Characters
The characters can still remain fluid, and change as new ideas and discoveries are made during dev; though the broad ideas will likely remain fixed unless we encounter a serious problem during production (i.e. they don’t work in practice as well as we thought, or content gets cut that changes them significantly).
Play the game for latest info, though the documentation here will be updated periodically.
Table of Contents
Stranger (Player)
Fi (Noka Faction Leader)
Catherine (Apprentice Engineer)
Jack (Chief Engineer)
Sahil (Trader)
Alex (Hunter)
Secondary Characters
Innis (Semis Sisters Leader)
Islay (Semis Sisters Deputy)
Stranger (Player)
Name: Stranger
Later “Andréa” coined by Fi?
Age: Manufactured about fifty years ago, though maintains an adult age of mid-30s
Gender: Female
Pronouns: she/they
Initially many refer to her as “they” or “it”; only later, as she becomes more familiar in the society, is she asked her own preference; and she opts for “she/they”.
Job: Hunter, courier, scout, detective
Traits:
Loyal, attentive, keen eye for detail, deductive mind
Uncouth, snarky, sarcastic, rude, impatient, reckless
Tends to speak through her actions, rather than words
Athletic, strong, trained in combat
Doesn’t need to eat, drink or sleep
Happy to serve - though gradually awakens to her own freefill
Synthetic clothing from the Old World, which doesn’t degrade
Concerns:
Completing her assignments
Exploring the world and finding her place within it - will she ever be accepted for who she is? Or will she remain a tolerated sword for hire?
(These concerns align closely with the player’s own motivations: explore, meet people, choose who you work for and what quests you do.)
Backstory:
Stranger worked as an android before the calamity; from her uniform, traits and combat abilities, it’s clear she was some kind of police enforcer and detective.
She was seemingly crushed and damaged in a landslide decades ago, and has no memory of what her previous function was.
Arc:
She begins as little more than a machine for hire, working for Fi and her faction to run errands essential to their survival, which she is more than happy to do.
Though most of the faction are civil to her, and recognise her as an asset, there is an undercurrent of resentment, blame, and fear, as some believe androids were responsible for the fall, and that she may even be a spy for the enemy faction. But she doesn’t take it personally.
Having proven herself initially in act 1, the faction encourages her to take on contracts for other settlements, which will earn resources for them and for herself, allow her to explore what she wants to do in this new world, and importantly build allies in the wasteland.
She builds relationships with people and factions as she does this, more so than any human can because of her range of travel and abilities. Just as her experiences in the world come to shape her, she in turn has a large impact on the world. She realises she can choose her own path, and be who she wants to be.
Though it’s not always plain sailing, as Stranger doesn’t have the best people skills. It’s largely up to the player whether relationships here go well or badly.
During her journey she works closely with Fi, the leader of her settlement, and they develop a close bond. Fi begins to exhibit romantic feelings towards Stranger, which is a new experience for the android and something she’s not well suited to dealing with. Fi also helps her choose a real name.
Stranger suffers particular resentment from Alex, the hunter whose job she has mostly taken over. But she's also in a unique position to observe Alex, and ultimately proves that they have betrayed the faction to the enemy.
By the end of the game she will have left an indelible mark on the people and places she’s encountered. She will have made friends and enemies through her actions, and will have responsibilities and people who depend on her. Everyone in the valley has a responsibility for everyone else’s survival, but for Stranger with her skills, her responsibilities are even greater. She begins to learn what it means to be human, and to truly care for others’ well-being.
In the final battle there are some false alarms - Stranger's friends are tricked into believing she betrayed them to the enemy faction (the Wraw), unwittingly leading them to the settlement; and it also seems Fi may have been killed. Stranger feels a palpable sense of loss, but then relief when it’s discovered Fi is alive, albeit seriously injured. Alex also confesses as the traitor, thus clearing Stranger's name once and for all. Stranger promises to be always there for Fi, and their relationship looks good for the future.
Voice:
European English, hint of American accent
Similar to Nick's own voice, Swiss accented, but with a hint of American
Word choice and register: Formal, educated, analytical, quirky, attentive to details. Unable to adapt their speaking style to whom they’re speaking to, at least at first.
Example Speech:
Suit yourself. But this was your idea.
