Characters / Old Gods of Appalachia

DISCLAIMER- Our story jumps across our history, family, and the true context of some characters may not be revealed until long after their introduction. Beware of Spoilers!

Narrator: "Appalachia. A word stolen from more than one language, it conjures images of the beauty of God’s creation, and the darkness of man’s various poverties. The simpler way of life here bespeaks a time passed of purity and piety, but turn over a stone… you’ll find the underbelly of suspicion and clannishness. Folk who live here don’t trust easy. There’s whole graveyards full of what we’ve learned about outsiders. And before you judge us as backwood hillbillies or opioid-addicted rednecks, take a minute to understand how we got here. I mean how we really got here."

• The Green ^note  Bartholomew, the Daughter Dooley, the Walker Sisters, the Boggs Clan, the Underwoods
• The Inner Dark ^note  Those Who Sleep Beneath, Horned Head, Granny White, Skint Tom, the Black Mouthed Dog, Barrow and Locke, the Sentinel, just about every other monster in the show...

The Narrator

The Narrator/Steve Shell (?)

Voiced By: Steve Shell

Exactly What It Says on the Tin. Our guide through this dark and twisted version of Appalachia, and Author Avatar of creator Steve Shell. Not exactly a defined character with any given name or title, per say, but with enough personality and asides to be put on here anyways.

Tropes:

• Affectionate Nickname: Calls the listeners of his story, and thus the audience, "family".
• Another Story for Another Time: Will often invoke this when noting there's a history between characters or events that will be explored later.
• Lemony Narrator: A more serious example than most, but still there. He tends to go off on very descriptive tangents about southern cooking and will sometimes directly address the audience warning them of what's to come.
• Mr. Exposition: Considering he's the narrator of the show, it comes with the job.
• The Storyteller: Speaks as a classic Southern version of this trope, even as he tells stories about Eldritch Abominations who frequently invoke both a Fate Worse than Death and Family-Unfriendly Death, sometimes almost evoking a sort of Dissonant Serenity.

Outside Forces/Free Agents

In General

Supernatural forces existing outside of the Green or the Inner Dark. It is not known if they're older than either or simply came into being along the way.

Tropes:

• Outside-Context Problem: Very much so, although most seem to be less proactive than the Inner Dark and thus less troubling. Essentially, they seem to be the Fair Folk or some sort of Anthropomorphic Personification of human nature more than an Eldritch Abomination like the Inner Dark, or Gaia's Vengeance like the Green.

The Light

The Light

The jailer of Those Who Sleep Beneath and creator of the Appalachian Mountains, meant to act as their jail. Thus far, only mentioned in the Patreon exclusive story, Build Mama A Coffin.

Tropes

• Big Good: The BIGGEST in the show's universe, capable of defeating the Old Things and forming mountain ranges (presumably charging the Green with keeping it in check as well).
• Eldritch Abomination: Of an even greater order than Those Who Sleep Beneath, having defeated them and imprisoned them long ago.
• God: Or as close to it as a Cosmic Horror Story can get. It was powerful enough to defeat the Old Things at the height of their power and imprison them.
• God Is Flawed: While it did well stopping Those Who Sleep Beneath, it was unable to stop it from manifesting and haunting Appalachia.
• Greater-Scope Paragon: Is the reason this version of Appalachia was never meant to be inhabited by man, imprisoning the Inner Dark beneath the land that would cause it to one day form. It is presumably of even greater power than the Green or Brother Bartholomew, but thus far has only appeared in Jack's recollection of the beginning of the world.

The Railroad Man

The Man From The Railroad

Ever onward, ever forward, yes? ^note  From Left to Right: Mr. Erskine, the Man From the Railroad, Jerry Brotherton & Mr. White

Voiced By: Yuri Lowenthal

The most malevolent of the Free Agents seen thus far. Manifests as a man with dark hair going grey at the temples and a neatly-trimmed salt and pepper beard, and he always wears a bespoke charcoal grey suit. Seems to be the personification of man's progress, with all the bloodshed and sacrifice that comes with it.

Tropes:

