The Badger

[Sorontar]

Discussion thread for The Badger (http://www.birthright.net/brwiki/index.php/The Badger). If you would like to add a comment, click the Post Reply button.

[Sorontar]

I have been asked why I added "brock" to the line:

his totem animal: a badger or brock.

I have various reasons for this. Some are "personal" like my favourite Birthright character is a druid called Brokk. But more importantly, the word "brock" is an archaic term used for the Eurasian badger. It is sometimes used in Britain and you will come across it in various place names, e.g. Brockhampton, Brockhall, Brockton, and Broxbourne.

Okay, you say, but a badger is a badger right? Well, I don't know a lot about badgers but I am rather fond of them. A good site about them is at Steve Jackson's site (http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/ ). It gives some important distinctions between Eurasian badgers and American badgers:


"The American badger is similar in size, build and appearance to the Eurasian badger Meles meles, although it is rather lower to the ground and and broader in the body. Like its Eurasian relative, the American badger has two dark facial stripes, but it also has two black flashes (or 'badges'), one on each cheek.... American badgers are loners, leading solitary lives except when males and females meet up to mate, and when females are rearing their young. They occupy large ranges which may overlap, and which are not demarcated or defended as far as is known. However, if one badger meets another, they will apparently attack each other."

"Unlike other badgers (and most other members of the weasel family come to that), the Eurasian badger often lives in groups. These groups - called clans - can be quite large (around a dozen animals) where food supplies are good. Each clan shares a "home range" containing feeding grounds and one or more setts."

So how is this important to BR? Well, I think that since Cerelian is based on Europe & Africa, Borelas would be changing into a Eurasian badger. Given what little we know about Borelas's character already, I think that is a suitable badger type. Borelas will try and act for the good of the community, and not be naturally aggressive. I would find it hard to believe that of him if he was becoming an American badger.

As I said, I don't know much about badgers so I am quite open to any alternatives.

Sorontar

[Thelandrin]

I was doing the asking, but I have to say that I agree with Sorontar's analysis :)

[ShadowMoon]

Well brock nature suits more for most Rjuven realms/tribes than badger, though Borelas is a solitary soul, but it is reasonable considering that he doesn't understand the nature of beeing an Ershegh.

[Sorontar]

He may be a solitary sole, but he endeavours to work for the good of the land and its people. This seems to indicate that his sense of community is strong, like many a Rjurik. I suspect that he is welcomed for his efforts, even if he is "tainted" and acts to conceal this (hence the temporary isolation). The truth is that some communities may welcome the "badgering", especially if they have a like-minded druid.

That may be paraphrasing what you just said ShadowMoon.

Sorontar

[ShadowMoon]

True, my thoughts exactly...