Profile

Name:

Ravenspeaker

Identity:

Billy Edenshaw

Base of Operations:

Canadian Wilderness

Powers:

Sorcery

Born into an isolated Niikwan village in Canada, Billy Edenshaw grew up under the protection of Raven, a trickster god.

For two centuries, Raven had protected the Niikwan village from the ravages of the white man’s arrival in Canada. He hid the people from the white man, and prevented the white man’s diseases from entering the village. In return, he asked that all the Niikwan shun all white men other than those the Raven trusted, and that no Niikwan should ever harm a raven. In exchange for those promises he drove Tax’et, the god of violent death, away from the village.

Billy Edenshaw is the descendent of the first white man Raven ever trusted, a kind and gentle man who sought to protect the Haida. Billy was a sickly and weak boy, and other boys taunted him often. One day, a group of boys dared him to strike a great white eagle perched on a high tree branch. They declared that he was too weak and had such poor aim he could never do it. Angry and determined to prove himself, Billy threw a rock at the eagle. He struck it in the head, making it fall to the ground.

On the ground, however, it became clear that this was no eagle, but a white raven. In fact, it was Raven. Clad in a cloak given to him by Tax’et. Furious at having been denied access to the village for so long, Tax’et had given Raven the cloak as an attempt to trick one of the villagers into breaking the promise never to harm a raven.

Raven leapt up, for you cannot kill a god so easily as that, and laughed. “Oh, my clever Tax’et! I should have realized the trick. But don’t I look fine in my new white cloak?”

Nonetheless, the promise had been broken. Still, Raven didn’t completely want to abandon the Niikwan. Instead he pecked out Billy’s eyes and tore out Billy’s tongue, and then gave Billy his own eyes and tongue.

Terrified, knowing that Tax’et could now enter the village, Billy rushed back just in time to call out, in Raven’s voice, a challenge.

Tax’et agreed to the challenge. The two were to wrestle. Should Billy win, Tax’et would leave the village alone. Should Tax’et win, well… the whole village hung in the balance.

Using his own wits, Billy devised a trick worthy of Raven himself, involving a spirit bear dressed as Billy and an awful lot of firewater for Tax’et. The village was saved. But Billy realized that he had to leave. Tax’et was so furious, and so bent on revenge, that anywhere Billy stayed would not be safe.

Which is how Billy left the Niikwan village and became a Canadian superhero.

About Ravenspeaker

Named for the gift of Raven’s tongue, Ravenspeaker takes after that trickster god. He’s awfully fond of his own comforts – he’s a lecher and a hedonist. He’s also quite a flirt, and an equal opportunity one at that. He’s fond of playing tricks and would almost always rather use trickery to solve sticky situations than outright fighting.

However, he will use his mystical abilities to fight when he needs to. Ravenspeaker is, at heart, a very ethical man. His code of honor is just slightly different from that of most people. He is always opposed to Tax’et and the servants of Tax’et – whether they are knowing servants or not. He fights against all forms of violent death.

He is also compassionate and will gladly help other heroes. He just might make fun of them and mock them along the way.