(Character)

Artem grows up in a very poor part of the mainland. His father is often absent; his mother constantly nags him, and he shares his bedroom with his perpetually-drunk uncle. He drops out of school and starts to hang out with the wrong people. Soon, he finds his way into a local gang, becoming involved in petty crime, but after several years he gets on the wrong side of the leader. He is forced to flee.

 

He moves to Tokotna with the intention of adopting a tokota for protection. As it turns out, he has a knack for working with animals; the perfect balance of strength, patience and compassion to earn their trust and respect. He passes his Handler's Exam easily, and adopts a large, stubborn black tokota, whom he calls Ivaylo. 

 

As the years pass, Artem settles into life in his little log cabin, tucked away in the depths of Iluq Forest. He joins the Pack Leader faction, respecting their desire to live off the land, and their commitment to protecting it. He learns to hunt, fish, and grow vegetables; he hones his skills in crafting tools and making maps, which leads him to work for the Council, charting the complex cave systems that wind their way beneath the forest floor. His pack grows, and he makes the aquaintance of many respected figures throughout Tokotna, though it would be an exaggeration to say that he makes friends. He is a very introverted character, generally preferring the company of his hairy companions to that of people, though there may be one exception...

 

Artem values strength, stamina and loyalty in his tokotas, caring little for pretty colours or markings. With his pack, he is firm but fair. Around other humans, he is quiet and reserved, and does not seek to develop close relationships, though he is perfectly civil to those who approach him.

Timeline