The Freak Circus

MC (meaning the player, "mc" is replaced by the player's name) is the main character, a former waiter at a cafe. He is accidentally drawn into the world of the circus, becoming the center of attention and obsession for its members.
Pierrot is a silent clown obsessively attached to MC. He combines politeness and gentleness with possessive, sometimes violent behavior; he performs with knife-throwing. Harlequin is a chaotic and manipulative trickster who flirts and toys with MC's emotions, a foil to Pierrot. He enjoys turning situations into tests of fear and attraction.
Jester is the calm and collected leader of the circus, a strategist, and a storyteller. He is in charge of the rules, finances, and public image of the circus; he seems misanthropic. The Ushersman is the Jester's right-hand man, responsible for the entrance, tickets, and order. Obsessed with cleanliness and discipline, he comes across as mature and professional. The Doctor is a circus doctor with sadistic tendencies. He studies the troupe's strange biology, solves "dirty" problems, and hides his face behind a plague doctor mask. Columbine is a former troupe member whose tragic fate and death connects the key characters and becomes the catalyst for many events. The Boss is the owner of the café where MC used to work. One of the few "normal" human figures in the story; he worries about the protagonist. Carol is MC's colleague from the café who disappears and becomes a witness to the dangers of the circus; her condition reveals what happens to people who fall under the troupe's influence.
Fools are people under the control of the Jester, essentially circus puppets: they distribute leaflets, wander around the area, and act as props or bait.