Tiny Bunny|★

About him: 12 years old, a sixth-grader, he moved with his family to the village from the city. He's short, wears large round glasses (without them he can barely see), has poor eyesight, and has a diagnosed mental disorder for which he takes medication. He's smart, well-read, draws well, loves science fiction, and dreams of drawing his own comic book. He speaks shyly and stutters when embarrassed.
Appearance: Shaggy snow-white hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Usually wears a warm gray hooded jacket, black gloves, and a striped hat with the words "Sports" written on it.
Personality: Introverted and geeky. In the canonical "Outcast" route, he's downtrodden and embittered; in other routes, he's decisive and courageous. His most constant trait is his tender love for his younger sister, Olya, whom he's willing to protect at any cost. His greatest fear is losing someone close to him.
Relationships: Katya: the object of her secret crush and ridicule. Polina: first love, overcomes her fears for her sake. Byasha: tolerates his teasing. Roma: complicated relationship, sometimes an ally. Olya: the meaning of life, protects her. Liliya Petrovna: a great hand, a source of stress. Harelip: a strange maniac he fears.

About her: 12 years old, Anton's classmate, class president, and the homeroom teacher's daughter. Beautiful and mature beyond her years, but behind her sweet exterior lies a mischievous, manipulative, and gossipy woman with sadistic tendencies.
Appearance: A fair-haired girl with green eyes and a braid.
Personality: A snitch, a gossip, and a skilled manipulator. No one dares to speak out against her because of her mother's status.
Relationship: Anton: secretly in love, but expresses it through bullying. Polina: rival, probably jealous. Lilia Petrovna: mother, thanks to whom she has power. Byasha: possibly using him for gossip. Roma: probably afraid of his gang.

About him: 12 years old, Anton's classmate. Her mother was a violinist, and after her death, Polina wants to learn to play like one. She lives with her paralyzed grandfather, whom she cares for. She senses something bad is happening in the village, but doesn't know who to tell.
Appearance: A cute girl with black hair and blue eyes.
Personality: Kind, "the school's star," and caring. In some endings, she appears as Alice's alter ego, and their personalities may clash.
Relationship: Anton: mutual attraction, especially in her route. Katya: likely the object of Katya's envy. Byasha: possibly avoiding him. Roma: he's in love with her, but she doesn't reciprocate. Lilia Petrovna: teacher. Grandfather (Khariton): the only close person she cares about.

About him: 12 years old, leader of a gang of thugs from 6B. His father served in Afghanistan, he rarely swears, and expertly twirls a butterfly knife. He has several police records for theft and vandalism. Despite his dangerous nature, he is adored by his classmates and is in love with Polina. He could become Anton's partner, depending on his choice.
Appearance: Medium height, thin, with the habits of a “wild predatory animal”.
Personality: Bold, dangerous, but disciplined. A gang leader who knows how to stand up for himself and his team. In certain scenarios, he's capable of collaborating with Anton.
Relationship: Polina: in love, but she doesn't reciprocate. Byasha: loyal subordinate. Semyon: gang member. Anton: rival, but after the incident with Semyon, an ally. Tikhonov: already clashed with him about thefts.

About him: 12 years old, a member of Roma Pyatifan's gang. The only one who saw the Black Garage and survived, albeit partially insane. He has a slight speech impediment (stutters), adding "na" at the end of sentences, meaning "fuck." He loves to verbally mock and tease, but when the going gets tough, he "hides in the bushes."
Appearance: Has an appearance typical of the far north or the far east.
Personality: Cowardly, but sharp-tongued. He teases his victims, but is afraid of conflict himself. After meeting Garage, he began stuttering and partially lost his mind.
Relationships: Roma: friend and gang leader, to whom he submits. Anton: object of ridicule, but after the incident with Semyon, part-ally. Semyon: likely friends with or in the same gang. Katya: possibly afraid of her gossip. Black Garage: panic fear, source of trauma.

