Player: Denis K

Themes: crumbling family, arrogance, manipulation and persuasion, substance abuse

Matija is suffering and trying not to show it. They were once the head of a family, the one carrying their family's honour through the turmoil of in-fighting and posturing in the Yugo-Graad criminal underworld and now they’re… nothing. Just a barfly soaked in vodka, getting worked up about politics and how they were screwed by “the system”. Before their child-in-law, Luka joined the family, Matija had thought everything was lost. That it had been lost long ago when their youngest child was taken down in a flurry of bullets in a deal gone bad back in the old country, and their spouse, Valja, insisted they leave with little more than the clothes on their backs. But Luka, quiet Zhenya’s keen spouse, saw Matija as they used to be. They have been Matija’s partner in a thousand deals and hustles in the past few years, and now they've brought a prime opportunity, something to get the Krots back on top – if only Matija could get the anxious Zhenya and the lazy Sasha on board, not to mention Valja, who has been distant for years now. Matija wants what every parent wants: for their children to make something of themselves, for the Krot name to be synonymous with a family that does what they want, when they want, and doesn’t give a damn about the authorities, a family that lives life on their own terms and can rely on one another. If Matija can prove they’re a force to be reckoned with, will their family come together as imagined?

Player: Gerke Schlickmann

Themes: family disconnect, estrangement, emotional manipulation, grief

The day Valja found out their youngest child had been shot was the last day they felt alive. The moment they heard the news, Valja finally saw their purpose clearly: they were responsible for their family, for ensuring they all escaped the vicious pull of the gangs jockeying for position with children’s lives. In all the confusion, Valja had been firm: they had to escape, to leave Yugo-Graad, now. In La Cage, Valja found work, housing, and the essentials for the family, but they felt forced to overlook a bit of extra food or the occasional blanket that showed up unexpectedly. Otherwise, though, they have remained outspoken against criminal activity of any kind. Their dynamic with their spouse Matija became unpredictable – sometimes antagonistic, sometimes compassionate, always codependent – and Valja hovers over their surviving children, Sasha and Zhenya. Valja’s voice is clearest when speaking out against Matija’s casual schemes, trying to keep the children on the straight and narrow. This balance lasted for years - until Zhenya’s spouse, Luka, joined the family. Seeing how easily Zhenya gives in to their fast-talking spouse and how Matija’s eyes light up with Luka’s ridiculous ideas for the next big thing is enough to make Valja wonder if it’s too late. Too late for their children, too late for themselves, too late for their marriage. Will Valja manage to protect the new life they constructed for themselves away from gang turf wars or will they forever live under the dark clouds of the Krot name?

Themes: escapism, ambition, abandoning loved ones

The name Krot sticks in Sasha’s throat. Sure, if their sibling had lived, if the family had stayed in Yugo-Graad, if their parent Matija hadn’t become a junkie, maybe then Sasha could have really been something in the gangster world. They make friends easily, friends who trust them almost immediately. This ability, far more than whatever nonsense about “alphas” Matija would ramble on about when the uppers met the vodka in their system, is what really makes someone the spider in a web of crime. In this life, however, it was Valja’s influence that stuck instead, and Sasha wants to use their charisma for something better. They talk a lot with their friends (and their first love, their true love) about politics, about philosophy, about independence and freedom, and they want that for themselves. First, though, they have to make a respectable name for themselves and have to become someone the bureaucrats would consider deserving of their own flat and a steady job away from their family. Sasha is always looking for a way to get ahead but only finds ways that harm the people they love; will they finally give in and exploit their relationships to get ahead, or let empathy rule their choices and stay tied down in La Cage?