The android daily scrubbing routine takes minimal time. I don't think a bedroll is required.
(when facing an unpleasant maintenance routine)
I'd rather not.
(when Fi says that androids are tougher than they look, Stranger winds her up)
You're saying I don't look tough?
The scratches on the rocks suggest combat occurred: swords, gunfire, and finger nails...
(when describing the sound of the wind on a mountainside)
The wind is howling like a dog on fire.
Fi (Noka Faction Leader)
Name: Fi
Pronounced “fee”
Age: 30s
Gender: Female
Pronouns: she/her
Job: Faction leader
Traits:
Idealistic
Strong-willed
Diplomatic
Quiet
Detests violence
Serious, often doesn’t get jokes, which others wind her up about
Concerns:
Wants to see the factions of The Valley work together for the greater good.
In the back of her mind, she’s afraid that might never be possible...
Backstory:
Fi led a group of friends and people of similar beliefs away from the Wraw settlement, after that faction started to move in a militaristic direction, attacking traders and other factions in a brute force attempt to unify. It was a risky move to leave, in an effort to start a new life trying to farm the inhospitable surface.
Things are hard going, and several harvests have been lost by the time Stranger arrives.
Arc:
On the arrival of Stranger, Fi sees them as a tool to help sustain the faction; she doesn’t hold the prejudice towards androids that many others do, but she certainly sees them as a machine to be given commands, not a person.
After Stranger proves themselves and shows their strength and agility, Fi believes they could help with matters further afield - conducting trade with other factions, taking on jobs for them, and making new allies. This is when she first begins to see Stranger as more than just a machine, and gives her some autonomy in how she does their tasks.
Fi’s appreciation for Stranger only grows when she learns the Wraw are on the warpath, and it becomes clear how integral the android will be in not only helping defend the settlement, but in travelling to notify and recruit allies. Working together more closely, this is when she develops romantic feelings for Stranger, and even helps her choose a real name. (Even if the player fails to win over any allies, and instead turns everyone into enemies, Fi’s feelings remain - though dialogue may be different based on world state.)
Despite winning the final battle against the invading faction(s), Fi’s dreams of a unified valley are left shattered: not only is she seriously hurt, but the settlement is destroyed, and many are dead on both sides. It’s only with emotional support from her friends, and in particular Stranger, who now returns her affections, that she manages to keep her head, and see the way forward to a new home.
Voice:
Japanese English
Word choice and register: Serious, formal, non-native speaker
Example Speech:
(when Stranger asks for permission to do a mission)
You know you don't need to ask me that, of all people. But yes, you are permitted.
(when Stranger returns from a quest, and has more info to share)
You got more?
(short dialogue with Stranger)
Fi: Androids are tougher than they look.
Stranger: (winding up) I don't look tough?
Fi: I didn't say that.
(giving a speech to her assembled faction)
Today we harvest our first crops of the season. I’m proud of you all, because we made this happen together.
Catherine (Apprentice Engineer)
Name: Catherine
Age: Early 20s
Gender: Female
Pronouns: she/her
Job: Apprentice engineer
Traits:
Eager and energetic
Super smart and can fix things quickly, if not always the most robustly
Overconfident
Always trying to outdo Jack (her boss), albeit in friendly competition - views him as a playful father figure, but without having the responsibility of actually being his daughter.
Fun-loving, but harbours feelings of doubt and lack of self worth, especially as one of the youngest in the camp.
Is blown away by Stranger and their amazing android technology.
Likes to gossip and hype up drama, so there’s always something other than survival to talk about.
Concerns:
Life can’t just be about simple survival, can it? It’s important to have fun as well...
Worried about what the future holds. She still has her whole life ahead of her.
Worried about her mum and dad back in the other settlement.
Understanding how android technology really works.
Backstory:
Catherine was born in the Wraw faction, but her parents were killed when she was young. She was taken in by the Semi Sisters who found her, and raised as one of their own, learning much about technology and fixing things.
However, they kept her origins hidden from her. Over time, Catherine didn't feel free in their highly-disciplined and logical society; when she learned the truth about where she came from, she ran away and returned to the Wraw, despite the bad things she'd heard. It was a rude awakening fitting into Wraw life, but thankfully for her she met Fi; when Fi and co made their escape to begin the Noka faction, Catherine joined them and was integral to their efforts.
