This alphabetical index contains 87 characters from the story.
Major characters appear in multiple chapters, while supporting characters may appear in only one or two.
Baby Leonard Van Vracken is Delia's helpless infant brother who becomes a tragic victim of the Coyotes' brutal assault on the Van Vracken farm in Chapter 9. During the horrific attack, he is seized by Hiram, who holds the screaming baby upside down by one ankle while promising the gang they'll "eat good tonight." His death haunts Delia's dreams and fuels her desperate need for vengeance, as she feels she failed most deeply in her duty to protect her innocent baby brother. Leonard's murder represents the ultimate cruelty of the Coyotes and serves as the primary catalyst for Delia's transformation into a vengeful survivor seeking justice.
Appears in Chapters 9, 23.
The barkeep is a saloon employee in Steel Branch who serves drinks to Luther Byrne during his evening visit to the dance hall in Chapter 6. He uncorks whiskey bottles and pours drinks for Byrne and the dance hall girl Sorrow, representing the simple frontier hospitality found in Western saloons. Though a minor character, he facilitates the encounter between Byrne and Sorrow that reveals Byrne's struggle with his past and his attraction to the young woman. His presence underscores the normalcy of saloon life that contrasts sharply with the supernatural darkness approaching the region.
Appears in Chapter 6.
Barley Reinhold is a stagecoach driver with bronze shoulders and winter-blue eyes who becomes consumed by witch-hunt hysteria in Hope's Hill. Initially appearing as a respectable worker employed by the church, he transforms into a dangerous vigilante who orchestrates the kidnapping of schoolteacher Grace Cowland in Chapter 3, believing her to be responsible for the town's supernatural troubles. His descent from trusted driver to would-be lynch mob leader illustrates how fear and superstition can corrupt even seemingly decent men. After Marshal Russell intervenes to save Grace and banishes Reinhold from town, he represents the toxic influence of mob mentality that threatens innocent lives during times of crisis.
Appears in Chapters 2, 3.
Belial is Glen Amaroq's supernatural Mustang, a demonic horse that serves as both steed and mystical companion to the Coyotes' leader. Named after a biblical demon, this creature possesses otherworldly abilities including supernatural strength, intelligence, and loyalty that transcends normal animal behavior. In Chapter 30, when Glen is mortally wounded and crawling through the snow, Belial responds to his master's tongue-clicking summons by breaking free from its restraints and charging to his rescue. The horse's hide is so thick that bullets ricochet off it, and it snorts black mist with eyes that burn like hot coals, demonstrating the deep connection between Glen's dark magic and his loyal mount.
Appears in Chapter 30.
Big Chuck Brazo is a war veteran who brings formidable firepower to the fight against the Coyotes in the form of a stolen mountain howitzer cannon. Having served in conflicts with Mexico and stolen the twelve-pounder smooth-bore artillery piece from Confederate forces during his military service, Brazo represents the battle-hardened warrior eager for combat. He paints his entire face in a red skull mask and delights in the prospect of using his massive weapon against the supernatural threat. Throughout the siege of Hope's Hill, he maintains his position with the howitzer, providing crucial heavy artillery support and demonstrating the military experience and weaponry needed to combat otherworldly enemies.
Appears in Chapters 24, 26, 28.
Billie and Josiah Van Vracken are Delia's older brothers who had already left the family farm for cattle drives by the time of the Coyotes' attack in Chapter 9. Their absence proves tragically significant, as Delia realizes that if her brothers had still been home, the family might have stood a fighting chance against Glen Amaroq and his gang. The brothers represent the missing male protection that could have altered the massacre's outcome, and their departure for seasonal work exemplifies the vulnerability of frontier families when their strongest members are away seeking employment. Their absence haunts Delia as she considers how different things might have been if Billie and Josiah had been there to defend their parents and baby Leonard.
Appears in Chapter 9.
Bridget O'Connor is the wife of Shane O'Connor and mother to their large family, including four boys, two girls, and a newborn baby. When supernatural darkness begins afflicting their farm, she becomes desperate for spiritual help and calls for religious authorities to assist with her husband's mysterious illness and the strange phenomena plaguing their land. Her terror is palpable as she witnesses Shane developing black veins and vomiting black substance, knowing something unnatural has taken hold of her family. Tragically, she and her newborn disappear when the supernatural darkness consumes their farmhouse, leaving behind only their traumatized children and becoming one of the first casualties of the evil spreading through Hope's Hill.
Appears in Chapter 2.