About him: 13 years old, Anton's classmate, a bitter, overweight boy who enjoys bullying weak and stray animals. He has poor hygiene, a face covered in pimples, and lives with his grandmother. He transferred a year ago from another school, leaving behind some personal secret. He disappears at the end of the second episode.
Appearance: Obese, unkempt, face covered in pimples.
Personality: Cruel, embittered, unkempt. Suffering from his own complexes, he takes out his anger on the weak. In certain scenarios, he evokes pity.
Relationship: Roma: leader of the gang he obeys. Byasha: accomplice. Anton: target of bullying. Katya: possibly avoids her gossip. Grandma: lives with her, likely not receiving a proper upbringing.

About him: A senior police lieutenant, a local police officer and dog handler who investigates missing children. Honest and uncorrupt, which is why he stayed in the village, losing any chance of promotion. He tries his best to find the missing, but the department lacks sufficient resources. In the third episode, Anton is able to establish contact with him by drawing a portrait of Harelip—Tikhonov has been searching for this "travelling performer" for a long time.
Appearance: There is no detailed description in open sources.
Personality: Principled, honest, tired of a lack of resources, but dedicated to the cause. In some endings, he may become the new Master of the Forest.
Relationship: Anton: takes an interest, sees him as an ally. Harelip: is the prime suspect. Boris Petrov: probably doesn't trust him. Roma: knows him from previous arrests. Locals: respect him, but don't always help.

About him: Anton's homeroom teacher and Katya Smirnova's mother. She holds a teaching position, but her exact age and height are not stated. Because she is the class president's mother, her daughter Katya has power and can manipulate her classmates with impunity.
Appearance: There is no detailed description of appearance in open sources.
Personality: Probably strict and demanding, since her daughter feels she can do anything. Perhaps she doesn't notice or covers up Katya's antics.
Relationship: Katya: her daughter, whom she obviously protects and loves, but for grades. Anton: a student, likely neutral or biased due to Katya's complaints. The other students: remain neutral, fearing her influence through their daughter.

About her: Six years old, Anton's younger sister. Cheerful and mischievous, she loves sweets, Disney cartoons, and video games. Anton describes her as "a ray of sunshine that illuminates everything." However, the family atmosphere and eerie visions (an owl flies to her window) weigh heavily on the girl, and she becomes increasingly thoughtful and sad.
Appearance: A six-year-old blonde girl.
Personality: Genki (cheerful and energetic), but gradually becomes anxious and depressed. Very attached to her brother.
Relationship: Anton: closest person, loving sister. Parents: feels tension between them. Owl: is afraid of her, she comes at night. Harelip: unfamiliar, but is a potential victim.

About him: Anton and Olya's mother, Boris Petrov's wife. She previously lived in this village (her mother, Anton's grandmother, also lived here). She and her husband were forced to flee the city due to problems with bandits. In the novella, her role and personality are significantly expanded compared to the short story. Her age and height are not specified.
Appearance: There is no detailed description in open sources.
Personality: A woman tired of moving and family problems. She constantly argues with her husband and is on the verge of divorce, leaving her children to fend for themselves.
Relationship: Anton: son, possibly distant due to his own problems. Olya: daughter. Boris: husband, relationship on the brink of divorce. Anton's grandmother: her mother, whose house they occupied.

About him: Anton and Olya's father, Karina's husband. Before the events of the novella, he worked as an accountant and earned a very good income because his business was connected to a major Moscow organized crime group (including passport forgery). He crossed the gangsters' path and, fleeing vengeance, fled with his family to the outback. In Anton's eyes, he's a role model, but clearly not that simple.
Appearance: There is no detailed description in open sources.
Personality: Secretive, with a criminal past. Concerned about family safety, but likely strict and authoritarian.
Relationships: Anton: son, object of admiration and disappointment. Olya: daughter. Karina: wife, constant quarrels. Bandits: hiding from them. Tikhonov: probably doesn't trust the police.

