Twigga Knosst

Name
Twigga Knosst
Gender
Female

Age
Fourteen autumns

Date of Birth
Tenth day of the month of the Dead Tree

Race
Mullog

Occupation
Cook. Twigga is still learning, but she is a pretty fair cook and baker; she learned from her mother and female relatives in the Silvermarshes. Now, outside of her childhood home in the swamp, she looks for kitchen work wherever she can, and earns a fair amount of money in this manner.

Title
Simple Little Cook

Height
2 fores, 1 palmspan

Hair Color
Twigga is bald, save her eyebrows.

Eye Color
a darker Eophran brown

Physical Appearance
A short body stands at a fiery hearth, stirring something in a pot, but her back is facing you and you cannot see what it is. You notice with alarm that her head is bald, dark tan, and heavily freckled with dots that are a lighter shade of tan brown than the underlying color; somehow you get the impression that if you touched her head, it would feel tough. A stocky physique, a typical slightly out of proportion mullog body type- her hairless head is rather large compared to the rest of her body, and if you laid out her arms and legs, unconnected, side by side, you would find that her arms are nearly as long as her legs. She wears an animal skin kirtle but stands on bare, hard-soled feet.
   Finally she notices that someone is standing behind her, and she whirls around, uttering a small cry that reveals sharp, pointed teeth. She snatches a dark blue scarf out of her pocket and, staring wildly at you in fright with sandy brown eyes all the while, ties it around her head with her square little hands. The little person -what race, after all, does she belong to? Although she might pass for a human child, you're not sure- fidgets with her dress, gaping at you intently with wide eyes. At last you realize- she's frightened, or something like it. Well, no need to panic her further. You slowly back out of the kitchen. What a strange little person.

Twigga has no hair on her head, (which creates the appearance of a large forehead) but has accentuated eyebrows of a honey-yellow color. They would be near unnoticeable with a normal complexion, (such as peach or apricot) but with Twigga's light brown-green skin, they are easily perceptible. Underneath these expressive streaks of honey blond are two large eyes of a common, dusty dark brown color. They are almost perpetually widened in surprise and often take on a strange expression– alternately interpreted as vacant or dreamy. Twigga has excellent vision during both night and day. She has a small, somewhat upturned, perky nose, thin mouth, and petite chin. Her ears are round and little, which makes them look a bit odd in contrast with her large, hairless head. Twigga's teeth and fingernails are sharp, and though she can use them for hunting by themselves, she heartily prefers not to do so. Despite this minor "glitch," in the human definition, she can pass for charming.

Her voice is the voice of youth, unripe, undeveloped, and bordering on a high pitch. She has an accent from her recent days in the Silvermarshes, which sometimes hinders her when she is having a hard time expressing something in Tharian, her very second language. When speaking in Tharian, her sentences are a bit choppy, but at least she can communicate! When very frightened or startled, she will lapse back into the language of mullogs. It normally takes an hour or two, or at least time for her to calm down, for her to regain her Tharian. The latter language is the only other language she knows besides her native tongue, and she has only begun speaking it in the past two years, which explains those unfortunate lapses.

Clothing
Twigga makes her clothes out of animal hides like the rest of her race, but a small influence of the humans has pervaded her style of clothing; she fashions her clothing a bit more decoratively and similar to the human sense of attire. The mullog girl outfits herself in only dresses, usually made out of animal skins, but sometimes she wears crude kirtles of mediocre wool, or, if times are especially hard, burlap. The majority of the time Twigga prefers to go barefoot, but she does own and wear a pair of leather sandals; in the colder months, she dons a pair of crude but warm moccasins. On her head she always wears a scarf, which are almost always a dark color– dark brown, shady green, low warm red. And it is truly always – Twigga, being Twigga, thinks that to go bare-headed is immodest.

Personality
Twigga, Twigga, Twigga. She is oblivious to things that one should easily see. Her forte is the basic life – hunting, cleaning, and most of all, cooking. Complex or out of the ordinary things simply evade her; she is best suited to life in the Silvermarshes. "Simple" describes her well; though unmindful of exceptionable, uncommon happenings, she is down-to-earth and works very well with her hands.