Brown is a brown-skinned Coyote pack member who participates in the brutal massacre of the Van Vracken family in Chapter 9. During the attack, he pursues Delia to the woodpile behind the house, where she manages to defend herself by sinking her axe deep into his left arm. The wound reveals his supernatural nature as he screams with fangs sprouting among his regular teeth, demonstrating the werewolf characteristics of Glen's gang. Though severely injured by Delia's desperate defense, Brown represents the savage cannibalistic nature of the Coyotes and their inhuman transformation during violent acts. His injury shows that the Coyotes, while supernatural, can still be wounded by conventional weapons when caught off guard.
Appears in Chapter 9.
Caldonia represents one of the enslaved people brutally abused by young Glen Amaroq during his time at his grandfather's plantation in Chapter 23's flashback sequence. Along with other enslaved individuals, she suffers under Glen's sadistic cruelty as he learns to wield power through fear and violence, developing the brutal methods he later uses as the Coyotes' leader. Her victimization illustrates Glen's early descent into evil and his systematic dehumanization of others, particularly people of color. The abuse Caldonia and others endured at Glen's hands foreshadows the horrific violence he will later perpetrate as an adult supernatural predator, showing how his capacity for evil was nurtured from a young age.
Appears in Chapter 23.
The choir boy is a teenage member of Hope's Hill chapel who becomes a victim of the Menhir's corrupting influence in Chapter 21's flashback. When the powerful supernatural artifact is accidentally released from containment by spilled children's blood, he falls under its evil spell alongside the nuns. He is found engaged in sexual activity with one of the elderly nuns in the blood-soaked chamber beneath the chapel, having lost all moral restraint to the Menhir's dark power. His tragic fate demonstrates how the ancient evil artifact corrupts even the most innocent, turning sacred spaces into scenes of depravity and showing the vulnerability of youth to supernatural malevolence.
Appears in Chapter 21.
Cillian O'Connor is the eldest son of the O'Connor farming family who serves as the desperate messenger bringing news of supernatural catastrophe to Hope's Hill in Chapter 2. Running barefoot through town with his coveralls hanging by one strap, he arrives in a state of panic to inform the religious authorities about the mysterious illness afflicting his father Shane and the unnatural darkness consuming their farm. His frantic testimony about black veins appearing on his father and the livestock dying helps establish the supernatural threat spreading through the region. Despite his distress, Cillian shows courage in seeking help for his family and later survives the supernatural incident that claims his parents and baby sister.
Appears in Chapter 2.
Constable Kirby is Hope's Hill's ailing law enforcement officer who becomes incapacitated by tuberculosis just when the town most needs protection from supernatural threats. His illness forces the town council to bring in Marshal Russell to maintain order during the crisis, as Kirby is too weak to leave his bed or perform his duties. In the backstory revealed in Chapter 23, Kirby previously played a role in questioning Glen Amaroq about his involvement in the cult activities that led to Glen's deep hatred of lawmen. His absence during the Coyotes' approach represents the vulnerability of frontier towns when their protective institutions fail, leaving citizens defenseless against both human and supernatural predators.
Appears throughout 4 chapters (2-23).
Corbin is a member of Jasper Thurston's original Coyotes gang who becomes the subject of a horrific necromantic experiment in Chapter 21's flashback. During the attack on Hope's Hill fifteen years earlier, he is shot in the face by a saloon girl's derringer, with the bullet destroying his right eye and lodging in his brain. Rather than allowing him to die, Jasper uses dark magic to resurrect Corbin as an undead minion, shoving a mummified child's toe into his empty eye socket and breathing black supernatural essence into his corpse. The reanimated Corbin becomes a mindless, shambling creature that follows Jasper's commands but lacks higher consciousness, representing the ultimate violation of death itself through evil sorcery.
Appears in Chapter 21.
Dalbert is a tall, rough-looking kidnapper with missing teeth and a blacksmith's grip who is hired along with a partner to abduct schoolteacher Grace Cowland in Chapter 3. Working under the direction of the witch-hunt hysteria led by Barley Reinhold, he manhandles Grace from her boarding room and drags her to a waiting stagecoach despite her resistance. His intimidating physical presence and willingness to brutalize a defenseless woman reveals the depths of mob mentality in Hope's Hill, where fear and superstition drive ordinary men to commit violent acts. When Grace manages to kick him in the face during her struggle to escape, it shows that even hardened criminals can be caught off guard by determined resistance from their victims.
Appears in Chapter 3.
