The Norliss Tapes

A determined widow who claims her artist husband was drawn into occult danger. She guides Norliss toward the Cort estate's secrets and confronts the dangers posed by the ring and the pact. Ellen remains pivotal as the link between the living and the ritual's consequences.

A writer investigating spiritualists who records tapes to explain his disappearance. He chases clues from San Francisco to Carmel and into the tunnels, pursuing the truth even as danger closes in. Norliss drives the narrative and becomes entangled in the occult he sought to debunk.

Ellen's artist husband who falls under occult influence after meeting Jeckiel. Suffering from a crippling disease, he seeks immortality through a pact and a ritual, becoming a deadly threat as a ghoul.

Norliss's publisher who listens to the tapes and follows the unfolding mystery. His support frames the story's publication angle and raises questions about belief and accountability.

A mysterious figure connected to the occult who warns Ellen and aids in understanding the pact. She acts as a bridge between the living and the ritual's dangers, enforcing a boundary to stop James.

A gallery owner who becomes obsessed with the ring's value, attempting to steal it. Langdon's pursuit culminates in an encounter with the ghoul and a discovery about the ring's power.

Local law enforcement who joins Norliss and Ellen in investigating the Cort estate. He provides practical support as the mystery deepens and the tunnels are explored.

Ellen's sister who becomes entangled when James targets family members. Her motel stay and subsequent danger heighten the sense of threat and familial consequence.

The Egyptian deity to whom the pact binds, the source of the ritual's energy and the menace behind the sculpture's life-like power. Sargoth embodies the occult threat in the story.

A minor figure in the Cort saga who appears in the cast; part of the small-town setting that frames the investigation.