Simage - Raven of Cimmeria

Simage is a Cimmerian Conqueror / Soldier of fortune.

Raised in the Highlands of Cimmeria by Bron (her father) and Carra (her mother), Simage's life was typical of any child of the Hyborian age. However, her mother was unable to bear children after the difficult birth that brought Simage into the world. On the day of her birth a raven perched on the window sill and was deemed to be her totem guide (...or was it someting more?).

Undaunted Bron and Carra raised her to be both daughter AND son to them; Carra teaching her the skills to one day be a wife and mother and Bron the skills that would serve to honor her father and people on the battlefield.

Though not as physically strong or as sturdy as her male counterparts, her father taught her that the speed, endurance and agility she naturally possessed could bring her victory over even the most physically superior opponent, but she needed to be more aggressive..."not such a girl", as he often put it with a gentle bonk on the head or a ruffling of her long red hair.

Long nights were spent by the hearth with her father listening to his tales of wars, women and witches...Simage's ice blue eyes wide with wonder and excitement and always there was the "Riddle of Steel". The greatest moment in her young life was the one time that her father hugged her tightly telling her "You my daughter, my Raven...I would not trade for a thousand sons".

She had accompanied her father to the village during one of his trips to sell wolf pelts they had gathered in the market like she had many times in the past...this time the Vanir Raiders stormed the village. They swooped in like a mounted blizzard from the North killing all that resisted them...she watched as her father was cut down. Something in the young Cimmerian girl's spirit flared to life as she saw her father fall to Vanir blades...a raging fire that could only be quenched by the spilling of Vanir blood.

She burst from the spot that her father had told her to stay, grabbing two swords from the weapon-smith's stall as she passed (he was dead too and wouldn't miss them), rushing into the nearest group of Raiders like a cyclone of flashing steel and wild fury. Three of them fell before they knew she was even among them. The others quickly responded to her attack, over whelming her with sheer weight of numbers and pinning her to the ground still struggling and screaming with her rage. A stroke to the side of her head ended her fight in a shower of stars and then inky blackness...when she woke she was chained and bound to be sold by the Vanir to the highest bidder...


OOC:

Where to start...my name is Rob (sorry guys, NOT a woman), am a vetran of the U.S. Army (1st AD - 2/37th Armor). I've been playing table top RPGs for 25+ years and have started playing female characters for the RP challenge and fun of it (its easy for a guy to act like a guy). Its only been since NWN was released that I've been RPing online sporadically over the past few years on NWN (obviously), PotBS, and EvE Online. I'm new to AoC and look forward to getting to know all of you and RPing with all of you too!

((FYI for the Raven reference in my backstory))

Many of the Celtic goddesses are linked with the raven or crow. In this mythology the goddesses are the aggressive deities, those associated with war and death. Badb, Macha and Nemain are all associated with crows and/or ravens, as is Nantosuelta, a Gaulish water and healing goddess. The wife of the Fomorian sea-god, Tethra, was said to be a crow goddess who also hovered above battlefields, and Scottish myth has the Cailleach Bheure, who often appeared in crow or raven form. The association of the birds with death and war is an obvious reflection of its tendency to eat carrion, plenty of which is to be found in the aftermath of battle. This tendency led, eventually, to the persecution of the raven, as a harbinger of doom and destruction, and also to the common notion in modern European culture that the main attribute of Crow and Raven is their connection with the Otherworld. Upon Cuchulainn's death, the Morrigan perched on his shoulder in the form of a raven.

(Update)

Simage has recently joined the ranks of King Conan's Black Dragons, her goal is to become the greatest of all those that serve the King in that role and maybe one day lead them second only to the King of Aquilonia . What a coup that would be for the guild. (possible RP storyline there)