Gujum

Gujum is a female Foreckaw Grovekeeper who is currently living within, and caring for the Calamity Tree in the Gryusch Wilds northwest of Grajita. She has a friendly relation to the Underworlders of Guld, and even has an apprentice residing there, a Dwonikaw named Fymhew.

## Appearance and Personality

Gujum is a middle-aged female Foreckaw of average height and build. She wears simple black smallclothes and a rather deep green headband in her light-purple hair, which she also has tied in a bun. There's an almost invisible marking of light-blue on her left cheek, similar to Gohst's purple markings. Her face is a little pointed, and her eyes are sharp.

Without being overbearing, Gujum appears to be a rather focused Kaw with deeply held beliefs and principles that aren't easy to shake. She also seems to be rather inquisitive and curious, which matches her bravery and independent nature. Her awe of Soly and its natural beauty also doesn't appear to stem from her vigorous study and dedication to the foreign Class of Grovekeeper. Rather, it would seem that she always held these beliefs, and practicing the Class appears to just be another way of expressing it. She's very friendly, especially to Gohst and Wisest when she reunited with them in the Calamity Tree, indicating a strong bond was established before current events.

## Story

Long before current events took place, around the year 2222 of the Human Era, Gujum took part in a secret expedition deep into the Calamity Tree at the center of Gunhalmeir, led by the charismatic and daring young Getya. As the Tree's hollowed roots sprawl endlessly into the Soil, eventually the group passed the threshold of the Pilfering Depths, where each member lost at least a few things of themselves. For Gujum it is unclear what she lost, but she was apparently able to hear the feint screaming that only one with exceptional hearing could detect within the depths. (It is possible she lost something that kept her bound to Gunhalmeir.)

A little over a year before Wisest lead the Soaring Generation out of Gunhalmeir, Gujum was one of the highborn taking great care of the Calamity Tree in the center of the city. According to Gujum, she likely held about the same level of respect throughout the populace as even Gohst, though she admitted she was not his equal in natural talent. She always cared for local flora and maintaining the health of their beloved Calamity Tree, where Gohst had a more broad range of interests and activity.

Gujum was in consideration to be named lead caregiver of the Calamity Tree, but when Gohst and the other highborn returned with their haul of books from the old city, she couldn't help but read away. It was here she learned of other Calamity Trees in Soly, where previously she thought the one in Gunhalmeir was the only tree of its kind. She made the decision very soon after this discovery to leave the city and search for one of these trees, hoping to provide it the same care and affection as the one in Gunhalmeir had been receiving for a thousand years.

Wisest apparently was the last one to see Gujum in the midst of leaving. She didn't think anything of it, and Gujum left with a minor fear of the girl telling the other highborn. When there were no searches for her, a relieved Gujum headed west through the Gryusch Wilds in search for another Calamity Tree.

She eventually found one atop a hill deep into the crags near the Magenti River. She took to the roots and discovered some way down that there was a rootspace carved out and furnished by a pervious inhabitant. They left many trinkets, writings, and scrolls dedicated to the Class of Grovekeeper, which fascinated Gujum very quickly, and she devoted herself to it. After about a year of practicing, she decided to pawn off some of the leftover materials. The only response she got was from an interested Grovekeeper in Guld named Fymhew.

She sold off many of her scrolls to this new Grovekeeper, and even provided her with some vyrms from the Calamity Tree when asked.

After the Pulse Torches were placed in the upper levels of the Calamity Tree's rootspaces, the nature of the vyrms across Soly began to change. This prompted Fymhew to make a request to Gujum to provide more Calamity Soil, which seemed to pacify the now-violent vyrms. When Gujum was about to meet with Fymhew's agent at the mouth of the tree, she was attacked by the vyrms in her own tree. She dropped the soil, and fought her way back to her home rootspace deep into the tree.

Gujum barricaded the space, and it kept her safe to recuperate. When she heard the sound of a young voice calling for her, she replied, and soon Wonder and her group met with Gujum, much to Gohst's shock and relief. Gujum referred to Wisest by her hated Foreckaw-given name "Gaucha" which stirred her into an immediate irritation, and then escalated when uttered a second time during their meeting. Gujum thought nothing of it, but mentally adjusted to Wisest's demands to call her by another name.

Wonder's group parted with Gujum to retrieve the bag of Calamity Soil she had dropped near the entrance to the tree. When they returned The Lorekeeper finally introduced themself, much too busy observing, documenting, and brainstorming possibilities to interact earlier. Gujum, like all highborn Foreckaw, know of The Lorekeeper, but was skeptical the small Jester was being authentic. When asked for the location of the vyrm queen, Gujum directed them to the rootspace on the edge of the Calamity Tree's natural light. It was then she was informed of the global change to the vyrm's nature, and the secret of Calamity Soil being placed on the place of the vyrm's birth being the most efficient way to pacify them. Gujum listened with great enthusiasm, and decided to believe the Jester's claim of being The Lorekeeper due to their deep understanding of the situation.

Gujum left to fill some of the remaining rootspaces with the Calamity Soil, while Wonder and her group ensured no new vyrms would be birthed for some time by taking out the queen. When they reunited, Gujum could tell the atmosphere of the tree had completely changed. With every vyrm in the tree pacified and gone back to hiding, Gujum admitted that her job had become much more difficult, but that she was prepared to take the burden as only a Grovekeeper could. She worried for Fymhew and her vyrms, and asked Wonder's group to return with the remaining Calamity Soil to ensure she was safe. Gohst and Wisest said their goodbyes, with Wisest promising that the Foreckaw would soon have their own Soaring, so there wouldn't be any need to dwell in an unsightly tree any longer... completely missing the fact that Gujum was doing so intentionally.

## Quotes

*"Grim as always, Gaucha..."*

*"This wound is a nuisance, but it won't stop Gujum from swinging Gokaus through a vyrm."*