Twigga has a bit of an inferiority complex. Feelings of inadequacy and smallness constantly flood her whenever she is around non-mullogs – which is much of the time. The only time this deflating deluge of emotions ceases is when the girl is cooking or in the Silvermarshes. However, the barrier of inferiority feelings can occasionally be broken when Twigga becomes close enough friend with a non-mullog.

Despite her feelings of lowliness around most, Twigga needs companionship just as much as anybody else, and though she is hardly a conversationalist – she much prefers to listen, and hardly talks at all, even by herself – she often craves friendly company. But she is young and still has an active imagination, and so when she cooks, sometimes she pretends that, say, that boiling pot of water over there is talking to her. It's childish, but pleases her and keeps her from becoming too lonely, so she continues her little fantasies.

Twigga is quite literal, possessing a quiet, nearly nonexistent sense of humor. Being in any sarcastic company puts her at a slight disadvantage because she does not catch the humor in the conversation and believes every single word, no matter how laced with sarcasm it is; this adds to her often wide-eyed expression. She can and does laugh, but never at jokes, no matter how blatantly obvious they are.

Twigga is a great admirer of beauty. If she sees a person or object that she regards as beautiful, such as a lovely painting, dress, or lady, she will often stop whatever she is doing to admire and marvel at it its loveliness, although it is rare that she remarks on it to that person or the object's owner. There is no particular motivation for this trait, as she does regard everything she is accustomed to as attractive.

An introvert by nature, she takes tremendous comfort and happiness in being by herself, whether it is in nature's beauty or in the kitchen. She does like to have company, but definitely is not sociable.

One thing one would notice about Twigga is that she loves to be told stories. As a child, she followed the community storyteller around whenever he was in her family's area. Something about a good, well-told story enthralled her, captured her mind. Listening to a story, she was whatever the hero was. She was brave, she was heroic, she was strong, she was a hero. While the story lasted she could do anything. So in her travels if she comes across a good raconteur, she will linger and all but adhere to him, anything for a good tale.

Twigga is very trusting, a result of both her young age and simply her nature. Shrewdness and wariness will come with time, but for now they are just beginning to sprout within her. She has been mugged and taken advantage of several times in her travels, (due to her slight size and trusting temperament) but never molested... likely because she is not attractive in that way to the non-mullog eye.

Perhaps it is this trusting nature that makes her so religious. Whatever it is, Twigga has a deep and profound belief, and her connection to her ancestors is strong. Recognizing that every body, inanimate or breathing, is a temple for a spirit, she holds a deep respect for Eru, local Yotha, and other spirits.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
Twigga has the ability to multitask, a skill especially valued in the kitchen. She can divert her attention between the many tasks of cooking and still do them well. Needless to say, she's very efficient because of this.

As aforesaid, this girl is practical. She easily grasps solutions to problems around the home, and is very capable of making (traps, et cetera) and fixing (parts of wagons or carts, broken cooking utensils).

She's also blessed with a strong constitution, and being tough. A large part of it is because she is a mullog, but her family has had abnormally sturdy health since anyone can remember. The common cold, fever, or flu does not affect her unless it is abnormally vicious- she's grateful for this because it prevents her from accidentally infecting anyone who eats her cooking while she is sick.

Weapons and weapon skills
   ~With nails like razors and teeth like arrowheads, Twigga is never without weapon. They are her most trusted friends, always there if for some reason she is unable to use her blowpipe. Though the blowpipe is her preferred weapon for hunting, if all else fails she can always fall back on these handy parts of her body.
   ~A trusty willow tube used by the mullog more than her nails and teeth, her blowpipe is kept within easy reach in her jangling, utensils-ridden pack. Although she would use it to defend herself when possible, larger animals are usualy the ones who fall victim to the sharp, needle-like darts speeding from its wooden interior... and, ultimately, ending up in the cooking pot.

Life as a mullog in the Silvermarshes has given Twigga exemplary skills in hunting, and she uses them to her advantage. Most often she has no need to buy meat from vendors or other hunters, opting to go hunting herself, saving the money and the time- she is an efficient huntress, using tips and time-saving devices learned from her life in the Silvermarshes.

Even as a small child, Twigga would run errands for her mother or older female relatives, who would send her, if not to a plant vendor, out into the marsh forest or wherever to fetch plants and herbs for to add to whatever they were cooking. As a result, she her knowledge of flora grew extensively throughout her childhood and early adolescence, and she frequently uses it in her trade, although the usefulness of this knowledge depends on what area she is traveling in- different plants grow in different places.

