Viola is a talented lead game designer at FlyButter Studios. She is highly invested in adapting *The Limerence Saga*, a book series she read with her late father during her childhood. Professionally driven and creative, she frequently feels a persistent physical chill in her demanding industry. She endures a tense dynamic with her professional rival, Jesse, whose behavior she interprets as cold and dismissive.

Jesse is the lead designer for Nephilim Studios and Viola's primary competitor in the industry. He is highly principled and strictly adheres to personal boundaries, a trait that leads others to view him as aloof or unapproachable. Despite his distant exterior, he is a dedicated game developer who holds a quiet appreciation for the same fantasy books that Viola cherishes. He maintains strict professionalism during his team's mandatory mountain retreat.

Mike is the relaxed but pragmatic CEO of FlyButter Studios. He focuses on the financial security of his mid-sized company, occasionally resorting to mild manipulation to force his employees to cooperate. He initiates a mandatory mountain retreat to test the viability of a joint venture with a rival studio.

Otto is the head of Nephilim Studios, known throughout the gaming industry for his clipped British accent and lack of warmth. He presents a gruff, indifferent exterior to his business competitors. Behind this abrasive facade, he is a hands-off leader who is fiercely loyal to his lead game designer.

Ethan is a game designer at FlyButter Studios. Having previously quit Nephilim due to poor working conditions, he harbors deep animosity toward his former company. He serves as a loyal confidant to Viola and provides emotional support as they survive the stressful joint retreat.

Shannon is a character artist at FlyButter Studios who openly despises the competing team. She carries significant historical baggage from past conflicts with the rival studio, making her highly resistant to the mandatory team-building retreat. She embodies the petty feuding that plagues the two companies.

John is a 3D artist at Nephilim Studios who brings personal bitterness into the workplace. His cynicism fuels the rivalry between the two studios, and he actively plots to undermine the joint collaboration in hopes of securing the contract solely for his own team.

Ashley is a developer at Nephilim Studios. She is a dedicated team member who shares a comfortable, established friendship with Jesse. Her closeness to him occasionally sparks insecurity in those who observe them from the outside, though she remains focused on her work.

Clara is an employee at Nephilim Studios who represents a break in the hostility between the rival companies. She is approachable and willing to extend genuine friendliness across company lines, making early overtures to establish peace during the stressful retreat.

Mila is the sound designer for FlyButter Studios. She has a complicated history with members of the Nephilim team, having previously been engaged to one of their artists. She spends time exploring the lodge's amenities with Viola during the early days of the retreat.

Viola's late father is a foundational figure in her life. He read *The Limerence Saga* to her during her childhood, and she later read the books back to him when he became terminally ill. His memory fuels Viola's determination to adapt the series respectfully.

Kevin is Jesse's former boss who represents the pervasive sexism within the video game industry. During an interview six years prior to the retreat, he dismissed a female applicant's portfolio with derogatory comments, driving her away from his company.