Arynne
Salmon of Doubt
It’s an old story. You probably know it already...
The humble farmer and her husband had no child, so they went to beg the old witch for one. The witch (who lived deep in the forest, surrounded by her beasts) would not part with any of her offspring, but offered to loan one to the couple for a while. On her fifteenth birthday, however, the child would have to return to the forest to complete her destiny.
The farmer and her husband agreed (desperate people will agree to anything) and the bargain was made. The story doesn’t say whether the woman actually gave birth to the witch’s child herself, or if she found the baby on her doorstep when she and her husband returned home. It does say that the child was a beautiful little girl, perfect in every way -- save for slightly pointed ears, and two odd splotches on her back. These were easily concealed, though, and her parents quickly came to dote on their new daughter.
Dancing Fox had a happy childhood. Life in the Age of Sorrows is never easy, but her mother and father cherished one another and her, and she had many playmates in the village, drawn by her grace and laughter. Yes, her childhood was happy…so long as she remained a child.
It was on her thirteenth birthday that her mother noticed the lumps on her back. After that, things went downhill with the speed of a runaway wagon.
The lumps grew and grew, taking on an unmistakable shape. Dancing Fox’s parents tried strapping them down, but the attempt caused her such agonizing pain that they gave it up. Her ears seemed to be growing longer too, so that her hair no longer sufficed to cover them. Whispers followed her everywhere, as did words like “mutant†and “changelingâ€. Her former friends pretended not to know her. Life in the village became torment, but the farmer forbade her daughter to go anywhere near the forest. As time passed, they seldom liked to even let her out of their sight.
On the eve of her fifteenth birthday Dancing Fox’s mother and father grew even more agitated. Speaking harshly to their daughter for the first time in her life, they ordered her into the cellar and bolted her in. “Cover your eyes,†they told her. “Cover your ears. Do not make a sound. Be still as death.†And she was.
She huddled in the dark for an unknown length of time until hunger, thirst and resentment drove her to rebellion: she opened her eyes, took her hands from her ears, and found food and water. She then called to her parents, but no one answered.
Going up the stairs, Dancing Fox found the cellar door unbolted, and no trace of her parents anywhere. The table and chairs had been upset, and in the dirt outside her front door she saw the tracks of many animals. But when she went outside to look more closely, the moon showed her what she had become.
Dancing Fox walked away from the village that night, away from the people who shunned her as a monster and the house that was no longer her home. She set off into the forest in search of her parents…and somebody else, who could do what her parents were unable to do.
As she opened her large ears to the music of the night and let her leathery wings stretch out for the first time, she thought, What I need is someone who can teach me how to fly.
It’s an old story. Perhaps one of the oldest.
The farmer and her husband agreed (desperate people will agree to anything) and the bargain was made. The story doesn’t say whether the woman actually gave birth to the witch’s child herself, or if she found the baby on her doorstep when she and her husband returned home. It does say that the child was a beautiful little girl, perfect in every way -- save for slightly pointed ears, and two odd splotches on her back. These were easily concealed, though, and her parents quickly came to dote on their new daughter.
Dancing Fox had a happy childhood. Life in the Age of Sorrows is never easy, but her mother and father cherished one another and her, and she had many playmates in the village, drawn by her grace and laughter. Yes, her childhood was happy…so long as she remained a child.
It was on her thirteenth birthday that her mother noticed the lumps on her back. After that, things went downhill with the speed of a runaway wagon.
The lumps grew and grew, taking on an unmistakable shape. Dancing Fox’s parents tried strapping them down, but the attempt caused her such agonizing pain that they gave it up. Her ears seemed to be growing longer too, so that her hair no longer sufficed to cover them. Whispers followed her everywhere, as did words like “mutant†and “changelingâ€. Her former friends pretended not to know her. Life in the village became torment, but the farmer forbade her daughter to go anywhere near the forest. As time passed, they seldom liked to even let her out of their sight.
