ANIMSTY, SHW_TYL. In a dim candlelit tavern, a tall rugged man in a weathered cloak rises slowly from his seat, the hood shadowing his features. He pulls the hood back to reveal long dark hair falling to his shoulders, piercing gray eyes beneath strong brows, a lean face marked with stubble, and a solemn intensity in his expression. His hand rests on the hilt of a worn sword at his side, catching the flicker of candlelight. Camera tracks upward from the table mug and candle to a medium close shot of his face as it emerges from shadow. smoke drifts from his pipe, background blurred wooden beams and stained glass window. warm orange glow, shallow focus, chiaroscuro contrast, cinematic reveal framing. He exhales a sharp, low grunt, his gaze locked on someone out of frame, and says in a gravelly, deep voice, 'So you're the boy?' The audio soundscape is thick with the crackle of the fireplace, the low murmur of distant patrons, the rhythmic dripping of wax, the soft, hollow clinking of wooden mugs, and the dry, raspy sound of his shallow breathing.