Name: Matin Dripwood
Alias: Mat, Little Fox
Age: 19
Apparent Age: 18
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 50 kg
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Physical Identifiers: Nothing characteristic unless one considers his smile. Over the years, he has perfected it into an art. He has a repository of smiles: the ingratiating one for the older ones who catch him pawing off a sweetmelon; the innocent smile for his master who catches him napping in the middle of class; the mischievous smile for Uncle Tam when they drink and dance; the flirting smile for
the girls who are either exasperated or enthralled (usually the former).
Appearance: Matin is a thin, bony young man, always looking like he goes to sleep in his day clothes. He has a shaggy shock of
black hair that falls around him in a tangled mess. His face makes him look younger and more innocent than he really is - a feature he
constantly uses to his advantage. He has soft brown eyes that he is constantly ashamed of. He knows he will never be a mighty warrior with
those eyes! He usually stands slouched or leaning against something, and ambles rather than walks, always chewing something.
Equipment/Personal Possessions: There are three things of which Matin can said to be the owner. A wooden flute given to him by his
dear, departed father; an oddly shaped stone with strange markings on it - something he had picked among the ruins; and his trusty catapult
that he made himself.
Pets/Companions: While Matin has no living relatives, he can be often seen hanging out with the eccentric, Tamlin, who he calls 'Uncle Tam'. Known to be an anti-social, Tamlin however has a soft spot for the boy.
Tribe/Village: The Dryad Tribe
Titles/Occupation: Apprentice to the Healer
Languages Spoken: Dryadic, bits of the Common Tongue
Languages Written: Dryadic
Opinion of the Ruse: Fear
Opinion of Outsiders: Matin has rarely met people from other tribes, but he is immensely curious of their ways and tongues. Within
the Dryad tribe, no one speaks of the Outsiders or the Ruse.
Hopes and Dreams: Matin secretly wants to be a great warrior, but he knows that he is too small and weak to be one. He wants to see
big cities and listen to old tales about old things. He wants to meet someone who can tell him where the ruins came from.
Likes and Desires: Matin really enjoys songs and dancing. Very recently, he has discovered the joys of drinking hugi - a liquor
brewed by the Dryads. He loves a good story and a good meal. Also recently, the boy has discovered that he is turning into a man, being
a late bloomer. He is beginning to notice girls and wonders what it would be like to kiss one.
Fears and Dislikes: Matin hates being alone. He fears being made into one of those twisted old Healers like his master Thuril.
Secrets and Regrets: Matin, as a young adult of 19, had many secrets after the way of boys of his age. The time he felt a woman's
breasts accidentally; that time when he stumbled on that big old ruin and found the stone; the time when he killed a squirrel for fun and
wept over it later - they are all secrets he swears to take to the grave. His biggest regret is that once, two years earlier, the Chief's
daughter had confessed her love for him. He had been scared by it back then and backed out. The next month, she was married off to her
uncle's son. While Matin is absolutely scared of marriage, he often feels that he should have said yes to Lena.
Personality: Matin is usually care-free and full of energy, always dreaming up elaborate stories or getting into trouble because
of some antic of his. He firmly believes that he can easily smile his way out of anything. He is quick-witted but is not given to deep
thoughts. He enjoys songs and fun more than a quiet time in the forest.
Religion: Dryadism - a pagan belief in the divinity of the Forest.
Relatives: None
Friends: 'Uncle' Tam (Tamlin)
Enemies: None
Defining Moments: Matin still yearns to relive that one glorious day when, during a hunting trip with Uncle Tam, he had gotten
lost, fallen down a ravine and had stumbled on an ancient ruin. He had never seen stonework like that. Even in its weed-overgrown state, the ruins held him with their craftsmanship from a forgotten time. With fear beating in his heart, he had somehow walked through them, taking in every carving and arch. Finally, he had taken a small stone from one of the ruined courtyards as a proof that it had not been a dream, and wandered back to the village. Uncle Tam had taken one look at the stone and pronounced it to be a lucky charm. Since that day, Mat has never let the stone leave his person.
