Born to Haize and Basa, co-chieftains of the Azeri, Te’a met Eder at the age of twelve and left her childhood home on the shores of Laku Zilar to live among the Izokina in the alpine valley of the Ura Beltza. Over the years, Te’a and her partner Eder rose to leadership of the band. A skilled hunter and decisive leader, she also carries the healing knowledge passed down from her wise aunt, Sorgin.
Now in her thirties, Te’a balances strength and compassion, proud of her people’s endurance and confident that life will continue as it always has under the eyes of the spirits. Yet Te’a is more than a leader — she is a mother, a guide, and a protector of tradition in a world that is changing beneath her feet. Her fiery heart and unyielding loyalty will soon be tested as forces beyond her valley threaten everything she holds dear.
Character Spotlight: Eder
Son to Aitor and Euri—and elder brother to Kemen—Eder was born beneath the weight of expectation, chosen from birth to one day guide the Izokina. Strong-willed yet gentle-hearted, he grew into a man who understood that leadership is not inherited but earned through humility, courage, and service to others.
He was fourteen when he first laid eyes on Te’a at the Gathering of the Clan, and from that moment, his heart never wavered. What began as a quiet admiration became a partnership forged through seasons of trial, joy, loss, and unwavering devotion. Together, they built a life of meaning: raising their children, mentoring the young hunters, and standing as a united force for their people.
Renowned for his strength, Eder is a man whose power is matched only by his restraint. He leads not by command, but by example—quietly, steadily, earning loyalty rather than demanding it. Amongst the Izokina, his calm presence reassures, his guidance steadies, and his resolve strengthens even the faint of heart.
Rugged, resilient, and unfailingly loyal, Eder embodies the quiet strength of the band. When the world grows uncertain, and the spirits test the people he loves, he is the one who steps forward—shielding, guiding, and carrying hope when others fear it has been lost.
Character Spotlight: Aitor
Born in a time the young ones imagine as an age of ice and roaming beasts, Aitor is the Izokina band’s Old Grandfather—though in truth he has seen only forty-eight winters. A lifetime of hunting, hardship, and hard-won wisdom has carved deep lines into him, leaving him stooped but unbroken.
Long ago, he was handsome enough to win the heart of Euri, who followed him into the Beltza Valley and built a family at his side. Their sons are grown now, raising children of their own, and Aitor spends his days guiding the littlest ones, teaching them the quiet skills that keep a people alive.
But it is at night, beneath a sky jewelled with stars, that Aitor shines brightest. Loved not just for the knowledge he carries but for the tales he weaves by firelight, he is the keeper of memory—binding past to present, and reminding the Izokina of who they are.
Character Spotlight: Inigo
Born with his mother’s golden hair but none of her luck, Inigo entered the world at a terrible cost. His mother died giving him life, and when he was six, his father was gored by a boar. Orphaned so young, with no steady hand to guide him, the boy grew wild at the edges—restless, defiant, and as untamed as the beast that took his father.
Handsome and bold, Inigo caught the notice of many girls, and by fourteen he had mated with Nekané of the Oyandé. A son soon followed, though fatherhood settled awkwardly on his shoulders; his heart still burned with the need to carve his own place in the world.
Tough, resilient, and quick to anger, Inigo walks a path forged by loss and pride. In the hunt he works well beside his brothers, but his spirit bristles against caution, always searching for the moment to prove himself—whether to the clan, to the spirits, or perhaps to the memory of the parents he barely knew.
Character Spotlight: Lorea
Lorea is the second daughter of Te’a and Eder, and though only eleven winters old, she stands on the threshold of womanhood in a world where childhood is brief. While her elder sister Enara finds meaning in hearth and motherhood, Lorea’s heart beats to a different rhythm.
Curious, bright, and drawn to the unfamiliar, she is captivated by anything foreign or strange. Her hunger for adventure is as boundless as the sky above the Beltza Valley, and she dreams of a life that stretches far beyond the daily tasks expected of her.
Fiery and rebellious, Lorea rarely holds her tongue and refuses to yield simply because tradition demands it. She seeks challenge in all things, pushing against the boundaries set before her. Yet beneath her bold exterior lies fierce devotion: to her clan, to the ways that protect them, and most of all to her younger brothers, Ler and Ibai. She may chafe at the rules, but she knows—however reluctantly—that without unity, no family can endure.
Character Spotlight: Naktisrasa
Proud and ambitious, Naktisrasa was born to the hearth of a powerful Neolithic chieftain, raised in a world where Aotian women are traded like goods — valued for the alliances they seal and the children they bring forth. Pampered in her youth and sheltered from hardship, she grew up believing comfort was her birthright and obedience a chain for lesser souls.
When she enters foreign lands, her beauty and bearing are unlike anything the Mesolithic Alterra have ever seen. To them she is exotic, breathtaking—an enigma wrapped in silk and heat. Naktisrasa quickly learns to turn that attention into a weapon sharper than flint.
But beneath her elegance lies a mind forged for survival. Refusing to live as a pawn in a man’s world, she embraces cunning, deception, and charm with equal skill. Every word is measured, every smile calculated, every gesture designed to tip the balance of power in her favor.
A survivor above all else, Naktisrasa will sacrifice love, loyalty, and even kinship if it means securing her place. In her hands, affection becomes currency, ambition a shield, and power the only promise worth keeping.
