Ruuska Torrengust

Ruuska Torrengust is an Orc Paladin, loves stopping evil.

## History

Two old and married Sarenite Paladins, Dallurn and Aryene Torrengust, settled down in the small, fairly peaceful town of Lightbarrow, the most notable feature of which was likely the local church dedicated to Sarenrae. While living out the rest of their days with each other, he and she would take turns helping defend the town from the occasional bandit gang, rouge creature, or whatever else the months would bring.
The month was nearly to a close, and things had gone nicely that Neth. That was, until the last Fireday evening of the month brought an Orc raid. As soon as the watch bells rang, Aryene was helping Dallurn don his armor, and he made it outside just before the small squad broke the guard line.

Come midnight, the Orcs had been driven back into retreat with fortunately minimal damage, bodies piled and coffins ordered, and a howling wind swept the stench away. Dallurn, however, was carried home on a stretcher. An arrow slid through a visor slit on his helm, piercing through the eye and killing him. Distraught and filled with fury unbecoming of a Paladin of her caliber, Aryene grew compelled to seek revenge. Not out of the will to protect future victims, nor in the honor of the deceased, but in selfish spiteful vengeance for her husband did she track the Orcs to their camp, sneak in, and slaughter them indiscriminately. Redemption was not offered, pleas for mercy were not honored, and she felt the loss of Sarenrae's favor as even children were hewn by her sword.

When the last Orc lay dead, she sighed, staring at the blood on her hands as if trying to find guilt. She knew that was the end of her Paladinhood, as she'd been warned and punished, even to toil and atonement, in the past for failing to keep her anger in check. If shame was the price to reconcile with her deity, then the fact she felt none meant she could not atone this time. The wind had died down as morning began to break through a cloudy sky, and that's when she heard a baby crying. Cradled in a crudely woven basket lined with bloodstained animal furs and grasses, was an infant Orc. She stepped over to the ruined tent, ripping off a remaining flap of the animal skin lining to enter, and stared without emotion at the baby as she drew her dagger. She raised her arm, and as if on cue, the clouds broke just right, moving a beam of sunlight across the landscape to rest on the Orcling, who suddenly stopped crying, and looked up at her with blue eyes. Her arm shook, tears welled up in her eyes, and she brought the dagger back to its sheath. Aryene found her shame as she looked up at that crack in the dawn clouds with a silent understanding. Sarenrae had just sentenced her atonement; She would raise this Orc as her own.

Later that afternoon, she spoke with her priest at the church, confessing her sin and explaining the sign. It was agreed that the coming Oathday would see her sworn in as the infant's guardian, teacher, and trainer, and the following Sunday, a ceremony of blessings would be held for the infant. Oathday went about as expected, with dirty looks from some and sad stares from others as she was sworn in, and a local linguist translated the markings on a flat board attached to the basket as "Ruuska". However, during the Sunday ceremony, a most peculiar thing happened. To everyone's shock, Sarenrae herself manifested, filling the sanctuary with bright light just after the priest finished his blessings. Her holy form hovered above the little Ruuska, and those who were in fear found the doors locked and windows unbreakable, and those with loud voices found themselves silenced. She leaned over, and touched Ruuska over the heart with her hand. She then spoke:
"You shall be a Paladin of my ways, a wielder of my holy light." She then righted herself, and turned to those in attendance.
"Teach him, train him, and lead him upon the path of light and righteousness. Tell no one of my appearance here, nor of my blessing or of my command to you. He must never know of this moment, lest he grow tempted to walk another path, assured of future greatness. His journey shall begin upon his fifteenth year." The Dawnflower then vanished away, leaving a church full of stunned worshipers. The priest, while shaken, was quick to call everyone back to their seats, and finish the service, but not before Ruuska broke the initial silence with his first word, "Shiny".

Nobody dared whisper of that event in the coming years, only specific phrases and knowing looks were shared amongst those who were present. Ruuska grew to be an able member of their community, a greatly faithful member of the church, and a strong warrior. His intellect, however, turned out quite lackluster despite years of attempted teaching. The basics were slowly drilled into him, until he could somewhat read the common tongue, and speak it brokenly but enough to be understood. In the end, even "Sarenrae" and "Paladin" proved too difficult to pronounce without speaking each syllable as its own word. Instead, he'd usually get that point across by stating "Ruuska fight for Good Shiny God". He also adopted the practice of referring to himself in the third person very early on, a habit that proved impossible to break.

On Ruuska's fifteenth blessings anniversary, since his birthday was unknown, Aryene confessed to him what she did, how she found him, and how his true family's blood may well be on her hands. She was surprised when Ruuska hugged her, saying "Ruuska forgive momma. Ruuska better for know Good Shiny God, not bad Orc god."
Over the next week, Aryene helped him prepare for the long road ahead, showing him the basic supplies he'd need and making sure he knew what to do with them. They both understood that she was far too old to travel with him.
That Moonday morning in Kuthona, Aryene, along with the rest of the town, bid him farewell and good fortune as he left on his first of hopefully many journeys.

### Things the Orcs of Londorwin might know...

Modak Ka, the father of the Paladin, was out hunting during Aryene's raid upon the clan camp. He's possibly still out there, and Ruuska's name may sound suspicious. After all, it's a mistranslation of Ru'us Ka.

## Appearance

A green skinned Orc, yet larger than a typical greenskin and with more defined and symmetrical features. Being brought up learning to bathe properly also kept his complexion much nicer to look at than your average Orc, but he's still very obviously not a Half-Orc. He's usually wearing his armor beneath a tabard proudly displaying his status as a Paladin of Sarenrae, and carries his greatsword out of sheath a lot, in preparation to stop evil. It may not be seen often, but he has a full chest tattoo of Sarenrae's symbol. He's completely bald, and never actually grew any hair.

## Personality

Ruuska is a happy Orc. He is naive enough to believe that he CAN one day stop all evil, and will expend all efforts to make it happen. He's also fairly stupid. He can't pronounce any words with greater than two syllables, with the exception of his last name.

He's not a thinker or a planner, he's a doer. If there is evil to be stopped or healing needed, he will drop everything instantaneously and go provide what services he can. He'll usually end a day by finding the sick and injured, and healing them to the best of his ability. He can get rather reckless on his own, but at least has a small sense of self preservation preceded by the priorities of keeping others alive and stopping evil.

## Friends

Eric Torigus, Ashelia, Caasi, Erwin Tomash, Haris, Grotzt, the church of Sarenrae

## Enemies

Evil people doing evil that won't repent.

## Average Daily Activities

When not adventuring and stopping evil, Ruuska spends a lot of time either helping guards patrol the streets of Haven or in Sarenrae's temple. In the temple, he usually cleans and, on occasion, helps cook in the kitchen.

Regardless of how any day goes, whether there was adventure or nothing noteworthy, evenings spent in Haven are spent using whatever remains of his Lay on Hands or Positive Energy Channeling on the sick and injured.

## Aspirations

Ruuska wants nothing more than to stop evil for Sarenrae, redeem the redeemable evildoers, heal the sick and injured, and bring glory to "Good Shiny God".