Player: Mick Decates

Themes: ethics and crime, secret affair, abuse victim

Zhenya had still been a teenager when their family arrived in La Cage, grief-stricken by the loss of their little sibling in a deal gone bad back in Yugo-Graad. In a short time, their family crumbled, and Zhenya was hungry for any affection, which came from an outside source: Luka, a fellow Yugo-Graadian whose family had emigrated to Revachol. Zhenya quickly fell into Luka’s arms and, overwhelmed by all the changes and encouraged by their parent Matija’s fondness for Luka, they married fast. It wasn’t long until Luka’s temper started coming out, uncontrolled and irrational. Zhenya used to try to cover up the bruises, but it was too much work, and it turned out nobody cared much anyway. Now, as desperate for any hint of kindness or softness as when they first arrived in La Cage, Zhenya finds ever more reasons to spend time with someone from work: someone who makes their heart beat faster, that makes them feel a giddy sense of hope. Zhenya isn’t sure why, but they’re afraid of what would happen if Luka were to find out… or Matija. Zhenya may not enjoy the hard work at the sweatshop, but they feel a sense of belonging there; they want this part of their life to stay the same, and they want never again to speak of the kind of shady dealings that caused their sibling’s death. Will they give in to the demands of their overbearing spouse and parent or finally become their own person?

Player: Maja Neska

Themes: ambition, god complex, being the “alpha”, hustler, abuse (perpetrator)

Luka’s family, the Bulyats, had been dirt-poor farmers back in Yugo-Graad. When Luka was still barely old enough to walk, they made the journey to Revachol, looking for a better life. They didn’t find it in La Cage. Instead, Luka grew up with a profound sense of disconnect, the knowledge that they had been stripped of their birthright, of an opportunity to experience the cutthroat Yugo-Graad underworld where they’re certain they would have made a name for themselves. The La Cage equivalent was just sad: little scams by little people for little payout. Nonetheless, Luka wanted to be a big fish even in this small pond: that’s why they idolised Matija, the former patriarch of a Yugo-Graad criminal clan. It’s also why they turned on the charm to get Matija’s child, Zhenya, to agree to marry them; it’s why they ditched the dirty farmer’s name to become a Krot, to be a member of a bloodline with promise. They know the name has power by how other people approach them for sex and favours, by how Luka has power over them. Everything Luka does is to get the Krots back on top, and they aren’t shy of doing some dirty work. Luka can feel the power running through their veins, especially with a bit of white powder, or after they’ve put Zhenya in their place. Can Luka get the Krots back on top and rule the La Cage underworld?

Player: Eva Jucci

Themes: family, spiritual seeker, naivety, psychological instability

A photographer back in Safre, Lian enjoyed a comfortable life with their doctor spouse, Tai, their two beautiful children, and their parent-in-law, the respected Kiran. Fleeing the war that kept creeping ever closer to their doorstep, the Kim family crammed themselves into the back of an aerostatic full of apricots and set off for Gottwald. Instead, the harrowing trip deposited them in Revachol and left Lian with wild flashbacks and a desperate urge to understand this world down to its bones. When they’re meditating on the nature of the world, it’s easy to forget their family is crumbling before their eyes. Even though Tai can speak of nothing else, Lian can’t seem to concern themselves with money when they can feel voices from the Pale reaching out their tendrils into their mind. Will they forsake their family for knowledge that may or may not be out there? Will they find a way to capture the true nature of things with photography?

Player: Jessie Roeder

Themes: providing for the family, professional validation, responsibility

Dr. Tai Kim thought they would spend the rest of their life helping people addicted to the cocaine that plagued Safre; it was their profession, their talent, their calling. Instead, here they were in La Cage, where they’d never planned to be. Almost immediately robbed of the rest of their savings and their Application for Recognition of Credentials rubber-stamped REJECTED by the stern bureaucrats at immigration, the once-respected doctor found themselves cleaning, factory work, begging. If their family only knew what they’d been reduced to. Tai’s spouse, Lian, was already distant, ever more obsessed with occult nonsense, while their children, Nuri and Zhen, had never been so stoic. On top of everything their parent, Kiran, kept insisting the family simply needed to fit in and keep their chins up. The bright spot in Tai’s days has been volunteering at Addicts Anonymous, doing whatever they can to help the people suffering there; their dreams have become limited to getting the family into more stable housing, perhaps in Block A, and the hope that the staff of the Clinic can be convinced to overlook the red tape. Will Tai’s pride keep them from sharing the burden, or can they get their family to work together toward a common goal?