A Typical Day: Mat is an apprentice to the Healer, so his typical day begins very early, before sunrise. He rises grumbling, and is prodded and pushed through the forest by his Master as they go on their morning herb hunt. His education starts almost immediately and
all through the morning, the pair roam the nearby forest for herbs. By lunchtime, they are back in the village and Matin is taught potion-making and herblore. By sunset, his apprentice duties are done (save those days when night herbs have to be collected) and he heads to Tam's hut. The two sit there and talk and drink and dance till they pass out - an activity that doesn't help the morning after, or his herb-master's mood.
Tribe/Village Detail: The Dryads are a forest-dwelling tribe eking out an existence in the dense rainforest of the south. The large
jungle, they call Drea. Drea is also their prime deity - the goddess of the Forest. Drea and her minions form their pantheon and they live
in fear and awe. The tribe lives by the counsel and power of the Witch-Mothers - three old women who keep the fury of Drea appeased and
protect their dwellings from animals and trees. The Witch-Mothers don't live in the village but live in the deep jungle. Every full moon
day, they come to the village to reweave their protection spells. The Dryads are largely hunter-gatherers, but they also grow vegetables,
mushrooms and some herbs in their village.
Magic: Magic and religion is intertwined in the life of a Dryad. Drea, the Forest Goddess, is their prime deity. She is the
giver and taker of Ka - the life force. Young unmarried women are chosen in their teen to be trained as witches. At any given point of
time, the tribe will have three Witch-Mothers giving counsel to the tribe chief. The magic of the witches comes from the herbs and trees
and mushrooms. Their profound knowledge of all the magical herbs gives them some measure of control over the forest and its beasts. Some
rare Witch-Mothers are born with the ability to sense the weather or talk to beasts. The first full moon day of a year is celebrated as the
Night of Souls. On this day, the Witch-Mothers take the entire tribe through an all-night ritual, culminating in the Dance of the Dead. At
midnight, with the moon at its zenith, the tribe elders and witches come out wearing gruesome masks and chant and sip Ayonil, a magical
draught brewed by the Witch-Mothers that gives the village protection against Ruses.
Alias: Mat, Little Fox
Age: 19
Apparent Age: 18
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 50 kg
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Physical Identifiers: Nothing characteristic unless one considers his smile. Over the years, he has perfected it into an art. He has a repository of smiles: the ingratiating one for the older ones who catch him pawing off a sweetmelon; the innocent smile for his master who catches him napping in the middle of class; the mischievous smile for Uncle Tam when they drink and dance; the flirting smile for
the girls who are either exasperated or enthralled (usually the former).
Appearance: Matin is a thin, bony young man, always looking like he goes to sleep in his day clothes. He has a shaggy shock of
black hair that falls around him in a tangled mess. His face makes him look younger and more innocent than he really is - a feature he
constantly uses to his advantage. He has soft brown eyes that he is constantly ashamed of. He knows he will never be a mighty warrior with
those eyes! He usually stands slouched or leaning against something, and ambles rather than walks, always chewing something.
Equipment/Personal Possessions: There are three things of which Matin can said to be the owner. A wooden flute given to him by his
dear, departed father; an oddly shaped stone with strange markings on it - something he had picked among the ruins; and his trusty catapult
that he made himself.
Pets/Companions: While Matin has no living relatives, he can be often seen hanging out with the eccentric, Tamlin, who he calls 'Uncle Tam'. Known to be an anti-social, Tamlin however has a soft spot for the boy.
Tribe/Village: The Dryad Tribe
Titles/Occupation: Apprentice to the Healer
Languages Spoken: Dryadic, bits of the Common Tongue
Languages Written: Dryadic
Opinion of the Ruse: Fear
Opinion of Outsiders: Matin has rarely met people from other tribes, but he is immensely curious of their ways and tongues. Within
the Dryad tribe, no one speaks of the Outsiders or the Ruse.
Hopes and Dreams: Matin secretly wants to be a great warrior, but he knows that he is too small and weak to be one. He wants to see
big cities and listen to old tales about old things. He wants to meet someone who can tell him where the ruins came from.
