Profile

[coldhardwitch]

Galla

General

Age: Very, very old; born in the Scandinavian Iron Age
Sex: Female
Height: 5'4" (164 cm)
Orientation: Pansexual
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

History

Galla was born in the middle of the Scandinavian Iron Age to a druid mother. True to her people, her father is unknown and not a concern of hers or her mother's; the company of men is sought for the purpose of a child and no more. She was raised mostly in isolation, interacting with local settlements only when her mother would provide services to nearby settlements in exchange for goods and livestock. Her mother trained her from the time she could walk in the ways of medicine and forest magics, so by the time she came of age she was able to strike out on her own as a fully capable druid — which came as a relief to both as, due to a particularly strong will inherent in their people, they soon can't stand to be around one another for more than a few days at a time. After leaving her mother's care, she struck out south from Scandinavia into the lands of the Germanic peoples where she was able to establish herself in her own woods, with settlements nearby to provide her with all she would need in exchange for her abilities as healer, midwife, and occasional counsel.

She continued this life even as the world began to change in ways less favorable towards her existence. The rise of the Roman Empire saw some of her land stripped away, and brought the foolishness of conquering men regularly to her doorstep. From here she would deal only with the women of settlements; men who dared to set foot in her woods without invitation or offering were often never heard from again. This situation grew only worse with the spread of Christianity, which soon put her at odds with the local churches: in their eyes she was an agent of Satan, and it took great work for her to keep her existence hidden from those in power who would look unfavorably upon her craft. She isn't the only one; though they don't commune with one another often, she's aware that other druids are suffering as well, and many have already been tortured and killed. There are whispers that a druid in the Russian wilds has sought an arrangement with the darker creatures of the world; the name Baba Yaga is on the lips of her sisters, who grow desperate in their will to survive. Galla remains stubbornly resolute; she will survive, as she is, or die maintaining the traditions of her people.

Personality

To understand Galla — and druids in general — one must understand a bit about tigers. At times they might enjoy one another's company but, for the most part, they very much like to be left alone to tend their territories without challenge. Galla is no different from her sisters in this: she appreciates her solitude (save for the company of her hound) and does not like to have it interrupted by anything but business. People have a strong tendency to grate on her nerves if she has to deal with them too long, as few of them understand the old ways and how to respect her and the work that she does. Because of this, she often comes off as cold, callous, and generally unpleasant company — particularly with men, as she finds the most of them to be boorish, delicate creatures worthy of neither her time nor attention.

When it comes to her craft, she follows a very strict code: all services are rendered with equal compensation, no more and no less. She is bound by this law and everything she does reflects it, so no action is made unless the reciprocity is proper. This is not out of greed or selfishness; it is necessary with her gifts to maintain balance, as its loss would be harmful not just to her, but to the forces from which she draws her power. And just as she can only perform her craft with payment, so too can she not accept the generosity of another without returning payment in kind, less she be complicit in a tipping of the scales. Those who give freely not only confound her, but insult her by their very existence.

Playable Canon Points

Galla can be played from any point in her history, from her early life all the way to her current state in the Medieval era; she's also able to be played in modern times, though usually that's going to require her to still be out in the wilderness somewhere, so that may require discussion first.