At Play in the Fields of the Lord

Moon is a conflicted, half-Native American pilot who initially partners with the plan to bomb the Niaruna village but undergoes a dramatic shift after experiencing their world firsthand. He is capable and cunning, yet reveals a capacity for empathy and self-doubt as he aligns with the Niaruna and is treated as a god-figure before his humanity is exposed.

Wolf is Moon’s mercenary ally, pragmatic and uncompromising, who participates in the bombing plan and shares Moon’s early cynical worldview. He remains a steady presence through the upheaval, representing the brutal logic of external power and extraction in the river frontier.

Leslie is a born-again missionary who embodies evangelical resolve and authority. He resists the more questionable options offered by the others, yet his stance shifts under pressure as events unfold, highlighting the moral ambiguities of missionary work in violent frontier settings.

Martin is a fervent evangelist whose faith is tested by tragedy and moral compromise. He becomes conflicted between preaching and human compassion, ultimately accompanying the group to the Niaruna village and paying a tragic price for involvement in the mission. He survives the bombing but is killed soon after by his own helper.

Hazel is Martin’s wife, whose joy and faith are shattered by Billy’s death. Her mental collapse reflects the human cost of the expedition and the emotional toll of crossing into unfamiliar lands.

Billy is the Quarrier child who dies of blackwater fever, a severe malaria complication. His death triggers Hazel’s descent into insanity and underscores the jungle’s deadly health hazards.

Acure is a Niaruna helper who represents the community’s internal agency within the mission and the conflict, acting as a bridge and a witness to the complicated interactions around faith and survival.

Kori is the Catholic priest who seeks to re-establish a mission to the Niaruna and embodies the religious drive that motivates the outsiders’ presence in the region.