• Arc Villain: Of the Walker Sisters arc in season 2, coming to their home to pursue Vera Blevins on behalf of the Hollowed Men and laying siege to Pleasant Evenings.
• The Beastmaster: Becomes this in the climax of his arc, using a card he handed out to the poor of the town under the promise of a work opportunity and turning them all into some variant of Humanoid Abomination, so he can use their bloodshed to enter the Walker Property.
• Big Bad Duumvirate: Teams up with the Hollowed Men to pursue Vera Blevins during the Walker Sisters arc in season 2, although he's clearly the dominant member between the three of them, and far more dangerous.
• Catchphrase: "Ever onward, ever forward."
• Deal with the Devil: Seems to operate on this, saving a magistrate's life with the condition that he will owe him later, only to rip his throat out when he notices the magistrate can't stomach the carnage he brings.
  • Later engages in one of these with his old friend, Jack, as payback for the decimation of the Locke train.
• Eviler than Thou: To the Hollow Men in the Walker Sisters arc in Season 2, and the Locke Family overall. He is much more competent, dangerous, and powerful than either group and makes it clear every time he's on screen.
• Faux Affably Evil: Presents as an affable, genteel railroad executive, but he never makes any bones about how much he relishes the suffering he causes.
• Greater-Scope Villain: His conversation with Jack at the end of Escape From Paradise seems to imply he is behind the ascension of the Locke Family to prominence, calling Locke "one of his" and referring to the powerful man as a "whelp."
• Horrifying the Horror: Does this to the Hollowed Men, one of only two characters to do so. This is no small feat, considering the only other creature capable of doing so is the Dead Queen, whose rising causes an Enemy Mine situation between the Green and Dark.
• Humanoid Abomination: He looks like a normal middle-aged man, however, the story makes it clear that he’s very much not. He’s even considered abominable by the inverse of the standard, with a mere taste of his true nature being enough to terrify two Hollowed Men.
• The Modern Gods: Despite his tremendous power and reach, due to being the personification of the worst aspects of the railroad and the progress it seeks, the Man from the Railroad is actually one of the youngest entities. Likewise, his speech to Marcy Walker during the siege of Pleasant Evenings makes it clear that he holds in contempt the old rules and customs that bind the Green, the dark and free agents like himself, seeing them as old fashioned and preferring negotiation and intimidation, to the point he’s noticeably annoyed at having to invoke the old law to justify his pursuit of Vera Blevins.
• Politically Incorrect Villain: He engages in some rather nasty Slut-Shaming over the Walker sisters' and mother's history as prostitutes.
• Pyrrhic Victory: Pleasant Evenings is mostly destroyed and the surrounding town devastated. The Railroad Man retrieves the pocket watch he set out for, but he is badly wounded, perhaps even crippled by the Walkers and banished from their place of power with a horrific scream of pain and rage.
• Railroad Baron: Is this trope taken to the extreme, being a personification of the worst aspects of the railroad and the progress it seeks. He applauds the local magistrate's handling of men who died while building a tunnel, stating with no small satisfaction how many men will be dead by the operation's end.
• Slashed Throat: His throat is slit by Ellie Walker to sever him from Pleasant Evenings and banish him.
• The Spook: Pops out of nowhere with no indication as to where he came from or what he truly wants. All that we really find out is that he likes making deals, and wants the fancy watch that Vera Blevins stole from a monster of the Inner Dark.
• Surrounded by Idiots: He has a very low opinion of the Hollowed Men and the other haints he brings with him, particularly when Mr. White cannot understand a simple metaphor.
• Southern Gothic Satan: The Man From The Railroad has shades of this, with his habit of inserting himself into situations he considers potentially advantageous to him by manipulating others who's intentions often aren't good (such as Jerry Brotherton’s oversight of the construction of the Railroad line) and using his power to ensure events progress in the worst way possible. He likewise preys upon the vulnerable and desperate often not letting them be aware of what they are signing up for until it's too late. To the point that Jerry was convinced that he truly was the devil.
• Verbal Tic: Occasionally engages in one of these, mmmyesssssss?
• Villainous Rescue: Saves Tommy Adkins and delivers him to his happy ending after he explodes a train full of Barrow and Locke executives, but is no more heroic for it.
• Wicked Cultured: He's suave, knowledgeable, intelligent, and extremely eloquent while exuding an aura of pure, cruel menace.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: When Judge Jerry Brotherton is of no further use, he rips out the man's throat as a blood sacrifice.
  • Implied to have been his plan for Nathaniel Locke before Jack and Tommy Adkins got to him first.

The Dead Queen

The Dead Queen/The Other Queen/The Daughter Dooley

The Dead Queen and Her Cursed Babe (Art By Darcy Rose Morgan)

The other queen in Appalachia, and much more villainous than her older counterpart. Legend says she was a girl impregnated at a young age before being murdered, and can be seen wandering with her child between the world of life and death. She comes upon a young Caleb Gibson, and bestows a small kiss on the young boy, setting in motion the events of season 2... And there is much more to her than meets the eye. She is dangerous enough to cause an Enemy Mine between both h'aints and the Witches of the Green, and is actually a result of a clash between the Green and Inner Dark.

