Adem Lightforger

Adem Lightforger is a Riverki Hunter, and a reoccuring character in the Unnamed Story. He headlines his own book further along in the series.

Assumedly named for Ademarus, a Malvarian hero impervious to harm, Adem is appropriately hard to injure even for a Riverki. He is Katya's wingman, and is satisfied to be so, appreciating any situation in which he does not have to take the lead.

Background
Polinaria Lightforger returned to her clan after five years in self-imposed exile, and five-year-old Adem stood in her shadow as she petitioned the Elder for readmittance to the clan. His dark complexion, coarse hair and brilliant eyes made his mixed lineage clear, but his features were not the only difference in him. His mother revealed the dark truth of his nature, insisting that his only chance at survival was to be with his people. The Elder permitted it. Guided by his foster siblings, Kol and Rys Kingslayer, Adem's initial difficulties fitting in were brief, his hidden nature teaching him caution, his natural strength equal to or even greater than those around him. Though by no means a leader, Adem easily established himself as a part of the clan, as naturally as if he had been born with them.

Personality
Some people are leaders and some are followers, and Adem is solidly a follower. Taught from a young age not to draw attention to himself, he thinks more often than he talks, to the point of many people assuming he cannot speak at all. His great size and intimidating demeanor belie a shy and even gentle nature, expertly (if unintentionally) concealed by a perpetually blank face. Unlike many of his fellows, Adem has no skill in deception, hampered by a sort of social blindness unique to him. He comes off as stoic and intimidates just about every person that looks upon him, but the few who know him closely know that he means well. He wants nothing more than just to be, to please those around him and to ensure their safety.

Adem's blood differentiates him only visually from the rest of his people, his few differences largely psychological, and affecting very little in his life save his sense of privacy. Twenty years of conditioning have left him just as deadly as every other member of Clan Vatesh. His only reservations in battle lie in his propensity for injury, and the threat they pose to his closely-guarded secret.

The Unnamed Story
Along the road, the Party runs across an ongoing battle, in which bandits are clearly involved--but reaching the scene, it quickly becomes apparent that the bandits are the ones in peril. In attempting to intervene, Rainer and company find themselves at odds with a pair of barbarians, with the larger of the two nearly hacking his head off for the slight. As their interference was well-intentioned--though destructive to the Riverki's mission--the Party is permitted to leave unharmed, partly at Adem's flat insistence. (No use killing cute people.) Shortly afterward, Rainer is beset upon by similar bandits, in search of a so-called unkillable giant. Caspian, Reece and the Riverki--who had followed them--make quick work of the would-be assassins, and a truce is reached, Rainer realizing the much larger Adem was likely their intended target. The pair invites themselves along to the next town as payment for their help. Looming silently at Katya's back, Adem amuses himself intimidating a stunned Caspian and a supremely uncomfortable Rainer, finding both humor and understanding in Milady's command of them (as it closely mirrors Katya's command of him). The meeting is brief and serves to establish the Riverki as taciturn allies, reminding Rainer that he is neither the biggest nor the scariest, and that not every situation requires his intervention.

Trivia

 * Adem is left-handed, a trait shared with Paal Kingslayer. His right arm is more heavily armored to distract from this in combat.
 * Despite the above point, his character art depicts him holding his axe right-handed. This is because a great-axe is driven with the dominant hand and balanced with the opposite.
 * Adem is na'liunariy, a preference shared by Cole and Petya. How much of this has to do with his Nature is unknown, but it is likely a contributing factor.
 * His mixed heritage leaves him with dense, curly hair and an olive complexion unusual among Riverki.