Nora ó Fairtheoir
Profile
Basic Information
Name:
Nora ó Fairtheoir
Nickname(s):
Age:
42
Birth Date:
24th Sun 8253
Height:
5'9"
Gender:
Female
Race:
Human
Class:
Hunter
Occupation:
Sionnath's Teeth Guildmaster
Guild(s):
Sionnath's Teeth
Enhancement(s):
Humans' Mindspeak
Likes
Dislikes
Personality
+ Tenacious | Shrewd | Efficient | Well-meaning | Quick-witted | Steadfast
- Austere | Lack of tact | Sarcastic | Insufferable to some
Growing up in a demanding environment, Nora is able to face the harshest of circumstances. Her upbringing as well as her activity in the Wispwood has shaped her into an immensely reliable individual, able to adapt and make decisions on the fly.
She's not easily approachable, as some will be miffed by her abrasive nature and sarcasm, amplified by her vulgar language. Despite this unpleasant facade, people who have known her for some time know that she is well-intentioned and see her forceful attitude as an expression of good will. In that sense, she is somewhat of a mother hen with more bark than bite.
Her strong sense of responsibility exists to prioritize the safety of her comrades above all else. As such, despite her questionable personality, Nora is greatly respected as the guildmaster of the Sionnath's Teeth.
History
Nora hails from a lineage with little magical prowess that managed to carve its place in Iadlain thanks to a high aptitude with alchemy. The shop her family keeps is mostly specialized in treating and refining materials from the Wispwood, although they offer enhancements and preservation services as well. The ó Fairtheoir family has close ties with the Sionnath's Teeth, notably being contracted to make their sashes and paying for their services should their shop need more elusive materials.
It was evident that the young Nora would eventually inherit the business, and so her mother tasked herself with teaching her alchemy, fueled by the knowledge their ancestors passed from generation to generation. The mother's lessons lit Nora's passion for alchemy and she became comfortable with the craft. Once she hit 18 years old, her father was responsible for showing her how to harvest resources from the very outskirts of the Wispwood, all the while severely reprimanding his daughter for any mistake - practical or superstitious - she made. Their family's philosophy was that the Wispwood was their provider and deserved respect. It could be generous, but also ruthless. She had to proceed with utmost caution, lest it decide to take her life in payment.
Slowly progressing towards more dangerous zones as she gained experience and age, she started knowing the woods more intimately with her father's teachings, until they hit a point where going deeper was deemed too dangerous. Meanwhile, her prowess for alchemy bloomed under her mother's guidance. Having heard of the Sionnath's Teeth, the idea of joining the guild slowly crept into her mind - it would secure their livelihood and keep Iadlain a little bit safer. She mulled over it until the age of 25, at which she applied for an apprenticeship with the guild.
Her ability to pick up subtle signs and her previous knowledge of the Wispwood were a great help to her during the assessment period. Her main strengths were tracking and understanding monster behavior, but she still struggled with the inevitable clashes against said creatures, unable to finish them off and often having to be helped by other members. This helped her understand and capitalize on the fact that picking the beasts off from afar or avoiding them altogether was much more efficient than confronting them. Trained by a Ranger instructor for two years, she was then officially welcomed to the guild as a member at the age of 27. Since then, she has spent more than a decade as an active member of the guild, specializing in analyzing monster patterns and map making. She also finds occasions to put her alchemy to good use, notably enhancing her and guildmember's weapons or preserving monster parts.
Her experienced approach to expeditions earned her the title of Senior Member at the age of 38, when she was able to detect the presence of multiple Banabog nests, saving some fellow comrades' lives in the process.
Current Story
With the Wispwood growing increasingly agitated and the former guildmaster feeling like they've run their course, Nora was the logical person to step up and take the helm. Her previous experience as a Senior Member and second-in-command proved invaluable when Iadlain was overrun by monsters.
She and her guild currently work in tandem with the Birch Nest and the Red Court to preserve what remains of Iadlain.
Additional Info
Theme: New World
- A superstition in the Sionnath's Teeth is to name your knife and always bring it with you on expeditions; this custom is meant to confer an additional layer of protection against the horrors of the Wispwood. Nora's knife is named Maidenfang.
- She owns a pair of throwing blades that come back to her with but a whistle:
The Blade That Comes Home
One evening, Nora is visited by the mother of a guild member who was recently killed in a skirmish. She brings with her a pair of curved, silver throwing blades that belonged to him - Nora knows them well, as they were his favourite weapon. They were so sharp they could pass through branches and so clean they shone like mirrors, but the most remarkable thing about them was the spell imbued in their core: whenever he whistled just so, the thrown blades would reverse their trajectory and come flying back to him, ready to use again. His mother passes the weapon now to Nora, telling her that he wanted his guildmaster to have these if he ever passed before her. Then she thanks Nora, quietly and genuinely, for always looking after her son and, even at the bitter end, bringing him home.