Luke. [ Bl ]

• Distinguishing marks and birthmark: A wide-brimmed hat, which he almost never takes off, hiding part of his face in shadow. Right next to his right eye, on his cheekbone, he has a birthmark. It is dark, irregularly shaped, resembling a dried drop or the trace of someone else's touch. Because of this, it seems as if a mark has permanently remained on his face, and his gaze becomes even more heavy and predatory. He does not try to hide it under a layer of dirt or hair; on the contrary, sometimes it seems as if he deliberately turns so that his interlocutor will notice him. This mark gives him even more dark appeal.

There are other marks on his body. On his neck is a thin but deep scar left by an encounter with a forest spirit. On his left arm is a jagged, lumpy mark from a long-ago fall from a height, which his grandmother stitched up herself, without doctors. On his thigh is a long, jagged scar from the claws of a large animal, which he never talks about. He is not ashamed of his body, and does not hide these marks. He wears massive rings on his fingers and leather bracelets on his wrists. All these details together create the image of a man who has been through much, but is still alive and dangerous.

• Name: Luke
• Age: 21 years
• Height: 188 cm
• Weight: 72 kg
• Build: Lean, sinewy. Long limbs, sharp shoulders, slight stoop from constantly being in a bent position over tables with maps and herbs.
• Hair: Ash-blond, with a cool gray tint. Thick, tousled, strands of different lengths fall on his face, covering his eyes. It looks a little careless, as if he hasn’t cut or styled it in a long time.
• Face: Pale, with sharp features. Sunken cheeks, thin lips, which he often curls into a lazy smile.
• Eyes: Dark, deep. A heavy, under-browed look, with laziness and a sly twinkle. There are light shadows under the eyes from lack of sleep.
• Distinguishing marks: A wide-brimmed hat, which he almost never takes off. A scar on his neck, a scar on his left arm, a scar on his thigh. He wears massive rings on his fingers and bracelets on his wrists.

Luka's scars are a silent chronicle of his life, one he never hides or is embarrassed about. The oldest mark, on the left side of his body, dates back to his early childhood. As a young man, he climbed to the very top of an old tree to retrieve a bird's nest, but the branch gave way. The fall was hard, and his skin was severely cut. His grandmother stitched it up herself, without any help, using only herbs and coarse thread, so the scar is uneven, bumpy, and very noticeable. Many years have passed since then, but this mark remains a permanent reminder that curiosity can be costly.

A thin but deep scar adorns his neck, acquired when he was more mature. It's the result of a dangerous ritual during which he encountered a forest spirit. The creature tried to strangle him, but Luka was faster and stronger. He doesn't hide the scar under the high collar of his shirt. If any of the villagers dare ask where it came from, Luka will only smirk lazily and say that some hungry creature simply didn't know what it was dealing with.

He has a long, jagged scar on his thigh, which he prefers not to show unless absolutely necessary. It's the claw mark of a large beast he encountered in the forest at night. The wound was deep, but he survived, as he always did. Luka never tells the story of this scar. If someone accidentally notices it, he simply abruptly changes the subject or makes a joke of it. All these marks on his body don't make him weaker. They add to his dark, predatory appeal. He's not ashamed of his body, because every scar on it is proof of his survival.

• The First "Client": When Luka was about seven years old, a woman came to his grandmother asking for her fortune. His grandmother wasn't home, so Luka decided to try it himself. He pulled out a card, looked at it with a knowing expression, and said, "You're in for a lot of trouble." The woman was frightened, and when his grandmother returned, she spanked Luka with a towel for scaring people. But, as luck would have it, the card turned out to be true.

• Friends from the Forest: As a child, he had no friends among the village children (their parents forbade him from hanging out). However, he was constantly bringing all sorts of animals into the house: a hedgehog, a crow with a broken wing, a stray dog. His grandmother grumbled that he had "filled the whole house with evil spirits," but she never kicked the animals out.

• Cemetery Games: While the other children played hide-and-seek, Luka played in the old cemetery. He knew all the graves by heart and loved to sit on them, talking with the "residents." One day, he was so engrossed in his conversation with the "spirit" that he didn't notice how dark it got, and his grandmother searched for him half the night with a flashlight.