Likes and Desires: Matin really enjoys songs and dancing. Very recently, he has discovered the joys of drinking hugi - a liquor
brewed by the Dryads. He loves a good story and a good meal. Also recently, the boy has discovered that he is turning into a man, being
a late bloomer. He is beginning to notice girls and wonders what it would be like to kiss one.
Fears and Dislikes: Matin hates being alone. He fears being made into one of those twisted old Healers like his master Thuril.
Secrets and Regrets: Matin, as a young adult of 19, had many secrets after the way of boys of his age. The time he felt a woman's
breasts accidentally; that time when he stumbled on that big old ruin and found the stone; the time when he killed a squirrel for fun and
wept over it later - they are all secrets he swears to take to the grave. His biggest regret is that once, two years earlier, the Chief's
daughter had confessed her love for him. He had been scared by it back then and backed out. The next month, she was married off to her
uncle's son. While Matin is absolutely scared of marriage, he often feels that he should have said yes to Lena.
Personality: Matin is usually care-free and full of energy, always dreaming up elaborate stories or getting into trouble because
of some antic of his. He firmly believes that he can easily smile his way out of anything. He is quick-witted but is not given to deep
thoughts. He enjoys songs and fun more than a quiet time in the forest.
Religion: Dryadism - a pagan belief in the divinity of the Forest.
Relatives: None
Friends: 'Uncle' Tam (Tamlin)
Enemies: None
Defining Moments: Matin still yearns to relive that one glorious day when, during a hunting trip with Uncle Tam, he had gotten
lost, fallen down a ravine and had stumbled on an ancient ruin. He had never seen stonework like that. Even in its weed-overgrown state, the ruins held him with their craftsmanship from a forgotten time. With fear beating in his heart, he had somehow walked through them, taking in every carving and arch. Finally, he had taken a small stone from one of the ruined courtyards as a proof that it had not been a dream, and wandered back to the village. Uncle Tam had taken one look at the stone and pronounced it to be a lucky charm. Since that day, Mat has never let the stone leave his person.
A Typical Day: Mat is an apprentice to the Healer, so his typical day begins very early, before sunrise. He rises grumbling, and is prodded and pushed through the forest by his Master as they go on their morning herb hunt. His education starts almost immediately and
all through the morning, the pair roam the nearby forest for herbs. By lunchtime, they are back in the village and Matin is taught potion-making and herblore. By sunset, his apprentice duties are done (save those days when night herbs have to be collected) and he heads to Tam's hut. The two sit there and talk and drink and dance till they pass out - an activity that doesn't help the morning after, or his herb-master's mood.
Tribe/Village Detail: The Dryads are a forest-dwelling tribe eking out an existence in the dense rainforest of the south. The large
jungle, they call Drea. Drea is also their prime deity - the goddess of the Forest. Drea and her minions form their pantheon and they live
in fear and awe. The tribe lives by the counsel and power of the Witch-Mothers - three old women who keep the fury of Drea appeased and
protect their dwellings from animals and trees. The Witch-Mothers don't live in the village but live in the deep jungle. Every full moon
day, they come to the village to reweave their protection spells. The Dryads are largely hunter-gatherers, but they also grow vegetables,
mushrooms and some herbs in their village.
Magic: Magic and religion is intertwined in the life of a Dryad. Drea, the Forest Goddess, is their prime deity. She is the
giver and taker of Ka - the life force. Young unmarried women are chosen in their teen to be trained as witches. At any given point of
time, the tribe will have three Witch-Mothers giving counsel to the tribe chief. The magic of the witches comes from the herbs and trees
and mushrooms. Their profound knowledge of all the magical herbs gives them some measure of control over the forest and its beasts. Some
rare Witch-Mothers are born with the ability to sense the weather or talk to beasts. The first full moon day of a year is celebrated as the
Night of Souls. On this day, the Witch-Mothers take the entire tribe through an all-night ritual, culminating in the Dance of the Dead. At
midnight, with the moon at its zenith, the tribe elders and witches come out wearing gruesome masks and chant and sip Ayonil, a magical
draught brewed by the Witch-Mothers that gives the village protection against Ruses.
