The principal cast of Ow, my sanity.
Unmarked spoilers ahead
David Bartlett
An art student at Miskatonic University, and main protagonist of the story.
- Deadpan Snarker: Often, though some of it could be related to shock.
- Genre Savvy: David, when it comes to dealing with real world-Lovecraft world interactions. Realizing that there must be a coverup agency, he goes into hiding for a few days to see how the agency operates (whether they use "arson" or "a gas leak" as an excuse for his roommates' murders) so he'll know if it's government-based or not.I knew I was not going to like that answer.
- I Know Your True Name: He knows Nancy's though he can't pronounce it, which is why he ended up giving her the name Nancy in the first place.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Frequently cold and snarky, but often helps folks in need. According to the opening narration for chapter 3, it is quite possible to comprehend life's ultimate lack of meaning and still be perfectly satisfied with it.
- Mad Artist: Check out David's rough figure drawings of Nancy here
and here. While these are life-drawings and accurate depictions, others might come to the conclusion that he is a bit odd. - Mistaken for Murderer: The Delta Green agents believe that David is an evil cult leader who sacrificed his followers to summon and bind an Eldritch Abomination into his service since he was the only survivor of Nancy's summoning.
- Nightmare Fetishist: From a young age he's been drawing strange and grotesque images.
- Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant
- Perma-Stubble
- Unlucky Everydude: Naturally, since this is an affectionate parody of the harem and magical girl genre. His fascination with the strange tends to put other people off.
- Weirdness Magnet
Nancy Alhazred
A servitor of the elder god Azraboath, she was summoned by a cult to fulfill their deepest wishes — much to their detriment. She is trapped on Earth until she is able to understand and fulfill David's wish of "having someone give a crap about him." There are possibly other reasons she is here.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: and/or Defrosting Ice Queen. Maybe Emotionless Girl as well.
- Literal Genie: Her job. As she's a Starfish Alien it frequently becomes a case of Be Careful What You Wish For.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: A bit of a running gag.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Nancy obviously isn't her real name. David gave it to her on the spot because her real name is Starfish Language and he can't pronounce it.
- The Spock:
- Trademark Favorite Food / Sense Freak: Nancy certainly likes pancakes.David: You didn't have to eat all their jelly, you know.
Nancy: Yes, I did. It was an imperative. - What Is This Feeling?: Being a Starfish Alien from the outer reaches with Blue-and-Orange Morality she hasn't ever experienced emotions as humans experience them. She seeks to learn about these emotions to fulfill her pact with David. See also Is This What Anger Feels Like?.
Sleeper of N'kai, AKA Tsathoggua
A eldritch creature that lives in the forests of Arkham. David selflessly rescues some of her servants — frogs — and as a reward she wishes him to become her mate and consort.
- Cute Monster Girl: Moreso than the rest, for she never becomes completely human in form.
- Every Scar Has a Story: She has a vertical scar running down from her forehead, across the eye socket, and down her cheek to her jaw. It is later revealed she got this scar from a Hyperborian wizard testing out an enchanted knife.
- Forced Transformation: Due to her Blue-and-Orange Morality, she thinks people are better off as frogs. She considers it to be rescuing them from their humanity.
- Gender Flip: Practically every other Cthulhu Mythos depictions has Tsathoggua as male. Her One-Winged Angel form is a lot closer to how Tsathoggua is depicted in mainstream Cthulhu Mythos.
- Mother of a Thousand Young: Mentions wanting to be this with David.
- Non-Mammal Mammaries: The Sleeper of N'Kai. Also Barbie Doll Anatomy.
- Yandere
Shub-Niggurath, AKA "Shubby"
An eldritch abomination that lives in the forest next to David's house. She visited to meet the new couple and hasn't left since.
- Cool Big Sis: Introduces herself as one to David. She gives him advice on how to deal with various encounters with the strange, along with advice on his burgeoning relationship with Nancy. And of course teases him incessantly.
- Genre Savvy: Almost to the point of Medium Awareness.
- Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: Shubby smokes a pipe. No telling where this lands on the distinction...
- Gorgeous Gorgon: Shubby was called "Six-Gun Gorgon Dynamo" by the Elder Things. Also counts as a shoutout to a song by Darkest of the Hillside Thickets.
- Mother of a Thousand Young: Trope Namer
- Revolvers Are Just Better: Shubby uses one. It's as long as her lower arm.
The Shoggoth
A near-mindless servitor of the Old Ones, it had broken free from its containment to rampage through Arkham. It encountered Nancy and Dave while they were out on a stroll through the park. After a short yet violent battle, Nancy managed to convert the creature into the shape of a short, adorable young woman.
- Brainless Beauty: A rather extreme example. She has to be taught with a magical cattle-prod.
- Cloudcuckoolander
- Extreme Omnivore: Anything organic. Knows enough not to eat the house and won't eat David.
- No Name Given: As of yet.
- Team Pet: She's more of a human-shaped animal than a person making her this.
- Token Mini-Moe: She's tiny in her human form. Her shoggoth form is... variable.
Nyarlathotep AKA Narla "Norice" Hotep
A bookstore owner by day, and a Humanoid Abomination servant of the Elder Gods the rest of the time. She recently encountered Dave and his expanding collection of eldritch horrors while he was trying to sell back some old textbooks. She seems to be tagging along out of curiosity and her innate desire to screw people over to further the plans of the Elder Gods.
- Jackass Genie: She will frequently pretend to misunderstand people's wishes in the most horrible way.
- Tsundere: Supposedly. We haven't really seen enough of her yet to confirm it, but she certainly has the attitude for it.
Delta Green
An organization that fights against eldritch abominations and their human servants. At the moment the team stationed in Arkham is operating under the assumption that David is a 5,000 years-old sorcerer and a leader of a cult, who sacrificed all his acolytes to bind an eldritch horror to his service. They also think David will play a large part in a prophecy of doom. As such, they want him dead very badly. Presumably members of the Outlaws faction of Delta Green given their self-contained nature.
- Inspector Javert: Its agents think David is an occult priest who murdered the whole cult to summon and bind Nancy. They refrain from taking direct action against him though, fearing Nancy's power.
- Knight Templar
- The Men in Black: A few of them, though the majority of the team try to blend in or infiltrate.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist
