*snip*
Also, what's the story with the Esrolian? Was she actually from Esrolia? Curious.
CJ replies -
this was Rob's second HQ2 character, the one he created after Jaranessa the Trickster was retired from the game on session 7. He spent a week reading and putting together a background which explains the Esrolian thing -- I was impressed by his dedication, given this was his forst eer Heroquest game and he had by his own admission not played RQ or any Gloranthan game since the early 19080's. He hit my books, and this is what he came up with...
The Saga (so far) of Leikestra Longstride
Of My Origins
I was born, a child of two worlds, on a river barge near Stone Cross
in Beast Valley, travelling to Nochet on the Creek-Stream River. My father was named Enjossen Longstride, an
Issaries merchant of the Orlmarthi Clan of Nymie Vale in the Colymar lands of
Dragon Pass. He traded Clearwine with
the city of Nochet in Esrolia in exchange for exotic goods from all over
Glorantha. It was there that he met and
fell in love with my mother, Noniria of the Great Enfranchised House Hulta (called
The Black Haired Clan) who dealt with his business. Seeing the advantage that a marriage-pacted
monopoly could provide, Grandmother Varadis approved the union of her Clan and
a foreign barbarian of the Storm Tribe, and to begin with, found no immediate
cause for disquiet, but I guess the clouds were gathering from that moment.
I grew up travelling between Sartar and Esrolia, spending only a few weeks at a time at Clearwine Fort or in Nochet. In Esrolia my mother called the shots (Men don’t wear trousers there) and in Sartar, my father. It worked, and being from a prosperous Heortling family and an exceptionally powerful and wealthy Enfranchised House, life was good, and due to the influence of the two cultures, cosmopolitan.
Of Change
Things changed when the armies of the Chaos Demon Shepelkirt invaded
Sartar. We were in Esrolia at the time,
and mother and father were planning the next trade voyage when news of the
invasion arrived. I was nine. Losing the Clearwine trade damaged the houses
fortunes, not to mention my mother’s status in the House (my father, being a
man, officially had none). My father was
sent off to join the Irillo Hundreds where he “could at least be of some use”
and I was to be brought up properly, as befitting a girl of a Great House. My former upbringing had ill prepared me for
this, and Grandmother Varadis became angry when she couldn’t make me do
anything. To be fair, mother must have
borne the brunt of Grandmother’s ire: all I suffered was the not occasional
beating, which only strengthened my resolve. Like an Iron sword blade, I was
forged upon the anvil of my Grandmother’s oppression.
There was an influx of Heortling refugees into Nochet at that time,
fleeing the savage, conquering Lunars, and I was often able to steal away and
spend time in their company. Even though
I was not known to them, I spoke their dialect and took food and other
necessaries, and so was accepted. In
defiance of my Grandmother I learnt more of my Heortling heritage. Every time I
was caught, punished and grounded the tales I had heard of Orlanth and Heroes,
old and new, inspired me. Freedom meant something.
Three years later, when I was twelve, the Lunar army marched on
Esrolia. They were defeated at the Building Wall Battle, but my father was
honoured as one of the fallen. I
remember sitting around a fire with grim fortifications towering all around
listening to warriors (including some women) singing of my father. It was my first taste of mead. After that I was a frequent visitor to the
Storm Temple and was determined to be a warrior and avenge my father, like in
the old tales.
When I wasn’t at the Storm Temple (they chased me away for rituals) or chafing under the yoke of my Grandmother (travelling by palanquin is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you’re twelve) I ran with the street gangs of the Heortlings in Poorside and got into all sorts of trouble – fighting, stealing, and having fun. We used to throw stones at the fishermen on the Waertagi Dragonship dock, and I once spent the night on the haunted Jrusteli Isle in the harbour for a dare.
In between these wild escapades I was punished on Grandmother Varadis’
orders and confined to the Hulta compound until I contrived another
escape. Grandmother said I’d been tainted by my father’s blood, and
instead of embodying the four Esrovuli Virtues of Imarja: Harmony, Filial Piety, Prudence and
Compassion, I was cursed with Violence, Hubris, Recklessness and
Cruelty. I reckon she’s right on three
of them, four if it’s cruel to hate the vicious old shrew. I certainly don’t love her like I was told I
should.
Of My Initiation
Eventually I reached womanhood at fifteen, and the night before I was
due to be inducted into the cult of Imarja I ran to the Storm Temple and took
the initiation rites to Vinga, proud and wilful Daughter of Orlanth! When I returned home, defiant, Grandmother’s
anger was the equal of any storm. She
could have sold me into slavery or slain me with a withering look (I think she
tried...). Instead she merely declared
that as she couldn’t make me do anything, and I was no longer fit to give the
house any daughters (not that any decent man would have me) I should be cursed
to wander, aimless, clanless and alone, bereft of the support of civilization
and family. I was an exile! An outlaw like Orlanth!