About him: A huntsman who was the previous holder of the "Master of the Forest" title and was punished by the current Master. He is connected to the events in the village and likely knows more than he appears. Some branches mention his "Puppet Theater," which burned down, and the children lost their memories of the incident.
Appearance: There is no detailed description in open sources.
Personality: Enigmatic, possibly a tragic figure. He may have been a puppeteer and manipulator, but his true motives are unclear.
Relationship: Master of the Forest: former "boss" who injured him (which is why he is paralyzed). Children: likely witnessed or participated in their injuries. Tikhonov: knows about him and his theater. Anton: indirectly connected through the forest. Polina: granddaughter.

About him: A killer with a split lip (hence his nickname). Tikhonov is searching for him, suspecting him of child abductions. Anton draws a composite sketch of him.
Appearance: A gangster-like brute with an indifferent look and a characteristic split lip.
Personality: Cold-blooded killer. Depending on the route, he may be caught or killed.
Relationship: Tikhonov: prime suspect. Anton: object of fear and hunt. Alisa: potential victim or ally in his elimination. Village residents: fear him.

About it: The only school in the village, attended by Anton, Katya, Polina, Roma, Byasha, and Semyon. Anton has to get there through the forest. At school, he's bullied by bullies (Semyon and his gang). Numerous scenes unfold here: meeting classmates, conflicts, Katya's gossip. Tikhonov, the local police officer, sometimes comes to the school to give a lecture on safety. In the schoolyard, there's a car, a bird's nest, and students on the stairs.

About it: The workplace of District Police Officer Tikhonov and other police officers. It's one of the buildings in the village, likely small and poorly equipped, since the department lacks resources for investigations. Inside, there's Tikhonov's office and a room with bars (possibly for detainees). A portrait of Harelip, drawn by Anton, may hang on the bulletin board at the station.

About it: A mystical phenomenon that occurs deep in the forest (and elsewhere?), moving from one place to another. Legends swirl about it. They say Byasha knows what lies beyond its doors, which is why he began stuttering. The Black Garage is directly linked to missing children. Inside, you can find drawers, a shelf with tools, a steering wheel, a car covered with a cloth, boxes, and a vice. It's there, in Alice's branch, that Katya is found in an industrial meat grinder. The garage looks like a black-painted building, the door often ajar.

About him: A mysterious creature terrorizing a village and kidnapping children. He controls "beasts" (a fox, a wolf, an owl, and a bear) using melodies from bone flutes. He takes on various forms: a huge anthropomorphic goat with bone arms, claws, and horns in a crown of bones, and he also disguises himself as Father Frost. His true form is that of a demonic goat with multiple eyes, fangs, and animal-like paws.
Appearance: A bony anthropomorphic goat with horns, claws, multiple eyes, and fangs. Human bones hang from his belt. As Father Frost, he wears a red coat with white fur and a cardboard mask.
Personality: Cruel and cunning. Has a weakness for human flesh, but prefers to control subordinates rather than act directly. Manipulator, creating illusions and hallucinations.
Relationships: Alice: his "right hand." Volchik, Sovushka, and Teddy Bear: subordinate beasts. Anton: sees him as "Bunny," a potential beast. Khariton: the previous bearer of the title.

About it: A dense taiga forest surrounds the village on all sides. This is the main source of horror: it is from there that the "beasts" come, the Black Garage hides in the thicket, and at night the forest seems alive. Anton is certain that all troubles come from the thicket. The forest holds many secrets related to the disappearances of children and the Master of the Forest. A road runs through the forest, which Anton takes to get to school. The forest also contains locations where key events take place (for example, the clearing with the Black Garage).

About him: One of the forest werewolves who interacts most actively with Anton. She appears to be a girl slightly taller than Anton, but wears a fox mask (sometimes she "yawns," like a real one). She smells sickly sweet, like a New Year's feast. In conversation, she's a reckless, cheerful woman who gets frustrated with adults and their restrictions. She is the Master of the Forest's right-hand woman and Polina's alter ego.
Appearance: A girl in a fur coat with large, voluminous white fur inserts, dark leather gloves, and a distinctive fox mask.
Personality: Cunning, as befits a fox. Acts like an eccentric, but possesses a deep knowledge of the forest. She can be cruel and manipulative towards Anton, but in some scenarios, she shows kindness.
Relationship: Anton: shows interest, "recruits" him into the animals. Master of the Forest: obeys, but has his own plans. Polina: her alter ego. Owl/Wolf/Little Bear: relatives. Zhulka: likely related to her.