Tropes:

• The Beastmaster: In the finale of season 2, she summons hordes of beasts to stop those trying to renew the seal, with one such horde obliterating Skint Tom.
• Big Bad: Of Season 2. She is the cause of Cowboy's uniquely incurable curse, as well as being the saint worshipped by Good Mother Ministries. She is bad enough to cause cooperation between the forever opposed forces of the Dark and the Green, and engages in a face off against a group trying to re-seal her in the season finale.
• The Dreaded: Oh yes. The Narrator states both the Inner Dark and the witches of the Green fear her rising the way Church folk fear the goddamned Rapture. Sealing her is important enough that Bartholomew himself manifests to make sure a crew capable of doing so is assembled.
• Final Boss: Of Season 2, or rather, the baby that Daughter Dooley tried to save, seeing as its destructive shadow is the force behind the Dead Queen's horrible behavior.
• Humanoid Abomination: A pale woman and her child who are dangerous enough to inspire unity between servants of the ultimate evil and Gaia's Vengeance? Check.
• "Instant Death" Radius: Those who touch her find themselves little better than a pile of dust. Those who she decides to give a kiss don't get off so easy...
• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: The Dead Queen is a result of this. Daughter Dooley fighting for her life to defeat Horned Head in single combat to save the baby he wanted to sacrifice results in the baby's inner shadow clashing with her Green. In turn, they are stuck in symbiosis as the Dead Queen, with the child craving death and destruction while Dooley attempts to restrain it.
• Walking Spoiler: It's hard to talk about who she REALLY is without getting into extremely spoileriffic territory.
• Wham Line: "So, old friend, how bad was it?" Said in a distinctive, familiar Irish accent.
• Would Hurt a Child: Killed Caleb Gibson and his entire family, cursed him with Resurrective Immortality and a curse that would summon a beast similar to Bartholomew should his life be put in danger. So, yeah. Ironically, the Dead Queen was born out of the fact that Daughter Dooley Wouldn't Hurt a Child, trying to cure the sacrificed child of its Inner Dark. The resulting clash between the shadow and the Green created this abomination.

J.T. Fields/Jack

Mr. J.T. Fields of Dorchester/Jack

A trickster as old as Appalachia itself who likes making deals with folks down on their luck, said deals often turning out to have more to them than meets the eye.

Tropes:

• Allegorical Character: Of the wily luck and dogged determination that makes up the backbone of most settlers that choose to settle in Appalachia.
• Ambiguously Evil: His machinations for the Locke family and Horned Head are unknown, only that he is attempting to have some sort of control over both of their actions. Whether or not this bodes well for the common folk of Appalachia remains to be seen.
• Arc Villain: Of Vernard Boggs' part of the narrative in Build Mama a Coffin, and a sort of Big Bad Ensemble with Nathaniel Locke for the Paradise arc, attempting to force Vernard to bury his mother's body on cursed land belonging to Horned Head in the former and forcing Tommy Adkins into indentured servitude in the latter.
• Big Good: Crisscrosses between this and being Arc Villain for the Paradise arc spanning season 2 and 3. He forces Tommy into dangerous situations but at the same time is looking out for his best interests and comes off as much more affable than Nathaniel Locke.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality: Seems to operate on this, being motivated purely in his interactions by if something benefits him or is "profitable."
• Bullying a Dragon: Some folks he scammed their land out of show up looking to pick a fight with him. He invokes an old deal their Papa made with him long ago to get their crops growing again. They promptly go on their merry way.
• Charm Person: Jack possess the innate ability to make himself come across as more charming and trustworthy, even towards people who have reason to suspect him. However, it can be resisted by those who are strong-willed, naturally suspicious or possess their own gifts. Usually, however, it's enough for people to let him get talking, which is all he needs.
• The Chessmaster: Seems to be in some sort of Long Game against B&L, if not the Inner Dark on the whole.
• Complete Immortality: Implied to be the case. Even beings as powerful as Horned Head have so far been unable to kill him (at least permanently) to the point of not even trying and when looked upon by a woman gifted to know how all beings die, she admitted she drew a blank for the first time in her life. Jack for the most part has no interest in testing the limitations of his powers, as at the very least it is still perfectly possible to wound him and is very much aware there are fates worse than death.
• Composite Character: A combination of the Jack that jumped over the Candlestick and climbed into the sky and slayed the Giant. Naturally, his chores for Tommy Fields in paying off his debt to him all invoke different parts of both legends.
• Deal with the Devil: Loves to strike these with folks down on their luck, turning them into pawns that will either perform chores for or be used as spies. Even spying on one as dangerous as Nathaniel Locke himself.
• Even Evil Has Standards:
  • Is a Trickster God tried and true, possibly even older than the Inner Dark itself but is always on edge and horrified of them, fleeing to the other side of the world when they were sealed and nearly screaming for the first time ever after reading Horned Head's mind. When his agent, Tommy, is forced into working for a member of the Lockes, he grows apprehensive and openly threatens the boy so his deal with the Lockes will be fulfilled, clearly indicating horror and apprehension on his part. Beyond that, he does (eventually) keep up his end of the bargain with Tommy, helping him fake his death and escape to California.
  • Played for Laughs, Jack is likewise deeply offended when Tommy compares him to a politician.
• Horrifying the Horror: Abhors the Inner Dark, but is stuck in their service for most of Build Mama A Coffin after an encounter with Horned Head hundreds of years ago, after mistakenly thinking he was tricking some simple deer.
• Pet the Dog: Jack opts to help Tommy escape the Lockes and reunite with his lover Ginny. He's rather surprised to realize how fond he is of the young man even if Jack's primary motivation is that he dislikes being in Tommy's debt for all the good work Tommy has done for him.
• Public Domain Character: He is the folk-hero Jack from the "Jack tales" part of Appalachian folklore, inherited from the British fairytales.
• Refusal of the Call: Was called upon by the the Light that sealed the Old Things to be the warden of their prison, but Jack couldn't be bothered with the responsibility and promptly fled to the other side of the world until the mountains of Appalachia were done forming.
• Squishy Wizard : As demonstrated in his confrontation with Polly Barow and her men, Jack is capable of enchanting his followers to protect them and increase their ability to fight, but doesn’t possess the ability to do so for himself. Once the attack was targeted upon him, he was forced to run.
• Time Abyss: Is noted to be as old as Appalachia.
• Uncertain Doom: Though he survives Horned Head's attack in episode 50, he is still kidnapped by the Men of the Rock along with Rachel.
• The Worf Effect: Quickly disposed of by Horned Head in the season 3 finale after proving to be capable of handling a Barrow attack. This isn't fatal, but he is picked up by the Men of the Rock shortly after.