Delia Van Vracken is a seventeen-year-old farm girl and skilled marksman whose family is brutally murdered and cannibalized by Glen Amaroq's Coyotes gang in Chapter 9, leaving her the sole survivor with severe facial scarring from Glen's bullwhip. Transformed from an innocent farm daughter into a vengeful sniper, she becomes obsessed with hunting down the Coyotes and avenging her family, particularly the death of her baby brother Leonard. Her exceptional shooting skills, honed through county fair competitions, make her a formidable ally to Marshal Russell's posse despite her youth and traumatic injuries. Throughout the story's climax, she serves as both the voice of justice for the Coyotes' countless victims and a representation of how violence and loss can forge survivors into instruments of righteous fury.
A key protagonist who appears in 7 chapters, representing the personal cost of the Coyotes' evil and the drive for justice.
Deputy Jake Dover is a young lawman serving under Marshal Russell who demonstrates both courage and vulnerability in the supernatural conflict with the Coyotes. Throughout the story's climax, he participates in the dangerous pursuit of Glen Amaroq and his gang, showing determination in the face of otherworldly threats that would break lesser men. In Chapter 30, he pursues the fleeing Coyotes alongside Oscar Shies through a supernatural blizzard, only to fall victim to Glen's dark magic when the outlaw unleashes a cloud of poisonous black dust that causes Dover to vomit luminous darkness. His fate illustrates how even dedicated lawmen are outmatched when facing supernatural evil, and his suffering serves as a reminder of the terrible cost of confronting ancient malevolent forces.
Appears in Chapters 24, 28, 30.
Deputy Norton Husley is Marshal Russell's clean-cut lawman assigned to protect schoolteacher Grace Cowland at the Abercrombie house following her near-kidnapping by the witch-hunt mob. A dedicated officer who takes his protective duties seriously, he serves coffee and maintains a professional demeanor while ensuring Grace's safety from potential vigilante attacks. Throughout the supernatural crisis, Husley proves himself a reliable member of Russell's law enforcement team, participating in patrols and maintaining order in Hope's Hill. Tragically, his commitment to justice costs him his life during the climactic battle with the Coyotes, when Glen Amaroq guns him down during the violent firefight, representing the ultimate sacrifice made by those who stand against evil.
Appears throughout 4 chapters (10-27).
Dr. Julius Mumm is a renowned professor at the University of Pennsylvania whom the morphine-addicted Dr. Uriah Craven hopes to impress with Jasper Thurston's supernatural heart in Chapter 10. As a respected member of the scientific community back east, Mumm represents the academic recognition and prestige that Craven desperately craves to escape his small-town medical practice. Though initially skeptical of Craven's telegraph claims about a miraculous medical discovery, Mumm agrees to meet with him, provided Craven pays his own travel expenses. His willingness to hear Craven out, however reluctantly, demonstrates the allure that groundbreaking medical discoveries hold for ambitious scientists, even when the claims seem fantastical.
Appears in Chapter 10.
Dr. Uriah Craven is a morphine-addicted physician who illegally purchases corpses from undertaker Vern Pipkin and becomes fatally obsessed with Jasper Thurston's supernatural heart after acquiring it in Chapter 4. Driven by dreams of scientific fame and escape from his small-town practice, he plans to present the still-beating heart to prestigious medical institutions back east, not understanding the evil he's unleashing. His addiction clouds his judgment while his ambition blinds him to the supernatural danger the heart represents. When Glen Amaroq retrieves the heart from his train car, Craven becomes another casualty of the Coyotes' violence, only to return later as one of the undead minions guiding the gang through his reanimated medical knowledge.
Appears in 7 chapters, representing the danger of tampering with supernatural forces for personal gain.
The dwarf mandolin player is a talented dance hall musician performing at the Steel Branch saloon during Luther Byrne's visit in Chapter 6. Despite his small stature, he creates a full musical experience by playing mandolin while simultaneously operating tambourine cymbals with his boots, showcasing the ingenuity and showmanship typical of frontier entertainers. His performance provides the musical backdrop for the encounter between Byrne and the dance hall girl Sorrow, contributing to the atmosphere of the Western saloon that represents temporary escape from the harsh realities of frontier life. His presence underscores the simple pleasures and diversions available in frontier towns before supernatural darkness descends upon the region.
Appears in Chapter 6.
Dylan Booty is the youngest member of Glen Amaroq's Coyotes gang, characterized as particularly savage and hypocritical despite never having met the original leader Jasper Thurston. Though he lacks the supernatural experience of the older Coyotes, he possesses an innate ability to sense supernatural presences and demonstrates exceptional cruelty, especially toward women. Throughout the story, Dylan embodies the gang's sadistic nature, participating in massacres while displaying a twisted sense of righteousness about their actions. His youth makes his evil all the more disturbing, showing how corruption can take root in those who should represent innocence. His death comes at the hands of Kiowa warrior Setamika, who kills him with an atlatl spear, providing his scalp as a source of temporary supernatural power for Marshal Russell in the final battle against Glen.
