Etrin Vale is an unremarkable young man employed in minor civic work, handling records, notices, and routine paperwork that most citizens never think about. He is competent, quiet, and eager to avoid attention – qualities that usually keep him safe in a city as large as Goldcrest.
Recently, Etrin has found himself under pressure from forces he does not fully understand. Small requests became expectations, and expectations became fear. He is not malicious, nor ambitious; he is simply someone who discovered how vulnerable an ordinary life can be when noticed by the wrong people.