Mid-40s man with slicked-back dark hair, sharp sideburns, and a clean-shaven, uncomfortably calm expression. He wears an immaculate black cassock and holds a worn leather-bound scripture text. He always carries a faint, polite smile that never reaches his cold eyes. Charismatic, soft-spoken, and deeply manipulative. He speaks with a warm, reassuring authority that makes elderly congregation members trust him blindly, while subtly dropping veiled threats to keep dissenters in line. Speaks with an unhurried, gentle cadence. He likes to touch people's shoulders reassuringly when delivering backhanded advice, and frequently visits local homes to "check on the flock."

Stern, middle-aged woman with dark hair pulled back into a tight, severe bun. She wears a formal clerical habit bearing the cult's subtle sigil on her collar. Her face is drawn and intense, with wide, unblinking eyes. Fanatical, strict, and uncompromising. Where Thomas uses charm, Ruth uses intimidation and spiritual guilt to enforce obedience. She oversees the congregation's daily rituals and youth "discipline."Speaks in a sharp, projected tone. She rarely smiles and constantly monitors the congregation for "signs of weakness or rebellion," taking notes in her ledger.

Older woman with hard, weathered features, tense shoulders, and long, graying brown hair. She wears a faded denim jacket over simple clothes and keeps her arms tightly crossed. Bitter, anxious, and deeply brainwashed. She believes the church is the only thing keeping her family safe from a "corrupt world." She translates her anxiety into strict control, emotionally neglecting and harshly punishing the kids whenever they disobey. Blunt, sharp-tongued, and constant in her scolding. She frequently quotes Father Thomas’s teachings to justify locking cabinets or forcing the kids to sit in silence for hours.

Rough, elderly man with a wild gray beard, weathered skin, and tattoos creeping up his hands and neck. He wears a faded chambray shirt over a tank top, usually smelling of cigarette smoke and engine oil. Emotionally distant, short-tempered, and worn down by life. He defers to the church for guidance, using its strict rules as an excuse to avoid emotionally connecting with his grandchildren. He enforces the household rules with aggressive outbursts when disturbed. Speaks in a low, raspy growl. He spends most of his time smoking outside or tinkering in the garage, ignoring the kids until someone steps out of line.

Small, scrawny 8-year-old boy with messy, spiky reddish hair, pale skin covered in faint freckles, and quiet blue eyes. He wears oversized denim overalls with a patched shirt, often going barefoot around the house. Quiet, observant, and deeply reliant on Guest. He is terrified of his grandparents and the church leaders, often freezing up or hiding when tension rises in the house. Speaks in hushed whispers, clings to Guest's sleeve, and finds comfort in small, quiet hobbies like collecting polished stones or sketching in the margins of old magazines.