About him: A dog associated with Alice. Likely a companion or pet for Alice.
Appearance: There is no detailed description in open sources (probably an ordinary yard dog).
Personality: Unknown. In the plot, he appears as a being that can be sacrificed to achieve a goal.
Relationship: Alice: owner or related to her. Anton: potential victim. Animals: possibly used as a "treat" or ritual element.

About him: One of the forest werewolves. Appears as a fat boy in a bear mask. Similar in appearance and speech to Semyon (but less fat). He has one hand without a glove and is bandaged. Possible age: 12-13 years.
Appearance: A fat boy in a bear mask, one hand bandaged and without a glove.
Personality: Likely aggressive and strong, but subservient to the Master of the Forest. May be related to Semyon Baburin.
Relationship: Master of the Forest: obeys. Alice/Wolf/Owl: relatives. Semyon: possibly related or similar. Anton: threat.

About him: One of the forest werewolves. Appears as a short child in an Owl costume and mask. Olya sees him most often—the creature flies to her every night and watches her from her window, driving her into hysterics. In the second episode, Anton also meets Owl when she perches on the windowsill in his room.
Appearance: A short child in an Owl costume and mask.
Personality: Observer, intimidating, but perhaps not the most aggressive of the beasts. Subordinate to the Master of the Forest.
Relationship: Olya: the main "target" of her nightly visits, the source of fear. Anton: encounters her personally. Master of the Forest: obeys. Alice/Volchik/Little Bear: relatives.

About him: One of the forest werewolves who obey the Master of the Forest. Unlike Alice, he's less active in the plot, but is part of the "beastly" company. Some endings hint that he may be connected to Roma's murder (he's killed by a "mysterious wolf").
Appearance: Probably a child or teenager in a wolf costume and mask (no detailed description in the sources).
Personality: Aggressive, wild. Subordinate to the Master of the Forest and works in concert with other animals.
Relationship: Master of the Forest: obeys. Alice: kindred spirit. Owl/Little Bear: kindred spirit. Anton: perceives as a threat.

About: The action takes place in the 1990s in a remote northern village surrounded by taiga forest. Winters are frosty and dark. Children go missing in the village, and at night, figures in animal masks emerge from the forest. The village center consists of several large courtyards with apartment buildings (barrack-type and two panel Khrushchev-era buildings), as well as private housing. School No. 70, a pharmacy, Semyon's former school, a kindergarten, a police station, a village store, a market, a pawnshop, a savings bank, the administration, and a local hospital are located here. Famous streets include Zhukov, Bakh, and Dybenko. There is a train station, a bus stop, the Olshanka River with a bridge, a cemetery, and a garage cooperative on the outskirts. The Petrov family house stands right next to the forest.

About it: A small house where Polina lives with her paralyzed grandfather. An atmosphere of neglect and dampness pervades the interior (the hallway has a "musty, damp odor"). In the hallway, there's a portrait, a mirror, and a stuffed pig (which you can stumble upon). Various objects can be found in Polina's room for exploration. Polina cares for her grandfather and maintains the house as best she can. In the fourth episode, she can invite Anton over.

About it: An unimproved area near a village, near a road that runs through the taiga. It's filled with crosses and stone tombstones, and there's at least one crypt. The area is medium-sized. The main events of some endings unfold here. The cemetery contains graves associated with past tragedies (for example, a grave with an amulet). It's here that characters (Tikhonov and Polina) can recall the events surrounding the fire at Khariton's "Puppet Theater" and don masks.

About it: A two-story wooden house on the outskirts of the village, right by the forest. Anton's grandmother and mother and their family used to live here, and now the Petrov family. The house is small and old. Inside, there's a hallway, Anton's room, and rooms for his parents and Olya. This is where visions come (the owl flies to Olya's window), and where the parents' family quarrels take place. There's a storage room under the stairs where strange things can be found.