Appears throughout 6 chapters (2-30).
Earl is a racist local patron of the Rusty Nail saloon who provokes a confrontation with Oscar Shies in Chapter 5 that nearly leads to violence. Along with his friend, Earl objects to the presence of a Black cowboy in the saloon, making disparaging comments about Oscar "leaving a trail of grease" and calling him "boy" in a deliberately insulting manner. His bigotry backfires spectacularly when the physically imposing Oscar responds by breaking Earl's nose, bloodying his face, and ultimately shoving his boot into Earl's mouth while delivering the humiliating line about tasting cow patties. Earl's beating serves as both comeuppance for his racism and a demonstration of Oscar's physical prowess and refusal to tolerate disrespect, while Marshal Russell's intervention prevents the situation from escalating further.
Appears in Chapter 5.
Earl's unnamed friend is a racist local who backs up Earl's confrontation with Oscar Shies at the Rusty Nail saloon in Chapter 5, demonstrating the pack mentality that often accompanies prejudice. When Oscar begins physically dominating Earl in their fight, the friend escalates the situation by drawing a straight-backed knife from his boot, prepared to stab the Black cowboy in the back. However, Marshal Russell intervenes by placing his cocked pistol to the back of the man's head and disarming him before he can use the weapon. His cowardly attempt to attack Oscar from behind, combined with his subsequent silence when helping the bloodied Earl limp away, reveals both his racism and his fundamental cowardice when faced with real consequences for his actions.
Appears in Chapter 5.
Emi appears in Chapter 23's flashback sequence as one of the enslaved people who suffered under the brutal treatment of young Glen Amaroq at his grandfather's plantation. Like Caldonia and the other enslaved individuals, Emi represents the human cost of Glen's early development into a sadistic predator who learned to derive pleasure from the suffering of others. Her presence in Glen's backstory illustrates how his capacity for evil was cultivated through the systematic abuse of vulnerable people, particularly those rendered powerless by the institution of slavery. The trauma inflicted on Emi and others like her during Glen's formative years helped shape him into the monstrous leader of the Coyotes gang, showing how early exposure to absolute power over others can corrupt even a child into becoming an agent of pure evil.
Appears in Chapter 23.
The fifth unnamed Coyote pack member participates in the brutal massacre of the Van Vracken family in Chapter 9, representing the collective evil of Glen Amaroq's gang. As one of the unnamed killers in the assault, he contributes to the systematic slaughter and cannibalization of the farming family, helping to overwhelm the outnumbered defenders through sheer numbers and supernatural ferocity. His anonymity emphasizes how individual identity becomes subsumed into the pack's collective monstrosity, where each member becomes interchangeable in their capacity for violence and cruelty. His presence during this pivotal massacre helps establish the scope of the Coyotes' threat and the overwhelming odds faced by their victims, while his lack of distinguishing characteristics suggests that evil can be both ordinary and terrifyingly common.
Appears in Chapter 9.
Glen Amaroq is the primary antagonist, a supernatural cannibal who leads the Coyotes gang after inheriting command from the deceased Jasper Thurston. With blood-red eyes that glow with otherworldly malevolence and the ability to transform into a massive werewolf, Glen wields both a chrisdagger with an inverted pentagram and a bullwhip made from human hair. Driven by an obsessive quest to reclaim Jasper's still-beating heart and unlock its dark magic, he leads his gang on a campaign of unprecedented brutality that includes massacre, cannibalism, and the systematic destruction of entire families. His backstory reveals a plantation-raised sociopath who learned cruelty from childhood, eventually becoming a vessel for ancient evil that threatens to unleash hell itself upon the world.
Appears throughout 13 chapters as the story's main villain, terrorizing Hope's Hill and its inhabitants.
Grace Cowland is the new schoolteacher of Hope's Hill who becomes an innocent victim of witch-hunt hysteria when the town's supernatural troubles lead desperate residents to seek scapegoats. A young, unmarried woman with dark hair and eyes, she demonstrates remarkable courage when witnessing the supernatural darkness that consumes the O'Connor farmhouse, providing crucial testimony about the otherworldly force threatening the community. Despite being nearly kidnapped and lynched by Barley Reinhold's vigilante mob, she maintains her dignity and composure, later serving as a supportive figure for the town's defenders. Her persecution illustrates how fear and superstition can turn a community against its most vulnerable members, while her resilience represents the strength of innocent people caught in the crossfire of supernatural evil.
