Rutana

Rutana was a witchBlood and Bone, Dramatis Personae from the Isle of Jacuruku who was a trusted, dedicated servant of Ardata, the Jacuruku Queen of Witches. Rutana was short, "painfully" lean, dark-skinned, and she had a great deal of long, black hair that she wore in a cloud around her head. She was first seen clad in a floor-length, loose black dress which completely hid her feet. A multitude of bright amulets and charms hung from tight bindings around Rutana's arms and which also hung from a number of leather thong necklaces around her neck. The amulets were small triangular boxes which seemingly each contained a tiny, carved figurine of some sort. Rutana had the tendency to tug painfully on these amulets when she was upset or angry. Her smile was "wolfish" and her mouth was filled with needle-sharp, ivory-hued teeth. Rutana and Nagal, her close associate, were thought to "rank among Ardata's most powerful" servants.Blood and Bone, Prologue, US HC p.23-32
==In Blood and Bone==
Rutana and Nagal arrived at the harbour of Haven in Stratem aboard the vessel, the Serpent, as emissaries of Ardata with a message from the Witch Queen intended for K'azz D'Avore, the Commander of the Avowed Crimson Guard. The message carried by the two emissaries was a request that K'azz journey back with them to meet with Ardata deep in the Jungle of Himatan of eastern Jacuruku because Skinner, the leader of the Crimson Guard's Disavowed, had returned unexpectedly to the island. After a certain amount of back-and-forth discussion, Rutana and Nagal convinced K'azz to come back with them. As well as the two emissaries and K'azz, it was decided that six other Crimson Guard members - Shimmer; two mages, Lor-sinn and Gwynn; and three "swords", Cole, Turgal and Amatt - would also accompany them on the trip to Jacuruku aboard the Serpent.Blood and Bone, Prologue, US HC p.23-25/30-32Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, US HC p.47
After a long and difficult voyage - via ocean and Jacuruku river travel - Rutana and Nagal delivered the seven Avowed Crimson Guardsmen to their ultimate destination deep in the Himatan jungle at the site of Jakal Viharn, Ardata's center of power. There, Rutana and Nagal - feeling that their duty as emissaries had been fulfilled - left K'azz and his band to await the pleasure of Ardata.Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, US HC p.47-53Blood and Bone, Chapter 2, US HC p.85-86Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, US HC p.104-111Blood and Bone, Chapter 9, US HC p.352-358Blood and Bone, Chapter 12, US HC p.436-443
Later, Rutana - now in the company of Citravaghra, another of Ardata's trusted servants - stumbled upon Skinner and a group of his Disavoweds in the jungle. Despite Citravaghra's attempts to calm her, Rutana allowed her boundless hatred, uncontrollable rage, and resentment of Skinner to make her rip off all of her amulets so as to be able to abandon her human-like form and to painfully revert back into her natural shape of an enormous, white, red-eyed, completely unhuman creature, capable of swallowing an adult human male in one gulp. Which was exactly what the immense Rutana/monster did with Skinner. Unfortunately, Rutana had badly misjudged the situation and died in great agony while Skinner managed to survive. This outcome distressed Nagal greatly and resulted in Nagal blaming all of the Crimson Guardsmen - the Disavowed and the Avowed both - for Rutana's death. Because Ardata would not allow Nagal to avenge the killing of Rutana, he was particularly upset and angry.Blood and Bone, Chapter 13, US HC p.473-479Blood and Bone, Chapter 14, US HC p.538Blood and Bone, Chapter 15, US HC p.562
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==Notes and references==
Category:Females
Category:Jacuruku natives
Category:Mages