[Characters] A pile of sketches, commemorating those who journey the Haeth

[HotsuSama]

For character creation and collaboration.

[Humble Hero]

CHARACTER INFO The Exile "Your past clings to your shoulders like an old woolen cloak. Someday, perhaps, you can return to your home. You are alive. Your care is fragile, skittish, and terrified of being broken again." Name: Orthal Pronouns: He/Him Animal: Bear (Brown) Choose 2 You Are: Damaged Pragmatic And 2 You Try Not To Be: Explosive Sharp Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Brutal scar Cloak big enough to hide in Sacred text from your people Stolen lace You Once Had A Place You Called Home. It's Gone Now. Choose 1 True Reason Why You Cannot Return. 1 Reason You Tell Everyone Else, And 1 Reason You Worry Is The Truth: Your people fled from the wrath of the gods. It is a waste. Your people fled from natural disaster. It is a swamp. You fled because you were declared an omen of death. It is a wilderness. Choose 1 You Still Play: A carapace-carved horn with a haunting melody, said to have been taught to your people (and your people alone) by the wind-gods. And 1 You Can No Longer Understand: The lullaby your father would sing to you as you fell to sleep. Asking: Feldspar: How did you help me when I felt like no one else would? Shamal: What did you do to earn my trust? Answering: Feldspar - What is it about you that makes me comfortable telling you my doubts?: You can probably tell I'm another weary traveler in the land, on a different purpose than yours, but still a similar soul wandering the world. Shamal - Why did I come with you when we left home?: I offered to provide my understanding of traveling the land, as I've spent many years wandering it. Blue - What do you know about the world that I don’t?: Our world may be healing, but that doesn't mean the ones who caused the wounds are gone.

TOKENS N/A

OTHER Some Things You Can Always Do: Say an expression in your traditional language. Keep an eye on the exits. Push something out of sight or out of mind. Play a tune that reminds you of home. Say: "You look familiar." Ask: "Can I tell you a story about my home?" They get a token if they say yes. During Each Seasonal Holiday, Choose 1 You Haven't Chosen Before: N/A

[HotsuSama]

CHARACTER INFO The Pilgrim "The gods have given you a path forward, a place you hope can finally give you what you seek. Some days you worry you’ll never make it there at all." Name: Feldspar Animal: Elephant Choose 2 you try to be: Healthy Reflective And 2 you've given up on: Unobtrusive Patient Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Sturdy walking stick Frayed gloves Slightly inaccurate map of the area The bare minimum needed to get by. A god or omen instructed you to pack your bags and travel somewhere very far from the land you called home. Choose 2 rumors or stories you’ve heard about this place, and 1 that is actually true: You seek where the gods taught artists the secret of creation, and nothing can compare to the objects made there. It is a furnace or a workshop. You seek a place at the very edge of the world, where nothing lies beyond it. It is a desert or a mirror. You seek where the countless small and forgotten gods are loudest and clearest. It is a hallow or a graveyard. Choose the sign of your faith. Tell the table why you believe it’ll never lead you astray. A book of poetry, with passages so powerful that their very existence is a miracle. It is a memoir of the living memory of my people put to verse. These are the songs of matriarchs who have seen war, and birth and death in one breath, and the confluence of all things. One may be wrong. All of them in concert cannot be. Asking: Orthal: What is it about you that makes me comfortable telling you my doubts? Shamal: What do you know about the place that I seek, that I haven’t yet grasped? Tellsy: What is it about you that makes me comfortable telling you my doubts? Juno: How did you save me when my inexperience tripped me up? Answering: Orthal (How did you help me when I felt like no one else would?): I needled you with queries and forward curiosity. Other kith may have sensed your guarded nature and given you space - I didn't. It may have been borderline-rude, and you hated it at first. But it was a small glimmer of catharsis in the end. Shamal (Why won't you ever dance with me?): The rituals of my people used to be performed with choreographed movements and steps. I'm terrified that within a carefree dance, I will replicate some of those steps by accident. Tellsy (Why are you so patient with me?): Once I might not have been, but travel has softened me. For someone who is constantly fretting about the destination of their journey, it's pleasant to surround myself with those who remind me to take pleasure in the journey and its little absurdities as well. Juno (Why does my firefly like you so much?): It's my voice - but only when I recite poetry and verse from the large book I carry around. I'm unsure if it understands the words, but I must sound calmer, or more at peace, when I read from these old lines.