Of My Exile
Had I not misspent my youth in petty criminality, gang warfare and
hanging around fierce barbarians, it would have been the end of me, for to have
no House in Nochet is a slow, lingering death sentence. I was determined to run off and join the Wolf
Pirates who were busy making a name for themselves raiding out of the Three
Step Islands, but a group of adventurers
from the Storm Temple had found work for the Du Tumerine family in various
capacities, and got me a place aboard a river barge, plying the sedate waterways
around the city, which, on reflection was probably more suited to me at that
time. Other work of a more dubious and
clandestine nature presented itself on occasion (The Donna having a use for
discrete individuals who don’t ask too many questions).
After a few years I’d adopted western fashions and had worked my way up to proper blue-ocean ship’s crew, smuggling tobacco out to Seshnela, the promotion coming due to my usefulness and willingness to do ‘favours’ for the Du Tumerine (now an adoptive family of sorts) as much as any seafaring ability.
Of My Less Than Triumphant Return to Sartar
On one particular layover after a voyage I happened upon a new group of Heortlings in Nochet. This was 1613, I was now twenty and getting a reputation for swordsmanship, and these people were Leika Ballista’s band, come to find the last heir of Sartar during the Starbrow’s rebellion. I was able to be of some assistance as a guide to the city and in tracing Temertain, and accompanied them back to Sartar, my first return in eleven years. Leika, who had known my father, gave to me the name “Longstride” after him on the journey North.
The events of
the rebellion and Temertain’s capitulation to the Lunars are well known, and I
returned to Nochet in disgust as the rebellion unravelled and tribe turned
against tribe. It may have been a
disaster, but I was able to begin fulfilling my oath to avenge my father then,
and my blade was red with Lunar blood when I returned to Nochet.
Of My Becoming a Pirate and Them Making Me Their Queen
Another trip for the Du Tumerine was cut short by the Wolf Pirates only two days out. Joining them proved no difficulty at all, and I was with them when they famously cruised past Corflu in 1614 without even bothering to raid it. Life amongst the Wolf pirate Brethren was wild, exciting and egalitarian. One with my talents for bloodshed, sailing and storm-raising was bound to do well and in almost no time at all I found myself captain of a ship. The pirates named me “The Kestrel”: a corruption of my name and the fact I had an Orlmarthi woodpecker tattoo – none of them knew what a woodpecker was and thought it must be a bird of prey on one so fierce as me. It made a good name for the ship too.
I became close friends with, and the lover of,
Orstando Blackwolf, the Wolf Pirate King, and so I became theWolf Pirate
Queen. In 1616 (called Evil Year in
Ketheala) together we crushed the Holy Country fleet and raided Seapolis. The fighting here was hard - it cost me an
eye. By this time the re-awakened Hero Harrek
the Berserk had joined us and his star was definitely in the ascendant. Orstando was killed a year later and,
unbelievably, Harrek was announced “Champion of Ygg” by that Storm God’s High
Priest and named the new leader of the Wolf Pirates. Doubly disappointed at the loss of Orstando
and my position amongst the pirates I announced I was leaving, broken-hearted
(see the tattoo). It’s not that I
dislike Harrek, I don’t, but I can’t work with him and will admit to some
slight jealousy. It was time to move on.
Of My Leaving the Brotherhood of Wolf Pirates
My crew were sorry to see me go: they dropped me and my share of plunder (I had amassed a considerable sum in ‘pieces of fate’ as the pirates called the Holy Country coinage, over the years) ashore and I bade them farewell and Bon Voyage (as the Esrovuli dialect has it). After the last few years raiding I certainly wasn’t going to be welcome in Nochet, Esrolia or the rest of the Holy Country, so I set off for the lands of my father’s clan, a place I’ve not been these sixteen years. I wonder if anyone will recognise me?
Of My Future
Who can tell what Fate has in store for me?
Introduction (Traditional Style):
I am Leikestra Enjossensdottir, of Nochet and Nymie Vale, called Longstride by Queen Leika Ballista.
I am a Wind-dancer of Vinga! A
tempestuous Thunder Brother! My sword
cuts like the wind! Hail Orlanth!
I have been a Queen of the Wolf Pirates, who name me “The Kestrel” and have driven enemy fleets in disarray before me.
I am of Sartar and Esrolia.
No-one can make me do anything, not even my Grandmother!
Again hope does not constitute spam, but an amusing background I thought, and as you asked...
cj x
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