BeraleAndSmilingTiger

The Immortal Feud between Haltan and Linowan

Berale\\ Berale began life as a simple Haltan Hunter, with a beautiful wife and a fine home in the tree-top city of his birth. He had earned honors for himself and wealth for his family, and was expecting another young child to join his two young daughters. Yet, his hopes for a strong son were shattered by the Linowan when his family was kidnapped by the Linowan Raider Smiling Tiger. Grief gave way to rage, and he cast aside his peaceful life to become one of the greatest Bounty Hunters of the East. While he worked primarily for the Haltan, he would also serve the Council of Entities, the Guild, the Gods of Great Forks and any other force for order. The skill of stalking the forests and bringing down prey turned to the stalking of criminals, and any who sought to hide from justice found that there was no way they could hide -- except for the one criminal that constantly escaped him, the one whom he desired more than any of the others. Yet, Smiling Tiger constantly eluded his searches.

Only in the last few months had he caught her scent and come closer and closer, her slipping tantalizingly close to his grasp on many occasions. The anguished cries of his loved ones calling him on to vengeance, he pushed on forward -- all other tasks falling to the waysides, while he hunted the one rabbit that he wanted to catch more than any other. In the end, however, he did not find her -- she came upon him, flinging demonic magics at him and seeking to slay him for she was one of the Wretched! This did not surprise him as much as it might, and with great skill and power he managed to batter away her attacks and best her -- only to discover that he was glowing similarly to her, and that she quaked in fear and anger while staring at him.

In his surprise, she slipped from his grasp one last time -- but this time she will not get away. Berale has continued to chase her through the deep forests of the East, for answers as much as revenge.

Smiling Tiger\\ Smiling Tiger had been a daring Raider and Warrior, one of the best among the Linowan People, renowned throughout the entire lands of her people for her multiple raids into the Haltan Lands. Over the years she had cut down many Redwoods which had built Chiefs and Queens great halls, and brought back many Captives who had been sacrificed before the Sun in the pits of fire. A Noble of her people, celebrated and loved, she was just as hated...and hunted...by her many enemes. Of all the enemies who hunted her, though, most relentless and unceasing was the Haltan known as Berale. She did not know why he hated her so, but often ran afoul of him during her adventures -- more than once she'd escaped mere moments before he and his hounds had cornered her, and the two clashed violently on more than one occasion.

Only in the last few moments had she understood his true evil, however. Often she had felt that his footsteps were mirroring her own and grew more cautious, and initially she had felt that caution had paid off -- she had launched an ambush on her pursuer, hoping to finally finish him off once and for all, but her surety turned to horror. He flashed with the mark of the Forsaken and casually cast aside her attacks, and it was only then that she noticed her own peril. The Demon Prince had cursed her to lay with Demons herself, making her one of his own and corrupting her soul. She flung herself at her tormentor, seeking to free and save herself -- but she only fell before his blade.

Somehow, she managed to escape, and now labours to free herself under this Curse. The Linowan Shamans will be able to help her, or perhaps the Gods of the Forest, but she must be cautious -- she knows that the Forsaken Berale is out there, somewhere, searching for her. She will not be his Demon Bride, however, never.

Plot Seeds

• Berale could easily be used as a plot hook type character for a Story that requires a very good bounty hunter to show up, and while it's likely that Smiling Tiger is always on his mind -- he's hunted down other dangerous criminals in the past, and is likely to do so again even now that he's got a larger goal. This hook could use for any kind of game, no matter the players, but probably works best in games without actual Solar PCs since there is then less chance of the NPC stepping on anyone's toes.

• Berale assists a Wyld Hunt (of Dragon Blooded Player Characters) to try to hunt down Smiling Tiger, while trying to hide his identity. This could be a fun way to handle what might otherwise be a very very dangerous assignment, allowing them to learn more about the Solar Anathema and possibly setting up Berale as a future enemy. The reasons for such a change are many; he might come to regret his aid in time, especially if Smiling Tiger actually dies in the Hunt, or he might simply come to view the characters as a liability to his survival.

• Smiling Tiger could be known to any Linowan character, and could easily be sought out. A great war-leader and assassin, a Noble and a Hero, she's could easily come to mind for any Linowan seeking out someone for a dangerous task requiring cunning and skill. It's likely that, unless the task is important, her price would be high however -- she's more interested in finding a cure for her curse at the moment. Alternatively, she might seek out such a character seeking aid in some endeavor that said character is especially suitable toward providing. This could be as simple as answers if the character is particularly wise, or as dangerous as helping her hunt down and kill the Demon that cursed her -- she'll want a number of allies in such a mission after all.

• Smiling Tiger makes an excellent enemy for any group of Anathema, as she's a cunning and dangerous Night Caste who believes herself to be cursed by Demons. She's not unlikely, given her history and nature, to try to turn that into some kind of "Tragic Hero" deal -- once she discoveres just how powerful she really is -- and use her incredible power to hunt down and kill other Demons. A skilled and well-run Night Caste killer on your tail should be enough to make any intelligent character fear the shadows, so this can be useful. The hard part might well be keeping her from actually killing him, but for most Solars that shouldn't be TOO hard.