Now she busies herself with work to avoid thinking about her troubled past. She's also starting to view Jack, who has taken her under his wing as an apprentice, as a surrogate father.
She’s the usual go-to person when little jobs need doing around the settlement - Jack is normally too grumpy, or deep in some project to disturb.
Arc:
Catherine keeps her head down and immerses herself in her work to forget about her recent traumas - she’s kept busy working on equipment and machines to irrigate the farmland.
She’s heralded as a hero of sorts after managing to bring Stranger back online, after Alex discovered the broken android. She remains a constant friend to Stranger throughout, though initially her interest is purely through awe at the android’s technology; they spend a lot of time together as Catherine continues to perform maintenance on her throughout the story.
Further trauma piles up for Catherine when Jack begins showing romantic interest which she doesn’t share, and which she has trouble dealing with because she doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. This also strengthens her friendship with Stranger, who is similarly struggling to deal with Fi’s romantic advances.
Catherine plays an integral role in preparing the defence of the settlement from attack by the Wraw, building weapons and traps; she also fights valiantly in the battle. It’s also at this time that she finally rebuffs Jack’s advances, which, unfortunately for her, strains their relationship. Though he does grant her more autonomy, and the title of full engineer, in reflection of her work.
Like everyone else, she’s left traumatised by the battle, but she survives. She still has her wits though, and plays a key role in salvaging what equipment she can, and preparing the settlement for its long journey to their new home - where we can assume she thrives as a chief engineer.
Voice:
American English
Word choice and register: Fun, playful, sometimes deep
Example Speech:
(Catherine manages to bring Stranger back online)
Hello, can you hear me?... Alex! I think I got it working!
Hey Stranger!- Why do they still call you that? This ain’t the Wild West... (laughs) Or maybe it is, actually.
(Jack asks her to go and check one of the irrigation pumps)
Sure thing, Pops. You need anything while I’m gone?
(a reflective moment)
I’m fine... It’s just... I can’t help thinking what Mom and Dad are doing. Do you think they miss me?
Jack (Chief Engineer)
Name: Jack
Age: 40s
Gender: Male
Pronouns: he/him
Job: Chief engineer
Traits:
Workaholic
Gruff, grumpy, and not in touch with his emotions
Old-fashioned and a little out of touch with social and cultural trends
Poor social skills, a recluse in his workshop - Catherine is one of the few people he spends any significant amount of time with
Very experienced engineer, and takes great pride in his work - though is only interested in practical mechanical technology; he doesn’t care or even want to understand these rare “high-tech” finds that are sometimes discovered, like Stranger
Although Catherine is a young upstart and in many ways a more inventive engineer (who also likes to wind him up about this), he isn’t jealous or resentful. He doggedly believes that age and experience trump everything else, something he likes to remind Catherine of frequently.
He’s also romantically interested in Catherine. He likes how easy she can work with both people and machines, and finds that an attractive quality he wished he had. But he can’t express his emotions to her, and also dislikes his attraction, believing himself to be a “dirty old man”.
His romantic interest in Catherine often manifests as an overprotective and overly-strict father figure, and he thinks nothing of berating her in public.
Concerns:
Not letting the side down.
Squeezing every bit of efficiency out of his machines.
He would like to make emotional connections with people; in particular he longs for intimacy and a partner, and Catherine is the target of his affections.
Backstory:
Jack was one of the hardest to convince to leave the Wraw faction behind, having spent most of his life there, and having many friends.
Fi managed to twist his arm, because she really needed a chief engineer to help get the new settlement off the ground. Jack seemed more obliging when he heard Catherine, a promising up and coming engineer, had also agreed to join the new faction.
He was married once, but his wife died when he was in his 40s.
He lost a leg in an accident in his 20s, and has worn a crude prosthetic ever since, which limits his mobility; thus having Catherine around is a big help. Catherine wants to make him a new and better leg, but he won’t have any of it - the prosthetic he doggedly clings to was made by his wife.
He was invaluable in establishing the new settlement, designing and making buildings and boundary walls to withstand the harsh surface conditions. He’s also been vital in establishing the new and innovative farming systems and and wind energy turbines.
