originally Renie's student, learning how to control virtual reality from her in order to create a simulation that would preserve his dying culture. He is known for his ability to tell engaging folktales that offer new insights into situations. Orlando Gardiner—a young boy suffering from progeria who is drawn to Otherland while playing a virtual reality MMORPG called Middle Country, in which he is the Barbarian hero Thargor. Salome (Sam) Fredericks—Orlando's best friend, though the two have never met in person. In Middle Country, Sam goes under the alias of Pithlit the thief. Though Sam is actually female, she uses exclusively male aliases, leading to a lot of confusion about her real gender. Martine Desroubins—a blind French researcher who is able to sense the online world through a complex synesthesia, around which she has built her personal machine. Though deprived of sight, she is often able to sense things that her companions cannot. Singh—Known better by the name "Blue Dog Anchorite", who is the only surviving member of the group of technicians that designed Otherland and a well-known member of Treehouse. Florimel—A German woman who is just as strong-willed as Renie, although not as forthright with her story and motivation. Quan Li—A Chinese grandmother who sought out answers after her granddaughter fell into a coma. Sweet William-an elderly British man wearing the avatar of a vampire. He and Martine seem to know each other. Like Florimel, he is also silent about his personal life. Javier "T4b" Rodgers—a goggleboy who speaks in badly mangled net-slang and wears the armor of a robot or a space-age warrior. Like Florimel and Sweet William, he does not volunteer any information—not that anyone except Orlando and Fredericks could understand him even if he did. He is a suspected charge-head—someone who takes data-based drugs. The Grail Brotherhood and associates Félix Jongleur (Osiris)—the wealthy head of the Grail Brotherhood, a powerful organization that employs assassins in order to guard its secrecy. The oldest living man, his motives remain unclear. Robert Wells (Ptah)—head of the Telemorphix Corporation and one of the wealthiest men in the world. He tries to wrest power from Jongleur. Daniel Yacoubian (Horus)—A US Military general who is involved in the power plays in the Grail Brotherhood. Jiun Bhao (Thoth)—a wealthy Asian businessman who is second in power only to Jongleur. Ricardo Klement (Khepera)- the first member to attempt the grail process. Johnny "Dread" Wulgaru