Major Characters

Grace: Mid 20s. The only child of former farmers and newly successful business owners. Uninterested in the life being offered to her. Struggles to see past the tip of her nose, she is unintentionally self-absorbed. She learns to question power structures and societal norms. Her arc asks the questions: How do power structures act on individuals subconsciously? What responsibility do you bear for what your comfort costs?

Adrian: Mid 20s. The second born in a poor farming family. Does a lot of emotional labour for everyone. His arc asks the questions: What agency can you grant yourself if others are trying to take it from you? How do you assert yourself in a system that will not recognize you? What must be done to survive in a world designed to crush your humanity? How can you become your own person when you lack a function for others?

Thomas (Tom): Late 20s, any gender. Adrian’s older brother and the first born of his family. Acts as a parental figure to siblings. Calm, measured and responsible. Thomas thinks before acting almost to a fault. His arc asks the questions: how can you approach, accept, or ethically hold power when all your models for it are corrupt? How do you weigh “tradition” against who you are or who you feel you must become? How much of yourself should you sacrifice for a perceived greater good?

Supporting Characters

Mara: 30s. Splits her time between town and the city. Emancipated. Mara is a leader within the Second Society and is an advocate for the rights of lower borns. Mara is the ideological opposite of every other character. She has found her way within the system but aligns herself outside of it.

Owen: Father of Thomas, Adrian, Hannah, and Caroline. Eager to social climb, but struggles to be taken seriously.

Hannah: Teenager. Hannah is pushed to “replace” Adrian during part one, she has a difficult time with this.

Caroline/Cara/Corey: 9 (almost 10).

Grace’s Parents: Lyatt is Grace’s mother, her partner is called Rook. Highly respected in the community. They produce agricultural equipment for the state farms. This is lucrative, they are among the wealthiest in the region. Ongoing resentment between them and Owen. Both coded as non-binary. Rook is not involved in the business, they are the primary presence in Grace’s house.

Grace’s Friends: Verity, Fen.

Members of the Second Society: Cale, Blythe