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Ooiman
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Creating the Lake Wife/Sjörå

Thu 29 Jul 2021, 11:59

Couldn't find anyone else who had written about it, so here's a thread for creating the Lake Wife. This is the same Vaesen featured on the GM screen.
Apart from being mentioned once in the Woof Wife's description in the rulebook, the Lake Wife has now information or stats of their own. Unless FL decides to release her as a new Vaesen through an upcoming expansion, I figured we could take the liberty of making up something for her ourselves.

First of all, I've been reading Egerkrans' book and determined a few things.
  • Nature: Like the Mermaid, she's native to the waters. She does not live in the seas but rather in lakes or rivers, much like the Neck. Their territories vary in size.
  • Appearance: Her appearance is to be described as that of a beautiful lady, with a hollowed-out back (like the Wood Wife) or being covered in scales. Unlike the Mermaid, she walks on two legs. Usually has long, dark-green hair.
  • Behavior: She controls and watches over the waters and the creatures where she lives. She rarely attempts to drown fishers, unless they've wronged her in some way... or when she's very hungry. If you anger the Lake Wife, she will drown you and feed you to the pikes in the lake.
  • Appeasing: One way to make the Lake Wife happy is to toss a coin to the Lake wife (oh valley of plenty) or a piece of chewing tobacco into the lake when fishing. The Lake Wife then rewards the fisher with plenty of fish, and she may even warn about incoming storms.
  • Cattle: Occasionally, the Lake Wife will associate with strange cattle, known as lake cattle(sjönöt). These cows may be seen by the lakeside and rush into the water when someone approaches, to then disappear without a trace. Should you get a particularly big pike on your hook, it may be the Lake Wife's "bell-cow".
  • Rivalry: The Lake Wife and the Neck despises each other, and rarely lives in the same waters.

Like any Vaesen, the Lake Wife would need a Ritual and Secret. So maybe we can start with that? Any ideas?
The Wood Wife, as an example, can be appeased in a similar way with gifts. But in order to banish a Lake Wife you'll need something equivalent to cutting/burning down trees at the heart of the woods. The Secret of the Wood Wife could be something similar in regards to the jacket with a cross/crucifux, but would need some sort of alteration. Maybe something similar to that of the Mermaid (who's weakness is metal or steel) or the Neck?
I live for misfires.
 
Rob-H
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 26 Nov 2021, 03:41

Re: Creating the Lake Wife/Sjörå

Fri 26 Nov 2021, 23:47

Just recently discovered game and forum.

I need to get my hands on that book of art that inspired all this to respond properly.

The first thing that occurs to me is a situation leading to an angry Lake Wife, commercial fishing is depleting her lake and making her 'hungry', leading to her feeding on fishermen. There is also a real rivalry between traditional fishermen and the growing commercial trade.

A bit online research suggests she may also punish unfaithful fishermen. The idea of the category of "rå" creatures, guardians of locations, is also interesting.

For a ritual, you might need to have the lake blessed, perhaps from a boat in it - a bit risky.

Rob

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