Niran Vey is a lean half-elven monk from the far north, wrapped in soot-stained winter whites and black cloth, with silver hair falling over one pale, watchful eye and a mask hiding the rest of his face. He carries a recurved bow like an extension of his breathing—quiet, precise, deliberate—and moves with the stillness of someone raised where wasted motion can mean death.

• Mikkel, 13 — stubborn, protective, and old enough that Niran has started trusting him with responsibility.
• Elsi, 9 — sharp-eyed, curious, and follows Niran’s survival lessons almost religiously.