Ruth

From Himitsu no Sensou

[edit] Summary

Ruth is a sister in the Megam church. She worked as a medium in Lucre for all the early years of her life. Her employment there was largely a long parade of exaggerating premonitions, until one summer, when the family of House Franel, there on a pilgrammage, stopped into her chapel. Ruth was visited with a vision that drove her slightly mad, and she screamed to the children in Old High Megam -- a language she didn't even know -- that they would be brought into the light.

(recounting of Ruth's vision to Lawrence:)

“I saw a world, enshrouded in shadow. I saw something moving within the shadow, although I couldn’t see what, and let me tell you, that was frustrating. I saw a castle on a hill. I saw two black swords crossed, heard words in a languages I couldn’t understand, two voices layered.” her eyes grew distant. “I saw ... children. Many children, many ages. Children opening their eyes, confused and dazed, but all of them were in shadow. It was not a bad shadow, but it was blindingly dark. And then ...”she trailed off and closed her eyes.

“And then I heard a song I could never forget.”

As Ruth grew older, her power became more and more unreliable, and rarely worked correctly unless triggered by violent weather. She was moved to Papan Island, a major hurricane zone, to predict the coming storms and bring the commons to safety. Many saw her as a freakish madwoman, but all respected her talents.

When the siblings of House Franel returned to her after their lives ceased to exist, she was the only person aside from their retainers who remembered them. She perfectly recalled the day she saw them and gave them her vision. She spoke to Lawrence, sharing her vision, answering some of his questions, and giving him a vision of his own.

Ruth has admitted to knowing more than what she told him that day, but he was "not ready to hear it, and she was not ready to tell it," so her secrets have remained hidden. Occasionally, she filters this knowledge to Lawrence through Lillian, Raetha, and Mathilda.

[edit] Known Facts

• Is a sister in the Church.
• Served as a high-ranking medium in Lucre until her powers began to fail.
• Was moved to Papan to act as a "glorified weathervane," in her own words.
• Fancies herself crazy, but is more or less simply eccentric.
• Has a twisted and slightly sadistic sense of humour.
• Enjoys jerking Lawrence's chain.