Characters

David Strorm

• Son of the religious community leader, Joseph Strorm
• Dreams of a world outside of his own with aircraft and sailboats
• Has the ability to communicate with the others telepathically
• Is in love with his half-cousin, Rosalind
• An extremely brave character

Joseph Strorm

• David’s father, a prominent landowner
• The local magistrate and religious zealot in Waknuk
• Disturbed by anything different from the Norm and has no tolerance for Offences or Blasphemies

Sophie Wender

• A girl David meets when he is playing with himself
• Is a Blasphemy, because of her twelve toes
• Is sent to the Fringes after being discovered
• Is in love with the spider-man, but is unable to bear him children becuase she was sterilized when she was discovered

Uncle Axel

• A trusted relative of David’s
• A former sailor
• The only person besides the other telepaths who know about David’s ability
• Educates David about the wider world, an helps him avoid being exposed as a Blasphemy
• The one who murdered Anne’s husband, to protect David and the others’ abilities

Rosalind Morton

• David’s half-cousin
• Is in love with David
• Has the ability to communicate telepathically
• An intelligent and practical woman

Michael

• Another telepath, better educated than David
• Continues to communicate with David after he has fled to Waknuk to alert him of danger

Petra Strorm

• David’s youngest sister
• Has the ability to communicate telepathically beyond their district
• Has the most powerful range and potential of all the others – is eventually able to make contact halfway around the world.

Gordon (spider-man)

• Joseph Strorm’s older brother/David’s uncle, exiled to the Fringes as a child
• Has abnormally long limbs which make him look like a spider
• Wants Rosalind so she can bear his children
• Is fond of Sophie