diff --git a/bin/test_io.py b/bin/test_io.py
index 02323eab..cf203a1e 100644
--- a/bin/test_io.py
+++ b/bin/test_io.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ realpath = os.path.realpath(__file__)
 
 sys.path.insert(1, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(realpath), '..'))
 
-import manuskript.io as io
 import manuskript.data as data
 
 path = os.path.join(sys.path[1], "sample-projects/book-of-acts")
diff --git a/manuskript/data/__init__.py b/manuskript/data/__init__.py
index 36d07c88..0ce564b9 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/__init__.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/__init__.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # --!-- coding: utf8 --!--
 
+from manuskript.data.characters import Characters, Character
+from manuskript.data.color import Color
+from manuskript.data.goal import GoalKind, Goal
+from manuskript.data.info import Info
+from manuskript.data.labels import LabelHost, Label
+from manuskript.data.outline import Outline, OutlineFolder, OutlineText
 from manuskript.data.plots import Plots, PlotLine, PlotStep
 from manuskript.data.project import Project
-from manuskript.data.goal import GoalKind, Goal
-from manuskript.data.outline import Outline, OutlineFolder, OutlineText
 from manuskript.data.revisions import Revisions
-from manuskript.data.color import Color
-from manuskript.data.labels import LabelHost, Label
-from manuskript.data.status import StatusHost, Status
 from manuskript.data.settings import Settings
+from manuskript.data.status import StatusHost, Status
 from manuskript.data.unique_id import UniqueIDHost, UniqueID
diff --git a/manuskript/data/characters.py b/manuskript/data/characters.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7d1f634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manuskript/data/characters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# --!-- coding: utf8 --!--
+
+import os
+
+from manuskript.data.color import Color
+from manuskript.data.unique_id import UniqueIDHost
+from manuskript.io.mmdFile import MmdFile
+
+
+class Character:
+
+    def __init__(self, path, characters):
+        self.file = MmdFile(path, 21)
+        self.characters = characters
+
+        self.UID = None
+        self.name = None
+        self.importance = None
+        self.pov = True
+        self.motivation = None
+        self.goal = None
+        self.conflict = None
+        self.epiphany = None
+        self.summarySentence = None
+        self.summaryParagraph = None
+        self.summaryFull = None
+        self.notes = None
+        self.color = None
+        self.details = dict()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def loadAttribute(cls, metadata: dict, name: str, defaultValue=None):
+        if name in metadata:
+            return metadata.pop(name)
+        else:
+            return defaultValue
+
+    def load(self):
+        metadata, _ = self.file.loadMMD(True)
+
+        ID = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "ID")
+
+        if ID is None:
+            raise IOError("Character is missing ID!")
+
+        self.UID = self.characters.host.loadID(int(ID))
+        self.name = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Name", None)
+        self.importance = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Importance", None)
+        self.pov = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "POV", True)
+        self.motivation = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Motivation", None)
+        self.goal = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Goal", None)
+        self.conflict = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Conflict", None)
+        self.epiphany = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Epiphany", None)
+        self.summarySentence = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Phrase Summary", None)
+        self.summaryParagraph = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Paragraph Summary", None)
+        self.summaryFull = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Full Summary", None)
+        self.notes = Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Notes", None)
+        self.color = Color.parse(Character.loadAttribute(metadata, "Color", None))
+
+        self.details.clear()
+
+        for (key, value) in metadata.items():
+            self.details[key] = value
+
+    def save(self):
+        metadata = dict()
+
+        for (key, value) in self.details.items():
+            metadata[key] = value
+
+        metadata["ID"] = str(self.UID.value)
+        metadata["Name"] = self.name
+        metadata["Importance"] = self.importance
+        metadata["POV"] = self.pov
+        metadata["Motivation"] = self.motivation
+        metadata["Goal"] = self.goal
+        metadata["Conflict"] = self.conflict
+        metadata["Epiphany"] = self.epiphany
+        metadata["Phrase Summary"] = self.summarySentence
+        metadata["Paragraph Summary"] = self.summaryParagraph
+        metadata["Full Summary"] = self.summaryFull
+        metadata["Notes"] = self.notes
+        metadata["Color"] = self.color
+
+        self.file.save((metadata, None))
+
+
+class Characters:
+
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        self.dir_path = os.path.join(path, "characters")
+        self.host = UniqueIDHost()
+        self.characters = list()
+
+    def load(self):
+        self.characters.clear()
+
+        for name in os.listdir(self.dir_path):
+            path = os.path.join(self.dir_path, name)
+
+            if not os.path.isfile(path):
+                continue
+
+            character = Character(path, self)
+
+            try:
+                character.load()
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                continue
+
+            self.characters.append(character)
+
+    def save(self):
+        for character in self.characters:
+            character.save()
diff --git a/manuskript/data/labels.py b/manuskript/data/labels.py
index 6c691e78..dea3ff71 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/labels.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/labels.py
@@ -67,6 +67,6 @@ class LabelHost:
         metadata = dict()
 
         for label in self.labels:
-            metadata[label.name] = str(label.color)
+            metadata[label.name] = label.color
 
         self.file.save((metadata, None))
diff --git a/manuskript/data/outline.py b/manuskript/data/outline.py
index c2509d76..a58f2572 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/outline.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/outline.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import os
 
 from enum import Enum, unique
 from manuskript.data.goal import Goal
-from manuskript.data.unique_id import UniqueIDHost, UniqueID
+from manuskript.data.unique_id import UniqueIDHost
 from manuskript.io.mmdFile import MmdFile
 
 
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ class OutlineItem:
         self.outline = outline
         self.state = OutlineState.UNDEFINED
 
-        self.title = ""
         self.UID = None
+        self.title = ""
         self.type = ""
         self.summarySentence = None
         self.summaryFull = None
diff --git a/manuskript/data/project.py b/manuskript/data/project.py
index 7b6953d1..c3be32bd 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/project.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/project.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from manuskript.data.summary import Summary
 from manuskript.data.labels import LabelHost
 from manuskript.data.status import StatusHost
 from manuskript.data.settings import Settings
+from manuskript.data.characters import Characters
 from manuskript.data.plots import Plots
 from manuskript.data.outline import Outline
 from manuskript.data.revisions import Revisions
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ class Project:
         self.labels = LabelHost(self.file.dir_path)
         self.statuses = StatusHost(self.file.dir_path)
         self.settings = Settings(self.file.dir_path)
+        self.characters = Characters(self.file.dir_path)
         self.plots = Plots(self.file.dir_path)
         self.outline = Outline(self.file.dir_path)
         self.revisions = Revisions(self.file.dir_path)
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ class Project:
         self.labels.load()
         self.statuses.load()
         self.settings.load()
+        self.characters.load()
         self.plots.load()
         self.outline.load()
         self.revisions.load()
@@ -58,6 +61,7 @@ class Project:
         self.labels.save()
         self.statuses.save()
         self.settings.save()
+        self.characters.save()
         self.plots.save()
         self.outline.save()
         #self.revisions.save()