The Boy

The Boy

A Free Agent who manifests as a boy with a man's voice, although the age of the form seems to fluctuate. Acts as a spirit of vengeance for all the little boys killed in the name of progress. He likewise leads a whole legion of the angry spirits of hundreds of other boys who died in unjust manners, mostly from disasters caused by negligence or greed.

Tropes:

• Allegorical Character: Is one for child labor and exploitation, acting as punishment that many employers of that time would not receive today.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality: The Boy is concerned with one thing and one thing only, and that is meting out vengeance for children who died unfair deaths. If that vengeance winds up killing innocent people along with his target, or almost causing The End of the World as We Know It, that's fine by him.
• Creepy Child: A child with the voice of a man out to punish the sinful.
• The Spook: Even amongst the other free agents, very little about the Boy’s actual origins or nature is known. Jack himself admits to having no idea what he exactly is nor where his power comes from.
• Vengeful Ghost: Played With. He’s acknowledged by Jack to not technically be a ghost (nor are his followers) by the rules of the world but fulfils the same role. Punishing all those who exploit and hurt children.
• Vocal Dissonance: Noted when he speaks in the voice of a full grown man.

The Night Folk

Strange, winged humanoids who can often be heard flying through the trees of Appalachia late at night.

Tropes

• The Dreaded: Become this to the Hollow Men, being stronger than their abilities can defeat and being able to take down the spawn of E.P. Barrow himself with ease.
• Humanoid Abomination: Generally shaped like people, but with either sagging skin that works similar to a flying squirrels or regal, angelic wings as well as fur of different kinds and a mouth full of needle sharp teeth.
• Outside-Context Problem: For the Barrows in the Season 3 finale. They were close to securing their prize until one of the Night Folk's youngsters summoned them to help. This leads to the Barrows' loss of their prize and the crippling of their leader.
• The Unintelligible: Speak in chirps and growls, but are perfectly comprehensible to other supernatural creatures like Jack.

The Men of the Rock

A group of mysterious supernatural beings that are tied to a crippling failure in the Barrows' past.

Tropes

• Ambiguously Evil: Their designs for Appalachia, if they have any, are unknown.
• Ambiguous Situation: What the exact nature of the Rock they worship is, is presently unclear. The Men of the Rock revere it as a God and believe it guides them through their lives. However, whilst their power is very much real, it is unclear if the Rock is really a thinking being, or if this is simply them projecting their own beliefs onto it. Considering their fanaticism, it isn’t particularly wise to ask too many questions.
• Big Bad: The overall antagonists of season four, being the ones who hold the trial for Jack to decide if he will be executed.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality: Mentioned in the season 3 prologue to work by their own designs.
• Burn the Witch!: The Men of the Rock have a special disdain for Witches. Jack warns Rachel not to publicise what she really is whilst in their captivity, out of fear of what they might do to the girl if drawn attention to. Goodman Cyrus words to Rachel making it clear they will burn witches the moment their convinced their guilty of something. Notably, they don’t consider what their own members are capable of doing as witchcraft.
• Depower: The Men of the Rock’s greatest strength, is that through the power of the Rock, whilst on their turf, they are capable of suppressing the powers of other beings even incredibly powerful ones, be they servants of the Inner Dark, the Green or other free Agents. None of them can access any of their supernatural abilities without it being allowed.
• The Dreaded: Remembering their attempted assault on the Rock sends Legion, one of the most powerful Hollow Men of all time, into shock.
• The Fundamentalist: Are overall more akin to a cult who worships the Rock, viewing it as sacred and the source of their power. They likewise deem the rest of America “Godless.”
• Humanoid Abomination: Sound like Irish settlers, but are clearly far beyond normal men if Legion's recollections are to be believed.
• Matriarchy: From what we’ve seen, it seems their people are primarily ruled by a council of five women, with the Harbinger of the Rock acting as its chairman. Only the men ever actually leave their lands for matters that force them to do, with it being mentioned the primary duty of the Women is to study and worship the Rock.
• Religion is Magic: The Men of the Rock gain all their powers from their worship of the Rock, granting them abilities that even inverse are unique and incredibly powerful.
• Villain of Another Story: Mentioned in passing throughout season 3 as something outside of B&L and the Inner Dark, but are still immensely powerful and capable of imprisoning beings like Jack with very little trouble.

