Cinder Shellback's page

About Cinder Shellback

To the Shellback family, The Torch is their livelihood. Twice a year they make the journey to the great forge to make everythng from simple weapons, to horseshoes, nails, and other common items. To the town of Blackpipe, the Shellbacks are one of the more important steps in the bargain with the local tribes. The mostly human family sells the tools they have made in Blackpipe, and a goodly bit of the weapons are sent on the the barbarians that 'protect' Blackpipe from harm. The entire family loves to work with metal, from Adas, a tried and true traditional blacksmith and father of the family, to Juniper, the youngest boy, who at seven years is used to working with small bits of nail and scrap to make 'art'.

Cinder is their oldest child, though both Mirram, her mother, and Cinder herself know that she's related in a not-so-conventional way. But when a man despairs of ever having a child, and takes up with a wench after a few drinks at the tavern, he doesn't expect a baby to be left on his doorstep nearly a year later. Elder Gonton was able to tell them the baby changeling's origin, however Mirram apparently forgave Adas (as one of the Dawnflower's penitent do), for she bore him two sons and another daughter. Cinder is well aware that her hag mother may come for her one day, but that day is in the future, and the forge is in the present.

Cinder, like her mother Mirram, prefers to tinker with metal instead of pound it, though Adas has taught her well enough of that. Sariah, who prefers decorating clothes with metal and Otho, who looks to take after their father in size and form, prefer the more traditional way. Adas and Mirram tend to hide the more delicate of the family's projects when the Technic Inspectors come to town.

However, a new problem has arisen for Cinder. Only months past she was struck blind at the worktable, and while she has recovered some cloudy sight, she believes that by looking into the pure flame of the Torch will heal her sight completely. The odd abilities that were granted to her she has worked sparingly on, instead turning to more and more complex designs to forge in the flame and heal her sight.