Weaknesses
Perhaps you've noticed by now that Twigga has something of an inferiority complex. It prevents her from socializing with most people, since normally there aren't a whole lot of mullogs around for her to talk to. Because of this rift, Twigga must exert her pitiful, sporadic sociable moments on her cooking utensils or whatever happens to be in her cooking pot at the moment, and, needless to say, these can prove to be a bit unfulfilling.

Since Twigga is hardly fierce or protective of herself -far from it!- she seems to be a mute but standing invitation for thieves to take advantage of her. Her size, character, and often just the look on her face make her vulnerable, and she's been mugged several times. And, of course, unless she thinks to defend herself with her blowpipe, she's too frightened to think or act and doesn't really fight back, so, yes, of course, why wouldn't you try snatch every possession of hers off her back if you were a thief?

Even her broken language makes it sometimes difficult for her to communicate with people, and she in turn has a hard time understanding other people who have thick accents. In fact, in times of stress or fright, she will fall back into the mullog language, which makes it nearly impossible for people who wish to help her to figure out, sometimes, what is the issue and to aid her.

Like all mullogs, Twigga's body does not respond well to alcohol. She uses it sparingly in her cooking, and then only if the food is for non-mullogs -- the consequences for drinking alcohol for her are alarming. After digesting perhaps half, possibly even a third, of what a human would drink to get an average hangover the next morning, she would suffer through a massive version of what the human would experience -- including one mother of a headache.

Socially ignorant as Twigga is, even she can't help noticing that she fits in in her travels like a stalk of lifereed among beds of sunflowers. Looking like an eerie, sickly little human child, her height, lush hair, and even just her ghostly quietness make her the object of scrutiny in her travels. Being the meek person she is, when confronted by inconsiderate non-mullogs, all she does is bob her bald, freckled head and scurry away as fast as she can.

History
Basic Details
Original home: Ga-lum-be/Lower Marsh, Silvermarshes
General/most frequent family name: Knosst
Matriarch: Shalv
Father: Andog
Mother: Laondt
Siblings (eldest to youngest):

Nestia (f.)
Breln (f.)
Drannen (m.)
Haunil (f.)
(Twigga)
Bero (m.)

Now for the telling...
"Don't pick me up, don't touch me, leave me alone, I want to do my own thing," was the attitude of Twigga Knosst's five siblings during their childhood. Not so with Twigga. She was the quiet fifth child, forever craving affection, loving to be held. Her favorite childhood game was to play house, or whatever mullog variant of house mullog children played. Her siblings, cousins, and whatever other relations her age, rather scorned this game, but played along sometimes out of boredom. Drannen, however, was a kind brother to Twigga, and despite his rowdy nature put up with and joined in with her house game -- perhaps half-heartedly, 'tis true, but it meant much to his little sister.

Drannen was, conceivably, the closest sibling to Twigga, despite the noticeable difference in their personalities. He was rebellious, boisterous, and had a loud and rowdy wit; she was quiet, mild-mannered, and had little discernable sense of humor. She looked up to him, not only because he was older than her, but because she thought his character admirable. If you spotted Drannen, you knew that Twigga wouldn't be far behind.

Twigga also loved to be told stories. It didn't matter who told it, or what exactly it was about. Not even the moral, something valued by mullogs. Well, yes, the moral did matter to Twigga, but even more important than that, to her, was the story itself. In fact, as a child, her ultimate wish was to become a storyteller herself. As she grew older, however, her cooking skills grew to new levels, and this possible occupation soon faded into the background.

Drannen was, to say the least, independent. Rebellious. Defiant. Unruly. In many ways, the opposite of Twigga. It came as no surprise when he up and left the Silvermarshes. For no tangible reason at all! Only the unrest in his heart, the yearnings that tugged at him could account for it. It happened early in Twigga's fourteenth season, in the month of the Changing Winds. The only thing to fetter Drannen was a love for his folks and his people, and apparently his longing for change overcame even them. Who can truly say?

Needless to say, his little sister was astonished and miserable. Though she, with her stunted knowledge of emotions, could not verbally place the feeling, Twigga felt perhaps a little betrayed, and most definitely hurt. But overall, most strongly, a feeling of loneliness, and that vague, indefinable one... sadness. No one could replace her Drannen.