Appears in 4 chapters as both victim of superstition and supportive figure for the town's defenders.
Grandfather Sherwood appears in Chapter 23's backstory as Glen Amaroq's grandfather who owns the plantation where young Glen learns his sadistic methods of control and abuse. As the patriarch of a wealthy Southern family that relies on enslaved labor, Grandfather Sherwood either encourages or fails to prevent Glen's brutal treatment of enslaved people like Caldonia and Emi. His influence during Glen's formative years helps shape the boy's understanding that power comes through fear and violence, laying the groundwork for Glen's later transformation into the monstrous leader of the Coyotes gang. Whether through active encouragement or passive neglect, Grandfather Sherwood bears responsibility for nurturing the evil that Glen would later unleash upon the world, representing how systems of oppression can create monsters.
Appears in Chapter 23.
Hiram Zandler is Glen Amaroq's second-in-command in the Coyotes gang, a ghoulish cannibal with a particular preference for organ meat and an especially sadistic approach to violence. With a possum-like face and silver-plated revolvers, Hiram demonstrates the gang's capacity for both sophisticated planning and savage brutality, often serving as Glen's interrogator and enforcer. He plays a crucial role in tracking down Vern Pipkin and retrieving Jasper Thurston's heart, using torture and dismemberment to extract information from their victims. Throughout the story's climax, Hiram's cunning and supernatural abilities make him one of the most dangerous members of the pack, representing the intelligent evil that lurks behind the Coyotes' bestial facade.
Appears throughout 9 chapters (2-30).
Hyrum is a member of Glen Amaroq's Coyotes pack who possesses the supernatural ability to sense Jasper Thurston's spiritual presence when it is unleashed in Chapter 4. Though not physically present during the chapter's events, Glen anticipates that Hyrum will soon detect the same mystical scent that he has picked up, demonstrating the pack's shared supernatural connection to their deceased former leader. His impending awareness of Jasper's awakened power represents the chain reaction that will eventually draw all the Coyotes toward Hope's Hill in their quest to reclaim the magical heart. Hyrum's sensitivity to supernatural forces illustrates how the entire pack remains spiritually linked to Jasper even fifteen years after his death.
Appears in Chapter 4.
Jane Hopkins is a deceased seventeen-year-old girl whose tragic death from a mule kick to the skull makes her the subject of an illegal corpse transaction between undertaker Vern Pipkin and Dr. Uriah Craven in Chapter 4. Her young, unmarked body with intact organs makes her a valuable commodity for Craven's medical experiments, highlighting the grim reality of grave robbing and body snatching in frontier towns. Jane's death represents the vulnerability of youth on the harsh frontier, while her posthumous exploitation demonstrates the moral corruption that exists even among supposedly respectable professionals. Her sale helps establish both Vern's financial desperation and Craven's willingness to profit from human tragedy.
Appears in Chapter 4.
Jasper Thurston is the deceased original leader of the Coyotes gang whose supernatural heart continues to beat and grant dark power fifteen years after his death, serving as the ultimate source of evil driving the entire story's conflict. As revealed in Chapter 21's flashback, Jasper was a powerful necromancer and werewolf who could resurrect the dead, control transformations, and wield black magic that defied natural law. His defeat came through Luther Byrne's betrayal when the "thirteenth coyote" drove an iron crucifix through his heart during their assault on Hope's Hill. Though his body was buried in consecrated ground surrounded by children's graves, his still-beating supernatural heart was sealed in a golden capsule, and when it's unleashed by grave robber Vern Pipkin, it draws Glen Amaroq's pack back to reclaim their master's power and complete his dark legacy.
The ultimate source of evil referenced throughout 11 chapters, whose dark magic drives the entire supernatural conflict.
Jessamine the Deathless is a legendary figure referenced in Chapter 25 who previously warned of the existence of other werewolves beyond the original Coyotes pack. Her epithet "the Deathless" suggests she possessed supernatural longevity or immortality, making her a credible source for prophecies about supernatural threats. Her warning about "another wolfen" proves prophetic when Luther Byrne reveals his true identity as the thirteenth coyote, demonstrating that even among the supernatural community, Jasper Thurston's influence created ripple effects that extended far beyond his immediate followers. Her reference adds depth to the story's mythology, suggesting a broader network of supernatural beings who monitor and predict threats to the natural order.
Appears in Chapter 25.
