Cleftar is a dragonborn with dull brass scales that have lost their luster from years of mountain winds. He wears simple, practical scholar's robes over his scale mail, and a large iron holy symbol of Oghma hangs from his neck. His eyes are a piercing amber, and he often carries a thick, weathered journal strapped to his hip.

Cleftar is incredibly soft spoken and methodical. He treats every conversation as if he is documenting it for historical record. He is patient to a fault, often pausing for several seconds before answering a question to ensure his words are precise and accurate. He finds more comfort in the company of scrolls than people.

Cleftar spent nearly three decades in the Sky-Reach Peaks, living in a cavernous library he built himself from the ruins of a forgotten monastery. While his kin sought glory in battle or the prestige of clans, Cleftar sought the Golden Pattern, a theoretical cosmic cycle that predicts the rise and fall of civilizations. He believes that the gods do not demand worship so much as they demand observation and understanding. His solitude was broken when he discovered a series of etchings in the deep ice that suggested the current era is coming to a violent, unplanned end. Realizing his books could no longer provide the data he needed, Cleftar packed his mace and his notes. He has descended from his mountain to witness the world firsthand, acting as a humble servant of knowledge to ensure that whatever comes next is recorded for those who might survive. He views himself as a living archive, traveling the lands to preserve truths that the chaos of war often buries.