Sam Hawkins

Sam Hawkins has become something of a mystery to our heroes. Though Rorrik has known her for several years, he as much as anyone has learned just how much he *doesn't* know about her since our story began.

A member of Roger's Guard from parts unknown, Sam started turning up in the area about ten or so years ago — around the same time she and Rorrik first crossed paths. Friendly but close-lipped when it comes to details of her past, Sam made a name for herself as an exceptional fighter with a good head for investigation. She often travelled well beyond Guard jurisdiction, but whenever she was around, people were happy to hire her.

Gulo and Vyre first encountered Sam on their first day in Red Deer, when they helped her fight off several spiders and close a portal near Sylvan Lake. When Gulo died following an abundance of dick spider bites, Sam did something that brought life back into his lungs, though Vyre couldn't quite catch what it was she did.

Our heroes next dealt with Sam at the May Day festival. Later that day, Zohal informed Sam that she was very sick with the mysterious illness of the vines, and though Sam resisted at first, she let herself be led to the Temple of Honour, where Kiran could look after her and ensure she didn't hurt anyone.

Unfortunately, Sam then broke out of the temple and got kidnapped by the Mephistopheles cult, who held her captive in their nearby dungeon.

Our heroes may have helped save Sam, but they were well on their way to being defeated by the cult when the Stranger showed up and began smacking werewolves around. As they later discovered the Stranger seems to be Sam's husband, it's entirely likely the only reason he turned up at all was because she was there.

When our heroes awoke following their mysterious resurrection, Sam was there with them, claiming she too had died and had no idea how she'd ended up there. Like Vyre and Zohal, she quickly made an enemy of Falk Mistsplitter and ended up in the town's jail; unlike them, she was not released.

Sam ended up being questioned by Aleida de Gris and Edmund Serpentwind, but she escaped, partly by turning into a unicorn, which neither religious official had been expecting. This left Rorrik as their main lead on the Stranger, which was not an especially enjoyable experience for him.

Sam later returned in disguise along with a man named Piotr. They pretended to be representatives of a temple of Eustachy, claiming Rorrik had been operating as an undercover agent on their behalf. Though this act hardly convinced all hostile parties present, it bought them enough time to get Rorrik away from the temple and have a little discussion. This is when our heroes officially learned that Sam is married to the Stranger, and that she has been working in some capacity or another against the Blessed Nine.

The full extent of Sam's activities are unknown. She does have some known associates among Roger's Guard — whether her network extends beyond that remains to be seen. However, she has more or less acted as an ally to the party, though she has kept her distance following the debacle with Aleida.

While in Mohkinstsis, the party had two more run-ins with Sam: first, in the form of Jamie Todd, a reporter who Seth suspected may have been Sam in disguise, though this was never confirmed. Second, when Sam arrived at the Ornons' in the guise Rorrik had always known her, to deliver the unwelcome news that Vyre was dead, her soul in service to an evil demigod. When she delivered the news, she also told Rorrik that she would not be particularly available for some time, as she had to go to a safe haven on another plane for a time-sensitive matter. She assured him, however, that he would still be able to reach her if need be, and that she'd help in whatever capacity she could from afar.