Marin ([MAIR]-[in])
Marin of Lynhold
Marin is the travelling companion of the human spellster Dylan, the dwarven hedgewitch Katarina, the elven mercenary Authril, and the elven King's Hound Tracker. She encountered the first three during one rainy night when they stumbled upon her hut. Unable to turn away drenched souls, knowing the trio would likely starve or succumb to exposure before they found civilisation, she offered them a place to dry off and food.
In return for being warned that the Udynean forces were close enough to be a major threat to her life, she offered to guide them back to the nearest town but remained with the group after they reached their destination due to growing fond of Dylan and Katarina (for vastly different reasons) as well as a sense to see what lay beyond her small section of the continent.
Physical Description
Body Features
Years of archery have given her a muscular upper body, with one side slightly more so than the other. She is agile and can easily wrestle with the average tavern goon.
Due to a run-in with a group of Talfaltaner stragglers, she has a large scar running horizontally across her lower back (and a smaller matching one at the front) where she was run through by their leader. She survived thanks to Dylan's quick intervention and his healing abilities.
Specialized Equipment
Neither her hunting knife nor her bow are ever far from her reach. The latter was carved for her by her grandfather a month before his passing, whilst the former belonged to her mother.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Marin grew up in the hamlet of Lynhold, which resided on the border between the Kingdom of Demarn and the Udynea Empire. An only child, despite many attempts from her parents, she assisted her parents and maternal grandparents with running their pig farm at a young age, often tailing her grandfather as the man relayed old hunting tales.
As she grew older, her nimble ability to work with jute and wicker had her spending much time at her grandparents' side, listening to the local gossip and the stories of her grandmother's time fighting in the army. Through this, she learnt the history of Lynhold, the kingdom and their neighbouring empire. Whilst her family, and Lynhold in general, never harboured any ill-will towards the empire or the notion of spellsters (even freely trading across the border with the seaside village of Tanvi's Rest), they were just as wary of them as they were of any strangers.
In the spring and summer months, she could be found laying traps in the surrounding forest when she was as young as six, often before proper sunlight. This garnered the attention of many locals, who claimed she must have elven blood to see so well in the dim light. The truth of it was she'd a deep knowledge of the forest terrain and was able to navigate the area even if blindfolded. This knowledge would help her and most of her family escape Lynhold when, in 1882 AE, Udynean forces invaded Lynhold and razed the hamlet to the ground. At the age of eight, she managed to guide her father and grandparents to safety. Sadly, her mother perished whilst attempting to aid another family.
Her family settled in a nearby farm, taking the four from owning property and livestock to being simple farmhands. Here, Marin spent much of her days alongside other children her age, mucking out stalls, tending to the poultry and cattle that fed the workers whilst her father and grandparents did the hard labour. The latter faired ill and eventually succumbed to various injuries by Marin's thirteenth year, prompting Marin to resume her early-morning hunting routine in order to feed them. She added archery to her hunting tools after one encounter with a wild boar that would've taken her life had her crashing through the forest not alerted a nearby merchant caravan that had stopped for the night.
Marin also learnt basic text and cartography from the farmer's youngest son. The pair quickly became inseparable throughout the day. This closeness didn't go unnoticed by the farmer, who proposed the two marry when she turned sixteen. The idea was put aside after it was revealed that, not only did Marin prefer girls, but his son was already romantically involved with a fluid elven teen and had already gotten them pregnant. This was the first time Marin witnessed the full scale of bigotry towards elves as the farmer beat the teen to the point where they lost the child.
Throughout her teenage life, things continued to go downhill. Her father had started drinking more and more as Marin grew older and her appearance clearly favoured her mother's features. Unable to shake the grief over losing his wife, he eventually took his own life, leaving Marin the last of her family line (her grandmother having succumbed to illness one winter and her grandfather suffering a heart attack the summer prior). Blaming herself for not being able to stop her father's death or the elven teen's beating, Marin fled the farm, winding up in Toptower. Unused to the bustle of a full town, she quickly abandoned the place with designs of joining the army like her grandmother, changing her mind at the last moment to wander off into the forest to live alone.
She resided in her little self-built hut for roughly thirteen years, remaining semi-isolated and self-sufficient, venturing into Toptower to trade skins and trinkets for whatever she couldn't make herself. As the years went on, and the Udynean forces drew closer to her hut, she would occasionally have army officials seeking to either relocate her or recruit her. She denied both offers, sending some packing with minor injuries.
Only when a ragged trio, clearly drenched and starving, arrived at her door one night did she leave her hut without the intention of returning.
Sexuality
Marin has known for many years that she's attracted to women. Given Demarner's accepting nature of sexuality, this news has posed little in the way of issues (a few drunken jerks notwithstanding). Her actual experience is limited to a few kisses and a little clothed fondling in her mid-teens.
In the few times she has seen the naked male form, she has either made a display of shielding her view or uttered crude, and sometimes childish, remarks.
Morality & Philosophy
Whilst she isn't one to steal, even if at the height of desperation and from those who've wronged her, she sees nothing wrong with looting the dead. This goes double if she's the one to kill them.
Personality Characteristics
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Due to living a largely solitary life, her survival skills are wide and varied. She is an experienced hunter, able to find game trails in low light or dense vegetation. She's a good archer and quick with her hunting knife, if need be.
In terms of domestic talents, she's a fair cook, decent with a needle and able to craft almost anything from wood given the right tools and enough time (including a full hut). Her bartering skills are fair.
Social
Family Ties
With the death of her father, Marin lost the last of her biological family. It's possible that her paternal grandparents, having lived in another villager, are still alive but Marin has never met them nor does she know where they might live.
Travelling Companions
Having been journeying with her companions for a few months, she views most of them as friends. Even though she met Dylan in the unusual circumstance of him and the others turning up outside her hut one wet evening and was aware of his spellster status from the getgo, she quickly warmed to him and now considers him akin to a younger brother (despite him being her elder by a year). When it was discovered that the Spellster Tower was destroyed, she was one of the voices against killing Dylan because of his unleashed status. Since then, she has made it her mission to keep a close eye on him whenever he isn't in Tracker's care. Whilst she never fully trusted Authril, knowing the woman served in the army meant Marin had a measure of respect for the elven mercenary. That changed once Authril revealed that many of her actions were merely in the interest of manipulating Dylan for her own gain. She enjoys Katarina's company, even though she understands little about the things the hedgewitch mentions. Admittedly, she enjoys listening to the woman talking, nor does her lack of understanding stop her from asking questions as doing so has Katarina talking for even longer. Marin was against Tracker joining them at first, going so far as to attempt killing him with an arrow, an act which the King's Hound took in stride. They have since warmed to each other, although knowing very little about the man's past when he is able to deduce so much of hers does annoy her. She's aware that both Dylan and Tracker have an interest in each other, not for a moment believing any of their denying claims. She finds them dancing around each other hilarious and needles them, especially Dylan, whenever she can. Sometimes, taking it a bit too far.Mannerisms
Although a little wary when first approached, if deemed worthy of her friendship, she's a fiercely loyal person who will jump to her friend's defence without a second thought. Even if it could mean her getting seriously injured.
Current Status
On a mission to get Dylan to safety.
Current Location
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
1874 AES
28 Years old
Birthplace
Lynhold, Demarn
Children
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman
Eyes
Light Brown
Hair
Dark Red Auburn. A little past shoulder length and often tied back at the nape or in a single braid..
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tawny-brown. Has a single beauty mark above the right corner of her mouth.
Height
5'9"
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