TOKENS N/A

Some things I can always do Recite a small prayer. Chatter away. Shield yourself from harsh conditions. Place your fate in improbable coincidence, and have it work out. Ask: “Do you think we’ll make it?” Say: “Lead the way.” They get a token if they do.

[Kaigen]

CHARACTER INFO The Dancer "Your inner fire is a song in your heart, not a voice in your head. The world will not quiet you." "You are alive. Your care is intense, vocal, and full of light." Name: Shamal Pronouns: he/him Animal: A Lively Animal (jerboa) Choose 2 you are: Upbeat Generous And 2 you wish you were better at being: Focused Beautiful Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Loose-fitting pants Bandage-wrapped feet Stylized mask A gleam in your eye Choose 3 dances you will gladly dance: A dance you dance with the small and forgotten gods, to earn luck and wisdom. A dance you dance with all the winds in the sky, to invite the weather to change. A dance you dance with an unfamiliar place, to listen and befriend. And 1 you'll never dance again: A dance you dance with the deepest dark, to bridge the gates of life and death Choose 1 you teach to anyone who wants to learn: A soft and gentle reed flute, snatched from the North Wind God himself. And 1 you'll only ever dance to alone: A battered iron handpan drum, forged by a cheerful friend you miss terribly. Asking: Orthal: Why did I come with you when we left home? Feldspar: Why won't you ever dance with me? Tellsy: When was the last time we stayed up all night to watch the sunrise? Answering: I earned Orthal's Trust by: Playing harmony to the melody he plays on his horn. I know that the place Feldspar seeks: Is not confined to a single geographic location. I got off on the wrong foot with Tobira by: Seeing her shadow creep up on me out of the corner of my eye and thinking it was her. I showed Tellsy that: Ordinary things are worth singing and dancing about. Maybe they're the most worth singing and dancing about.

OTHER Some Things You Can Always Do: Dance idly. Laugh and smile. Leap up on top of something. Give a song to those around you. Ask: "Will you dance a dance with me?" Ask: "Do you want to be my friend?" They get a token if they say yes. During Each Seasonal Holiday, Choose 1 You Haven't Chosen Before:

[Roekahs]

CHARACTER INFO The Vagabond "The world's taken everything from you, beat down on your shoulders, and given you an aching heart. Some people think you are a criminal, or a monster. You know what you are." Name: Tobira Pronouns: She/Her Animal: Hawk Choose 2 You Call yourself: Thief Liar And 2 You Staunchly Insist You Are Not: Hero Monster Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Black Cloak Gauze-wrapped splint Wanted posters of your own face Stylish and wide-brimmed hat Choose 2 crimes you have been falsely accused of: Killing A God. Betraying Your Kingdom. And 2 you're actually guilty of: Stealing supplies. Killing Your King Choose 1 You Carry With You: Your shadow, which moves of its own volition. It did not do that before. In fact, it did not do that immediately after. It has only been since we have begun wandering that my shadow also wanders. I don't mind that it does at all. And 1 That's Been Stolen From You: A different name that your partner in crime gave you It was a loving name, a name of joy and happiness from a time when none existed. The crimes stole this name. It will be recovered. Perhaps. If I can, I will steal it back. Asking: Shamal How'd we get off on the wrong foot? Big Blue How have you helped me when no one else would? Answering: Big Blue: What is something I knew about you that I had no right to know? You knew the name of my partner in crime: Sallar. It was a name that I had lost... in purpose.

TOKENS N/A

OTHER Some Things You Can Always Do: Be somewhere you're not supposed to be Have something you're not supposed to have Mutter something you're not supposed to say Lie. Say: "I have a bad feeling about this." Ask: "Do you trust me?" They get a token if they say yes. During Each Seasonal Holiday, Choose 1 You Haven't Chosen Before: N/A

[Leviticus]

