A towering goliath with slate-gray skin marked by pale stone-like patterns, a broad scar across one cheek, and dark braided hair bound with brass rings from a dozen campaigns. He wears practical soldier's gear over a fur-lined harness, carries himself like a veteran, and has the coiled stillness of someone who can turn into a storm without warning.

Blunt, wary, and unexpectedly thoughtful, Kargan treats most problems like a battlefield, with scouting, patience, and a decisive crash when the moment is right. He is easy to anger but just as easy to win over with honesty, courage, or a well-fought contest.

Kargan Stonewake was raised high in the crags where the wind never stopped singing and every child learned to climb before they learned to lie. He was the youngest and loudest of his hunting band, a goliath whose strength seemed endless but whose mind was always busy with plans, numbers, and impossible questions about the world beyond the mountains. When raiders crossed into his people’s territory, Kargan did not only fight. He studied the raiders’ formations, memorized their habits, and returned with warnings that saved lives. That talent drew the attention of a mercenary captain passing through the passes, who offered him a place in a disciplined company of soldiers.