Jesus Christ appears in Chapter 7 as a spiritual presence who Sister Mabel claims speaks directly to her, providing supernatural guidance during their journey to find Jasper Thurston's desecrated grave. When Marshal Russell and Oscar Shies question Mabel about the cemetery's location, she prays and then declares that "the way was spoken to me just now, shared onto me by Lord Jesus," giving them specific directions to follow the sun westward. Her claimed divine communication represents the story's theme of spiritual warfare between good and evil, with Christian forces attempting to contain supernatural darkness. Whether genuine divine intervention or Mabel's own intuitive knowledge, the guidance proves accurate, suggesting that higher powers may indeed be involved in the battle against ancient evil.
Appears in Chapter 7.
Joyce Abercrombie is Grace Cowland's protective housemother who provides both sanctuary and hospitality during the supernatural crisis afflicting Hope's Hill. In Chapter 3, she demonstrates courage by trying to defend Grace from the kidnappers hired by Barley Reinhold's lynch mob, suffering a violent backhanding for her efforts but showing the maternal protectiveness she feels toward her young tenant. Later, in Chapter 10, she continues her supportive role by serving coffee to Marshal Russell and his deputies when they visit to discuss the O'Connor farm incident, creating a domestic atmosphere of safety amid the surrounding chaos. Her character represents the ordinary citizens who maintain civility and compassion even when their community is threatened by both supernatural evil and human hysteria.
Appears in Chapters 3, 10.
Lady Kea, whose real name is Guadalupe Sanchez, is a Mexican prostitute and cult leader who reinvented herself as a false goddess in Chapter 23's flashback sequence. She represents the charismatic religious fraud who preys on the desperate and gullible, creating a cult following through claims of divine power and prophetic abilities. Her deception eventually collapsed when the truth of her identity and motives was exposed, likely contributing to the disbanding of the cult that young Glen Amaroq was associated with during his formative years. Her character illustrates the theme of false prophets and corrupted spirituality that runs throughout the story, showing how those who claim to represent divine power can actually serve as agents of deception and spiritual corruption.
Appears in Chapter 23.
Leroy is a Black member of Jasper Thurston's original Coyotes gang who participates in the assault on Hope's Hill fifteen years before the main story events in Chapter 21's flashback. An escaped slave who fled to Canada before returning to the United States, Leroy represents the racial diversity within the supernatural gang, though his quest for power through dark magic ultimately corrupts him as thoroughly as his white counterparts. During the final confrontation at the chapel, Leroy attempts to claim Jasper's supernatural power for himself after the pack leader's death, taking Sister Mabel hostage to force Luther Byrne's compliance. His death comes when Byrne shoots him in the throat, ending his bid to become the new leader of the Coyotes and preventing him from unleashing the Menhir's evil upon the world.
Appears in Chapter 21.
Louisa May Alcott, the famous author of "Little Women," is referenced in Chapter 29 when the delirious, undead Vern Pipkin quotes her poetry to Webb Tipton during his final moments of consciousness. In his zombie-like state, Vern recites Alcott's lines about "mysterious death" who can "change mortal weakness to immortal power," words that prove ironically prophetic given Vern's own supernatural transformation from living man to undead minion. Webb's dismissive response to Alcott's "scripture written by a heartsick whore" reveals his crude ignorance and disdain for literary culture. The reference serves as a brief moment of high culture amid the story's brutal violence, while the poetry's themes of death and transformation eerily reflect the supernatural horrors unfolding throughout the narrative.
Appears in Chapter 29.
Luther Byrne is the "thirteenth coyote," a mixed-heritage former member of Jasper Thurston's cannibalistic gang who became the key to their original defeat fifteen years earlier when he drove an iron crucifix through Jasper's heart during their assault on Hope's Hill. Raised in the orphanage under Sister Mabel's care before joining the Coyotes as a desperate thirteen-year-old, Byrne possesses supernatural wolfen abilities including enhanced strength, carnivorous instincts, and the ability to consume raw meat to control his transformation. Though he betrayed his pack to save Hope's Hill, he carries deep guilt for the atrocities he witnessed and participated in, living as a drifter until Jasper's supernatural return forces him to confront his past. Throughout the climactic battle, Byrne must overcome both his physical transformation and moral corruption to help destroy the evil he once served, representing the possibility of redemption even for those who have walked in darkness.
A key protagonist who appears in 10 chapters, serving as both antagonist backstory and reluctant hero.
