RUNA SNOW-BORN
FrostbornChild / Apprentice Forager
"The cold doesn't care if you're hungry. The ice doesn't care if you're tired. You have to be tougher than both, or you die.""
Identity
- Residence
- White Vale
- Civilization
- Frostborn
Appearance
• Physical: Small and thin for her age, showing the effects of poor nutrition. Her pale skin is constantly chapped from exposure. Her white hair is tangled and poorly kept. Her pale gray eyes are too large for her face, giving her a perpetually startled look. • Clothing: Wears hand-me-down furs that are too large and worn thin. Her boots leak and are stuffed with moss for insulation. • Distinguishing Marks: A birthmark on her wrist shaped like a snowflake that elders claim is a sign of Skadi's blessing.
Relationships
- Family - Elderly aunt who resents the burden. No other close family.
- Allies - Forager Nils (NPC #47), who quietly teaches her; Hunter Svana (NPC #2), who sometimes shares meat.
- Rivals - Other poor children who compete for foraging territory.
Personality
- Traits: Fiercely independent, suspicious of adults, surprisingly knowledgeable about plants, dreams of a better life
- Mannerisms: Hoards food, flinches at sudden movements, speaks in whispers, knows every hiding spot in the Vale.
- Voice: Small and hesitant, with occasional bursts of confidence when discussing foraging.
Backstory
Runa's parents died in a hunting accident two years ago. She's been passed between reluctant relatives and now lives with an elderly aunt who can barely feed herself. Runa spends her days foraging to supplement their meager resources, becoming an expert at finding edible plants and fungi that others miss.
Daily Life
Runa wakes before dawn to forage in the White Vale, returning only when she has enough to trade or eat. She avoids her aunt's cramped dwelling as much as possible, preferring the company of the frozen landscape. She dreams of becoming a hunter like her parents.
Story Hooks
- 1 Runa needs help dealing with older children who are stealing her foraging finds; she's too small to stop them alone.
Narrative Value
Innocent viewpoint character, potential apprentice or adopted ward, quest giver for small-scale local problems, connection to the struggles of the poor, character who can grow significantly. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════