9 Parchments have a total of 9 playable characters, but you only start with 2 of them unlocked.

Each character must have some sort of quest done on a specific stage to unlock them permanently in your save file.


Also, each character have additional outfits, that not only changes the visuals of the character slightly (mostly a color swap), but also unlock extra talent trees for them (second and third outfit).

The last outfit for each character is the Gilded version, which has wings, and are only unlockable in Hardcore difficulty. Unlocking the outfil will also increase that character maximum level from 40 to 60.

Marvek's Kindling Staff, found in Stage 11 - Shivering Steps
Hint: if you don't have any fire spells to break the ice, just hit it with staff/melee
or
The Searing Staff, unlocked with 45 Quills

Stage 13 - Colder by the Hourglass


It's pretty much right after you get this elevator down. You'll have a combat, then you must proceed to the right to find it.


You must cast fire spells on the cold brazers, so you need a fire spell to complete it
Hint: if you don't have any fire spells to light them, you can add a local player if you have additional devices and select a character with fire spells!
Hint 2: you can also melee the brazers to light them up. Just beware of getting too much damage near the cold smoke!

Carabel's Icicle, found in Stage 10 - Dust Falls on Tundra
Hint: you must protect the Snowman while defeating the enemies around to earn it
or
The Rimy Icicle, unlocked with 60 Quills

Stage 14 - Endless Snowbanks
You can't really miss it!

Put the flames in the braziers out near the statue by casting ice spells on them
Hint: if you don't have any ice spells, you can just melee the brazers!

Rudolfus' Moon Staff, dropped by Shaman (only if he is not the last monster alive from the fight)

or
The Occultist's Staff, unlocked with 75 Quills

Stage 30 - The Marsh on Your Hemline


Kill one enemy inside each of the 3 circles near the statue.
Hint: if all enemies die and you didn't complete it, you can kill your allies (or even yourself) inside the circles to count as well!

Owl's Lightning Rod, found in Stage 18 - The Loveliness of Trees
Hint: you must stun the Shaman with lightning to stun, then melee him for him to drop the staff
or
The Copper Rod, unlocked with 90 Quills

Stage 31 - Thunderous Mountains


Complete the Robotic Rescue Mission, which basically is an arena with a robot inside which you must keep alive.
Hint: if you're having trouble keeping the robot alive alone, try adding local players and add healing spells on them, mainly ground area spells
Hint 2: besides the healing spells, you can also use lightning spells to heal the robot
Hint 3: if you fail, you can just return to main menu and try again, starting from the lastest checkpoint, one fight before the statue

Nim's Enchanted Broom, found in Stage 1

or
Nim's Boreal Broom, unlocked with 105 Quills

Stage 32 - This Accursed Academy!


Clean the 7 graffitis on walls/statues through the whole level.


You can use the Broom staff to clean them by hitting it (or with Steam Beam spell, which is almost exclusive to Nim)
Hint: if you're playing online with a friend, you can create a Steam beam by crossing a Fire Beam with a Cold Beam for some long range cleaning

The Staff of the Artefact, found in Stage 32 - This Accursed Academy!.
Note: the staff may only be present if you have already unlocked all other story characters, so you'll only be able to unlcok him on a second playthrough at least

Stage 29 - How About a Cart Ride?


Having the staff will spawn some boxes at the beggining of the stage. You must equip the staff and hit the boxes (melee attack) to carry them through the level
Hint: if you're playing online, someone can join as Amadeus to just create the box for you near the statue, so you won't need to carry the box from the beggining of the stage to it!

Selius is a newer character included in the first content update of the game (v 1.1.0). He's fully unlocked in the Astral Arena.

Selius' Staff of Shadows, dropped from Prismatic-Shielded Healers in Astral Arena 1 and onwards.


Astral Arena 2. Astral Dungeons


Capture the Shadow of the character that keeps running around randomly between portals.

Gilded Outfits are only unlockable in the Hardcore difficulty.

Hardcore makes the game behave like a Roguelite: if you die (using up your Second Chance), that's it, your stage progress is lost, and you have to start from the beggining of the campaign - while keeping character levels, unlocked characters, staves and hats, of course!

To unlock the Gilded version of the Unlockable characters, you have to do repeat their quests on the Hardcore difficulty.

To unlock Gilded Cornelius, one of the starting characters, you'll just have to finish the game in Hardcore difficulty.

And to unlock Gilded Gislan, you'll have a special quest only available in Hardcore for her.

Gislan's Staff of Verdure, dropped by enemy healers at random

or
The Staff of Serenity, unlocked with 30 Quills

Stage 21 - The Hot Pools (in Hardcore only, of course)


Complete the A Stroll Through Meadowns Mission, in which you have to herd a powerful goat alive to the end of the stage
Hint: the goat helps a lot on the stage, as has lots of life and damage. Beware that its headbutt will instakill you if you get in his way

Even though way cooler, it's just the Selius' Gilded outfit.

Just pick up The Staff of Nightmares, present at the beggining of Astral Arena 6. The Crystalline Quarry, then enter the Arena and go south, where you'll revive the fallen Selius and unlock it.
Note: it might be required beat all the previous Astral Arenas for the staff to be there for you