Some people remain in one place. Others pass through and never quite leave it behind.
When readers step into The Vigil, they meet people whose lives unfold in very different ways.
Some travel far from home. Others remain rooted in one place. Both matter. Both shape the story.
This post offers a glimpse of the kinds of lives you will encounter.
Some Lives Move More
One young man begins in Tarsus, shaped by education and expectation. His path leads him to Jerusalem, then to Damascus, and eventually beyond anything he once imagined.
Each city changes him.
He does not wake up one day as a different person. The change comes slowly—through conflict, conviction, and calling. Movement becomes part of his story, and eventually part of who he is.
Readers who enjoy stories of journey and transformation will recognize this pattern.
Some Lives Stay
Not every story is built on travel.
On Nightingale Mountain, life unfolds through daily faithfulness.
An older woman steadies a household shaped by prayer and endurance. A younger woman grows into adulthood within that shelter. An older couple quietly supports the work around them, not by seeking attention, but by remaining faithful over time.
Their lives are not dramatic. They are steady.
And that steadiness shapes everyone around them.
The Power of Presence
Other characters live quietly but leave a lasting mark.
A mother far from her homeland practices faith in small, faithful ways. A beloved disciple leads not by command, but by care. Women known for prayer, households known for hospitality, elders bound by shared promise—all form the fabric of this world.
Often, we notice their importance only when they are absent.
Why These People Still Matter
The world of The Vigil is not built only on major events. It is built on relationships.
Some characters travel across regions. Others never leave home. Together, they form a connected community shaped by faith, loyalty, and responsibility.
This is a story about movement—but also about belonging.
It is about the people who go. And the people who remain.
Author Note
As we wrote this story, we were reminded how much a life is shaped by who walks beside us—and who stays when others leave.
We hope you meet someone in these pages who feels familiar.
Explore More
You can explore related posts across the remaining areas of the St. Hans blog: Behind the Books, Faith & History, Author Journey, and Updates & Releases.
Written by D. D. Shiell — Authors of the Nightingale Mountain Trilogy