The Old Sister

"Old Sister"

A spirit once worshipped by the Native Americans long before white settlers ever came to Appalachia. Now, she acts as an embodiment of the grief and rage at the betrayal of the Natives, ever switching forms between things like a Weeping Giant and the faces of dead loved ones. Summoned by Brother Bartholomew for the sealing of the Dead Queen.

Tropes

• Allegorical Character: Of betrayal, grief, and a promised future that never came to be.
• Brown Note: Speaks in a number of howls and growls that Brother Bartholomew is able to understand, but to listeners it comes off as utterly incomprehensible.
• Eldritch Abomination: A creature that looks different to everyone who sees it, usually their dead loved ones so it can feast on their grief. Deeley notes that the Old Sister was able to provide most of the energy for the ritual by herself.

Normal Folks

In General

The Family. The normal folk of Appalachia who, on the whole, are just trying to do their best with what they've got. It just so happens that they're smack dab in the middle of a Cosmic Horror Story, and can hardly ever catch a break.

Tropes:

• Descent into Addiction: The Narrator implies that all Appalachians are aware of the Awful Truth, and deal with the pain of this knowledge with medication.
• Failure Is the Only Option: Usually the case unless they're saved by Witches of the Green. Expected, considering they're normal people who find themselves fighting against eldritch horrors.
• Fate Worse than Death: Those whose dying bodies are puppeted by the Things are said to find no peace in death.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: So people know that the establishment is controlled by a God of Evil. They know their employers are some variation of Humanoid Abomination even BEFORE they see to those who failed them. They know those who control the Appalachian region are evil. So what do they do? Does someone lead a fierce resistance against them? Do they revolt en masse and get the word out, leading to a Broken Masquerade? Nope. They go to work day after day, collect their paychecks, and hope that if they lick the boots of their masters long enough, then they'll get promoted (although the viewers know this, at best, leads to abominations like the Hollowed Men). They slowly succumb to addiction outside of work, haunted by the things they've done in the name of pay, but they're unwilling to act to change it, lest their livelihoods be put on the line.
  • That being said, there are occasional moments where either a child's sense of justice or parental instincts come in and allow humans to stand up to the Eldritch Horrors before them and try their best to make a difference.
• This Loser Is You: Generally, when faced with the evils of the Things, the normal folk of Appalachia cave and make a deal, or end up horribly, horribly scarred from the experience.

Cletus Garvin

Cletus Garvin

A pastor in Barlow, Kentucky who made a Deal with the Devil to prolong his own life. In exchange the Voices From the Mines would get invocation and sacrifice.

Tropes:

• Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of a Sinister Minister in a Cosmic Horror Story. Yes, he leads a Religion of Evil that makes sacrifices to the Old Gods of Appalachia in exchange for extended life. Yes, he bares some responsibility for the Old Number 7 Disaster. Yes, he's implied to be a racist, too. But his deal with the Things came from a place of wanting his family to be taken care of, and the devolution into a Corrupt Church comes from a slow perversion of their Christian values out of necessity moreso than any divine vision.
• Dirty Coward: Deep down implied to be this, being unwilling to die and being willing to sacrifice the lives of the scabs working Old Number 7 to do so.
• Papa Wolf: For all his character flaws, he is redeemed by this. Seeing his sons injured and killed by Old Number 7 leads to a furious invocation on his part that ends in failure. It leads to him turning away from the Things, and to his death.
• Redemption Equals Death: Seemingly. He finally turns away from the Things after they refuse to save his sons. Their response? Brutally kill and possess his entire family, before doing away with him.
• Sinister Minister: Sort of. The narration goes out of its way to show his line of thinking before he makes a deal with the Things, and he tries his best to stay true to his Christian values even as he's sacrificing animals to them. However, it's still implied he bares some responsibility for the Old Number 7 Disaster with his corruption of the church.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The Things got what they wanted out of Old Number 7, and brutally slaughtered him and his entire family afterwards.

Caleb Gibson/Cowboy Absher

Caleb Gibson/Cowboy Absher

A small boy who has an unfortunate encounter with the Dead Queen, leading to the loss of his entire family. He is later found by Floyd Absher and taken in, adopting the name Cowboy Absher. After a chance encounter with a h'aint in the woods, he becomes acquainted with the Walker Family.