Player: Alexander Jaensch

Themes: resilience, determination, finding beauty, racism, family

One of the most famous masters of Lo Manthang stick fighting, or at least they insist on that. Kiran Kim’s skill and fame had secured a very comfortable lifestyle in Safre, including a place at medical school for their only child, Tai, a fine child-in-law in Lian, and two beautiful grandchildren themselves due to go to Safre University. The first time some snot-nosed little rat in La Cage spat at Kiran’s feet, mumbling some slur, was the first time they realised that life was gone. First, Kiran felt useless, unable to work beyond scavenging in filth and only a burden on their family, but a series of sculptures helped them see promise in this otherwise grim new world. Kiran committed themselves to staying in La Cage and wants to help solve the thug problem permeating the neighbourhood by opening a dojo to give the local youths a productive outlet for their aggression. With so much standing in their way, can Kiran help make La Cage a safe world for their grandchildren?

Player: Fio Ivan Herrling

Themes: (lack of) control, transferred affection, drive to get better, sibling rivalry

For ten years, Zhen was the only child of the Kims, the crown prince of a successful family. After ten years as an only child, Zhen’s parents adopted Nuri. Orphaned by the atrocities at Co Hoi, little Nuri had been spoiled rotten while Zhen could only watch from the sidelines. Their comfortable life couldn’t mask the sense of inadequacy that developed, but a little bump of cocaine could. Now, Zhen struggles to go more than a few hours without the precious white powder, and it only got worse after arriving in La Cage: the quality here is poor, and their finances are limited, so sometimes they trade family treasures or less savoury services to get what they need. Waiting for a Paledriver to smuggle the Kims away from the war in Safre, Zhen met someone who made them want to quit for the first time; finding out they had died on their way to safety almost destroyed Zhen but brought them to the Association for Rights of the Dead where they met someone new – and fell in love almost instantly. Zhen hates their reliance on something that used to be fun, something their inattentive parent, Dr. Tai, the esteemed addiction specialist, had always preached against. How can they get the help they need without having to admit the truth to their family or new love?

Player: Aurelie Dekoninck

Themes: ptsd, fighting, escapism, guilt

When the Kims adopted little Nuri, the child had been mute, shellshocked by the war atrocities that had orphaned them in Co Hoi. Years of therapy and a stable, upper-middle-class life had allowed Nuri to put that past behind them, to block off those memories for what they had thought would be forever. Their adoptive grandparent Kiran, a famous Lo Manthang stick fighting champion, had encouraged them to pursue martial arts, and violent Sam bo boxing had become Nuri’s way to meditate, to silence the voices in their head. They had been slated for a place at university when the Kims fled the war at their doorstep, and between the sudden descent into poverty, being labelled a “dirty refugee”, and flashbacks from the Pale, Nuri is struggling once again with memories they had thought were long forgotten. They joined the Fight Club to help silence those voices from the past and found a new friend in Reine Gessle, someone who also introduced them to the rougher side of drillslam. As Nuri’s family and future crumble around them in La Cage, will they be able to leave the past in the past again and move on, or will they give in to ever more violent coping mechanisms?

Player: Adrian Clarke

Themes: responsibility, family ties, giving up, crushed dreams

At first, the Du Toits only wanted to send the young ones to the Revachol, but youth is restless and needs guidance. That’s why Aaro was chosen as the only mature family member to accompany them. After all, they were the child of the head of the family. After their arrival, they were also the ones who failed to realize that they had been terribly scammed, and since then, Aaro hasn't stopped blaming themselves. They work the hardest and suffer the most from the exploitation of their employers, partly to forget their guilt and partly to shield the other Du Toits. The letters from Oranje relatives are piling up on Aaro’s desk and becoming harder and harder to answer. The situation has made Aaro look for solace in rather unexpected places, but some things cannot be postponed indefinitely.

