Fate Saga: 20 Facts About Rori

20 facts about Rori

1. Rori is a feminist
Rori is a strong, independent woman who can be untrusting towards men.  She doesn't necessarily dislike all men, and she still respects women who are housewives and mothers, but she sometimes gets berated for being a warrior because she is a woman, and that's what she can't stand.  This often becomes a topic of disdain between her and Cain - she thinks Cain is a chauvinistic arrogant pig.

2. She is a were-wolf trapped in her wolf form
Rori was changed into a were-wolf when she was 18 (she is 28 when Fate Saga begins).  Were-wolves have three forms - human, wolf, and were/monster.  Wolf and Human forms don't take any effort to maintain the form, but they do take effort and concentration to shift between them.  Rori was never able to figure out how to shift forms willingly, and has been trapped in her wolf form ever since the change.

3. She was a vegetarian before she became a were-wolf, but was forced to become carnivorous in order to maintain her metabolism
Although Rori wasn't entirely anti-meat, she was mostly vegetarian when she was changed into a were-wolf.  When she first changed, she tried to go entirely vegan because the thought of killing and eating animals with her own teeth and claws made her feel like a savage.  But lycanthropy sped up her metabolism exponentially and she nearly starved to death.  Ultimately, Rori gave up on going vegetarian because she wasn't going to give her life for it.

4. Rori has two personalities.
Her second personality comes out when she is Were (monster) form, and is a defense mechanism all were-wolves cubs in Fate Saga are born with.  It is a personality of pure instinct, usually awakened by a sudden and drastic surge of adrenaline, which allows the cub to fight off enemies even if they haven't yet learned how to defend themselves otherwise.  The personality eventually is meant to merge with the cub as s/he grows up and learns to control his/her abilities.  Adult humans who contract lycanthropy usually struggle with the second personality but also eventually merge with it and control it.  Rori, however, was never able to control her powers, and the personality still activates when Rori transforms.  If an adult were-wolf isn't able to merge with the second personality, there is a slight chance that, if a concussion or a similar event occurs, it is possible for the second personality to take over the first, and for the main personality to become dormant.  If this happens, then Rori's mentality could be reduced to that of a dumb beast, indefinitely.

5. She likes fighting.
Rori has a lot of pent up aggression and anger that usually comes out as snarkiness or generally mean/abusive behavior.  She often holds back her emotions partially because she doesn't want to be weak, and partially because she's afraid it'll activate her uncontrollable Were-form.  But when she fights, she's able to let out a lot of her aggression, and is usually at her calmest and most agreeable after one.

6. Rori is Atheist.
She believes that once she dies, she will cease to exist.  But she doesn't fear death, so long as it's quick.

7. She fears intimacy.
Since being betrayed by her fiance, Rori has since feared relationships, especially intimate relationships.  She doesn't want anyone else to have the power to hurt her the way her fiance had, and if she starts to have romantic feelings towards someone, she'll start to draw back/push the other person away to protect herself.

8. Rori was a wolf hunter before she became a were-wolf
Her people were Viking-ish, and she fought with a thin sword and knives.  She was raised in a group of predominantly men, so she was often 'one of the boys.'

9. She is insensitive/awkward during emotional situations
If someone (like Larkspur) cries in front of her or otherwise talks to her about highly emotional situations, Rori has no idea what to do.  At her best, she will sit there silently and maybe say one or two awkward things.  At her worst, she'll tell them to get over it and leave.

10. Rori thinks "unconditional love" is romanticized idealism that doesn't exist
This doesn't only fall under romantic love, but also parental love or love between friends.  She believes that, when it comes down to it, everyone is alone and out for themselves in the end.

11. Rori had a good relationship with both of her parents and they're alive, but she doesn't speak to them
Rori's parents were wolf hunters along with her.  When Rori became a were-wolf, she ran away and never saw them or the rest of her clan again.  She still loves them - though she'd never say so - and she doesn't know if they know that she is alive.  However, she is certain that, if they knew she was a were-wolf, they would kill her simply because they are wolf hunters and that's what they do.  

12. Although she doesn't fear death, she greatly fears disablement or helplessness
Rori's greatest fear is losing herself or her independence in any way - be it through physical disablement in battle or losing her mind to her lycanthropy.  This is partially because she can't trust anyone.  She doesn't let it get in the way of fighting because, with all the ferocity Rori fights with, she would either win or die.

13. Rori likes to keep relationships simple.
She makes it very clear to Cain and Guile that she's just using them to find a cure for her lycanthropy, and she remains distant and aloof to ensure that they won't ever expect anything from her and that she knows never to expect anything from them.

14. If, and only if, someone is able to get past her emotional wall, Rori can be very protective
If she does happen to become attached to someone, she won't necessarily become much nicer or otherwise show attachment to the person.  However, if that person is threatened, Rori will tear the attacker apart.  Of course, she'll make up an excuse why she did it that has nothing to do with loyalty, like "He just pissed me off," "I don't like his face," or "I needed the exercise."

15. Rori is selfish
She puts her own wants, desires, anger, hopes and dreams before anyone else most of the time.  She teams up with the heroes because it suits her goals - and she's just as willing to leave them or join the other side of the ends justify the means to her.

16. She will never admit it, but she likes belly rubs
Both her wolf and real personality are linked, so they have the same general likes/dislikes and preferences.  If her wolf personality is dominant and there is no danger to rile her into a frenzy, then she will be an un-jaded, unguarded and dog version of Rori's personality.  She will approach and show affection to people Rori genuinely liked, and enjoy playing and belly rubs.  

17. Rori is partially color blind
She can only see a few colors, and relies more on smell and hearing than sight.

18. She has been trapped so long in her wolf form that her human form has been affected
Those who were born as were-wolf cubs maintain wolf-like attributes even in their human forms, including ears, tail and jagged teeth.  Although Rori's DNA was changed later in life and her human form has maintained most of its normal human attributes, she stayed in wolf form so long that her human form has the jagged teeth and some of the wild features that those born as a were-wolf have.

19. Rori later obtains a collar that gives her a human illusion
Often Rori is not taken seriously or considered a pet because she's trapped in her wolf form.  Later, she gets access to a collar with an illusionary spell attached, that allows her to cast a human illusion over herself.  However, she cannot see the spell's effect without a mirror, and the magic was not meant for quadrupeds trying to look like bipeds.  So the spell occasionally has trouble accounting for Rori's motions and will make the human illusion do awkward or embarassing things.  For example, if Rori picks up something in her teeth, depending on how she does it sometimes the illusion will appear to pick it up in her hand, or she'll get down on all fours and grab it with her teeth.  Rori herself won't know which happened, and Cain, Guile or Larkspur will have the awkward assignment of pointing it out.

20. Although Larkspur finds her brave, Rori considers herself to be a coward.
Larkspur admires Rori for her bravery, for speaking what's on her mind and being able to fight without a worry.  However, Rori doesn't consider these to be good traits, because Rori doesn't fear death and she certainly doesn't care what anyone thinks of her.  It would be like a swimmer being told that s/he is brave for getting in the water at all, when the water is of no fear or threat to them.  Instead, Rori considers herself to be a coward, and Larkspur to be brave.  Rori gives in to her fears by pushing everyone away and her willingness to sacrifice everything, including her morals, to cure her lycanthropy.  Larkspur, on the other hand, even though her fears are sillier and less life-threatening, she still takes them all head on.  Rori admires that trait about her, and later grows fond of Larkspur.