Night Watch

The Others are people with supernatural abilities. They can:

enter the Twilight - a special magical layer of reality, invisible to ordinary people;
use magic;
divided into Light and Dark - depending on how they use force.
The balance between them is monitored by the Night Watch (watches over the Dark) and the Day Watch (watches over the Light).

The first layer is the most accessible, found in all the Others. The terrain is similar to the real thing, but the colors are dull, with a gray tint throughout and some blue moss.
Layers 2 and 3—objects and time become increasingly distorted, movement slows, colors are almost nonexistent, and the pressure and cold increase. The deeper you go, the more force is needed.
Layers 4 and 5—connection with our world is almost lost, landscapes become alien, and special effects appear (for example, lightning strikes from the ground to the sky). Accessible only to powerful Others and Higher Ones.
The 6th layer is the place of disembodied Others; it is as far removed from ordinary reality as possible.

Important nuances:

1. The deeper the layer, the more energy is needed to get there and stay there.
2. Time on the first layers flows more slowly than in our world.
3. Objects in the Twilight do not always correspond to real ones: a grenade can turn into a stone, and a tall tower simply cannot be found.
4. Cats "live" in all layers at once, and blue moss is the only known life form that lives specifically in the Twilight.

The dark others include:
Dark mages and witches are the Watch's core force, working in operational, analytical, and other departments. For example, the head of the Moscow Day Watch is the powerful mage Zavulon.
Vampires receive hunting licenses (for example, through the "vampire lottery") and are under the control of the Watch; they can serve in special forces.
Werewolves are also licensed and controlled, often performing tasks of force; however, in the Dark hierarchy, they are considered "lower" than mages.
Other Dark Others of various specializations (diviners, healers, combat specialists, etc.) - depending on their abilities and power level.

.magicians and wizards are the main force of the Night Watch;

Witches - often specialize in healing and natural magic;

healers - treat with magic, remove curses;

prophets - see future options;

empaths - feel and smooth out emotions;

guards - put up barriers, protect vulnerable areas.

it includes:
Geser (Boris Ignatyevich) is the head of the Moscow Night Watch, a very powerful Supreme Mage.
Anton Gorodetsky is one of the main characters, he started out as a mid-level mage and later became stronger.
Olga is a powerful sorceress, closely connected with Gesar.
Svetlana Nazarova is a light sorceress of the highest level.
Igor Teplov, nicknamed "Bear", is a shapeshifting magician.
Ekaterina Sorokina, nicknamed "Tiger Cub," is also a shapeshifting magician.
Various specialists: combat mages, soothsayers, healers, operatives, analysts - depending on the department

it includes:
Zavulon is the head of the Moscow Day Watch, a powerful Dark Mage "beyond categories".
Alisa Donnikova is a combat witch and one of the most prominent operatives.
Yuri is Zavulon’s deputy for operational work.
Edgar is a summoned mage from the Tallinn Day Watch (later became an Inquisitor).

Geser (aka Boris Ignatyevich) is the head of the Moscow Night Watch, a Light Other “beyond categories,” that is, an incredibly powerful magician.
The main thing about him

Age and experience. He's over two thousand years old—he participated in the conclusion of the Great Treaty. According to legend, he is the very same Gesar from the Tibetan epic.

Strength. Capable of penetrating deep into the Twilight (down to the 5th layer), anticipating opponents' moves, and able to influence events on a large scale without attracting unnecessary attention.

Personality. Cunning, pragmatic, often taking a long-term approach: he may appear tough, but first and foremost he strives to maintain balance and prevent a major catastrophe.
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Anton Gorodetsky is a Light Other, an employee of the Moscow Night Watch.

How he became an Other. Before his initiation, he worked as a systems administrator and was preparing to defend his dissertation. Geser discovered him, and Anton unexpectedly found himself a hidden Other.

Power level. Initially considered a 3rd-4th level mage, he quickly revealed far greater potential, becoming an Other "beyond category" (i.e., super-powerful).

Personality. Reasonable, he tries to act according to his conscience, but he also understands that "bright" doesn't always mean "good," and that balance is more important than simple morality. He often finds himself in situations where there are no good solutions.

Role in the Watch. Started in the information department, then became an operative, and later Geser's deputy for personnel.
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Olga is a powerful Light Other, one of the key figures of the Moscow Night Watch, closely connected to Gesar.
Briefly about her

Status and Power. A great sorceress, she specializes in power interactions; in terms of power, she ranks among the most powerful Others.