Arc:
Jack is often busy overseeing the constant engineering and maintenance work, so doesn’t have much time for people, especially Stranger - he has no interest in such high technology, and he doesn’t think it can serve them much good. He doesn’t harbour personal prejudice to Stranger, but just sees them as a machine he has no hope of understanding or fixing.
He is much more interested in Catherine, one of the only people he spends any amount of time with. But he knows people would frown on their age difference if they got together; coupled with his lacking social skills, he finds it impossible to tell her how he feels - especially since he’s become like a father to her.
Jack is openly vocal against Fi’s plans to unite and ally with other factions, thinking it will only attract the wrong kind of attention - especially from their old faction, which was already on the warpath. He thinks they should just keep their heads down and look out for themselves.
But he has to follow orders, so in the interests of an easy life he acquiesces. When the attack comes, he along with Catherine is integral in preparing the defences and counter attacks. This is when Catherine rebuffs his affections, which only sends him further into reclusiveness, and his work.
Due to his limited mobility, he spends most of the final battle inside the compound, looking after those who also can’t fight. But when the dust settles, he’s required to step up and show some leadership, since Fi is seriously injured. He rises to this, and becomes a key leadership figure alongside Fi, as the people migrate to their new home.
Voice:
Southern USA English
Word choice and register: Succinct, slow, grumpy, never says more than he needs to, often uses bad language
Example Speech:
No, Catherine, it won't do. Just - just leave this to me alright? You'll just end up hurting yourself.
Well who else is gonna do it? No one, that’s who.
If this breaks down we’re fucked - unless you know of any trees with timing belts growing on them... No? Then get the hell out of my way.
Why’s the android talk with a funny accent like that?
Sahil (Trader)
Name: Sahil
Appearance:
Arab ethnicity
Large body frame, strong physique
Well-presented, has access to wider choice of clothing than most
Age: 50s
Gender: Male
Pronouns: he/him
Job: Trader
Traits:
Chatty, smooth talker, silver tongue
Knowledgeable about the layout of The Valley - especially the old underground metro system
He also knows some lore about the old city
Tough and trained in martial arts - sometimes needs to defend himself on the road
Also pulls his own caravan - he used to have animals pulling it, but it’s hard to keep them alive in the The Valley
Honest and of high integrity - will strike a bargain if it’s for a good cause
His kindness can sometimes be taken advantage of
Is afraid of the Wraw faction
His chattiness covers an emotional frailty, and although he appears like your best friend, he never becomes emotionally attached - subjects discussed never run too deep
Concerns:
Staying out of factional-politics as much as possible, but keeping the factions going with news from afar and precious supplies
Procuring supplies, always on the move, never standing still; to stand still is to die in this world
Backstory:
Used to be a member of the Wraw, the faction that Fi left behind - except that he left decades ago because he didn’t like where they were headed even then
He works hard to scavenge supplies and resources, though avoids the Wraw, which has angered them
Tragedy came several years ago, when his young daughter, who lived with him in the caravan, was killed by rogues
Really good friends with Catherine, and actually more of a father figure to her than Jack is
Arc:
He helps supply the settlement throughout the game, and Stranger sometimes encounters him out in the world as well, at other settlements.
But he generally keeps a distance, never wanting to ally with a faction (especially the Noka, since they’ve made an enemy of the Wraw). He's also wary of becoming emotionally attached to people, since he lost his daughter.
Come the final battle, his caravan cannot make it through the fighting. We assume he’s fled - but he eventually appears, and fights alongside you.
With The Valley destroyed, and no more trade, he leaves with Fi and company to journey into the mountains - his strength and resourcefulness will be vital on the journey.
Voice:
Arabic English
Word choice and register: Jolly, jovial, informal, friendly, non-native speaker
good opportunity for some code switching too
Example Speech:
(on first meeting Stranger)
Well, well... Are you who I think you are?
(when player asks about the Old City)
Not a lot to say about that. It was a utopia. So obviously it went boom.
(greeting)
Assalam Alaikum! I don't think I've seen you looking better.
(when talking about Catherine, and is reminded of his late daughter)
She's such a great kid, you know? A talented engineer as well. Reminds me of... Er-... well, never mind that.
