Mallow "Thrice-Gilded" Root-Whisper

Mallow was born in the humid, bustling depths of the Kwith-Ka Warren on the island now called Aethelgard. Her parents were among the original Ratfolk who had crossed into this world through a hidden gateway portal, a threshold tucked away in a long-forgotten cave that ancient whispers say was the true birth-site of their colony on Shiandria. Growing up, Mallow was steeped in the stories of that portal and the world beyond, but her heart belonged to the limestone cliffs and the red starlight of her new home.

As she grew, she dedicated herself to the faith of the Seven Moons, specifically to The Mother Ranessa, seeing the great red moon as the ultimate protector of her kin. She ascended to the role of Bone Mother, the oracle and keeper of the skeletal archives, while also serving as the warren’s master healer. For decades, the Ratfolk remained undisturbed, but the peace was shattered when the Imperial Reman Republic arrived during their civil war, followed by the cold, calculating expansion of the City-State of Tiss.

Mallow watched from the shadows as the Tiss and their merchant fleets took command of the docks. She saw her kin systematically kidnapped by the Tissian Clerical Guard, funneled into "Voluntary Servitude," and shipped to various Tiss trading ports and the Island nation of Tiss. Though the Dawn Landers eventually bought the rights to the island and ended the practice of indentured servitude, the damage was done.

Her name, "Thrice-Gilded," is a bitter mark of her history. It refers to the three separate occasions the Tissian officials attempted to "gild" her warren—offering massive sums of gold and trade incentives to buy the rights to her home and its sacred sites. Each time, Mallow and the swarm voice refused, choosing their ancestral soil over Tissian coin.

Mallow is now the last living Ratfolk of the island, a silent witness to the kidnapping of her people. Choosing to distance herself from the "Free Soil" of the Governor's port, Mallow now lives on a small island out in the harbor in her little tent house. From there, she rows her boat through the mist, seeking out those in need of healing while avoiding any Tissian uniform.

She is the only one who knows the truth of the vengeful female Ratfolk spirit that haunts the forest at the edge of the village. While others fear the woods as a domain of the Fae or a haunted wasteland, Mallow knows the spirit is a manifestation of her kin's fury—a protector seeking revenge on those who harmed her and on any who dare trespass on the territory that was once their home.

Mallow remains the silent guardian of the island’s greatest secret: the gateway portal. She knows it remains hidden in its forgotten cave, and she watches the shadowy architects and adventuring parties with a wary eye, ensuring that the threshold her parents crossed is never exploited by those who would bring more "Order" or "Legalism" to her parent's world.

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STATS

Culture:  Ratfolk

Class: Bone Mother

APR:  1 (due to Dextrous Movement)

Hit Points: 5

Weapons Allowed: Knife, Dagger, Stick, Club, Paddle, Staff.

Abilities:

• Armor Allowed: NONE

• Dexterous Movement: Due to your quick movement and dodging ability, you receive a +1 to APR. This stacks with other sources of APR improvement, including armor. ALREADY FACTORED IN.

• Minor Healing: She will only give this boon to those she feels are good of heart or worthy. She will NEVER give this boon to a Reman or a Tiss. Each use of this ability heals one point of damage and will remove any charm or fear effect. This can only be used once per target player per encounter and must be at least 30 minutes apart in real time.

• Healing Projection: Can project her healing power through wood items, such as a stick, paddle staff. The number of uses of this ability are unliimited. Using this ability the Bone Mother may use her healing ability by touching others with one fo those items.

• Restoration: Mallows Island is considered sacred. If she is slain her ghost may travel back to her island and respawn and/or real back up to full HP. She has lots of back up rowboats at her island.

• Riverboat Captain: You have a small rowboat on your ship or access to a rowboat and may use it to cross river obstacles. You can take your entire party in one trip.

• The Bone Tithe (Resurrection) Mallow can pull a soul back from the threshold of the Hollow Realm (the Umbral Veil), but she requires a physical anchor. Effect: To bring a player back, she must "borrow" a small, non-essential bone from a willing party member (like a pinky tip or a tooth) to act as a bridge. The revived player returns to life. The donating player has one less HP for the remainder of the day or until the next time they are resurrected.