On the eve of her fifteenth birthday Dancing Fox’s mother and father grew even more agitated. Speaking harshly to their daughter for the first time in her life, they ordered her into the cellar and bolted her in. “Cover your eyes,†they told her. “Cover your ears. Do not make a sound. Be still as death.†And she was.
She huddled in the dark for an unknown length of time until hunger, thirst and resentment drove her to rebellion: she opened her eyes, took her hands from her ears, and found food and water. She then called to her parents, but no one answered.
Going up the stairs, Dancing Fox found the cellar door unbolted, and no trace of her parents anywhere. The table and chairs had been upset, and in the dirt outside her front door she saw the tracks of many animals. But when she went outside to look more closely, the moon showed her what she had become.
Dancing Fox walked away from the village that night, away from the people who shunned her as a monster and the house that was no longer her home. She set off into the forest in search of her parents…and somebody else, who could do what her parents were unable to do.
As she opened her large ears to the music of the night and let her leathery wings stretch out for the first time, she thought, What I need is someone who can teach me how to fly.
It’s an old story. Perhaps one of the oldest.
Name:[/b] Dancing Fox
Archetype: Broker
Profession: Courier
Motivation: Rescue my parents. While I’m at it, find out who I am.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3; Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Flying +1), Awareness 3 (In Poor Light +2), Dodge 3 (In Flight +1), Integrity 2, Investigation 2, Linguistics 1, Lore 1, Martial Arts 2, Occult 1, Presence 1, Resistance 2, Ride 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3 (Forests +1)
Backgrounds: Destiny 3, Patron 3
Mutations --
Poxes: Claws, Enhanced Hearing, Fangs, Night Vision, Sonar
Deficiency: Disturbing Voice
Affliction: Inexhaustible
Debilities: Albino, Diet (Nectar)
Abomination: Wings
Join Battle: 6
Attacks --
Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 2L piercing, Defense - , Rate 1
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 2L, Defense 7, Rate 3
Clawed Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 5L, Defense 3, Rate 2
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 2B, Defense - , Rate 1
Soak: 0L/3B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incapacitated
Dodge DV: 3 (4 in the air)
Willpower: 6
Essence: 1
Notes: As much as we all loved the “gargoyle†concept, we already have a stalwart guardian in the group, so…
I’m assuming the old witch, whoever, whatever she is, uses Fox to carry her messages, meaning Fox travels around a lot, making it easy for her to meet the other characters. Perhaps her Destiny is to deliver a message that will change history? (Or not deliver it.)
Archetype: Broker
Profession: Courier
Motivation: Rescue my parents. While I’m at it, find out who I am.
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3; Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Virtues: Compassion 3, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2
Abilities: Athletics 3 (Flying +1), Awareness 3 (In Poor Light +2), Dodge 3 (In Flight +1), Integrity 2, Investigation 2, Linguistics 1, Lore 1, Martial Arts 2, Occult 1, Presence 1, Resistance 2, Ride 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3 (Forests +1)
Backgrounds: Destiny 3, Patron 3
Mutations --
Poxes: Claws, Enhanced Hearing, Fangs, Night Vision, Sonar
Deficiency: Disturbing Voice
Affliction: Inexhaustible
Debilities: Albino, Diet (Nectar)
Abomination: Wings
Join Battle: 6
Attacks --
Bite: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 2L piercing, Defense - , Rate 1
Claw: Speed 5, Accuracy 6, Damage 2L, Defense 7, Rate 3
Clawed Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 5, Damage 5L, Defense 3, Rate 2
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 2B, Defense - , Rate 1
Soak: 0L/3B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incapacitated
Dodge DV: 3 (4 in the air)
Willpower: 6
Essence: 1
Notes: As much as we all loved the “gargoyle†concept, we already have a stalwart guardian in the group, so…
I’m assuming the old witch, whoever, whatever she is, uses Fox to carry her messages, meaning Fox travels around a lot, making it easy for her to meet the other characters. Perhaps her Destiny is to deliver a message that will change history? (Or not deliver it.)