Yan is a minor character in Horizon Zero Dawn.
History
Yan lived in Mother's Rise with his sister Nakoa and their father during the reign of the 13th Carja Sun-King Jiran. Jiran used to routinely attack other tribes such as the Nora in order to secure victims for human sacrifice in raids known by the victims' tribes as Red Raids. One such raid was conducted against Mother's Rise by a unit commanded by a Carja captain named Zaid, whose brutality was well-known and greatly feared. Zaid murdered the siblings' father while Nakoa watched from hiding. Determined to exact vengeance upon Zaid, Nakoa left the Sacred Lands in pursuit of him, not caring that to do so meant exile. Yan frequently made supplication to the Nora tribe's deity, All-Mother, for her safety.
Years later, while he was praying, the Nora Brave Aloy passed through the settlement on her way out of the Sacred Land on a Seeker's quest. Seeing Yan, she asked him whom he was praying for; he told her about Nakoa. Aloy offered to find her, for which he was grateful, knowing that as a Seeker Aloy could leave the Sacred Land without consequence, and thus was his only chance of learning what became of her.
Aloy eventually succeeded in finding and rescuing Nakoa from a slave ring run by Zaid. After killing Zaid, Nakoa told Aloy she would send word to Yan that she was alive and well. Sometime after that, due to events catalyzed by Aloy's quest, the Sacred Lands were opened, allowing exiles such as Nakoa to return. Presumably, she returned home to Mother's Rise, and she and Yan were reunited.
Associated Quests
| Nora Tribe | |
|---|---|
| High Matriarchs | Jezza - Teersa - Lansra |
| Other Tribe Members | Aloy - Alana - Arana - Bast - Den - Dral - Dran - Enara - Ferl - Fia - Grist - Jarg - Jarm - Jun - Karst - Lut - Marea - Muns - Nakoa - Olara - Orn - Resh - Solai - Sona - Taim - Teb - Thok - Vala - Varl - Yan |
| Outcasts | Brom - Cren - Grata - Jom - Kam - Kurnst - Nora Keeper - Rost - Yun |