Oliver D. Bernuetz's Gloranthan Characters - Burning Willow

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Appearance

You are over six feet tall with pale skin and flaming red hair. You have the sort of looks that make people take notice. You stick out like a sore thumb in Votanki society as most people are around 5 1/2 feet tall with olive skin and black hair. You're a bit of an outcast but considered a member of the tribe since your mother was a Votanki.

Background

You are an extremely unlikely Votanki since you are the product of a rape. (Rape is against the laws of Votank and unthinkable to boot-force someone to have sex? If they didn't want to sleep with you pick someone else.) Your mother, Sad Willow had travelled to stay with one of the Balazaring tribes (Yellowheaded Woodpecker) in order to have a child. While staying with them she reluctantly went along to the Citadel of Elkoi where she unfortunately caught the eye of an outlander. This outlander wanted to sleep with your mother who refused him. Being a typical Votanki she thought that would be that, falsely thinking that these outlanders believed as she did. The outlander came across your mother when she was alone and raped her. Your mother survived the attack but was badly shocked. She never fully recovered from the experience. The Woodpeckers sent her home to the Crow Eaters where you were born. The tribe has raised you as one of their own but you are filled with strange impulses and desires. You were rejected from the traditional woman's path because of your unsuitability and lack of desire. You followed the path of Foundchild and have had a hard time of it both because you're a woman and because of your foreign looks and size. When you were 16 your mother wandered away from her keepers and became one of those people who "disappear"* every year when they wander off alone. A search was made but all that was found was a pile of her garments on the shores of the Big Salt and some tracks. You wanted to follow the tracks but the hunters who found the clothes muttered about Crows and told you there would be no pursuit. You still haven't forgiven any of them for this. Your hunting mentor is a man named Stalks-Bison-Alone. You get along well with him as he only expects you to act as a hunter. You dislike Catches-Eagles-with-his-bare-hands as he wants more from you and doesn't think you should be a hunter.

* Every year members of the tribe disappear when they are by themselves. The tribe disapproves of people going off by themselves but it happens. Muttering about "crows" is all that you ever hear. No one will explain what they mean by the statement. It must be related to the fact that your people kill crows whenever they see them. They're the only animals you kill for no reason.

This page last modified October 27, 1999 

Last updated November 20, 2017

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Email me at bernuetz@mymts.net