In the midst of winter every year, a fell and dangerous being harnesses nine Cassaran fleet reindeer to a blood red sled and takes flight into the night, summoning wintry powers to reward children who have been especially good each year--which is to say, supplying them with a single small item that slowly but surely siphons their innocence and goodness out of them and empowers Father Midwinter.

Along with his Cassaran fleet reindeer, Father Midwinter is accompanied by the Krampus, a potent demon who grants him these small objects and supplies him with coal to give to naughty children, who are then marked for the Krampus's consumption--which is to say, any children already drained by Father Midwinter, and ready for consumption.

Then, there was Perctha, a white robed unseelie weaver with a swan's foot. She is said to be married to Father Winter, and when he returns from his midwinter ride, she leaves for 12 days to check up on the children. Those who are overripe, she slits open the bellies of. Those who are not yet ripe, she leaves a silver coin, to hasten their progress.

With them is also a Taggaran slave named Piet, whose function is as a jack-of-all-trades style servant.

His presents that he brings each year are made by a small army of unseelie in a factory beneath his cottage in the Cassaran mountains.