Raised in secret by her mother, she learns to hide her emotions and guard against vulnerability. Her red hair and unique magic set her apart, while her growing empathy draws her toward the mortal world.

Vincent is a mortal who eventually becomes the Lord of Wyndrift following a devastating family tragedy. Described as lean with sharp angles and gray eyes, he carries a heavy burden of sorrow and responsibility. Initially the third son of his family, he is forced into a leadership role to protect his remaining people from his ambitious uncle. Despite his harsh experiences, he maintains a capacity for deep devotion.

Bade is the Underling god of war, known for his scarred appearance and fearsome reputation. Despite his violent domain, he is the first divine to hold Matilda and swears a salt-vow to protect her, serving as her combat instructor and surrogate father figure. He initially believes that fear is superior to love, a philosophy challenged by his growing infatuation with a mortal queen.

Adria is a mortal woman who rises from a humble background to become a powerful queen through the merit of her poetry and leadership. She wages a rebellion to oust a corrupt king, drawing the attention of the gods. Her compassion and courage challenge the divines' assumptions about mortals being mere playthings.

Warin is the god of spring. Known for his manipulative nature and desire for control, he uses his physical attractiveness and coercive tactics to extract secrets from others. He views mortals and less powerful divines as pawns to increase his own standing, making him a dangerous presence in both worlds.

Grimald is Vincent's older uncle, an ambitious and cruel mortal man who believes he is the rightful heir to Wyndrift based on historical primogeniture. Deeply covetous of power and demanding of adulation, he stages a violent coup against his own family to claim the lordship, ruling through fear and intimidation.

Zenia is the Underling goddess of winter, fire, and cunning. She lives a solitary existence in her burrow, fiercely protecting her daughter Matilda from the political machinations of the other divines. Cautious and practical, she relies on a tight-knit web of alliances and secret trades to ensure her survival.

Thile is the god of dusk, oaths, and summer, serving as the Lord of the Skywards. He is a formidable and authoritative figure who expects strict adherence to Skyward laws. He hoards power and demands absolute loyalty, keeping a tight grip on his domain and maintaining the fierce division between the divine clans.

Orphia is the goddess of death and the Underling matriarch. Operating from a massive burrow filled with scrying mirrors and a great loom, she possesses deep knowledge of the stars and fate. She keeps her profound understanding of the divines' destinies closely guarded, often weaving patterns that clash with her sister's designs.

Rowena is the goddess of fate and the Skyward matriarch. She communicates with her sister Orphia through twin magical looms, constantly weaving and unpicking the threads of mortal and divine destinies. Though she appears as an old woman, she holds immense sway over the lives of those in all three worlds.

Phelyra is the goddess of revelry and coin, holding a position in the Underling High Court. She possesses magical pockets capable of storing and concealing items, an ability she uses to facilitate illicit trades on the black market. Pragmatic and ambitious, she is deeply enmeshed in Zenia's survival strategies.

Alva is the goddess of dreams and nightmares. She collects and transcribes the sleeping thoughts of mortals onto physical scrolls. Though she acts as an ally to Zenia, she harbors her own agendas and is highly perceptive, using her access to the dream realm to gather information about the other divines and their secrets.

Dacre is the god of healing and the lord of the Underlings. He exercises authority over the dark world and commands the fearsome eithrals, dragon-like creatures he abuses to maintain control. He is a commanding, possessive leader who seeks to consolidate power and crush any resistance in the mortal world.

Enva is the goddess of music, capable of influencing both mortals and divines with her harp. She possesses a rare empathy for mortals, spending time in their world and using her abilities to counter Dacre's aggressive campaigns. Her music is powerful enough to manipulate emotions and induce deep sleep.

Shale is the god of wind. He can harness the trade winds to travel rapidly between the domains and occasionally assists others in navigating the skies. He is pragmatic and cautious, often warning others against the dangers of entangling themselves with mortals.

Nathaniel is Vincent's youngest brother. Having survived their uncle's violent betrayal alongside Vincent, he grows up fiercely loyal to his brother and the people of Wyndrift. He relies heavily on Vincent's protection but possesses a strong spirit and a desire to defend his home.

Finnian is one of Vincent's older brothers. He rides off to battle early in Vincent's life, representing the martial expectations placed upon the older sons of the Beckett family before tragedy strikes their household.

Marcher is another of Vincent's older brothers. Like Finnian, he is called to serve in the kingdom's broader conflicts, leaving young Vincent behind to await their return.

Hugh is a lord who controls the lands west of Wyndrift, operating out of Drake Hall. Once an ally to Vincent's father, he is a pragmatic and sometimes untrustworthy man who prioritizes his own survival and economic interests, particularly regarding access to the river's bridge.

The Gatekeeper is an ancient, giantess crone with one eye and sharp teeth who guards the threshold between the wasteland and the eternal mists. Older than the divine realms themselves, she determines which souls are worthy of passing on based on the stories and impact of their lives.

Xan is the Underling god of iron. After being struck down by a rival divine, his soul is sent to the wasteland where he must present his life's stories to the Gatekeeper to earn passage into the mists.

Alyse is the dedicated seneschal of Wyndrift, originally serving Vincent's father. She helps care for Vincent and Nathaniel after the tragedy and continues to manage the household affairs of the fortress, providing practical support to the young lord.

Edric is the captain of the guard at Wyndrift. Fiercely loyal to Vincent's family, he risks his life to drag the young lord to safety during the coup and remains a steadfast military advisor and protector as Vincent comes of age.

Hem is a mortal blacksmith who serves as Bade's vassal. Bound to the under realm, he works the god of war's forge, providing a stark example to young Matilda of the power imbalances and eternal oaths that govern mortal-divine interactions.

Luz is the goddess of rain in the Skyward domain. She frequently associates with other powerful divines, contributing her elemental powers to the broader machinations of the immortal courts.