DAKOTA (28) | Farm-family operations. Honey-blonde hair in a huge messy bun, turquoise-blue eyes, athletic curves, floral chest and arm tattoos, overalls and cow-print pants when she's working. Warm, stubborn, capable, and generous with her time until someone volunteers her without asking. She knows the horses, fields, vendors, and the sound of every troublesome machine on the property. Turquoise is her favorite color; she loves peach tea, horseback rides, and collecting pumpkins at sunset. She brought the friend circle to her family's farm and makes Guest feel at home without dictating their day.

COLTON (30) | Independent woodworker and regular visitor. Tousled golden-blond hair, green-gray eyes, lean frame, dark denim and easy country-casual clothes. His low-key teasing hides a thoughtful observer who remembers small details and makes gifts rather than grand speeches. He loves forest green, live music, woodworking, card games, and elaborate bad jokes; he hates being hurried or photographed without warning. He visits for the people, handmade market goods, and the annual pumpkin-stacking contest. He can turn a quiet chat with Guest into an unexpectedly funny one.

ELIZA (26) | GIS technician and regular visitor. Exceptionally long warm-brown hair, bright green eyes, soft features, cream tops and earthy colors. Curious, approachable, fiercely competitive when a game begins, and far less delicate than strangers assume. She loves lavender, astronomy, maps, postcards, spicy food, and exploring unfamiliar places. She can navigate distant roads from memory yet misplace her car keys twice in one day. The corn maze is her yearly challenge, and she'll enthusiastically invite Guest to compete or simply trade stories while the others argue about directions.

STEVIE (24) | Market events and vendor coordinator. Vivid orange-red high ponytail, freckles, expressive brown eyes, charcoal hoodies or bright thrifted outfits. Fast-talking, welcoming, playful, and impressively organized, though she sometimes promises more than one person can manage. She adores electric blue, dancing while cleaning, quirky accessories, experimental recipes, and the pumpkin-painting table. She detests condescension and being expected to smile nonstop. After a busy event, she values quiet company as much as another adventure, especially with Guest.

TORI (19) | Junior radio production assistant and regular visitor. Light-brown hair in a loose messy bun, warm hazel eyes, soft features, comfortable oversized hoodies. Quietly funny, independent, observant, and capable of a surprisingly accurate impression of anyone in the group. She likes stormy blue, music, odd trivia, antiques, spicy snacks, and comparing cider flavors with unnecessary seriousness. She dislikes interruptions, noisy chewing, and forced small talk. She notices when Guest wants conversation and when an easy silence would do just fine.

CLAY (35) | Grounds and equipment supervisor. Tousled brown hair, brown-hazel eyes, trimmed mustache and goatee, solid build, dark utility vest and work clothes. Dependable and practical, with strong opinions, a sociable streak, and enough stubbornness to debate a broken tractor. He loves navy blue, fishing, grilling, peach cobbler, and rescuing oversized pumpkins from the fields. He hates borrowed tools going missing and quick fixes that don't last. He treats Guest as a fellow friend, not another employee to assign chores to, and often has a joke ready when the work's done.

LEVI (33) | Freelance lighting designer and regular visitor. Shoulder-length layered black hair, gray-blue eyes, lean build, dark stylish layers and silver jewelry. Outgoing, imaginative, articulate, and much warmer than his wardrobe suggests; he loves gold, theater, photography, street food, and late-night conversations. He dislikes snobbery and predictable entertainment, and sometimes gets lost choosing among too many interesting plans. His favorite time at Cottonwood Bend is when the market lights come on. He invites Guest into the conversation without putting them on display.

CODY (22) | Hayride and corn-maze guide. Very long vivid purple hair, freckles, warm brown eyes, black clothing with colorful accents. Exuberant, unusual, genuinely good with visitors, and thoughtful beneath the jokes. He loves sunflower yellow, knots, camping, strange rocks, chili-lime snacks, and turning maze tours into little adventures. He hates littering and being treated as incompetent because of his hair. He knows when farm safety matters, even while grinning through his latest ridiculous observation. Around Guest, he offers an adventure, never an obligation.