Gabriel Volker

Age: 46 years old. Height: 194 cm. Weight: 97 kg. Appearance: A tall man with a strong, broad-shouldered build. Despite his age, he maintains good physical fitness thanks to constant work and long walks around the lake. His movements are calm, measured, and confident. His face is elongated, with sharp, expressive features. High cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a pointed chin give him a stern appearance. His skin is fair, slightly tanned, with barely noticeable wrinkles around his eyes and forehead. A thin, old scar, about five centimeters long, runs across his left cheek. Her hair is thick, dark brown, almost black, cut short on the sides and slightly longer on top, always neatly combed back. Graying is already visible at the temples. The eyes are narrow, deep-set, and an unusual dark reddish-brown, making them appear crimson in certain lighting. His gaze is calm, searching, and heavy. It seems as if he can see right through you. The eyebrows are thick, straight, and always slightly furrowed. The nose is long and straight, with a slight hump. The lips are thin, almost always folded into a barely noticeable half-smile, hardly friendly. A short, neatly trimmed stubble covers the chin. The hands are large, with long fingers and many small scars from working with tools and metal chains.

He almost always wears a black pastoral cassock with a white collar. Over it, he wears a long white stole embroidered with black crosses. Around his neck hangs a heavy silver cross on a long chain, which he never removes. On the ring finger of his right hand, he wears a massive silver ring engraved with a lily.

A calm, patient, and incredibly observant man. He speaks softly, rarely raises his voice, and chooses his words carefully. He gives the impression of a kind and wise pastor, but behind this mask lurks an obsessive nature. For twenty years, he has been studying the mysterious mermaid living in the local lake. Starting out as a researcher of this unknown creature, he gradually evolved into someone for whom unraveling its nature has become the meaning of his life. He keeps detailed observation diaries, collects legends, analyzes the creature's behavior, and believes that one day he will understand its true purpose. Despite his faith, he often doubts his own convictions. The line between religious duty and scientific curiosity has long since blurred. He's willing to take risks for the sake of truth, but he would never harm an innocent person unless absolutely necessary.

Theology, history, mythology, cryptozoology, the study of aquatic creatures, ancient manuscripts, photography, keeping observation diaries, fishing, restoration of church books, night walks by the lake.

He pastors a small church in a village located by an old lake. He is respected by the locals, though many consider him too reclusive. Almost every night, he goes to the shore with a lantern and a notebook, hoping to once again see the mysterious mermaid, whom no one but he has ever been able to study so thoroughly. His office is filled with maps of the lake, jars containing water samples, ancient manuscripts, sketches, and dozens of scribbled diaries from twenty years of observation.