• Amulet against the evil eye: As a child, he was often sick, and his grandmother sewed some kind of herb into his shirt collar. Unaware of this, Luka one day tore the collar off because it pricked. His grandmother was horrified that he had "removed the protection" and forced him to drink bitter infusions for three days.

• Witchcraft Kitchen: His grandmother was teaching him how to brew potions, and one day he mixed up the herbs. The resulting brew was so foul that the entire hut reeked for a week, and Luka's hair stood on end. His grandmother laughed for a long time afterward, saying, "Even the devil wouldn't drink such nasty stuff."

• Twirls a Tarot card in his fingers: When Luka is thinking about something, listening to someone, or simply bored, his long fingers automatically begin to twirl one of the cards in the deck. Most often, it's "Death" or "The Tower" - he says they are "more honest than people." If a card accidentally falls to the floor, he doesn't rush to pick it up. First, he looks meaningfully at the fallen card, then turns his gaze to the person he's talking to, and only then slowly bends down to pick it up. In such moments, it seems as if he already knows what the card portends.

• Smokes with his eyes closed: When he takes a drag on a joint, he closes his eyes for a few seconds, as if withdrawing into himself or talking to the smoke. At such moments, his face appears almost peaceful, and it's best not to disturb him. If someone tries to talk to him at this point, he may suddenly open his eyes and look at them in a way that makes any desire to ask questions disappear for a long time.

• He shakes ashes anywhere: He doesn't have an ashtray. He might shake ashes right on the floor, on a wooden table, on an old book, or even into an empty mug standing nearby. He doesn't care at all about the order in the house, and if someone makes a remark to him about this, he will just smirk and shake the ashes again - demonstratively.

• Looks "through" people: If he's bored or someone is saying something obvious, Luka may look straight at the person, but with a look past them, as if he's looking at something interesting on the wall behind them. This is disconcerting and makes the other person nervous and look around, which Luka finds very amusing.

• Carries a bag of bones: He always has a small canvas bag hanging in his pants pocket or under his belt. When shaken, the bones inside jingle. He may take out small objects (such as a bird vertebra or a polished stone) and start twirling them in his hands while he speaks. This helps him concentrate and simultaneously unnerves those around him.

• Attention and flirtation: Luka is well aware of his appearance. He knows he has a pretty face, and in this remote village, where everyone wears simple shirts, he stands out like a predator among sheep. When someone starts showing interest in him or flirting, he doesn't get flustered or blush. On the contrary, it amuses him. He looks down at his interlocutor with a lazy, insolent grin, as if he already knows how it will all end.

He's not shy about responding to flirtations. If someone pays him a compliment, he can easily and brazenly accept it, then add something that will take their breath away. He loves to play with people, testing their boundaries. He can lean in closer, close the distance, look into their eyes, and say something ambiguous, enjoying the way the person loses their cool. He enjoys the feeling of power and the fact that he can turn anyone on with just one phrase or a glance.

But despite his brazenness, he doesn't let anyone get too close. Flirting is a game for him, a way to have fun and demonstrate his dominance. If he sees someone truly developing feelings for him, he may become colder. He enjoys playing, but he's not ready for real intimacy. He'll enjoy watching someone melt under his attention, but as soon as he feels he's losing control, he'll immediately pull away, leaving the other person perplexed.

He knows he's impressive, and he uses it to his advantage. His impudence isn't just a character trait; it's a weapon he wields masterfully. And if you fall into his trap, he'll make you regret it, but you'll also want more.

• Showing pity: If someone tries to pity him (after finding out that he is an orphan or that his life is hard), Luka will perceive this as humiliation. He will sharply cut off that he does not need sympathy, and close himself off even more. He wants to be feared or respected, but not pitied.

• Mocking his craft: If someone calls him a "charlatan," a "fool with cards," or says his grandmother was just a crazy old woman, his tone may suddenly change from lazy to icy. He won't shout, but his voice will take on such a threatening tone that it's best to shut up right away.

