Whitney Blackbird

**Whitney Blackbird** is a human bounty hunter from Daizollo who fled his war-torn country to live in Codurra. Described as rough around the edges, Whitney is kind at heart and has never let his deafness impair his life, excelling in hand-to-hand combat and tracking.

## Whitney Blackbird

### Relatives

Winona Blackbird † (mother)
Hazel Blackbird † (brother)

## History

### Early Life

Whitney Kozlow was born as the first son of Winona Blackbird, a traveling nomad. His father is unknown, but he was raised on the road with his mother and younger brother. Due to an accident which included blunt force trauma, Whitney lost 95% of his hearing as a child. He was quick to adapt and began making up for his lost sense in combat. After his mother was murdered as collateral during a raid, Whitney took his brother, Hazel, across two hundred miles of rugged terrain to Fenne. As soon as they reached the outskirts of the town, Whitney suffered a broken leg while Hazel caught tuberculosis which Beck Dreyfuss was able to heal them from.

### Life With the Dreyfusses

Whitney and Hazel moved in with Beck and his husband, Marion Dreyfuss. Only intending to stay for a short while, Beck made an effort to make them feel so welcome that they ended up staying for several years instead. Whitney helped around the house especially when Marion left for business trips. Hazel attended the local human school in Fenne. Life was relatively peaceful and Whitney developed a close relationship with the two.

### Revenge and Bounty Hunting

After Whitney caught wind of his mother's killers still running free, he took it upon himself to track them down and seek vengeance. Before he got too far, news of the illness in Fenne reached him and he was forced to return. There, he helped a devastated Beck pack up his belongings and move closer to the sea in Purilin. After settling there for nearly a year, Whitney returned on his solo journey to bring justice to his mother. When it was discovered that the news had been false and his mother's murderers were already dead, Whitney turned to a life of bounty hunting where he met Lorelai Socorro, a talkative and cunning Half-Elf, when they were both seeking the same target. Lorelai stayed with Whitney much to his initial annoyance, but he learned to regard her as a younger sister figure.

## Appearance

Whitney is a tall, muscular human with golden bronze skin and dark brown eyes. His straight, raven hair is often put up in a bun, but it comes down to his shoulder blades when undone. Whitney has broad shoulders and a lean, sinewy build with long legs. He has been described as having "flawless skin" and despite his messy line of work, he maintains a clean appearance and is relatively handsome.

## Personality

Whitney is an abrasive, short-tempered and blunt man who has little patience for those who lack a backbone, often speaking whatever is on his mind. Having lost many of the people he cared about at an early age, he does not like admitting he cares, but might expose his good inner nature in casual moments. For the most part, Whitney is more reserved and has trouble opening up to people besides Beck. While Whitney is imbued with a sense of justice and bravery, this can manifest itself in a stubborn personality, making him someone who refuses to back down from a fight despite any warnings that he should flee.

Whitney suffers from PTSD related to the events of his mother's death. It is often difficult to wake him without him entering a state of extreme panic as he temporarily relives a traumatic flashback and fails to recognize his actual surroundings. This has resulted in almost choking Beck to death and nearly throwing Lorelai off the side of a cliff.

## Relationships

### Hazel Blackbird

Hazel was Whitney's younger brother whom he swore to protect and provide a peaceful life for. After the brutal murder of their mother, Whitney assumed a parental role and sacrificed his own youth to act as a suitable role model. Hazel's innocence and curiosity bore a striking contrast to Whitney's skepticism and pessimism, but he loved his brother with a fierce protectiveness. When Hazel died, any progress of Whitney becoming a more amicable person vanished and he reverted to a state of distrust, brutality and nihilism.

### Beckham Dreyfuss

Whitney and Beck are best friends and platonic soulmates. After Beck saved both Whitney and Hazel's lives, Whitney developed a sense of obligation to protect him. Beck's carefree and open personality started to rub off on Whitney as he began to confide in him. After living with the Dreyfusses, Whitney remains close to Beck and was the only person trusted to know of his Selkie heritage until the events of The Pit. It is later revealed that Whitney is the biological father of Beck's daughter, Bina.

### Lorelai Socorro

Although he thought Lorelai to be a nuisance at first, Whitney grew to appreciate Lorelai's skills as a navigator, assassin and polyglot along their travels. The pair make a lethal team and started working together after Whitney saved her life during a high-stakes mission in Elkshore. Lorelai regards Whitney with playful teasing, but remembers small things about him such as his favorite fruit (cantaloupe) and his sleep schedule.

## Trivia

* Whitney's weapon of choice is a billhook.
* Whitney is 95% deaf.
* He paces when he's anxious or upset.
* Whitney has severe aquaphobia.