Illustration of medieval people building a lean-to shelter and cooking outdoors in a forest clearing.

Sunlit medieval clearing at dawn on a gentle slope: on the left towering gray cliffs rising out of frame; on the right a full-flowing river with visible current; background of sparse conifer forest. Five medieval exiles in dynamic action on their first day at a new site: - Einar Rekovod (≈2 m tall, massive build, short dark hair, skipper-style beard, scar on left cheek) and Heldin Boledar (≈1.85 m tall, wiry frame, tousled light-brown hair and braided beard) carry together a huge log: Einar at the front shoulder-loading it with a two-handed flamberge strapped to his back, Heldin at the rear balancing the log while holding a small axe and coil of rope. - Sigvar Zharoved (≈1.8 m tall, stocky, sides of head shaved with Viking braids, soot-smudged face) standing by a low fire, skillfully butchering a freshly killed boar and dropping chunks into a cooking pot. - Astrid Kamnevzor (medium height, slender, short sleek dark hair) and Yorna Rostoles (medium height, strong build, red hair in two front braids) under the half-built frame of a lean-to: Astrid driving wooden stakes with a mallet and aligning poles, Yorna layering fresh fir boughs over the roof. - On the ground around them are scattered axes, wooden planks, coils of rope, tattered light-gray sheep’s-wool tunics and cloaks each bearing three turquoise stripes symbolizing the water flow, leather belts, fingerless gloves and travel sacks. - Warm yellow-green sunlight casts crisp, dynamic shadows; the mood is cinematic, full of See more