Oonagh of the Grove

“Nature is cruel. Nature is kind. For every action we take, there will be a consequence. Let’s make it worth it.”

Oonagh [pronounced OO'-nuh] of the Grove is a member of the Grove’s Founder’s Circle, representing Nature. She is the current Faction Leader of The Grove. She has taken the name "Cardot" as a surname, renouncing her original one.

At the climax of the Plains of Sorrow campaign, she was was elevated to High Priestess of the Green Goddess-- cleansing the Demonic Dominion and sending the remaining demons to the winds.

Biography

Far away in a distant land of ice and seas, Oonagh was the eldest daughter in a household ruled with an iron fist by her grandparents. Her mother, long since vanished, and her father, long since dead in battle, left her at a young age to be raised with the dogs that her grandfather cherished so much.

Oonagh was a born troublemaker, defiant and ready to speak her mind. On one of her many escapes from the house, she ended up on a beach and found a locked chest in a hidden cave. Inside the chest, she found a seal skin that, to her surprise, fit her nearly perfectly. She slipped it on, and found herself in the water, a seal. In shock, she threw off the skin and rushed home to her grandmother to demand an explanation.

Her grandmother gave the briefest of explanations (“your mother was a selkie”) and arranged a marriage immediately to get Oonagh out of the house and away from all she knew and held dear. No amount of begging and pleading would change her fate, so Oonagh did what she had done many times before: she ran away. Out the door, down to the beach. She searched for the lost seal skin and went deeper into the cave until she reached a glowing archway. Hesitating for barely a moment, she stepped through and found herself on a small island that held nothing more than a few stones and a mud puddle in the middle of nowhere. She could barely see land, but she realized she had to take a risk. She swam until she could swim no more, and then the waves carried her ashore.

Present day, Oonagh has devoted herself to the service of the Green Goddess. She has embraced the land as much as the sea and finds magic in the trees and the roots of all living plants. Oonagh can hear her whispering sometimes, when the wind rushes through the leaves and the grasses rustle. She describes the Goddess painting the flowers with her moods; she can feel the strength of her happiness and sadness with the changes of seasons.

Known as Oonagh of the Grove, she has recently taken the name "Cardot" as a surname: whispers from the Green Goddess.

Personality

Oonagh believes in balance and her decisions are made accordingly. She acts decisively to defend those in need and metes out swift punishment on those found wanting. In matters of politics, she prefers to raise her voice in defense of refugees. In matters of war, she seeks to maintain balance and neutrality.

Some consider Oonagh to be overly serious, but she has a mischievous side as well. Oonagh loves dancing and merrymaking, whether it is in the forest with the Grove and a pitcher of peach wine or in Imra’s tavern with a mug of mead. She can be found around campfires telling stories, encouraging others to share as well. And sometimes, when the moon is full and the sisterhood/kinship of the Grove has gathered all together, Oonagh instigates just a few shenanigans. Of the mostly good variety, she promises.

Appearance

Oonagh is a woman of medium-height, fair skin, and hair that switches between brown and black, long and short, depending on her mood, how many drinks she’s had, and whether or not she’s about to kill someone. Generally speaking, she fights wearing long green or black dresses, although someone (probably Dame Gwion) gave her clothes of other colors to wear as well.

Oonagh understands what “fancy” means, but generally prefers to be warm and is most easily spotted wearing a very imposing black fur coat in the cooler months. As Oonagh learned to love the land and embrace a less war-driven future, she has started to add small touches of magic to her ensemble. Her war scythe has retired in favor of a mage’s staff. If you look carefully, you might see a spell book hidden amongst the throwing daggers she borrowed from Jay Cindersky.