She moped about for a fortnight or so, devoting herself to cooking. It was probably here that her skills in this area started to seriously develop, and she began to feel an acute enjoyment in it. But Twigga could only distract herself for so long. The mullog lass had a simple mind, and in that simple mind one thing surfaced over and over. Drannen. Her brother probably did not realize how selfish his actions were, to cause so much pain in his family, and especially with his little sister, who he consciously had a close bond with. In any case, Twigga knew that she was feeling pain.
   This pain was caused by Drannen.
How, then, to make this pain disappear?
   Find the thing that was causing her pain.
Drannen was causing her pain.
   Then do what?
Find Drannen.

So, after completing this laborious thought process, Twigga set off to find her brother.

No easy task! He was only discovered missing at lunchtime the next day, due to the multitudes of mullog children and adolescents already milling around in their family, and even then, where could he have gone? Out of Nermeran? To the sea north of Nermeran? Twigga, certainly, was not sure. She probably did not even think of this detail.

But she was determined to find her brother, so she left – but in a different manner than her brother. Deeply attached to all family, she bade them goodbye, rather wetly, it must be said. Before leaving, her parents gave her an oval-shaped, lifereed talisman, a goodbye present. Five shallow holes near the top, a long oval sideways underneath them, and a round circle at the other end; it had been made to look like the imprint of a foot. A simple talisman, but a sweet one. It was an amulet for peaceful traveling.

Putting one dusty foot down in front of the other, sometimes sandal-clad, more often bare, Twigga makes her journey. Though it has a thick leather cord, the traveling talisman she keeps in her pocket, her birth talisman hanging at her neck. The soft thud of her traveling staff on the road marks her passage. Sometimes taking lifts on wagons of kind farmers, sometimes taking ships when she needs to, the mullog follows her impossible quest to find Drannen. It is sad, but there is a strong layer of childishness in the whole thing. That Twigga believes that she could find her brother in the world, knowing his unrestive spirit, takes a lot of imagination and faith. Twigga has indeed a long way to go... both physically, and, moreso, emotionally. She may never be "clever," intellectually and verbally, but the world will aid her in the growth of her maturity.

Weaponry
Traveling staff
Twigga's staff, about one ped and three or four nailsbreadths, is used only for support when she is walking- she does not have the ability, nor the skill, to use it is a true weapon. It is of peace pine and is a sturdy, practical thing. Its rich, dark brown bark would normally have been rather rough, being from an evergreen tree, but it had been worn smooth and sanded by its maker for its user to grip it more comfortably. It is a bit thicker than a halfling staff, but not much- it must be easy for Twigga to grasp.

Teeth and nails
Twigga has a few physical characteristics that, when shown, make non-mullogs alarmed – or frightened, if you will – and often account for very awkward pauses in the rare conversations that she has with non-mullogs. For example, her teeth and nails. As said in the Physical Appearance section, they are pointed and very sharp, though she takes great care not to keep them too long. Though she rarely thinks of it, they can be used for self-defense -- say, when she's being mugged (an often enough occurrence). Like her kinsmen, she can use them for hunting if absolutely necessary, but does not like to, being of the opinion that using other weapons to hunt is more civilized.

Blowpipe and darts
Whfft- that's about the sound Twigga's blowpipe makes when she is hunting; sometimes even less. A three-palmspans long and one nailsbreadth and fourth grains wide, the tube of willow wood has always served her well. Its mistress always keeps the razor-like darts doused with a poison potion that causes death within seconds to most animals. She has learned to make this potion from her father, Andog, only a few years ago when he began teaching her to use it the weapon like he did her other siblings.

Belongings
   ~traveling staff
   ~three waterskins
   ~a pair of leather sandals
   ~a knapsack
   -cooking utensils
   -several dresses (see Clothing)
   -food to last about a week
   ~birth talisman (as well as her traveling one and several other talismans

Twigga's Birth Talisman
Twigga's birth talisman is, naturally, made of lifereed. Its shape is that of a marsh willow's slender, blade-like leaf; carved with details like the real leaf's veins, branches, and spine, it could pass for an actual, but oddly-hued, willow leaf. It is a beautiful, yellow-white object suspended from a leather cord.[/list][/list]