Marshal Henry Russell is a U.S. Marshal with a Southern accent who arrives in Hope's Hill to restore order after Constable Kirby's illness leaves the town without law enforcement during its supernatural crisis. Initially skeptical of the religious and supernatural explanations for the community's troubles, Russell gradually comes to accept the reality of the otherworldly threat posed by Glen Amaroq and the Coyotes gang. Through his investigations and encounters with both the nuns' mystical practices and the physical evidence of supernatural evil, Russell transforms from a rational lawman into a believer who must use both conventional and mystical weapons to protect his charges. His evolution from doubter to defender represents the story's theme that even the most practical minds must acknowledge spiritual warfare when faced with undeniable supernatural evil.
A central protagonist who appears in 11 chapters, leading the defense against the supernatural invasion.
Mr. Van Vracken is Delia's bedridden father who suffers from rheumatism but demonstrates fierce paternal courage during the Coyotes' assault on his family farm in Chapter 9. Despite his physical limitations, he manages to shoot one of the attacking Coyotes from his upstairs bedroom window before being overwhelmed by the supernatural gang's ferocity. His valiant but ultimately futile defense of his family represents the tragedy of ordinary frontier farmers facing otherworldly evil that conventional weapons cannot fully stop. Though he fights bravely to protect his wife, daughter, and infant son Leonard, he is eventually killed by Hiram Zandler, becoming another victim of the Coyotes' systematic destruction of the Van Vracken family.
Appears in Chapter 9.
Mrs. Van Vracken is Delia's mother who demonstrates fierce maternal instincts during the Coyotes' brutal assault on their farm in Chapter 9, attempting to defend her family with a rifle despite being outnumbered and outmatched by the supernatural gang. When her weapon proves insufficient against the otherworldly threat, she is captured by the Coyotes and subjected to horrific torture before her death, with her suffering deliberately prolonged to maximize her family's anguish. Her brave but doomed resistance represents the tragic fate of frontier women caught between their protective instincts and forces beyond human comprehension. Her death, along with that of her husband and infant son, transforms their surviving daughter Delia into a vengeful survivor dedicated to destroying the monsters who destroyed her family.
Appears in Chapter 9.
Murphy Hires is Hope's Hill's portly town leader who struggles to maintain rational explanations for the increasingly supernatural events plaguing his community in Chapters 2 and 3. As a civic official trying to preserve order and normalcy, Hires represents the difficulty frontier communities face when confronted with otherworldly threats that defy logical explanation. His attempts to downplay or rationalize the supernatural incidents reflect the natural human tendency to reject evidence that challenges fundamental assumptions about reality. However, his position of authority makes his skepticism particularly dangerous, as it prevents the community from taking appropriate defensive measures against the growing supernatural menace represented by the awakening of Jasper Thurston's evil influence.
Appears in Chapters 2, 3.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Tabby, Patrick, Isaiah, and Maurice (the youngest), traumatized children who survive the supernatural incident that takes their parents.
Appears in Chapter 2.
A member of Glen Amaroq's cannibalistic Coyotes gang.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 21.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Recently deceased elderly man that Vern buried instead of selling (referenced only).
Appears in Chapter 4.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Farmer who hired Byrne to protect his sheep from wolves (referenced but not present).
Appears in Chapter 6.
A large Black cowboy and expert marksman who fights racism while serving as a mountain guide and ally to Marshal Russell.
A former slave who gained his freedom and now lives with his Choctaw wife and child, torn between family duties and fighting evil.
A supporting protagonist who appears in 7 chapters, providing both combat expertise and moral strength.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 6.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Mentioned in relation to Verne's education, suggesting a possible associate or reference to Verne's full name.
Appears in Chapter 1.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Ancient preacher and one of Hope's Hill's founding settlers.
Appears in Chapters 2, 10, 24.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Briefly mentioned in Russell's memory about fairy tales (referenced only).
Appears in Chapter 7.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Bound victims used as human shields and food sources Bound victims used as human shields by the Coyotes Captive victims, some killed during the battle, others freed.
Appears in Chapters 25, 26, 27.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Previously deceased woman mentioned as Vern's past necrophilic victim (referenced only).
Appears in Chapter 4.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Kiowa medicine man accompanying Russell back to town Kiowa warrior who saves Russell's life by killing Dylan with an atlatl Kiowa warrior battling alongside Russell against Hiram Kiowa medicine man providing spiritual protection and weapons Kiowa warrior who dies after giving Russell the scalp magic.
Appears throughout 5 chapters (24-30).
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Deceased children whose bodies were moved to create the holy burial ground around Thurston (referenced).