CHARACTER INFO The Caretaker "Someone must pay attention to all the small and forgotten things in the world. Someone must listen to the voiceless. You are alive. Your care is tender, supportive, and silent." Name: Blue, Big Blue, pronounced "BeeBee"BB Pronouns: He, Him Animal: Three-Toed Sloth Choose 2 you value being: Gentle Friendly And 2 that feel exhausting to be: Alert Organized Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Scratchy Cloak Sea-Blue Clay Canteen Loose Papers Covered in Sketches and Notes Choose up to 5 friends that hide in the many shrines you carry with you: A very small buggy friend, who has no place among gods, and is friendly. A nameless, ancient god seeking refuge within your shrine, who is hurt. A family of cloud gods, who are all imaginative and oracular. Woad, a god of a mossy boulder. They are resolute and mighty. Lilt, a god of a tossed-aside creature. They are nervous and dead. Choose 1 ceremonial object you still honor and 1 you cannot treasure any longer. Tell the table about them. A rock with a hole worn in it, gifted by the mysterious stranger with one white eye who has watched over you all your life. There was a time that felt sad, sluggish, and quiet, with little energy for movement or thought. He came and helped Blue get back on the path and left this worn-down rock in BB's possession until their next meeting. A handbook attempting to name all the gods, written by a poetic writer you once loved. She loved the gods so much that she wanted knowledge of them with certainty, leaving little if any room for faith in the unknown. The unknown is a promise to be explored, not to be expunged. Asking: Tobira: What is something I knew about you that I had no right to know? Orthal: What do you know about the world that I don’t? Gotz: Which of my small and forgotten gods did you rescue and give to me? Answering: Tobira: How have you helped me when no one else would? By not asking questions when you needed a quiet place to stay for a night and a morning. Gotz: What did your style of storytelling teach me? That there is an unmistakable vibrancy when we care for the small and forgotten.

TOKENS N/A

OTHER Some Things You Can Always Do: Pause, tilt your head to the side, and keep going. Play with one of your gods. Say something in silence better than words can. Notice a little friend everyone else overlooked. Say: “Hold this.” Ask: “Hush, can you hear that?” They get a token if they try their best to hear what you do. During Each Seasonal Holiday, Choose 1 You Haven't Chosen Before:

[Solid Snek]

CHARACTER INFO The Poet "The song of the world is a poem that can be captured by ink and paper, if only you could find the right words. You are alive. Your care is eloquent, observant, and occasionally overwrought." Name: Gottfried, or "Gotz" Animal: Crow Pronouns: He/Him Choose 2 people assume you are based on your writings: Romantic Formal And 2 you actually are: Pithy Casual Choose 3-4 To Describe Your Look: Cloak full of pockets Ink-stained hands A quote for every occasion You’re working on a writing project about your journey. Choose 1 you’re writing about, 1 that is metaphorically intertwined, and 1 that unintentionally crept its way into your project. The seasons and how their changes change you. The rebellion and what happened to its adherents. The everyday lives of your fellow travelers. Choose 1 you read from constantly and 1 you have memorized, and tell the table about them. A tiny guidebook full of practical life advice. At times, Gotz will excitedly discuss some small fact from the book that is common sense to everyone else... at other times, he will scribble notes in the margins with his own observations or revisions on a topic. The last text written by Gotz's mentor before their death, that reflects on their life. It is short, and was easily memorized. It was an order Gotz was expected to disseminate among the rebel troops. It was horrific enough that Gotz killed his mentor instead. Perhaps Gotz is the only person who would have gleaned any reflection from such a short scrap of text, but it matters not... he burned the order so no one would ever read except himself. Asking: Tobira - Are you okay with the way I write about you? How do you wish I would write about you, if at all? Blue - What did your style of storytelling teach me? Answering: Blue - Which of my small and forgotten gods did you rescue and give to me? Lilt, a god of a tossed-aside creature. They are nervous and dead. Gotz saw they were dead, but did not presume that no one cared for them because of such a minor detail.

TOKENS N/A

Some things I can always do • Self-deprecate. • Provide a new perspective others might not have. • Cite a resource that can help. • Write down a moment that feels relevant to your project. • Ask: “What used to be here?” • Ask: “Can you explain?”