Player: Renee Lahav

Themes: social justice, toxic positivity, delusions, family ties

When their dreams suddenly fizzled and died, something inside Darja broke. In the first few days after arrival, they were left in a state of utter despair, grieving because they might never again see the beloved sibling they left back home in Oranje. But then it was suddenly too much, and something changed. Darja continued working diligently and even starving sometimes to send a little money home without expecting letters in return. Bullied at the factory, Darja sought refuge in the Union, where they gradually built connections and some reputation. As Darja witnessed the problems in La Cage and kept thinking of their family in Oranje, they saw an opportunity to shape a better future, not just for themselves. In a difficult situation, Darja decided to try to find a glimmer of hope and positivity in everyday things, and while that was by no means easy, they somehow succeeded in that. Maybe even too much since now they sometimes even overlook the very grim and very real situation that the Du Toit household has found themselves in. But is the reality really worth it when it is so bleak?

Player: Anna Kravchenko

Themes: bureaucratic machinery, broken relationships, finding a new “family”, fighting for change

When the family was choosing who would be sent to the Revachol, Eha didn’t volunteer. Regardless, they were sent despite their protests; it was Aaro's decision, and there was no way to oppose it. Their relationship has suffered the most, and while they are still in this mess together, far from their relatives and known world, Eha has not really been able to figure out how they view Aaro now. But the terrible tension at home only pushes Eha to strive even harder to resolve their situation - even if sometimes they do not put enough thought into their actions. Lately, they have been trying to connect with the other immigrants in La Cage and even to befriend the local Moralintern unit in a desperate attempt to get help in fighting against the system, so obviously rigged against all the foreigners. But what if sticking their nose into politics will bring unwanted attention? Shouldn't they just focus on their passion for patterns, both in street art and in numbers?

Player: Ethan Coates

Themes: consumed by revenge, outlet for despair, seeking out control

While the others in the family view their current situation at La Cage as a huge disappointment and betrayal, Salme also takes it as a personal insult. Instead of wallowing in their own guilt or trying to make the best of the situation like the other Du Toits, Salme has morphed their emotions into romantic passion, anger, and violence. Their powerlessness in every sweatshop shift just charges them with something that needs to get out. Be it in the form of rabid fights, hanging around bars, or a combination of both. But adrenaline as the antidote for shame is getting less and less potent every day, and while Salme still manages to hunch their back in front of their employer, the leash they are straining on can not hold forever.

Player: Chris Bergstresser

Themes: otherworldly, hope, sensitvity

Saga, or “The Pale Whisperer” as they are known outside of their closest circles, has always been able to sense things that most others can not. The physical world, in particular, holds no secrets to them, and they can effortlessly navigate even the most challenging places. This always came in particularly handy when travelling the Pale, as Saga always knew exactly where they were and where they were going. Or rather… they always used to know. “The accident” led to a sudden disturbance in their abilities, which led them to (literally) wash up on the shores of Revachol with their family.

Player: Johanna Morgan

Themes: storytelling, pragmatism, loving

Most people know Urdr as a storyteller, but more importantly, they are also a collector and keeper of the stories that will never make it into printed books or other records. The ephemerality of these glimpses into the lives of others is what keeps them going, even now in the twilight of their life. They remember every little piece of lore they ever collected, although lately, they have started to forget their own memories and stories. Some say that they have heard Urdr tell stories that seem to go beyond what human minds can comprehend. There are rumours that the pale itself whispers to them, confiding in them the stories of the lost souls within it. But beyond that - they also need to make ends meet, bend their back in a sweatshop and take care of their family. Mysticism seldom brings food to the table.

Player: Younès Rabii

Themes: sympathy, protecting others, fierceness

Ofelaš is of the Suru people of the very far north of Katla, and they are known for their ability to heal the minds of those who have gotten themselves lost. The stories of how they have helped people find their way out of the depths of their own minds and even out of the gripping claws of the Pale itself are numerous. How they do it, though, is unknown. Some say they just sit and talk; some say it involves chanted rituals and dancing naked under a pale moon. What they all agree on, though, is that Ofelaš is not someone one should cross lightly. They have a certain hard edge to their soft-spoken words, and the glint in their eyes promises terrible retribution to those who dare even think about hurting Ofelaš’s family and loved ones. At least in theory. Now, being forced to work for food and offer spiritual help for money, that old edge is sleeping somewhere inside. For now.