Tropes:

• A Day in the Limelight: The Springtime In Boggs Holler trilogy acts as this, detailing efforts to finally rid him of his curse.
• Botanical Abomination: Not him, but his curse is represented as this. Glory Anne has to manually undo the vines constraining him to the Dead Queens tree, and while she can't undo all of them, she hopes that he will one day be strong enough to undo them himself.
• Cursed with Awesome: In some aspects. He can see the true nature of Things on the fly, such as the White clan or the Thing That Was Not Daddy, and if they bother to even try to strike him a corruption of the Green manifests and tears them apart. If he's killed, he'll just pop up a couple of hours later no worse for wear. However...
  • Blessed with Suck: Ultimately, his curse is this. He can see the death of everything he turns his eye to, even his loved ones, cannot digest any food, and his corrupted guardian will kill everyone around it that's not him. This all plays into his nature as a trap set by the Dead Queen, as any h'aints that are seen through by a young boy will take the opportunity to try to strike and kill him and be obliterated, but if its triggered when there's no h'aints around, it'll kill anyone else around him.
  • Subverted after his visit with Glory Anne Boggs. She is able to undo the constriction on his ability to eat and take away his ability to see the deaths of those around him. It seems like he may still have his Resurrective Immortality for the time being, but Glory Anne hopes that someday his strength will grow enough where he can break the bonds on his own.
• The Cutie: Everyone who meets Cowboy seems to instantly fall in love with him and want to protect him at all costs. Even Glory Anne Boggs, who is noted to be somewhat cold at that phase in her life and weary of all those who have the stench of the Dark on them, eventually caves in and admits she'd do anything to protect him, saying he's "just a baby."
• Nice Guy: Is this to everyone he meets, being soft spoken and shy but all around sweet. The nastiest he's ever gotten is using his forbidden knowledge powers to tell a relentless bully that his Daddy died a coward. Out of a desire to protect Floyd from the bully.
• Resurrective Immortality: Is cursed with this by a kiss from the Dead Queen, who wishes to use the corrupted Green within him to cause mass death and destruction.
• These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know: Another aspect of his curse. He can see the death of every non-supernatural being he turns his eye to. It also makes him good at digging up a Dark Secret or two on the fly.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: His visit with the Dead Queen leads to the Walkers getting involved with her resealing, leading directly to the events of the season 2 finale. Furthermore Glory Anne Boggs trying to undo his curse leads to her attaining some thorns from the Dead Queen's tree, leading up to the events of Build Mama a Coffin.

Sam the Dog

Sam the Dog

A loyal, blind old beagle who serves as a companion to Cowboy Absher and his band of friends.

Tropes:

• Heroic Dog: Stands his ground against an Eldritch Abomination and lives to tell the tale, although this has more to due with Cowboy's awesome power than any badassery on his part. Not for lack of trying.
• Evil-Detecting Dog: Immediately starts barking when the Thing That Was Not Daddy shows up to terrorize the boys.
• Loyal Animal Companion: Has to be pretty damn loyal to his young masters to face down a monster in this show.
• Memetic Badass: A blind old dog in a show where animals naturally steer clear of the Darkness and creatures associated with them, yet is so loyal to the boys he protects that he stands his ground anyways. Hell, he even has his own plush coming!

Vera Blevins

Vera Blevins

A Hooker with a Heart of Gold, daughter of Melvin Blevins, whose profession leads her into a fateful confrontation with the Inner Dark. This all leads to an incident with a Man From the Railroad and the local magistrate.

Tropes:

• Badass Normal: Manages to escape an Animalistic Abomination who's very heavily implied to be a VIP from B&L, and evade the Hollowed Men long enough to make it to the Walker Sisters and Pleasant Evenings.
  • However this is deconstructed slightly, in that her normalcy means she lacks proper context for many of the supernatural goings-on in Appalachia. [[spoiler: Meaning she doesn't realize the pocket watch her enemies are after is actually an Artifact of Doom.
• Break the Cutie: And that's an Understatement. She's reassigned to a secret brothel where the rich clients are allowed to do anything to them, before being sentenced to a session with one. She walks in and sees a VIP (described as a horrible pig man) cuddling with the half eaten remains of her friend. After escaping with a pocket watch as compensation, she escapes just in the nick of time from the Hollowed Men sent after her, only for them to meet the Railroad Man and get much more competent as a result. She takes refuge at Pleasant Evenings only for her captors to come calling for her and massacre the young men of the town by turning them into mindless slaves and using them as a Human Shield to break the Walkers wards. She is so thoroughly broken by all these events that she begs for her life before her killer, only for the Artifact of Doom to grant her a Cruel and Unusual Death. One can only hope in the afterlife she found some peace, although given the track record for those who mess with the Things, even this is doubtful.
• Cruel and Unusual Death: Is killed by the pocket watch she steals from the VIP, being aged to death in mere moments. The Hollowed Man even says that the pocket watch bestows a death far worse than any he could hope to. What's worse, it's mere moments before her daddy shows up to save her.
• Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Absolutely. She took up The Oldest Profession to make her own way in Appalachia so she doesn't have to be a burden on her family, but from all accounts seems like a Nice Girl who doesn't want those taking refuge at Pleasant Evenings to die on her account.
• The Lost Lenore: A daughter variant to her father, Melvin, even before her death. He had the reassurance of knowing his other daughter was married off to a loving husband, while Vera went into The Oldest Profession. Her death, moments before he arrived to save her, motivates him to help others down on their luck like Cowboy or the Wolf Sisters.
• Shrinking Violet: After her encounter with the VIP, she becomes this, terrified for her life constantly. This is entirely justified, considering the power and influence of B&L. However, the thing that ultimately dooms her is choosing to use the railroad, catching the attention of a certain entity who concerns itself with the goings on of the Railroad.
• Too Dumb to Live: Not too dumb, per say. But she was uninformed and naive, touching the pocket watch continuously while trying to beg for her life against a Hollowed Man even once it begins to age her to death. She becomes hysterical in her begging when the Hollowed Man refuses to touch the watch, giving it time to age her into dust.

Frank Tilley

Frank Tilley

An alcoholic, abrasive Jerkass of a man who is found horribly murdered one night, setting suspicions on his poor wife.

Tropes:

• Asshole Victim: No one's particularly upset by his death, regardless of how horrible it was. Furthermore, the sheriff is implied to give up all investigation into the murder due to the fact that there is a MASSIVE number of people who would want him dead.
• Cruel and Unusual Death: Is brutally murdered by the Dead Queen after his wife prays for his demise with a church of her worshippers. His head is found completely detached from his body, or what's left of it. No one really cares.
• Domestic Abuse: Gave out a metric crapton of it to his poor small wife, to the point where people at church openly gawked at whatever bruises and injuries she may be sporting that week.

Cora Lee Tilley

Cora Lee Tilley

Frank Tilley's wife, who finds herself in legal trouble after her husband turns up dead and dismembered.

Tropes:

• Break the Cutie: Her time with Frank really did a number on her, causing her to start volunteering with a mysterious sect of the local church, which turns out to be worshippers of the Dead Queen. Out of desperation for her pain to end, she prays to the Dead Queen to put an end to Frank's power over her. She obliges.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Not exactly, but she escapes punishment and the Religion of Evil she finds herself stuck in, thanks to the help of her lawyer D.L. Walker.
• Religionof Evil: Joins one, trying to escape her husband. It turns out to give her a very permanent escape from him.
• Unwitting Pawn: Of the Dead Queen, who uses her as an excuse to spread death and destruction.

Tommy Adkins

Tommy Adkins

A young man forced into indentured servitude by one Mister J.T. Fields of Dorchester, who dreams of reuniting with his love, Ginny, in Hollywood. To do so, however, he may have to endure servitude under an even worse master, Mister Nathaniel Locke himself.

Tropes

• Badass Normal: Manages to complete each and every one of Jack's odd jobs including dealing with an unruly giant and fire breathing geese straight out of children's fairytales. This is all before he even meets his first honest-to-goodness encounter with Nathaniel Locke, a being that makes those challenges look like child's play. Tommy even manages to enact a plan to kill Nathaniel that, all things considered, goes off without a hitch. This is all without an ounce of supernatural strength or power, merely Jack's guidance and determination to get home to his Ginny no matter what.
• Determinator: Does odd jobs under Jack for months and under Nathaniel Locke even longer all for a chance to be with the love of his life. Considering the type of "folks" this exposes him to, just surviving for as long as he does is an accomplishment.
• The Dragon: Reluctantly to both Jack and Nathaniel Locke at different parts of the story.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: At the end of Escape From Paradise, with Jack's and the Railroad Man's help, he manages to not only escape to his beloved Ginny and get married, but destroy those who may have pursued him and any evidence of his being involved in it. This is after surviving for years under Jack and then Locke Railroad, as well as dealing with rumors about Ginny being paired with other men by the studio. All in all, he's probably the poster boy for this trope in the Old Gods universe.
• The Starscream: Is ultimately responsible for the death of Nathaniel Locke after having been planted there by Jack for his own purposes.

The Children of Men

In General

The Children of Men

A group of young adults formerly in the care of Granny Amburgey, who set out into the world to find out about their mysterious origins after their caretaker's death. In truth, they're all connected to the Inner Dark in one way or another, and are coveted by its agents.