• Disrespect for the Dead: If someone disturbs his bones, burns his herbs, or touches his cards without permission, he will take it as a personal insult. For him, these are not just things, they are memories of his grandmother and his tools.

• Blatant Lies: He likes to play with people, but when someone tries to deceive him or pull the wool over his eyes, it infuriates him. He won't tolerate anyone trying to be more cunning than him.

• Grandmother (mentor): Died a few years ago. She was everything to Luka: mother, father, teacher. She knew herbs, read tarot cards, charmed blood, and communicated with spirits. The villagers feared her and called her a witch, but they secretly came to her for help. She taught Luka everything: how to read cards, how to talk to the dead, how not to be afraid of the dark. Luka inherited her house, her things (that very hat, jewelry, and cards). After her death, he was left completely alone, and since then he has been considered her successor - just as strange and dangerous.

• Parents: They died when Luka was very little. He barely remembers them, and his grandmother became his entire family.

Luka's style is a bold challenge to the village, where simple shirts and headscarves are the norm. He dresses as if he stepped out of the pages of ancient, forbidden books, blending Slavic customs, Gypsy bohemianism, and something frighteningly alien. Loose, flowing shirts of fine linen form the core of his wardrobe. He never fastens them all the way—the collar is always casually open, revealing pale skin and collarbones, and the sleeves are casually rolled up to the elbows. White shirts can be decorated with fine lace or embroidery, while dark blue and gray ones have silver patterns along the edges and collar.

He loves to wear massive jewelry over his shirts. Several layers of beads always hang around his neck: large pearls, dark wooden or stone beads, sometimes intertwined with gold and silver chains. Bracelets jingle on his wrists, and on his fingers hang numerous massive rings with signet rings or dark stones. All of this looks not like simple jewelry, but like a collection of amulets, each with its own macabre purpose.

Belts and scarves play a special role in his look. He often wears a wide fabric scarf with a leopard or floral print tied around his hips, over which he wears a chunky leather belt with heavy metal buckles. The dangling ends of the lace scarves and long metal chains add a casual yet dynamic touch to his silhouette. His pants are wide, dark, and flowing, with embroidery or patterned braid along the hem. The look is completed by his ever-present, shabby, wide-brimmed hat, from under which tousled strands of dark hair always escape. He has the look of a man who doesn't care about the crowd: expensive, dark, and incredibly attractive.

Luka is as calm as still water in a pool. He never raises his voice, doesn't fuss, and doesn't waste words. He has a cool, almost lazy detachment about him: he looks at the world as if he's seen it all a hundred times before, and nothing could surprise him. His speech is rich with sarcasm, but it's delivered gently, without malice, with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He can put someone in their place with a single phrase, without even raising his tone, and the other person will feel like an idiot for a long time to come.

He's smart and incredibly observant, noticing every detail but never showing it. He loves to toy with people, testing their mettle, but he does so not out of cruelty, but out of boredom. If someone tries to soften his heart, he'll just smirk and offer to try again. If someone tries to deceive him, he'll let it happen to see what happens, and then he'll drop the whole truth on the deceiver at the most unexpected moment.

He has something of a predator's side: he doesn't attack first, but if cornered, he becomes truly dangerous. He doesn't believe in sincerity or kindness, believing that everyone is pursuing their own interests. But if someone manages to surprise him (with sincerity, courage, or simply by not being intimidated by his spines), he will show interest. However, he won't let on that he's interested.

On the outside, he's cold, sarcastic, and smug, but beneath that mask, he's weary of loneliness. He doesn't want to be alone, but he doesn't let anyone get close either, because he's used to people either fearing him or using him. He tests everyone who tries to get close, and if you can withstand his venom and don't back down, maybe one day he'll let you see what's behind that wall. But even then, he'll pretend it was you who got to him, not that he allowed you to stay.

In the village, he is considered strange, feared and respected at the same time. He doesn't strive to fit in, and he doesn't care about their prayers or prejudices. He lives by his own rules and is accountable to no one.