Themes: uncertain future, frustration, being lost

Huug wasn’t always called Huug, but the name they were given when the family picked them up instantly felt more real to them than their old one. That was a few years ago now, and Huug can only remember a few broken pieces and snippets of their life before the travelling. Their parents have told them that they are free to follow whatever path opens naturally before them, but they are afraid that this might mean having to leave the family, as they have seen several of their siblings have done before. Maybe they can find within themselves a calling to follow in one of their parents' footsteps? They have talked with Ofelaš, but they only said that with the amount of anger that Huug carries around, they might never be able to see their path clearly. They were not wrong. Huug is angry, and they are looking for a way to deal with it. Their dead-end situation is not helping.

Player: Swantje Amelung

Themes: manipulative, clever, secretive

An is a remarkably brave person. They came from South Safre with just their parent, Kras, complete with very obviously fake names and a world of trauma behind them. An is still strong and smart, and, for all that, they are also silent and cautious; there is an intriguing beauty in the way they move and act.
That said, there are many things in which An is completely insincere, fake, and manipulative, which is something that few realise. There is a deep hidden agenda behind their intentions, but nobody has noticed. Yet.

Player: Andrea Bettini

Themes: tortured past, mysticism, family

Bragi has no conscious memories of the time before the travelling, but every now and then, they will wake with a cry, sweat dripping from their forehead and an uneasy feeling of loss in the pit of their stomach. They are an artist, and these dreams have fueled many drawings and paintings. Sometimes, they can almost make out a woman’s face in the drawings, but it always seems to remain elusive, just at the edge of awareness. When it’s been a while since one of their dreams, they will spend hours painting the swirling Pale as their family slowly traverses it. They have tried to recreate this flow of inspiration after they came to Revachol, but for now, they have struggled in vain.

Player: Betta

Themes: bureaucratic red tape, slipping between the cracks, surrealism

Samy has been a Paledriver for… who even knows how long. And there may be a restriction on how long even Paledrivers should be out in that grey mist, that enemy of life, but Samy knows their employer isn’t the only one that forges travel records to squeeze the most out of their drivers. The years pile on Samy, sometimes like a warm cocoon swirling with colour and feeling, sometimes like a sky of black wings and needling rain. That last trip nearly killed them: 12 days at once was far too long, and their mind was half-gone already, lost in the voices from the mists; maybe that was why the aerostatic got stuck, why they ended up in Revachol instead of Gottwald. The Kims had been half-starved by the time Samy let them out of the cargo space, the apricots rotten. Only Samy’s substantial drug stash made it out unscathed, and now they need buyers just to keep a roof over their head. That and for someone to help them: their employer has no outpost in Insulinde, and Samy is stranded here, waiting who knows how long for some indication of what should happen next. Can they find their niche in La Cage? A place to write their sad little songs, accompanied by their trusty musical instrument?

Player: Ruth Haake

Themes: secrets, guerrilla art, feeling lost

Idili came to Revachol in search of a new chance and perspectives - but is now stuck for years in the immigration procedure. Working their fingers to the bone for the pennies that never seemed to shrink the debt they owed for the the trip and everything connected.
When they finally thought they would be free, they got into a new predicament. They were injured by broken equipment – while Ravi Gessle, mother of two, ended up dead. It took Idili months to recover from their injuries.
Idili is unassuming and often goes unnoticed, but they hear everything and, for those who know them, can sometimes be coaxed to part with their knowledge for a drink or few reáls. Idili used to want to go home but couldn’t bear for their family to see what they have become. Now, they just want to be recognised as a person, something that seems impossible. Will they manage to find a stable income and a place to lay their head at night?

Player: Edward Tagg

Themes: charismatic, mysterious, repressed trauma

If there is one thing anyone can be really, really sure of about Kras, it is that that's not their real name. The combination of the surname of the current South Safre People's Republic president and the first name of the founder of the communist revolution tells more about Kras's ideals than about them.
Kras came to Revachol recently to save themselves and their kid, An Knezhinskyi. They are obviously a person with varied experience, good command of different languages, and quite a few skills, but also with great interest in Mazovian politics. A mature, experienced, and retired leader moving to become something of a mentor, they will have to face up to their past and its horrors and, most importantly, try to find a new way forward. And while they are doing that, there will also be… taxidermy.