Full name: Alexia Boyd

Nickname(s): Alex, Al, Lexie (hates this one)

Species: Human

Age: 23

Birthday: April 6th

Orientation: lesbian

Nationality: US-American

Place of Birth: Telluride (Colorado), USA

Currently Lives: Denver (Colorado), USA

Languages Spoken: English

Native Language: English

Relationship Status: messy

Hair Color: dark brown

Eye Color: mossy green to brown

Face Claim / Playby: Steffy Argelich

Appearance: Tall, leans lanky/toned. Fairly muscular arms from working out, a sharp, defined face framed by short wavy hair. Can come off as uncaring, bearing a pretty stoic façade.

Personality: Alex possesses a casual charm that quickly reels people in. She can make anyone and anything feel important and seen, navigates small-talk with ease, will listen to your life story over a drink on the house. She very cleverly diverts attention from herself, hiding a very guarded, defensive personality under superficial charisma. Alex loves a flirt, a casual hookup, too, anything that remains at a distance from her inner self. When pushed, Alex can lash out, and she’s not afraid of a fight.

Likes: long nights, flirts, pushing herself to the edge, substances, drinking, chatting, working out, playing guitar, songwriting, solitude, dogs, changing her appearance, people-watching, good food

Dislikes: being asked questions, dull people, snobs, cops, being sober, sweet foods (except fruit), introspection, very spiritual/alternative people, dancing, social media

Smoker: Yes

Drinker: Yes

Medication: None

Hobbies: playing guitar, working out

Occupation: Bartender

Parents: Laura (✝) and Zachary Boyd

Siblings: June Boyd (missing, assumed dead)

Backstory:
Some consider Telluride a magical place, when it’s blanketed in thick, glittering snow, when winter lazes over the mountaintops and lays the lake to rest under crystals of ice. Others consider it the bane of their existence.
Only a few thousand souls grace this place, and nearly all of them depend on the magic, the spell. Winter sports tourism constitutes the foundation of Telluride, and most livelihoods are made in either skiing or hospitality. It’s an unstable, thankless life, shut off from the rest of the world, secluded to the mountains, praying for eternal winter. When the sun ascends and summer falls, most of Telluride is gripped by a sort of collective depression. Wishing for the summer to be over, so that income can be made again, left behind and forgotten by life until the snow tumbles and the tourists waltz in again.

Alexia and her sister helped out in the family business as soon as they could. After school, slithering over icy roads to the family hotel, cleaning, carrying in goods, taking care of whatever possible. It had never been easy, but it could be done.
But even in the mountains, the world stalked them, followed them closely. The 2008 financial crisis was the first slash that struck the Boyds. Alexia was seven, June was nine, and although they were too young to understand, they felt the weight that crushed their family, slowly, relentlessly. Laura and Zachary were only saved by the kindness of family, after Laura’s sister Lucy agreed to close down her own shop and merge households to save the family’s fate.

It wasn’t over.
Not Lucy, not her husband Falk, neither Laura nor Zachary nor Alexia herself could prevent the second slash.
While stocking up on groceries for the coming winter season, somewhere between loading groceries into the car and helping Falk with his wheelchair, June disappeared.
Simply disappeared.
Out of sight. Off the parking lot. Never to be seen again.

Alexia was eight, June was eleven. But this, she could understand.

When she now saw her sister’s face in the morning, it was on the side of a milk carton. Until even that stopped, and the mountains no longer echoed her name, no search party calling out, nobody answering. Until they stopped printing her in the papers, until they stopped pleading to the cameras, chanting her name, again, again, begging for the world to give her back.

Until one August morning, June was assumed dead.

The grief smothered them. It killed Laura next.
After her disappearance, the Boyds had been struggling to keep up the hotel business, and barely managed. But the winter season had to be pushed through, there was no other way. They had to keep going, they had no option. Zachary escaped through substance abuse, drinking himself into a sobbing, restless sleep. Laura shut down. As long as the winter snow kissed the Telluride hills, she worked herself to death. When the summer came, and June was gone, Laura found peace in a silver bullet. She was buried under the leaves of fall.

The hotel narrowly survived, bought out by a larger national chain. Lucy and Falk remained as co-owners, Zachary was let go.
As soon as she could, Alexia left Telluride.

When the winter snow falls, she still thinks of it. The magic that they sold, the torture that they kept.
Alexia now lives under the name Alex, residing in Denver, Colorado. She works as a bartender, always barely getting by. June’s memory lives on in the songs she sometimes writes, and her spirit holds her strong. If it wasn’t for the undying, bitter hope that someday, someday, June might return, Alex would’ve already succumbed to the addictions that keep her sane, keep the demons at bay.

You’ll find Alex at the bar, tattoo-covered arms shaking the meanest Moscow Mule you’ll ever drink. And she’ll love to hear your life’s story, always asking just the right questions. You’ll leave with a warm feeling, soothed and peaceful, feeling so appreciated, without any idea who you just talked to. Because as much as she loves a story, Alex keeps her own tightly sealed. Preferring hookups and situationships over genuine commitment, keeping her mind away from the snow-clad mountains with whatever will do. Waiting for the summer to pass, dreading winter all the same.

[Ray is inseparably connected to Nova and occasionally connected to Este, but can be written independent from the latter.]



Full name: Raymond Frederic Dome

Nickname(s): Sweet Baby Ray’s, Stingray/Stinkray, Raccoon, Raynman, Rayblade, Crayon, Dollar Store Timothée Chalamet, Raysin, Rayd Shadow Legends, Crayzy? I was crayzy once, …

Species: Human

Age: 23

Birthday: October 13th

Orientation: assumed straight, undefined

Nationality: US-American

Place of Birth: Dallas (Oregon), USA

Currently Lives: Portland (Oregon), USA

Languages Spoken: English

Native Language: English

Relationship Status: single

Hair Color: brown

Eye Color: dark brown

Face Claim / Playby: Joshua Bassett

Appearance: tall(-ish), not particularly athletic but toned, wild, untamed curls that look as joyous as he is, eyes that always seem to hold a smile in them

Personality: so nice it’s almost suspicious. Ray is an absolute sweetheart, open, warm, friendly, glad to be the group clown and personal cheerleader to whomever needs it. Has big undiagnosed ADHD vibes, struggling to focus, very forgetful and absolutely incapable of keeping secrets. And while, most times, his feel for tension and his quick distraction and entertainment skills are very nice, he does bear an exhausting desire to be everyone’s darling, and struggles to stand up for himself and those he loves. He can enable abusive behavior out of compulsive people-pleasing, and may get himself and others hurt in the process.

Likes: chaos, silly & dumb fun, collecting things (especially ironic & religious paraphernalia), hanging out, cats, dogs, DJing, video games, sweets, summer, Halloween, dad jokes, wordplay, meeting new people, smoking weed, making little traditions, sh*tposting, memes, rap & RnB, karaoke - ((you can make Ray like pretty much anything, to be honest, as long as it’s fun))

Dislikes: silence, solitude, boredom, being forced to make decisions or take a stance, aggression, tension, awkwardness, conflict

Smoker: Yes

Drinker: Yes

Medication: None

Hobbies: video games, badminton

Occupation: Geophysics student & part-time service worker

Parents: Sanna and Marcus Dome

Siblings: Rachel (older) and Rosa (younger) Dome

Backstory:
Ray’s life has always been quite loud, and he’s loved nothing more. With his two sisters, stay-at-home mom Sanna and their dog Milly, the little family’s house in the Willamette Valley was usually buzzing like a beehive. The Domes are tight-knit and very sweet, all born with curls, thick lashes and vocal chords of steel, and Ray liked to be the clown in their midst even from a young age. When Sanna and Marcus eventually divorced, he automatically snapped into the role of the mediator, being there for everyone who needed it. While the divorce went comparatively well, and Ray still spent weekends over at his dad’s for sports and pizza, he did take away an unhealthy desire to be that anchor, that light, always cheerful, always there.

It was most felt, and frequently pointed out by his childhood best friend Nova, whom he met through church. Sanna and Christine had become friends there when both were expecting, and ever since Ray was born two months after Nova, the two stuck together through the decades. Attending school together, Ray often witnessed Nova’s run-ins with her peers, how the things that made her different were thrown back at her, how she was mocked and excluded. Nova often hoped that Ray would stand up for her, but he mostly just stood by, engraving a history of small scars that Ray prefers to gloss over. Harmony and peace are his highest priority, no matter the cost.

But for now, the two still walk side by side. There was never really a Plan B. Both moved to Portland, Ray, to study geophysics, living in a shared housing situation with two roommates and a cat called Jesus. He works a side job in food service, and regards his life as mostly smooth sailing – even if the waters are deep and dark with past regrets.

Full name: Coralynn Louise Cain

Nickname(s): Ora, Coco

Species: Human

Age: 22

Birthday: November 5th

Orientation: aromantic, bisexual

Nationality: US-American

Place of Birth: Chicago (Illinois), USA

Currently Lives: Baltimore (Maryland), USA

Languages Spoken: English, Spanish

Native Language: English

Relationship Status: single & avoidant

Hair Color: sunshine blonde

Eye Color: pale green/gray

Face Claim / Playby: unspecified

Appearance: slender & fairly athletic, keeps herself under a strict physical regiment. Otherwise has no interest in sticking out, choosing toned-down, unassuming clothes just high-quality enough to fit in.

Personality: cold, abrasive, strict, extremely ambitious, workaholic & perfectionist, sociopathic tendencies, very guarded, calculating, selfish, well-organized. Has the aura of someone who was definitely a loner in school, but threatening enough to be left alone.

Likes: solitude, clear instructions, a good challenge, competition, pushing herself, running, boxing, observing, schedules & plans, early mornings, clean spaces, self-optimization, drawing, hiking

Dislikes: group work, lack of expectation/pressure, socializing, animals, children, public transport, chaos/disorder, sentimentality, movies, romance, commitment

Smoker: No

Drinker: Rarely & secretly

Medication: Occasionally takes sleeping pills, energy enhancers and supplements

Hobbies: running, boxing, hiking, drawing

Occupation: Med student at Johns Hopkins University

Parents: Bridget and David Cain

Siblings: Theodor and Eleonora (both younger)

Backstory:
Coralynn was born into ambition, the first child of a surgeon and a former Olympic gymnast. The bar on her cradle was already set high, studded with expectations of both mental and physical excellence. From her very first steps to her very last, Coralynn’s life has been planned meticulously. Failure, or rebellion, are not an option.

But it didn’t remain just Coralynn, and with the entrance of her younger brother Theodor, her nemesis was born. Ora learned to connect affection and recognition with success and hard work, understanding that attention and love were never given, but always earned. This concept overarches her life so much that even when she does receive praise, Ora can not feel satisfied, always chasing for the next, better, higher goal. In her childhood, this meant that, whatever the cost, she had to stand out against her siblings. Theodor was just as ambitious, and bold enough to question her in her authority as the first-born. There was never any relationship between them other than head-on competition. All means were justified – sabotage, defamation, verbal and physical assault – anything that made their parents withdraw love from the other. Bridget and David only offered crumbs to begin with, and that was never enough for two.

Let alone three. Eleonora, the youngest, was never really supposed to be there. An accident, discovered too late. She became the invisible child, quiet and complacent, most times hiding away in terror when Ora and Theodor set the house ablaze in another screaming match. To this day, her and Coralynn do not have a relationship.

Though she now lives about ten hours away, the parental panopticon of Bridget and David perseveres, and watches over Coralynn anytime, anywhere. Aiming to fill the footsteps of her father, Coralynn studies medicine, still keeping herself under intense pressure and scrutiny. When she isn’t studying, Ora works her body to perfection. The rare moment of release often comes in the early mornings, where she sometimes likes to draw, but even that is done under the guise of mental improvement. Coralynn has her own apartment, sequestered from student life. She does not have friends or any interest in dating, as other people have been and will always be simply competition.

Here's where you’ll find Coralynn: First of all, good luck finding her. If you do, she’ll be busy, immersed in a research project – one semester to finish a study, twenty percent of her final grade, and only one student project will be published in the prestigious school’s own paper. No one wants that spot as bad as Ora does – and she’ll do -anything- to get it. Before you cross her, just keep in mind - no one knows how to dissect a heart quite like Coralynn.

[Nova is canonically part of the same universe as Este Belyakov, often posing as his current/ex-/on-and-off girlfriend, but can be detached if that is preferred.]


Full name: Nova Grace Parker

Nickname(s): Nana

Species: Human

Age: 23

Birthday: August 8th

Orientation: assumed straight, closeted bisexual

Nationality: US-American

Place of Birth: Dallas (Oregon), USA

Currently Lives: Portland (Oregon), USA

Languages Spoken: English

Native Language: English

Relationship Status: complicated

Hair Color: naturally hazel, currently dyed black with bleached strands in the front

Eye Color: hazel

Face Claim / Playby: (loosely:) Renée Rapp

Appearance: round features in body and face, curvy; pouty lips and hazel eyes with a permanent bitchy look, dyed and bleached hair. Likes feminine clothing, but enjoys toeing the line and incorporating more edgy elements, too.

Personality: perceptive, rebellious, headstrong, smart, energetic, loyal, creative / jealous, petty, self-conscious, argumentative, self-sabotaging

Likes: wine, staying in, cats, everything purple, spirituality, Lana del Rey, gossip, picking fights, a project (especially regarding the men she dates), makeup, crocheting, flirting, roughness, control

Dislikes: most people, especially men, the summer, spiders, bright, hot and crowded places, lack of reassurance, pressure, boredom, conservatives, small-talk

Smoker: Yes

Drinker: Heavily

Medication: relies on strong anxiety medication

Hobbies: crocheting

Occupation: English student

Parents: Hank and Christine Parker

Siblings: -

Backstory:
Nova was raised in the sheltered small-town home of her parents Christine and Hank in Dallas, Oregon. Christine, staunchly religious and dreaming of the perfect, godly life, had Nova when she was barely twenty years old, and often struggled to manage Nova’s fiery temper all by herself. Lacking support from her family, who ostracized Christine, and her husband Hank, a US army soldier who was on the frontlines most times, Christine developed a tight, controlling bond with her daughter that bordered on co-dependence. From a young age, Nova learned to absorb the fears of her mother.

And she came to assume that being scared was right – because life did take a harsh turn for the Parkers when Nova was only five years old. Injured and disabled in Iraq, Hank was suddenly a veteran, and paychecks turned to scarce, unreliable disability checks. To keep them alive and afloat, Christine had to pick up work, leaving Nova with a father she barely knew, and who never really made an effort to change the fact.

Despite begging for a sibling, Nova would always remain an only child, struggling to fill a restless need for attention and affection with that of her parents. She developed ways of coping, pouring her creative energy into arts and crafts, enjoying self-expression through clothing and make-up from a young age, something that made her stick out like a sore thumb in the small-town world of gendered expectations. There was nothing that Nova desired more than to be truly seen, but her self-expression was rejected and punished by almost everyone around. During her teenage years, this desire led her to pick up a pattern of chasing unavailable men, entangling herself in a tragic self-fulfilling prophecy.

Only her childhood friend Ray became a source of comfort and consistency, sticking by her side as they both moved to Portland. Ray began to study geophysics, Nova picked up English studies. The change of pace triggered an anxiety disorder that had long been dormant, along with doubts about her identity, sexuality and capability.

Here’s where you’ll find Nova now: Somewhere in between, about one year away from graduation. Likely still involved with or chasing after someone who will never really love her. Struggling to justify a therapy bill for her intense anxiety towards her parents, and fearing financial cut-off any second. Unsure who she is when she isn’t just fearing the future, preparing to react, always wary, always afraid, always distracting herself with a chase that will always yank her back to the start.

Full name: Ester Belyakova

Nickname(s): Tasha, Gandalf (only by Este)

Species: Human

Age: 24

Birthday: February 1st

Orientation: straight

Nationality: Russian

Place of Birth: St. Petersburg, Russia

Currently Lives: St. Petersburg, Russia

Languages Spoken: Russian, English, German, French

Native Language: Russian

Relationship Status: single

Hair Color: ivory white

Eye Color: cold blue

Face Claim / Playby: Sasha Luss

Appearance: tall, slim, extremely athletic, swan-like, graceful posture, can seem untouchable/unapproachable, can occasionally show signs of obsessive skin-picking

Personality: reserved, mostly, but will warm up to those she trusts and can quickly tip over into oversharing. Ester likes to feel in control of things, shunning anything that falls out of the ordinary. A lot of paranoia and intense conflict avoidance stem from a place of wanting to feel safe, only knowing conflict as something inherently dangerous and destructive. But to those close to her, Ester is an immeasurable gift, kind and empathetic, resourceful, supportive and sweet.

Likes: ballet, classical music, nature (especially lakes & rivers), cats, kids, small traditions, gift-giving, winter & spring, dwelling in memories, dabbling in the finer things

Dislikes: uncertainty, risk-taking, conflict, very agitated & extroverted people, bad communication, loud & crowded environments, parties, clubs, drugs, drinking, loss of control

Smoker: No

Drinker: No

Medication: Sleeping medication, occasionally

Hobbies: -

Occupation: professional ballerina

Parents: Roman and Irina (✝) Belyakov(a)

Siblings: Este Belyakov

Backstory:
Ester and her twin brother were supported by their mother from a young age to pursue ballet, beginning at the age of four. It served as an escape from their home, where Este and Ester first witnessed, then became the targets of their father’s verbal and physical abuse.
When Irina passed away shortly before their fifth birthday, she ensured her inheritance to be put into a boarding school fund for the twins, wanting them, more than anything, to carry on with their dream. Ester suffered quite gravely under the loss of her mother, and then the separation from Este. Because she often couldn’t find the words to say, Ester occasionally wrote letters dedicated to either of them. Even then, her young heart felt the tug of solitude, finding difficulty in connecting with peers. Something about her was just off – torn between being very mature for her age, and strangely childish underneath.

After graduating, Este and Ester temporarily moved back into their father’s apartment, who refused to pay a single dime for their dance education. Ester kept herself above water by waitressing part-time, and then packing up her work shirt and dashing over to the dance studio. It was her who insisted that the twins audition for the Mariinsky ballet at seventeen, and it was ultimately only her who was accepted. Ester struggled to feel relief or hope, sad to be alone, once again, in a dream she’d once shared with Este.

In the following years, Ester witnessed the descent of her brother into a drug-filled, violent spiral so reminiscent of their father's behavior that she couldn't bear to be near him anymore. By purchasing her own apartment and finding escape and excuses through work, Ester lived in fear of her own brother, while at the same time dreading the distance that was starting to grow between them. Once Este crossed the line of dealing out of the apartment, Ester took his keys and kicked him out.

Going forward, Ester had to live with the loss and move of her brother, a deep-seated loneliness and grave anxiety. She often feels abandoned and has difficulty navigating intimate relationships. While she has picked up some work on her own mental health, she often entangles herself in old patterns, afraid of the new, the unknown. Most of the time, Ester finds escape through work, which is at odds with another deep desire she lives with – to be a mother, to raise a child, a wish entirely incompatible with her life.

Here's where you’ll find Ester: Almost the age Irina was when she had the twins, and dreading every passing second where she cannot fulfill that wish for motherhood. Caged in her own habits, terrified of the new. Torn in constant internal conflict, and unable to allow anyone to help her.