Alex (Hunter)
Name: Alex
Age: 20s
Gender: Non-binary (sex: male)
Pronouns: they/them
Job: Hunter, courier, scout
Traits:
Charming and charismatic
Jovial, streetwise, always knows the right thing to say
Believes in Fi’s vision of united factions - more than most because of their travels, which has allowed them to understand that people are really all the same, no matter their faction
Extremely loyal to Fi, and has a romantic interest in her that is not returned
Friendly and chatty - spends a long time “on the road” between factions, so is always welcome of human company and a drink on arrival
Fit and athletic, to traverse the harsh (usually underground) terrain
Has a weakness for alcohol, verging on being an alcoholic. An ugly temper can emerge when they’re drunk.
Makes maps of the tunnels for themself and others to navigate from.
Usually prefers to stealth around danger, but is capable in combat.
Often accompanies farmers and engineers on missions underground, defending them and showing them the way.
Proud that they’re relied upon to go beyond the walls of the settlement and represent the faction further afield.
Harbours a grudge against Stranger, whose speed and endurance far exceeds their own, and who has taken many of their duties. This fuels their existing dislike of androids, which they’ve had since they were a child and heard stories about androids around the campfire.
Their dislike of Stranger only grows when they discover Fi has a romantic interest in them.
Concerns:
Fulfilling missions
Earning peoples’ trust
Keeping fit and healthy to do their job
Socialising and kicking back
Backstory:
A hunter for the previous settlement, it was Alex who found the seed cache, which ultimately allowed Fi’s vision of a new settlement on the surface to become reality. They strongly believe in Fi’s vision, but can’t deny that the prospect of living in the fresh air on the surface, and growing many new types of fruit and vegetables - and especially making alcohol from them - was also a great lure.
Now as part of the new faction, they’ve been integral to Fi’s outreach plans, travelling as a courier to try and recruit allies into a united faction, using their charm and charisma.
Arc:
It’s Alex that finds Stranger underground and buried during a mission; although they’re championed for the find, along with Catherine who brings the android online, unlike her Alex resents the whole thing: they know in their bones androids are bad news, from the stories they remember as a child.
Things get worse when Stranger proves adept at venturing through the tunnels, escorting engineers and farmers, and so taking some of Alex’s duties. When Stranger does well, and is given outreach tasks to other factions, the disdain really sets in; being an android, she is much faster and stronger, and can cover more ground. Alex’s only hope is that Stranger isn’t as charismatic, and that the people she meets will be equally hostile to her. So they actually will Stranger to fail, even though it’s in the interests of Fi’s plans to get more factions on side.
Alex’s unhappiness drives them further into alcoholism, something they’ve suffered with on and off for a long time. Worse, they go so far as to betray the faction, travelling far and wide to sow resentment towards them, and Stranger in particular (partly explaining the harsh welcome the player often receives when arriving in new places, beyond for them just being an android).
Alex’s reaction to Stranger as the plot progresses somewhat depends on how many allies versus enemies the player achieves amongst the other factions: the more allies, the harsher Alex will be (though they always have a base level of harshness, even if the player makes no allies).
Once they've collected enough evidence about Alex being a traitor, they can choose to have them thrown in the brig before the final battle; otherwise Alex fights by Stranger's side. Either way, they are mortally wounded in the fighting. Before they die though, they confess to being the traitor, and thus clear your name.
Voice:
British English, London Multicultural English
Word choice and register: Jovial, streetwise, adapts intelligently to who they’re speaking to. But an ugly temper and slur of bad language can emerge when they’re drunk.
Example Speech:
(to Fi, sending them on an important mission)
You got it boss. I won’t let you down.
So where does a guy get a good drink in this town?
(when someone asks Alex why they’re so good at their job - false modesty)
I wouldn’t know. I guess I just like making friends.
Hey, android, wanna spar? ... What’s the matter, worried a feeble little human will fuck you up?
(someone can see Alex’s had too much to drink and asks him to go home)
Fuck you - I’ll go home when I’m good and ready.
