Part of the intro sequence.
The story of the player character begins on the backseat of a Datsun 100A Cherry, where they are brought to the world by their mother. An intro sequence depicting this moment can be seen when a new game is started: the song Porilaisten marssi is playing during the scene, the screen zooms out and eventually shows a top down view of the car, and a yellow title saying "SUOMI FINLAND 1976 [first name] was born" appears.
After the intro, the game jumps to year 1995 which makes the main character 18–19 years old. In Finland the minimum age for a driver's licence is 18 years. Not much else is known about the player character, but judging by the voice and other implications, the main character is a male.
The note from the parents.
The main character is living with his parents in Kesselinperä, but the parents are absent. Their absence is explained on a note seen on the fridge door after starting the game.
| In Finnish the note says: |
|---|
| "Jos joku tillaa halakoja nii elä laiskottele. Laita isäs vanaha auto kunttoo tai viiään se sitte romuttamolle. Se on nyt vuostolokulla sotkenu autotalliva. Issäis sannoo että saat sen omakses jos laitat kunttoon ja katastat. Voit lainata enon pakettiauttoo jos täyvyy hoittoo asioit. |
| Jos käyt mökillä nii kato että tulipesät on sammutettu. |
| Elä sitte juopottele ja muista siivota kun sotket! |
| Tuumma Suomee sitte ku alakaa Teneriffa tympiä! |
| Terveisin äippä ja issäis" |
| Which translates to: |
|---|
| "Don't slack if someone orders firewood to be delivered. Fix your dad's old car or we'll take it to the scrapyard because it has been filling up the garage for years now. Your dad says if you repair the car and make it pass the inspection, you can keep it. You can borrow your uncle's van if you need to go run some errands. |
| If you visit the cottage, make sure the sauna stove and fireplace are put out. |
| Don't get drunk and remember to clean up if you make a mess! |
| We will return to Finland when Tenerife gets boring! |
| Best wishes mom and dad" |
Family
The player character has some family living in Alivieska, though most of them are either absent or dead. The player character, their parents, and uncle live on a peninsula called Kesselinperä which is named after the family surname, Kesseli. The player character's family is a large part of the game's story.
Mother
Almost nothing is known about the player character's mother, apart from the obvious fact that she gave birth to them. She is the one who wrote the fridge note, as the player character's father is mentioned in third person.
Father
The player character's father is the owner of the Satsuma, and is most likely driving it during the intro sequence. He is also mentioned by the player character's grandmother; she says that she is surprised he didn't become an alcoholic after not being picked in the national skiing team for the Olympics.
Grandmother
- Main article: Sirkka
The player character's grandmother, Sirkka, lives in a modest house by the railroad tracks in the southern part of Alivieska. She says to have spent 78 summers in Finland, which means that she is at least 78 years old, possibly older as she might be referencing living in independent Finland for that long. She will tell various things about the region and its inhabitants if one has the patience to listen.
Grandfather
The player character's grandfather is mentioned once by Sirkka, who says that he changed completely after returning from the war, becoming an alcoholic and eventually dying because of it. He also built the house where Sirkka currently lives in.
Cousin
- Main article: Pena
The player character's cousin, Pena, is a drunkard who can be found driving around the dirt roads of Alivieska in his green Fiat 133. Not much else is known about him, apart from the fact that he is very friendly to the player character, giving them a free ride whenever they need one.
Uncle
Very little is known about the uncle. He is implied to be running KESSELIN URAKOINTI KY, being the owner of the company van and likely the sewage lorry as well. He is completely absent, and the player character's grandmother claims that he is an alcoholic.
Friends
In addition to the family, the player character has some friends living in Alivieska. Some of them are friends of the family, while others might be complete strangers to the player character. They help extend the story of the game even further.
Drunk hitchhiker
- Main article: Jokke
The drunk hitchhiker, dubbed Jokke, is a person who most likely gets introduced to the player character by a phone call. He is involved in many of the player character's exploits, but the most notable involvement comes from him calling the player character for a ride home. He will drunkenly reveal some information about his life while driving to his house, most notably the fact that he seems to be very unsatisfied with his marriage. Further story development will occur once the player character has become good friends with him.
Shopkeeper
- Main article: Teimo
The shopkeeper, Teimo, is a very close friend of the family, although he seems somewhat cautious about the player character and their shenanigans. He is the owner of the shop and pub in Peräjärvi, and appears to be very content with his life. He lives in a small house on the outskirts of Peräjärvi with his wife, Irma.