Eli Frey is a lesser demon, and the former thrall of one more powerful. He started in his demon’s service as a wooden puppet carved from a blood-soaked tree. He was willful, wild and disobedient, but a horrific rebellion cost him everything, from his wooden body to his sense of self. His punishment was to be carved into a new kind of puppet, one made of flesh and desperate servitude. And so, he comes to Never weak and alone, and looking for a new master to kneel to.
Siddhartha “Sid” Ahmad’s family fled Bengal during the devastating famine of 1770, and since then, they’ve been on the move — Never quite nomadic, but never putting down permanent roots. By the time Sid turned 20, he had already lived in four different countries, constantly in search of opportunity and a place that might finally feel like home. His family, close-knit and resilient, has always adapted, but the longing for stability remains.
Trained by his grandfather in the ancient art of silversmithing enhanced by magic, Sid grew up surrounded by the delicate balance of craft and spellwork. A few years ago, he heard whispers of a town in the American West where witches like him might find a place to belong. Sid, driven by the hope of a fresh start, journeyed west to see if the rumors were true.
Now, as one of the town’s most respected artisans, Sid’s silverwork has made him a sought-after craftsman, known for his intricate designs and mysterious, almost otherworldly quality. He can also change shape at will, a talent that gives him a certain edge in his dealings, though he rarely uses it outside of his private moments. Whether Never will finally be the home his family has been searching for remains uncertain, but Sid feels something stirring in the town — Something both exciting and ominous — that might just hold the key to their future.
Mateo Lux runs a portrait studio on the edge of Never’s Chinatown, where his enchanted camera captures more than just the living. Known for offering comfort to the grieving and stirring desire in the lonely, he trades in moments that blur the line between heaven and something far more human.
An angel with roots in ancient Latin American divinity, Mateo walks the line between miracle and temptation. He is equal parts sacred and indulgent — Granting blessings, stirring hearts, and keeping his deeper truths well hidden.
Proprietor of Midas Antiques & Oddities — where you will find what you didn’t even know you were seeking, be it rarities, materials, or secrets long forgotten. An ancient witch whose deal with a demon stole from them their ability to cast, leaving them with an excess of time to accrue knowledge that they themselves can scarcely use. They have come to Never to be among the magic they have long since been deprived of.
Willard seems a simple man, when compared to the chaos that makes up the day-to-day of Never. Seeming mundane is his greatest weapon. Going unnoticed due to his somewhat aloof or even willfully ignorant disposition afforded to him by way of his isolated ranch, Willard holds machinations to undermine both fiends and the divine, alike.
Mr. Howl is a freshly minted demon, crashing into the outskirts of Never straight from Hell. With partial amnesia about how to be a human and no knowledge on how to be a demon, Howl is a hot mess and a nuisance and terror to the community. Most of all, he is a danger to himself. Will he figure it out or be smote back into the underworld?
Catherine ‘Cat’ Incontro is a troubled witch with the gift and curse of fire. As the last witch in a lineage that traces back to Salem, she has done a bang-up job letting her family down—first by accidentally killing her mother, and then setting blaze to nearly everything else in her life, one heartbreak at a time, until her witchfire made her the target of a destructive demon and his gang of outlaws. Refusing to sell her soul for her freedom, she was enslaved and made to destroy against her will in a twist even she could admit was darkly ironic. Nevertheless, she was not resigned to being someone’s pet, and she consorted with a chthonic goddess … well, begged one for help is more accurate. A deal was made, and a demon banished from this plane … but Cat’s work was just beginning. Sent to Never on a path of redemption, Hecate’s instructions were clear: carry the weight of her lineage; never again use her witchfire for personal gain, in anger, or sorrow; bear witness—and act—when other witches cross the same lines she did; and when the time comes, return the fire to its origin.
Unfortunately, Cat has already failed in her first attempt at finding an apprentice in Never, but she won’t stop trying to fulfill her end of the agreement with Hecate, even if it burns her alive in the process.
Once minor nobility in the countryside around Vilnius, Ginta and her family have lost almost everything. When her brother participated in the 1863 uprising against the tsar, Ginta had to make a contract with a demon to save him from execution. The family came to Chicago in search of a new life, but Ginta has spent the last few years sewing shirt after shirt for little pay. And the demon she signed a contract with seems to have followed her to America. Now she’s traveled to Never in search of a way out, even if she has to face down hell itself.
Boone straddles Never’s two worlds with a quiet intensity. A sheriff’s deputy, he is known for his stoic demeanor, keen tracking skills, and an unsettling ability to “hear the dead wind” — a supernatural talent passed down through his mother’s bloodline. Though he keeps his craft hidden from most, whispers of Boone’s eerie intuition and uncanny luck haunt the town’s saloons and prayer circles alike. His most valuable possession is a charred silver pocket watch that once belonged to his late mentor. The watch ticks only in the presence of lies, and sometimes, when Boone holds it, it speaks with the voice of the dead man who gave it to him.
A wrathful spirit that haunts the streets of Never. Ishan’s trust in humanity was broken when he, as a Pinkerton, was brutally killed. He still hunts for criminals, but he no longer does it to make the world a better place. His hopeful worldview died with him. Now he hunts simply to punish.
