Willem Brandt was the fifth child and third son in a large, renowned Dutch family of witches, where magic was as commonplace as the air they breathed. Raised in a household filled with the hum of spells and rituals, Willem quickly developed a natural talent for woodworking and engineering. He started by repairing carts for the nearby farms, his steady hands and sharp mind eventually leading him to a lucrative career as a wheelwright, crafting fine wheels for wagons and carriages.

In his twenties, seeking new opportunities, Willem left the Netherlands for England, hoping to find fortune and adventure. It was there that he met Moses Ward, a Swedish railroad worker, and the two quickly formed a bond. Together, they shared their magical knowledge and dreams of a life away from the constraints of their old worlds. But their ambitions were met with hostility from the local British covens, who resented their presence and pushed them out.

With nowhere else to turn, Willem and Moses made their way to America, drawn by the whispered promise of a mysterious town called Never. In this new land, they’ve found work and are settling into the diverse, bustling community. Though he’s slowly carving out a life for himself, Willem can’t shake the feeling that Never holds secrets, and he’s beginning to suspect the town’s hidden truths may be far darker than he first imagined.

Percival Hassan’s parents, Indian immigrants, settled in New York when he was just two years old, and he grew up in the bustling streets, surrounded by other transplants chasing the American Dream. His childhood was spent playing with his younger brother and learning the ways of the world from a colorful mix of cultures. From a young age, Percival showed an affinity for magic, and his gentle-natured mother — A witch in her own right — taught him everything she knew, nurturing his talent with care.

It was a tragic event — A neighbor’s fatal accident, leaving the body horribly disfigured — that first drew Percival to the work of an undertaker. Disturbed by the idea that families couldn’t properly mourn due to their loved ones’ ravaged appearances, he learned to use his magical gift to heal and restore, allowing the deceased to be remembered with dignity. Over the years, his talent for has made him a skilled practitioner, known for his meticulous work and uncanny ability to transform a body, whether to repair it or, at times, to prevent others from recognizing it.

After a painful romantic breakup in his late twenties, Percival left New York in search of something different, something to help him heal. He found his way to Never, where the culture shock was stark but invigorating. There, he quickly became well-loved for both his fastidious work and his peculiar accent — A blend of Colonial English and New Yawk — that makes his speech as mysterious as his magic. In Never, he has found a place where he can continue his work in peace, though he remains haunted by the choices he’s made and the strange, shifting town around him.

Oliver Millard was born and raised in the chaotic streets of Chicago, where mischief was second nature. With parents mostly absent throughout his childhood, Oliver spent his early years learning to fend for himself, often hearing strange voices that he assumed were signs of madness. It wasn’t until he was twelve, when an aunt revealed to him that these voices were not a sign of insanity but a gift — Capital-S “Sight” into the next world — that he began to understand his true nature.

Left largely to his own devices, Oliver honed his abilities in secret. Without proper guidance, he learned to tap into the spirit world, at first to entertain himself, but soon enough to manipulate it for his gain. Using his talent for illusions, he began conning unsuspecting marks, pretending to communicate with the dead while fleecing them for their money. It was a profitable but dangerous game, until four years ago when he crossed the wrong ghost. The vengeful spirit unleashed a series of terrifying events that forced Oliver to flee Chicago, desperate for a peaceful night’s sleep.

After bouncing from one town to the next, Oliver was drawn to Never, a place with its own strange aura. There, he has begun to ply his trade once more, offering his services as a spiritual medium. But as he reconnects with the spirit world, Oliver senses that there’s something darker about Never — Something that might just require more than illusions to survive.