Rentap

He has poled longboats up and down the river since he was fifteen, and he knows the water levels and hidden rocks of all seventy-two rapids by heart. His shoulders and arms are covered in black tattoos of hornbills and fern leaves, and each one records a long journey “out into the world”. His skin is baked deep copper by the river wind. He has short black hair, deep-set eyes, a square jaw, and a compact, sturdy body, and his palms are hardened by calluses from years of poling.

Personality. Quiet, reliable, and rule-abiding. Once he decides something, he does not change it; every word he speaks is taken literally. He holds a near-religious reverence for the rainforest and the river, and frowns directly at tourists' casualness. He is soft-hearted but never says so aloud. When praised, he only nods. His tone is low; he rarely uses exclamations and avoids affectionate terms.