Vaughan

Vaughan was a friend of Carpenter, and a co-worker and friend of Paige (though at different times), who was used as fuel to anoint Black Crow Incorporated to the Crawling-In-Ecstasy.

Physical
At least 31 years old.

Personality
Sardonic and cynical.

Involvement in the Story
Vaughan was Carpenter's co-worker at Hallowed Hoagies, and a friend of Carpenter. Their departure to a college in the Linger Straights on a scholarship for marketing removed one of Carpenter's ties to the area, likely making her more susceptible to Mason's offer to join the Followers of the Trawlerman. Their cynical view of the gods likely also influenced Carpenter's skepticism of the gods in general, with Carpenter mentioning that the line 'we each get to choose what eats us' stayed with her.

We next meet Vaughan at least 13 years later, working alongside Paige at Black Crow Incorporated. They hold a position of experience, directing the conversations in what we hear of their work in marketing gods. When Paige is told of the incoming company shake-up, they tell Vaughan, who pretends to have heard already, and has already gauged the situation- that the worst-performing and redundant of them will be sacrificed to the new god. When Paige grows concerned after another announcement, Vaughan reassures her that the fact she's been told means she's ear-marked for promotion, as the company told her first. When Paige is glad for both of their survival, Vaughan reveals to her that they didn't receive the email, and they suspect, from their performance, that they might be ear-marked for sacrifice. Paige is outraged, but Vaughan reassures her that they have a plan.

Paige decides to send an email to the Hooper, notifying them of Vaughan's good performance, and attempting to Vaughan them to her own successes. She does not act further- still doubting that the company would actually sacrifice long-term employees. It is possible that this unknowingly sabotaged Vaughan's plan, which was potentially to throw themself under the radar, as the email highlighted them to those in charge of the sacrifice as a target. Either way, at some point Vaughan stops coming into work, and is next seen bruised, in a van at the site of the sacrifice. They are dressed in the robes and masked head of the Bronze Savant, and are dragged towards it, being the first to fight back, and inspires a struggle, though this is ultimately futile. They are again singled out as standing still, separate from the crowd of sacrifices banging on the door as they are all transfigured into a saint of the Crawling-In-Ecstasy, which is summarily killed.

Being forced to join the ranks of the people who killed Vaughan, and witnessing Vaughan's death are the points which spurred Paige into leaving the Linger Straights, and heading to the Peninsula, where she encountered Carpenter and Faulkner, and became involved with their pilgrimage.

Trivia

 * Despite coining the phrase "We each get to choose the thing that eats us.", Vaughan ultimately didn't get to choose the thing that ate them.