Secondary Characters
Populate with key characters encountered from time e.g. from other factions
TODO - probably to look at post-Vertical Slice
Tertiary characters to quickly fill the world or flesh out a quest or area, can largely be invented on the fly when writing the script and/or making art assets
Innis (Semi Sisters Leader)
Name: Innis
From the Scottish Gaelic meaning "island"
Age: 60s
Gender: Female
Pronouns: she/her
Job: Faction leader
Traits:
Disciplined
Traditional
Bitter
Loyal
Two-Faced
Sly
Concerns:
Staying alive and keeping her faction alive; though it is becoming increasingly difficult to please everyone as the other factions gun for war
Restoring the old world
Wants Catherine to rejoin her faction
Backstory:
Innis and her twin sister Islay were both apprentices working for Brother (surveillance) Semi (electronics) respectively, before the calamity. They've both lived a long time in the ruined world, securing what technology they could to try and preserve some semblance of the old world. However, Innis has a strong passion to one day rebuild the old world - although it is an unlikely dream, since much skill and tech has been lost (indeed, as an apprentice at the time of the calamity, and only able to work with ruined technology since, she herself doesn't have the skills to do this).
Indeed, most of her energy is put into leveraging what technological edge her faction does have to keep their enemies at bay, spying on the others with their surveillance tech, and making astute trades to serve their interests.
Innis and Islay together raised baby Catherine, when she was discovered abandoned in a cave. Innis was upset when Catherine ran away.
Arc:
Innis learns of Stranger early on, due to her surveillance of the caves beneath the Noka faction; she is resentful that Catherine brought the android online.
When Stranger ventures into Semi Sister territory, Innis is very interested in her technology. At first this seems fawning and sinister, as if Innis enslaves androids - but it turns out to just be about what they can learn from Stranger, and how Stranger can help them (their speed, agility, and onboard tech could help fix breaks in the telephone network).
Innis also offers a working computer to Stranger, something that Fi wants to use to verify if Stranger is working for the Wraw or not. However, Innis will only trade if Catherine rejoins them.
Stranger reports back to Fi and Catherine about the terms - Catherine is willing to make the trade if it will prove Stranger's innocence, but Stranger can influence the decision: whether Catherine goes, whether the computer idea is abandoned (though this would mean more uncertainty for Stranger going forwards, until they can prove themselves in another way), or whether Stranger goes back to the Semis and instead pledges to do more errands for them in exchange for the computer (even installing more infrastructure to spy on the Noka; Innis claims that if they are to take sides in the fight with the Wraw, they need to know more about the Noka's capabilities).
Come the final battle, one way or another, Innis and the Semis fight on the side of the Noka; Innis commissions the building of the bomb that ultimately stops the Wraw's advance. However, losing her twin Islay in the battle, Innis is forced to reflect on their relationship, and how she could be kinder and more accommodating like her sister.
Voice:
Scottish English accent and dialect
A light accent in an older woman e.g. Shirley Manson
Word choice and register: Measured, slow, few words, pointed, awkward silences
Islay (Semi Sisters Deputy)
Name: Islay
Pronounced "eye-lay"
From Scottish word meaning "island"
Age: 60s
Gender: Female
Pronouns: she/her
Job: Faction deputy
Traits:
Hard-working
Hands-on
Kind
Polite
Level-headed
Naive
Reserved
Concerns:
Keeping her sister on the straight and narrow
Keeping the peace, within and without her faction
Feeling proud after a hard day's work
Backstory:
Islay is Innis' twin sister and second in command of the Semi Sisters, and has had a similar history to Innis. But whereas Innis specialises in surveillance tech, Islay is involved with base electronics. She's also much more hands-on than Innis, despite also having leadership responsibilities (but to a lesser extent). Unlike Innis, she isn't disillusioned with rebuilding the old world; Islay tends to be a voice of reason to her sister's more extreme plans, reminding her about their survival in the here and now.
In raising Catherine, Islay is the one who took the lead. When Catherine ran away, Islay was happy to let the young adult follow her own path.
Arc:
When Stranger arrives in Semi territory, although she deals mainly with Innis for important discussions, it's Islay that manages the relationship in terms of Stranger running errands.
Islay is the one that builds the bomb to stop the Wraw advance; although the bomb detonates, she goes missing in the aftermath. Her fate is left unknown and she's presumed dead, which hits Innis hard.
Voice:
Scottish English accent and dialect
Same as Innis: a light accent in an older woman e.g. Shirley Manson
Word choice and register: Friendly, warm, polite, non-confrontational, caring