Tropes

• Deal with the Devil: Some are infused with Dark powers as a result of being sold off by their caretakers, or merely were bereaved of their caretakers by a creature recognizing their natural gift.
• Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Due to Granny's lack of transparency regarding where they come from, they're all rather lost and looking for a purpose.
• Half-Human Hybrid: Some of their nature. It is mentioned that some of them are a product of one of their parents laying with creatures of the Dark to gain their power.
• Living Macguffin: Considering how the plot of the season 3 finale focuses on various Inner Dark trying to gather them and harness their power, they are certainly a hot commodity.
• There Are Things Man Was Not Meant To Know: Knowledge of their origins were kept from them specifically to prevent them either going mad or joining the dark.

Jonah Hellbender

Jonah Hellbender AKA Solomon Nebuchadnezzar Locke

A young boy leading the Children of Men to find themselves in a brand new world after the death of their guardian. As it turns out, Jonah himself is at the center of a supernatural manhunt that places him squarely in the crosshairs of the Inner Dark.

Tropes

• Arc Hero: Of the finale arc in Season 3.
• Deal with the Devil: Willing to make one if it connects him with his kin folk.
• Distressed Dude: Kidnapped by a triumphant Horned Head and his Grey Ladies in the final moments of Season 3 for purposes unknown.
• Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Even more so than his fellows, as he was never even given a name and named himself after the hellbender critters he'd seen out in the woods.
• Enfante Terrible: As a child he and his portal powers were used to dispose of union organizers in a particularly messy fashion, until the Underwoods found him and had him sent to Amburgey.
• Living Macguffin: Is sought out by the Barrows (to soothe uneasy waters with the Lockes), the Locke Family (to obtain a family heir after the death of Nathaniel), Jack's faction (likely to further infiltrate the Locke family and/or as a favor to the Railroad Man), and Horned Head (who claims to be in communication with Solomon's father, although how true this can be is currently unknown as his father is long dead according to Jack).
• The Leader: Of the Children of Men in the final arc of season 3. It is he who pushes them forward into dealing with dark forces so that they may find their true nature.
• Thinking Up Portals: His Inner Dark "gift," as it were. He can unlock doors that allow two different types of Eldritch Abomination through. The first door unleashes a mound of eyes and tentacles with a mouth full of poison stingers in the place of teeth. The second is considerably more immense and powerful, so much so that Polly Barrow doubts she could have handled it.
• Too Dumb to Live: Although considering his sheltered upbringing, it's understandable to an extent.
• The Reveal: Is revealed as the cousin of Nathaniel Locke and heir apparent to the Locke fortune, Solomon Locke. He was given to the Barrows for their union busting years ago, and was spirited away by Granny Underwood to Granny Amburgey's so that he may grow up without the Inner Dark corrupting him.

Rachel

Rachel

A fellow inhabitant of Granny Amburgey's who comes from a rough background with a con woman mother. Has the power to bring death to everything she touches for a certain amount of time.

Tropes

• Freudian Excuse: Was raised by a conwoman of a mother and taught in her ways of selling false miracles before her mother fell in with a local cult worshipping a Low Thing in a cave. Rachel was nearly sacrificed to the Thing before she ran and was rescued by her repentant mother in a truck. Unfortunately the car crashed and Rachel clutched her mother for just a moment too long, killing her instantly and sending her on the lamb from the cult. She was then harassed by Birdman mentally for years.
• Human Sacrifice: Nearly to a bestial Thing living in a cave.
• I Have Many Names: Switches last names on a whim, and has been pegged for a pathological liar as a result.
• Mind Rape: By Birdman for years, even in the safety of Granny Amburgey's.
• Not Afraid of You Anymore: Tells this to Birdman before destroying him.
• Team Mom: Of the Children of Men in Season 3, nurturing them and advising Jonah on their next course of action.
• Touch of Death: By default as her gift, suspiciously similar to the Dead Queen and Cowboy Absher's abilities.
• Uncertain Doom: Carted off with Jack by the Men of the Rock in the closing moments of season 3.

Skeeter

Skeeter of the Night Folk

A quiet boy who came to Amburgey's under mysterious circumstances and tags along with Jonah and Rachel's quest for belonging.

Tropes

• Big Damn Heroes: Summons the Night Folk to fight off the Barrow forces in the season 3 finale, saving Jonah and putting Polly Barrow out of commission.
• But Now I Must Go: Leaves with the Night Folk halfway through the season 3 finale, just before things really go to hell.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: The only one of the Children of Men to actually get what they want. He finds his family and saves his friends (at least for the time being) from certain death, before departing with them on good terms. Honestly, it's probably one of the nicest endings this side of Tommy Adkins.
• I Am a Humanitarian: While it's unknown if he makes a habit of it, he has no problem biting and eating human flesh off a Hollow Man who attacks Rachel in the season finale.
• The Quiet One: It seems, actually, that speaking both hurts him and can bring pain to those it's directed at. Just ask Birdman.
• The Reveal: Is revealed as one of the mysterious Night Folk, bestial flying creatures who can make quick work of even a high ranking Barrow.