One of the Culture's greatest Game Players, a master of every board, computer, and strategy game known to civilisation. Brilliant but restless, bored by the ease of his success and searching for a challenge worthy of his abilities.

A Culture drone assigned to accompany Gurgeh on his mission to the Empire of Azad. Outwardly a simple, diminutive machine, but considerably more capable – and more devious – than it first appears.

An Azadian official assigned as Gurgeh's liaison and guide within the Empire. Affable on the surface, with loyalties that are never entirely clear.

The Emperor of Azad, supreme ruler of a vast, cruel empire where political power is determined by mastery of the game of Azad. Cold, calculating, and utterly assured of his supremacy.

An ancient Culture drone, over four thousand years old, and Gurgeh's oldest friend. Chamlis is a large, matte-cased machine that lives in a village apartment surrounded by fishtanks and antiques. It acts as a wise, sometimes fussy confidant to Gurgeh and initially suggests contacting Contact on his behalf.

A gregarious friend of Gurgeh's who hosts lavish parties in Tronze. Unusual in having had seven children, Hafflis is in a male stage during the story. He hosts both a Stricken game evening and Gurgeh's farewell party.

An Azadian apex liaison official from the Alien Affairs Bureau assigned to Gurgeh during his stay on Ea. Pequil is nervous, status-conscious and increasingly loyal to Gurgeh, even taking a bullet for him during an assassination attempt.

A young, polished apex in the Imperial Bureaucracy who serves as a courteous intermediary between the imperial court and Gurgeh. He warns Gurgeh to be vague in his Premises and later participates in attempts to persuade him to withdraw from the games.

A small, irascible ex-Special Circumstances drone that was expelled from Contact for its unsuitable personality and had its weapons removed. Bitter about its diminished state, it blackmails Gurgeh after helping him cheat at Stricken. It is later revealed to have been restructured and to be the same entity as Flere-Imsaho, the narrator of the story.

A tall, white-haired professor at the university on Chiark's Gevant Plate, well into her second century. She tries to recruit Gurgeh as faculty and introduces him to the young Stricken player Olz Hap. She later departs to go GSV-touring.

The Culture's loud, hard-drinking ambassador to the Empire of Azad. Flamboyant and seemingly reckless, Za is actually a sharp-witted mercenary operative for Special Circumstances who saves Gurgeh's life on multiple occasions. He lacks drug-glands, having had them removed for security.

An older Azadian star marshal imprisoned in an exoskeleton as punishment for a lost bet. A liberal military man, he plays Gurgeh in a three-game match and is killed when Hamin hijacks his exoskeleton to attack Gurgeh.

A Contact drone that visits Gurgeh at Ikroh to explain the Empire of Azad and invite him to play. It is a fieldless, pleasant-voiced machine that guides Gurgeh through preparations for the journey.

A young, energetic woman and friend of Gurgeh's, working as a landscape designer. She is athletic, outspoken and independent, consistently rebuffing Gurgeh's romantic advances while remaining a loyal friend. She later changes sex briefly and eventually becomes team coordinator for a new Plate-pair on Chiark.