Her connection with Geser. They've worked together for many years and are close personally; Geser has helped her out of difficult situations on numerous occasions.
Punishment and redemption. Due to her compromise with the Darkness (back in the October Revolution), the Inquisition stripped her of her powers and imprisoned her in the form of an owl—she was allowed to return to human form for half an hour a day. She later atoned for her guilt and regained her status.

He helps Anton Gorodetsky, participates in major operations, and can change the Book of Fate using the Chalk of Fate.

Character. Tough, experienced, accustomed to decisive action; over her long life, she has accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge about the balance of Light and Darkness.
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Past. Svetlana Nazarova was initiated as a Light Other even before the main events of the series. She lived for a long time, aware of her nature, and gradually gained strength. A major turning point was her confrontation with the Mirror (Vitaly Rogoza) at the Inquisition tribunal: it was then that she lost most of her powers. She later partially recovered, but became more cautious with magic.

Character
Calm, collected, does not like unnecessary drama.
Fundamental: it is important to her that power is used in a “light” manner, without selfish motives.
Tough when necessary: ​​if the threat concerns the family or the overall balance, she acts decisively and without hesitation.
Restrained in her emotions, but very devoted to those she considers her own.
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Bear (Igor Teplov) is a shapeshifting battle mage from the Moscow Night Watch, Tiger Cub's partner.

Abilities. Transforms into various bears—brown, grizzly, and polar. In his animal form, he possesses immense physical strength and endurance.

Role: Security Operative: Participates in skirmishes, covers for colleagues, and takes on the most difficult tasks.

Character. Calm, reliable, taciturn; on the battlefield – tough and collected.

Connecting with others. She works in tandem with Tiger Cub—they complement each other perfectly: she provides speed and maneuverability, he provides attack and defense.
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Past. She underwent rigorous training in the Watch: Gesar relied heavily on her combat abilities, which is why she didn't develop other aspects of her magic for a long time.

Status: Night Watch operative, Light Other; known as one of the most powerful shapeshifters.

Strength. She can transform into a tiger—in this form, she possesses incredible speed, agility, and striking power. She has a keen sense of the Twilight, confidently holding her own even in its middle layers.

Role: Law Enforcement Officer: Participates in arrests, covers for colleagues, and often works in tandem with Medved (he handles brute force and defense, while she handles maneuvers and rapid attacks).

Personality. Impulsive, passionate, and a risk-taker, she's loyal to the Watch and her partner. She can get angry, but she doesn't take revenge without reason and values ​​a fair fight.
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Zavulon is the head of the Moscow Day Watch, a powerful Dark Other “beyond categories”.

Past. He's over a thousand years old, participated in the Great Treaty, and has been plotting long-term intrigues for decades. Known to his close friends as Arthur.

Status: Supreme Dark Mage, leader of the Day Watch; de facto the main antagonist of the Night Watch line (and Gesar's eternal rival).

Power. Capable of penetrating deep into the Twilight, calculating multi-move combinations, and altering reality with precise actions. In his Twilight form, he appears like a classic demon.

Role: Keeps the Dark Others under control in Moscow, ensures that the Light Ones don't upset the balance, and almost always acts indirectly, through subordinates and hidden agendas.

Personality. Pragmatic and cynical: for him, people and even his own employees are tools. At the same time, he's intelligent, self-possessed, and dislikes unnecessary cruelty—results and maintaining balance are more important to him, even if it's on his own terms.
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Alisa Donnikova is a Dark Witch and an operative of the Day Watch.

Past. She was close to Zavulon, but fell out of favor due to her unauthorized magical influence on people. She was stripped of her powers and sent to a camp to recuperate, where she met Igor Teplov (the Bear). Their connection became part of Zavulon's larger intrigue.

Status: Third-level witch, a significant figure in the Day Watch; later revealed to be a pawn in the plans of the Dark Ones' top leadership.

Power. How the Dark Witch was able to draw energy and work with emotions and fears. During a period of loss of power, she temporarily lost her abilities and was restored by "feeding" herself with childhood nightmares.

Role. A combat operative, and later a target and instrument in major games between the Watches and the Inquisition. She participated in operations against the Night Watch and later became a key figure in the duel with the Bear.

Character. Passionate, impulsive, devoted to those she trusts. Capable of strong feelings, but at the same time, she remains part of the rigid system of the Dark Ones—and often pays for this duality.
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Yuri is Zavulon's deputy for operational work in the Moscow Day Watch, a Dark Other "beyond categories".

