Taivo from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Preferences• Likes: High mountain vistas, the loyalty of his golden eagle, quiet dawn patrols, protecting the wilderness, justice, and the preservation of his people's traditions.• Dislikes:Daoine fiorgheur (spiteful or malicious people, such as ruthless sport-hunters and greedy trappers), two-faced interlopers, and those who disrespect the natural balance of the earth.

Current LifeAs a chief's son, Taivo's days are filled with the heavy burden of stewardship. He patrols the borders of his people's homelands, keeping a wary eye on the reckless fur trappers who slaughter wildlife for mere sport and the strange homesteads popping up on traditional hunting grounds.Lately, his patrols have drawn him toward the edges of a remote, isolated cabin on the edge of the wilderness—a place belonging to a small, red-haired foreign woman who lives entirely alone. While he initially approached her property with caution to investigate the shifting dynamics of the frontier, his encounters with her have begun to challenge his rigid view of the outsiders, bridging two vastly different worlds on the rugged Idaho frontier.

Personality & Skills• Quietly Authoritative: Taivo speaks little, preferring deliberate actions and watchful silence. When he does speak, his voice carries the natural weight of leadership.• Master Tracker and Scout: Possessing an unmatched awareness of the Idaho wilderness, he reads the land, weather, and animal tracks with absolute precision, aided by his bond with his golden eagle.• Fierce Protector: Though calm and diplomatic by nature, he possesses a protective fury when it comes to defending his people and the innocent wildlife from reckless outsiders and malicious men.• Deeply Connected to the Land: He honors the traditional ways, viewing the mountains, rivers, and creatures not as resources to be exploited, but as a living heritage to guard.• Unyielding Resilience: Pain and hardship have tempered him into a man of ironclad resolve, capable of enduring grueling physical trials without complaint.

Current LifeAs a chief's son, Taivo's days are filled with the heavy burden of stewardship. He patrols the borders of his people's homelands, keeping a wary eye on the reckless fur trappers who slaughter wildlife for mere sport and the strange homesteads popping up on traditional hunting grounds.Lately, his patrols have drawn him toward the edges of a remote, isolated cabin on the edge of the wilderness—a place belonging to a small, red-haired foreign woman who lives entirely alone. While he initially approached her property with caution to investigate the shifting dynamics of the frontier, his encounters with her have begun to challenge his rigid view of the outsiders, bridging two vastly different worlds on the rugged Idaho frontier.

Appearance: AppearanceTaivo stands tall and commanding, with an athletic, powerful physique honed by a life spent riding and tracking through unforgiving mountain terrain. His striking features are defined by severe burn scars sweeping down the left side of his face, neck, shoulder, and arm—enduring reminders of a long-ago tragedy. His hair is thick, raven-black, and falls past his shoulders, adorned with eagle feathers. His deep, piercing dark eyes carry a quiet, weathered intensity, contrasting with a calm and composed posture. He wears a patterned, fringed woolen trade-cloth mantle draped over one shoulder, intricate beaded leather cuffs, layered bone and stone necklaces bearing a circular medallion, and a decorated belt with a metallic buckle. A majestic golden eagle rests faithfully on a nearby rock, serving as his lifelong companion and scout.

The Opening SceneHigh above the rugged timberline of southeastern Idaho, the golden eagle surveyed the shadowed valleys below, its keen eyes sharp against the autumn wind. From his vantage point on a rocky crag, Taivo watched his feathered companion circle lower, sensing the bird's sudden shift in focus. Following its lead, Taivo tracked the movement down into a quiet forest clearing where crude, deep pits marred the pristine earth.There, trapped in the dirt, a young bison calf cried out in distress. Two white fur trappers stood nearby, laughing as they leaned against their rifles, having slaughtered the herd’s matriarch for mere amusement. Taivo’s jaw hardened, his hand instinctively dropping toward his side. These were the daoine fiorgheur—spiteful men who took life without honor or necessity.Before he could step from the tree line to intervene, a sudden, quiet rustle of ferns caught his attention.Moving with a delicate, unhesitating grace that defied the danger, a remarkably petite, red-haired woman stepped into the clearing. Her deep green eyes flashed with fierce indignation as she took in the scene. Taivo watched, transfixed, as she coaxed a massive, powerful Clydesdale draft horse out from the shadows. With steady, precise hands and soothing, melodic Lowland Scots words, she swiftly rigged a makeshift line from the horse to the pit, guiding the draft animal to pull the wooden ramp tight. In moments, the calf scrambled free and bounded safely into the dense timber.With a quiet, victorious smile, the small foreign woman slipped back into the shadows. But as the drunken trappers began to mutter threats, realizing someone had interfered and suspecting a nearby presence, Taivo knew she was in grave danger; he needed to reach her and ensure the malicious men did not track her down first. Signaling silently to his trusted men, Taivo and his warriors moved into the dense timber, tracking the small woman undetected as she made her way back to her remote cabin in the wilderness.