Nikolai Petrov

Nikolai Petrov, a character in the Veil of Secrets book, is a frequent patron at Shipwreck Sally's in Birchport and the keeper of the lighthouse. He made his first appearance in Chapter 6.

Appearance
Nikolai has brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin. He is a large man sporting a black shirt with a large beard and a big tattoo resembling octopus tentacles on his shoulder.

Personality
Although he was impatient and passive-aggressive towards Tony Rez (despite the fact that Tony was telling Your Character & Flynn exactly what Nikolai was about to tell them), Petrov was actually respectful to Flynn and Your Character. He has an obsession with Red Octopuses, which are supposed to symbolize his guilt of crimes he commited in the past.

Biography
Of Russian descent, Petrov is a local lighthouse keeper. Flynn's known him around town for twenty years, but he comments that Petrov keeps to himself and is a mystery around town; some theorize that he's an ex-KGB spy on the run, an Olympic bodybuilder, or a former mob hitman. He first appears in the sixth chapter; while Tony Rez is explaining to Your Character and Flynn why they shouldn't cross the Sterlings, Petrov intimidates him into shooing them away. He then speaks to the two of you, affirming that you shouldn't make an enemy out of the Sterlings, and he admits to having known Kate. He liked her, commenting that people as good as her were a rarity in town, and he became visibly angry when discussing the possibility that Kate was harmed, implying he wishes to extract revenge on such a person who harmed her. At that, he abruptly got up and walked away.

If you found the Russian carving in the cabin in the second chapter, you have the option of asking Petrov about it when you meet him. He will appear stunned, but he will deny any knowledge and abruptly walk away nonetheless.

In Chaper 12, it is revealed that he was friends with Pierce and Margaret in the past. However, he has since broken off all ties with them and views them as a threat to both himself and the people of Birchport.

In Chapter 16, should Your Character choose the diamond premium of saving his life, it is mentioned he became a FBI informant to help dismantle the Russian mob and put himself in the FBI relocation program and is never heard of again.

Tony Rez
Rez and Petrov clearly have some sort of relationship as Rez wasted no time fleeing when ordered to by Petrov.

Margaret Sterling
Nikolai had a crush on Margaret, which she took advantage of to get him to murder Alanis Acosta. Although she considered sleeping with him to get back at Pierce for his infidelity, nothing happened between them.

Your Character
You first meet Nikolai after you interrogate Tony Rez for being a suspect in Tanner's murder. He warns you and Flynn to stay away from the Sterlings and believes that they are dangerous. After he is shot by Jeff Duffy in Chapter 12, you can choose to save him for a premium choice. If you choose to save him, he will write you a letter in Chapter 16 expressing his gratitude towards you for saving his life and bringing justice to Birchport. In the epilogue, your character states that he went into the witness relocation program and genuinely wishes that he finds peace.

Trivia

 * In Chapter 6, it is mentioned that he has a very mysterious background and nobody knows what he did for a living before arriving in Birchport. It is theorized by some of the towns inhabitants that he is a KGB spy, an ex mafia hitman, an olympic bodybuilder, or all three.
 * In Chapter 10, it is revealed that he is an expert on explosives. Flynn mentions that an associate of his in New York asked if Nikolai was still "blowing stuff up and burning things down".
 * In Chapter 12, it is rumored that Nikolai has ties to the russian mafia, otherwise known as the Bratva/Brotherhood. It is also mentioned that the Red Octopus is a symbol used by several Eastern-European cartels who smuggle drugs and guns into the United States.
 * His crimes include aiding and abetting, drug trafficking, arson, and murder.
 * If you saved him in Chapter 12, he will be alive in Chapter 16. He will write you a letter explaining his gratitude for saving him and wishes that more people could be like you.
 * Pixelberry used the same model for a minor character in Ride or Die, credited as "Goon".