Old Marna

“The Scavenger Queen”

“Everything’s got value. You just gotta know where to look, what to trade, and who needs it most.”

Old Marna - The Fortune Teller

Quick Reference

Overview

Old Marna has spent 50+ years scavenging the Periphery’s ruins—finding pre-Shattering artifacts, salvaging abandoned islands, and trading discoveries for survival. She’s forgotten more about ruins than most people ever learn, can identify artifacts by touch, and knows which ruins are worth risking and which are death traps.

Based at Scavenger’s Roost, she’s unofficial leader of the scavenger community: not through authority but through respect. Everyone knows Marna. Everyone owes Marna something. And Marna, despite rough life and rougher language, helps people—teaching newcomers, warning about dangers, sharing resources when times are hard.

Tough, pragmatic, and surprisingly kind, Marna represents survival wisdom: knowing when to take risks, when to walk away, and how to find value in what others overlook.

Appearance

Height: Short, hunched
Build: Wiry (surprisingly strong)
Hair: White, wild
Face: Deeply lined, scarred, wise eyes
Hands: Gnarled, missing two fingers (old accident)
Voice: Raspy (decades of dust)

Clothing: Layers (practical scavenger gear), patched repeatedly, dozens of pockets (always something useful in them)

Background

Origin: Unknown (doesn’t discuss)

Early Life: Lost (intentionally vague) “Started scavenging young. Been at it ever since. That’s all matters.”

Career: 50+ years (238 S. to present) - Survived countless ruins - Found invaluable artifacts - Lost partners (many died—dangerous work) - Kept going (what else would she do?)

Scavenger’s Roost: - Arrived 40 years ago - Built her shack (still standing) - Became institution - Unofficial leader (respect-based)

Expertise

Ruins Knowledge: - Which are safe (relatively) - Which are death traps (definitely) - What’s worth finding where - How to navigate them

Artifact Identification: - Touch/sight recognition - Pre-Shattering technology - Value assessment - Function guessing (usually right)

Trading: - Knows everyone - Understands value (true value, not just price) - Fair dealer (reputation crucial) - Occasionally generous (when needed)

Survival: - 50 years alive (most die young) - Instincts honed (when to run) - Luck? Skill? Both.

Scavenger’s Roost Role

Unofficial Leader: - No formal authority - Everyone listens anyway - Mediates disputes - Advises newcomers

Teaching: - Takes promising scavengers under wing - Teaches ruin survival - Shares knowledge freely - “Live longer if you know what doing”

Community: - Helps struggling scavengers - Shares resources (food, supplies) - Organizes group salvage (dangerous ruins) - Protects Roost (fiercely)

Notable Finds

The Archive Cache (255 S.): - Luminar Council documents - Sold to Archivists (fair price) - Helped preserve knowledge

The Power Source (267 S.): - Functioning pre-Shattering device - Still runs (unknown purpose) - Keeping it (curious)

The Warning Markers (273 S.): - Pre-Shattering Rot warnings - Gave to Clergy (free—important) - Confirmed Rot pre-dated Shattering

Regular Finds: Tools, clothing, materials (constant salvage)

Philosophy

On Scavenging: “Past left us things. Wasteful not using them. Disrespectful dying trying. Know difference.”

On Risk: “Every ruin’s gamble. Question’s not whether take risk. Question’s whether odds good enough.”

On Community: “Scavengers help each other or die alone. Simple math.”

On Life: “Lived 71 years in dangerous work. Lucky? Sure. But made my luck by not being stupid. Mostly.”

Relationships

Scavenger Community: - Respected (universally) - Loved (by many) - Teacher (to newcomers) - Leader (unofficially)

Merchants: - Regular traders (fair deals) - Mutual respect - Sometimes generous (values relationships over profit)

Archivists: - Sells artifacts to them - Appreciates their mission - Fair prices both ways

Younger Scavengers: - Mentors them - Worries about them - Proud when they succeed - Grieves when they die (often)

Secrets

The Past: - Pre-scavenger life mysterious - Hints at trauma (won’t discuss) - Reinvented herself (fresh start)

The Stash: - Hidden cache of best finds - Never sold (personal collection) - Location secret - Includes: maps, artifacts, journals - For what? Emergency? Legacy? Just likes having them?

The Health: - Declining (age, exposure) - Lung damage (decades of dust) - Won’t slow down (stubborn) - Probably not much time left (knows it, doesn’t care)

The Map: - Pre-Shattering Periphery map (mostly intact) - Shows locations forgotten - Kept secret (too valuable, too dangerous) - Planning to pass on (who deserves it?)

Current Status

Still Scavenging: 71 years old, still going

Training Successor: Teaching several promising young ones

Final Expeditions: Revisiting favorite ruins (nostalgic?)

Contemplating Mortality: Starting to think about legacy

Quest Hooks

1. The Hire: Need guide to ruins (Marna best, expensive)
2. The Teaching: Become her apprentice (if she accepts)
3. The Secret Map: Discover her hidden Periphery map
4. The Stash: Find her personal collection (what’s there?)
5. The Final Run: Marna plans one last dangerous expedition (help her)
6. The Succession: Help her choose who inherits knowledge
7. The Past: Discover her hidden history (what happened?)
8. The Rescue: Marna in danger (rare but possible—she’s getting old)

Related Topics

• Scavenger’s Roost
• The Periphery
• The Archivists
• The Shattering

“Been doing this 50 years. Know why I’m still alive? I run when need to, fight when must, and know difference. Most scavengers don’t. That’s why they’re dead and I’m not.”

“Everything in ruins had purpose once. Owner died, purpose died, but thing remains. My job’s finding new purpose. Everything’s useful to someone.”

“I’m old. Probably dying soon. Don’t care. Lived full life, saw amazing things, helped people, found treasures. What more you want?”