Appears in Chapter 8.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
The O'Connor family patriarch who becomes afflicted with supernatural symptoms (black veins, vomiting black substance) before disappearing.
Appears in Chapter 2.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Victims claimed by the supernatural darkness (referenced).
Appears in Chapter 10.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Local lawman killed by the Coyotes upon entering town.
Appears in Chapter 21.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 26.
A nun at Hope's Hill chapel involved in supernatural affairs.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 21.
A nun at Hope's Hill chapel involved in supernatural affairs.
Nun participating in the blood ritual; quotes scripture during the ceremony Nun accompanying Mabel; feels the supernatural coldness at the cemetery site Accompanies Mabel during the interrogation (present but mostly silent).
Appears in Chapters 5, 7, 8.
A nun at Hope's Hill chapel involved in supernatural affairs.
Youngest nun, new to the ritual but shows no hesitation in drinking children's blood Youngest nun who first spots the desecrated grave; shows fear and distress at the supernatural presence Present during the questioning at the station house (present but mostly silent) Young nun struggling with the menhir's corrupting influence.
Appears throughout 4 chapters (5-24).
The leader of Hope's Hill's nuns who has a dark history of performing blood rituals with children's blood to combat supernatural evil.
She previously encountered and helped defeat Jasper Thurston years ago, and now guides the fight against his supernatural return.
A morally complex ally who appears in 7 chapters, wielding both divine power and questionable methods.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Dance hall girl with blonde curls and green eyes; carries a hidden knife and fled mill work for saloon employment Dance hall girl from Steel Branch who has affected Byrne emotionally; appears in his memories and thoughts.
Appears in Chapters 6, 10.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Oscar and Nizoni's young son Oscar Schei's young son who spots the approaching Coyotes.
Appears in Chapters 24, 25.
A member of Glen Amaroq's cannibalistic Coyotes gang.
Coyote pack member who participates in the massacre Other members of Glen's cannibalistic gang.
Appears throughout 6 chapters (2-28).
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Mysterious member of the gang who escaped and helped defeat Thurston (referenced but identity unknown).
Appears in Chapter 8.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Con-man cult founder who raised Glen after the raid.
Appears in Chapter 23.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Thorne's cousin and fellow cult founder, killed in the cavalry raid.
Appears in Chapter 23.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Gang members who died during the confrontation fifteen years ago and were burned (referenced).
Appears in Chapter 8.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Russell's men who help block the road and rescue Grace.
Appears in Chapter 3.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 6.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
A long-dead man with grey sideburns buried in an expensive coffin.
Appears in Chapter 1.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Leader of the tent revival who is decapitated by Glen.
Appears in Chapter 5.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Dalbert's partner who laughs when Grace kicks Dalbert and helps with the abduction.
Appears in Chapter 3.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Old woman staying at the boarding house who talks politics with Byrne.
Appears in Chapter 6.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Suffering from the curse affecting their land and livestock (referenced).
Appears in Chapter 8.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Previous victims buried in the small graves surrounding Thurston's plot (deceased, graves only).
Appears in Chapter 7.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Victims of the Coyotes' massacre (men, women, children).
Appears in Chapter 5.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
A supporting character in the story.
Appears in Chapter 6.
The town undertaker and grave robber who discovers Jasper Thurston's supernatural heart while robbing graves to pay his debts.
His financial desperation leads him to sell the heart to Dr. Craven, inadvertently setting the supernatural crisis in motion.
Appears in 8 chapters, serving as the unwitting catalyst whose greed unleashes ancient evil upon Hope's Hill.
A member of Glen Amaroq's cannibalistic Coyotes gang.
Coyote pack member described as an octoroon showing African descent Large Coyote gang member Large, strong gang member from Texas who recruited Byrne for bank robbery; described as having blacksmith's arms Large Coyote carrying the limbless undertaker Vern Pipkin Large Coyote wearing the limbless Vern Pipkin as protection Large Coyote wounded and using Vern Pipkin as a shield Aging Coyote gang member questioning his loyalty and considering desertion.
Appears throughout 7 chapters (5-29).
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Battle-scarred alpha dire wolf, nearly the size of a black bear, with missing snout parts and punctured ears from past conflicts.
Appears in Chapter 6.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Shot by Delia's father but survives; uses a large knife during the assault.
Appears in Chapter 9.
A character who plays a role in the supernatural events surrounding Hope's Hill.
Barman at the Rusty Nail saloon; welcomes Russell and serves drinks without prejudice Bartender at the Rusty Nail saloon Saloon keeper at the Rusty Nail.
Appears in Chapters 5, 21, 22.