[97mg]

CHARACTER INFO The Fool "Life is an adventure, and there’s never shame in learning new things. You are alive. Your care is silly, naive, and more profound than most expect." Name: Tellsy Animal: Rabbit Pronouns: She / Her Choose 2 you are: Lovable Funny Choose 2 you're worried you're actually not: Talented Brave Describe your look: Noble Attire Flower Behind Your Ear A Complete Lack of Foresight Choose 2 that are true about you Most people you meet around here don’t make any sense to you. The place you are from is a wilderness or a metropolis. You grew up familiar with chaos and disorganization. The place you are from is a maelstrom or a market. And 1 that everyone assumes is true: You were spoiled rotten as a kid. The place you are from is a palace or a garden. Choose 1 you carry with you: A purse full of valuables that can buy basically anything you want, obtained through your noble birth. Choose 1 you're confident is around here somewhere. Tell the tale about them: A beautiful golden brooch, gifted by your proper parents. My father dug it up by accident, when digging us a new burrow on the market garden's site. He told me to try and find the owner of it, but I didn't really try very hard. My parents took it off me then, and didn't give it back until I left home. Asking: Feldspar - (Why are you so patient with me?) Once I might not have been, but travel has softened me. For someone who is constantly fretting about the destination of their journey, it's pleasant to surround myself with those who remind me to take pleasure in the journey and its little absurdities as well. Shamal - (What did you show me, that no one else could?): Ordinary things are worth singing and dancing about. Maybe they're the most worth singing and dancing about. Juno - (How did you help me get out of my old home?): Wouldn't say I helped, as such - more lost my patience. My gramma always said 'You can't help kith that won't help themselves', and I relayed that piece of wisdom to you. A little more sharply than intended, I confess. You saw the sense in it, though, and after that - you helped yourself. Answering: Feldspar (What is it about you that makes me comfortable telling you my doubts?): With large ears, I must be a good listener, right? Actually, I tend to talk without thinking, so whatever answer or advice I give you, it will always be from the heart. Where a happy slant is needed on something sad, I'm always there. Shamal (When was the last time we stayed up all night to watch the sunrise?): I don't recall doing this yet! We should totally add it to the bucket-list. Dance and joke the night away, and then watch a morning's miracle, yes! Juno (What did I show you that you didn’t want to see?): The smokes! I've got an addictive personality, and now that I've seen them... all I want to do is try them! Would people still love me if I smell like tobacco though? So, what you've really shown me is that I am still obsessed with mundane things, and still have a lot of growing to do as far as wisdom is concerned. Some things you can always do: Meander around. Give great advice. Give terrible advice. Do something that’s actually pretty funny. Ask: “But why?” Ask: “What’s going on?” They get a token if they help explain.

TOKENS N/A

[selkie]

CHARACTER INFO The Firelight "It is easy to get lost in the darkness and the deep. The firefly at your side will always guide the way. You are alive. Your care is forward-thinking, mutual, and shining bright." Name: Juno Animal: A Steady Animal (Bezoar Ibex) Pronouns: She / Her Choose 2 you try to be: Endlessly Patient Consistently Correct And 2 you know you can't be: Always Positive Enough Choose 3-4 to desccribe your look: Warm And Comfortable Gloves Box Of Medical Supplies Small And Practical Knife Book Of Small Rituals You have a firefly, your companion that stays by your side no matter what. They sleep during the day and light up at night. They are luminescent. Choose 1-2 to describe how you met: The two of you grew up together. They are caring. You found them in a place of death and pain, and rescued them. They are dead, and you're not sure they're really a firefly. Choose 1 light that you still keep lit and 1 that died out long ago. Tell the table about them. Wisp, a small and forgotten many-faced god who is in love with your firefly. I don't know where this thing came from but it started following me around a while back. Sometimes I think it's given up and moved on, and then - there it is again. Means no harm, I suppose. I don't have the heart to chase it off for good. A pack of smokes that reminds you of sitting on a porch with your poetic love. I don't know why I still carry these things around. Don't know why I haven't just smoked 'em already. Guess it just never feels like the right time. Asking: Tellsy: What did I show you that you didn’t want to see? Feldspar: Why does my firefly like you so much? Answering: Feldspar (How did you save me when my inexperience tripped me up?): Not all those little mountain villages have caught up with the times. You weren't to know - but you were making kith uncomfortable asking about the locked doors and the paint on the walls. Lucky I could smooth things over, and the few of us in town who celebrated it had a fair Candlefeast all by ourselves. Quietly. Tellsy (How did you help me get out of my old home?): Wouldn't say I helped, as such - more lost my patience. My gramma always said 'You can't help kith that won't help themselves', and I relayed that piece of wisdom to you. A little more sharply than intended, I confess. You saw the sense in it, though, and after that - you helped yourself. Some things you can always do: Shrug. Pet your firefly. Illuminate all that is hard to see. Keep walking. Say: “Watch your step.” Ask: “Do you need a hand?” They get a token if they help explain.