Angelo Signorelli: an American GI from World War II who is unknowingly caught up in the Webster sisters' business.

Askar: the ancient civilisation amongst whom the Webster sisters once lived as princesses.

Austin Pickering: a strange ghost hunter who keeps a constant vigil on the Wyrd Museum and whose dearest wish is to get inside its doors.

Belial: a powerful demon from the darkness of time, sometimes called Beli Ya'al, now imprisoned within The Separate Collection.

Celandine Webster: the middle Webster sister, known as Skuld in her youth. As one of the Fates, it was her role to weave the cloth which shaped the destiny of the world.

Crow Doll: grotesque bird-woman effigy through which Woden recruits and controls the Valkyrie.

Edie Dorkins: impish eight year old girl who lost her mortal family in the Blitz. She was plucked out of the past by Ursula Webster to be a daughter to the three sisters.

Frost Giants: the Lords of Ice and Dark who once ruled the land and kept it in perpetual turmoil.

Glastonbury: place of pilgrimage in Somerset, also known in olden times as Ynnis Witrin and the Isle of Apples.

Jean Evans: a young woman from World War II whose fate is entangled with that of Angelo Signorelli.

Loom of Destiny: the instrument that shapes the fate of mankind, carved from a bough cut from the World Tree.

Neil Chapman: 11 year old boy who comes to live at the Wyrd Museum when his father, Brian, takes on the job of caretaker. Little does he know that Ursula Webster has chosen him to help her find and bring back Edie Dorkins out of the past.

Nirinel: the last withering root of the Yggdrasill, in the protection of the Websters.

Peter Galloway: A devout but misguided vicar who is used by Woden in his plot to overthrow the sisters.

Ravens: two servants of Woden, named Thought and Memory; birds with the power of human speech. When revived from the dead, Thought returned to serve his master while Memory chose to side with Neil and was given a new name - Quoth.

Sacred Well: the source of the fountain in the yard of the Wyrd Museum. Now dry, its divine water once nourished Nirinel.

Separate Collection, The: apparently a collection of weird and wonderful historical exhibits, but actually a stronghold for dangerous and magical objects that could harm ordinary mortals or be used for evil if they fell into the wrong hands.

Ted: a battered teddy bear and tortured soul who accompanies Neil into the past on the orders of Ursula Webster, in exchange for a chance to save the lives of those dear to him.

Tommy: barmy old tramp who lives in Glastonbury and believes in angels.

Ursula Webster: The eldest of the Webster sisters, known as Urdr. As one of the Fates, it was her role to cut the thread of destiny when the time came. Now a fearsome old lady, she dominates her two senile siblings and anyone whom she meets.

Valkyrie: the twelve servants of Woden; ferocious bird-women who destroy all who get in their way.

Veronica Webster: the youngest Webster sister, known as Verdandi in her youth and once the most beautiful. As one of the Fates, it was her role to measure the thread from which the cloth was woven on the loom of destiny.

Webster sisters: collectively know as the Fates, the Nornir, the Loom Maidens and the Spinners of the Wood.

Woden: the Websters' deadliest enemy, intent on their downfall, also known as the Gallows God and the Allfather.

Wyrd Museum: ancient building in the East End of London, housing and protecting the Webster Sisters and The Seperate Collection. Its history stretches back to the days of Askar's fall and its function as a building alters as appropriate to the time. Past manifestations include woodland shrine, leper hospital, plague house, orphanage, workhouse and lunatic asylum.

Yggdrasill: also known as the World Tree, a giant, magnificent ash that once nurtured the world and connected heaven and earth.