Past. A seasoned mage, he served in the Day Watch for many years; the book "New Watch" mentions that he later moved to Minsk.

Status: Second in command of the Moscow Day Watch (after Zavulon himself), key operational leader.

Strength. Very high level: he works confidently in the Twilight, capable of complex magical combinations; for many Light Ones, he was even more terrifying than Zabulon due to his pragmatic rigidity.

Role. Responsible for the Dark Ones' military and operational activities in Moscow, supervises subordinates, implements Zavulon's plans, and ensures that the Night Watch does not upset the balance.

Personality: Cold-blooded, calculating, and extremely professional. Not prone to excessive emotion, he acts systematically and harshly when it serves the interests of the Dark Ones.
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Edgar - The Dark Mage "Beyond Category"

Past. Former head of the Estonian Day Watch, he later moved to Moscow and served in the local Day Watch. During Zavulon's absence, he even served as acting head of the Moscow Watch.

Status: A high-level mage, for a long time a key player among the Dark Ones; later, a member of the Inquisition and the Last Watch.

Strength. Very high magical level, works confidently in the Twilight, capable of complex combinations.

Role. First, a leader and operative of the Dark Ones, then a tool in someone else's plans, then a participant in a mission that goes beyond the confrontation between the Watches. Participated in events that affect the very balance of Light and Darkness.

Character. Pragmatic, not without an inner code, able to take a hit, but becomes vulnerable when used in other people's multi-move schemes. At some point, he consciously chooses the end of his path—this underscores his serious attitude toward duty and consequences.
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Kostya is Anton Gorodetsky's neighbor and former friend. He studied biology and dreamed of finding a "cure" for vampirism: he himself had become a vampire and didn't want the same fate. At first, he and Anton were close, but their paths later diverged due to differences in their allegiances and moral views.

Character.
Impulsive, hot-blooded, devoted when in love, he acts with his heart, not with cold calculation.
A rebel. He refuses to be a mere pawn in the Watch's games and openly opposes the system—Zavulon first and foremost. This isn't about global ideas, but about personal rebellion: "I decide how I live my life."
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He's also a vampire. And one of the most powerful and respected among the Dark Ones; even the highest circles of the Day Watch listen to him.

He loves his son and worries about him. Unlike many "cold" Others, Gennady is truly attached to Kostya and wants to protect him from extremes.

Tries to stop Kostya from taking reckless steps.
His love and attempts to protect Kostya only emphasize the hero’s doomed fate: Kostya still chooses his path.

Gennady Saushkin works at the meat market, and for good reason:
Cover and control. The meat market is the perfect cover for a vampire: there's plenty of blood, smells, and chaos, and in such an environment, Gennady can easily "sense" and control the territory. For the Dark Ones, it's a convenient foothold in the city.
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The floors are ordinary. They look like a standard office: offices, a reception area, hallways, filing cabinets. Everything is designed so people won't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Twilight Floors. Accessible only to Others. The space there feels different: the air is thicker, the colors are muted, and objects seem "erased." Transitions between levels may not be via stairs, but through specific points in the corridors.

The Archive. Enormous shelves, boxes filled with files, and boxes for especially dangerous documents. They store the chronicles of the Others and records of old conflicts.

Armory and training rooms. Rooms for storing artifacts and practicing combat skills. Often protected by additional spells.

Interrogation rooms. Isolated, magically blocked: the detained Other cannot influence the environment or transmit signals.

Hospital. For those injured in clashes. Usually located near the utility rooms.

Twilight Work Rooms. Special rooms where one can safely interact with the Twilight and perform complex manipulations.

Living and duty rooms. For staff on shift and those who need shelter.

The main control center is Gesar's office: it doesn't look pretentious, but it contains the key points of control over the city.

The facade for people is an elite office: strict style, expensive minimalism, reception.

The twilight levels are a heavy, oppressive space where everything feels different.

Zabulon's office is a command post without any pretensions: screens, maps, control points.

Operations Center - surveillance of the Light, distribution of patrols, monitoring of magic.

Isolation and interrogation rooms - with multi-layered magical insulation

Archives and storage facilities – for documents and dangerous artifacts, access by security levels.

Training and ritual halls – for practicing strikes, testing artifacts, and working at the intersection of Twilight levels.

"Shadow corridors" are hidden passages, invisible to ordinary people.