Mudbiter

Background

Mudbiter is a luvare, similar to wolves or dogs. While luvare are generally not self-aware and often dangerous, between the natural magic of Poneren and the association Mudbiter formed with Ameron Binkley, Mudbiter becomes something more.  

Early Life

The strongest of a litter of six pups, Mudbiter quickly dominated his smaller siblings. Mudbiter was strong, but not the most intelligent of the group. As a young pup, he attacked some fish in a stream, missing his prey and earning his name.   Mudbiter loved hunting, even as a young pup, and would bring back anything he could. This started as nothing more than slow-moving insects, but quickly moved on to rodents and birds. Bringing back a small calf from a nearby farm was the downfall for Mudbiter's family, as the farmer tracked the animal back to his den, killing the mother luvare and all of Mudbiter's siblings. Mudbiter himself had gone out hunting for more, and did not meet the same fate as the rest of his family.  

The only good luvare is roasting for dinner.

— Common Tivelean Saying

  With Mudbiter's family gone, the lone animal wandered the forest northeast of Antina, growing in ability and strength. He didn't recognize the humans as the cause of his family's death, but did find that they were more fun to hunt than the simpler animals of the forest.  

Ameron Binkley

 

Ameron had been kicked out without lunch. Aunt Raimena had given him plenty of warning, but he got distracted and didn't listen, so he was hungry and other than Corus, alone.   Corus was little fun in the afternoon, all the cat wanted to do was sleep. So the boy was excited to find a new friend, and at five years old, too young to know to be afraid.

— The Legend of Mudbiter

  It was likely happenstance, not the will of the planet or the boy calling out, that caused Mudbiter to stumble upon Ameron while the boy was playing by a stream one summer morning. The luvare was excited, he hadn't had a good hunt for a couple of days. But as he stared across the rippling water, something changed in him.   The boy stopped looking like lunch, and more like a friend. So when Mudbiter bounded across the stream, it wasn't to attack, for the first time in years it was to play.   The pair met up many times over the next five years, and throughout it all, Mudbiter continued to change. Ameron's belief that Mudbiter was good changed the animal so it was. More, it changed him so he wanted to be and began to believe it himself.   Mudbiter was a luvare no longer. It had become a he, with compassion and caring. He began to consider not just himself, but those in the world around him.  

Late Life

After Ameron left Antina, Mudbiter missed the boy and tried to find a replacement. A few close scrapes began to teach the luvare to again fear humans.   One of the closest was a day when Mudbiter was following a stream and came upon a small house. He could see a baby playing near the stream. He watched the baby crawl toward the rushing water. As she reached toward the light reflecting off the stream and over-balanced, he howled and rushed forward, throwing himself into the water.  

I know it was just wanting to eat her, but I would swear it didn't want her to drown. I wouldn't have even known she was outside if I hadn't heard the howl.

— Arraine's mother in a letter to a friend

  By the time the animal had the child back on dry land, her mother was out the door and calling for her husband. Mudbiter deposited the baby safely back on dry land and started swimming back to the other side. The rushing water saved him as a fireball flew through the air and scorched his hide. Without wet fur and water splashing, the damage would have been worse.   Mudbiter ran from the water and back into the woods before another fireball could be thrown his way.   Mudbiter never found another friend like Ameron, but even after a life of lonliness the animal was glad to have known the boy. And if he understood what had happened to him, he would have been thankful to the child he once knew.  

Skills

Mudbiter has a strong affinity for Quickness abilities with a weaker affinity for Might abilities.   Skills Mudbiter is well-versed and practiced in include:  

• Running
• Fighting (specializing in Biting)
• Perception (specializing in Forest and Small Game)