Oliver D. Bernuetz's Gloranthan Characters - Hallelujah (Lou) Harnsdottir of the Dragonbridge Clan

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Hallelujah, or Lou as she is more generally known, is the youngest of eight children and the only girl born to Bolder Saxson and Harn Weetsdotter. Her name refers to her mother's joy at finally having a daughter. But growing up with seven rambunctious brothers led her to be something of a tomboy. She insisted on taking weapons training with the boys, if only to have a chance to get even for the nickname they gave her - Runt.

Her clan, which consists of her family, her father's younger brother and family and a few men-at-arms are the traditional keepers, and toll takers, of a bridge over the small but energetic Westdragon river in Caladraland. (Family history: Lou's great-great grandfather was on the losing side of a clan feud in Sartar. He picked up and left Sartar with his kith and kin and relocated to Caladraland. He married a local woman (his first wife had died in the feud) whose family had been the traditional guardians of the Dragonbridge. Since then the family has mostly honored Esrolian traditions rather than Sartarite traditions, except that the men tend to be more independent than Esrolian men and tend to follow one war god or another. Speaking Sartarite was reserved for males only (something Lou resents) and to the casual eye the family is pretty much a traditional Caladrland family). As tradition demanded each of her brothers initiated to a warrior cult on his majority and left the tribe to prove their skills. Four brothers survived those dangerous early years. The eldest two survivors are, like their father, pledged to Orlanth and now live at home with their families. The next eldest survivor is a Humakt warrior who continues to travel where ever mercenaries are being hired. The youngest son named Sax for his grandfather, had a spectacular early career as a Stormbull Initiate and is now a Storm Kahn. Sax was Lou's biggest tormentor as a child, the initiator of the "Runt" appellation, but is now Lou's best friend - though he is the only one who still calls her runt. Sax plays the part of a big, dumb, berserker very well but is quite intelligent. Like any good Storm Kahn, he spends a few weeks each winter at home drinking and the rest of the time leading his follower's against Chaos.

When Lou reached he fifteenth holy season, she decided she wasn't quite ready to settle own yet. Despite all the suitors vying for her attention (she was already quite beautiful). or perhaps because of them, she choose to pledge a warrior cult. To somewhat appease her mother, she joined an Earth Cult - Babeester Gor. Though Lou worked hard in those early years, she found her fellow cultists a little grim. She had set aside, for the time being, the traditional woman's role, but Lou didn't have the same driven need to be warlike which infected most of her compatriots. Whatever Lou's feelings about the cult, the goddess must like Lou. Babeester's gift, the priestess's called it, when Lou, already tall, continued to grow. By the time her growth stopped in her twenty second year, Lou had attained a height of six and a half feet and weighs a perfectly proportioned 165. She also became quite strong, though a side effect of the growth spurt left her vulnerable to disease and short on wind.

Still uncertain about her place in the world, Lou left temple service (though retaining her ties to Babeester Gor) and hired on as a guard with an Issaries merchant-priest. Though she traveled with him for three years, he did not accept her initiation into the Issaries cult. During that time, Lou came to realize that her size and martial training have forever barred her from a traditional woman's role. However, it hasn't freed her from some of the traditional problems. When the Issaries priest married his new wife demanded that he get rid of his leggy, dusky guard.

So Lou found herself traveling alone, earning a living with her marginal trading skills. She has, however a new determination. She may be a warrior, but she doesn't need to be a grim recluse. She intends to see the world and learn new things before returning to serve the goddess, someday as a priestess.

Character

Lou doesn't want to be known for her martial skills. She wears the runes of Issaries, though she has the runes of Babeester Gor on the haft of her axe. She will not identify herself as an initiate of Babeester Gor, except to an Earth cult priestess or to an Earth cultist who aks. She will also decline any demonstrations, front rank positions, or any other warrior post. However in a fight she will hold nothing back.

She tends towards the sarcastic, especially to men. She will use either her beauty, size or both to intimidate. She will not accept being relegated to a woman's role, but she isn't shy about claiming a woman's privileges when they are to her advantage. She is aware that this is a double standard, but doesn't care. However, her respect does increase towards individuals who don't let her get away with this.

Because of her sex, beauty, and susceptibility to disease, Lou has developed a phobia towards broos. (Actually this is probably as common as a fear of snakes in our society). She will not voluntarily enter melee with them. She is otherwise pretty cool and calculating. (As per the stereotypical view of women in Orlanthi society).

Lou is generally quite curious. She will spend time learning (researching) just about anything that comes to hand. At any given time she is likely to have three or four things on the go. Her immediate plans are to overcome her lack of starting capital by compiling a book detailing the prices of numerous commodities at various points along the River of Cradles. She hopes to sell this book to a more prosperous Issaries trader to get a more extensive set of trade goods. Actually, this task better suits her explorative inclinations than a regular trading route would anyway.

This page last modified August 11, 1998 Copyright Doug St. and Oliver B. 1993?, 1998

Last updated November 20, 2017

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Email me at bernuetz@mymts.net