Susan Strongarm and her sister were born for the sole purpose of fighting for the entertainment of others. Susan was born with the name Nerisyhyra. She was a planned breeding between two half-orc gladiators like her sister Rorjka, but unlike her sister, Susan displayed many more orc like features. She grew large, strong, hardy and exactly what the arena wanted. She did have a ferocity in her fighting style but she preferred grappling and biting and trying not to kill or seriously harm others. Her sister Rorjka saw her more gentle nature and knew that she could be so much more than just a brute. Often times Rorjka would stand up to protect her younger sister in the barracks and the two maintained a strong bond throughout their lives.
2 years before Nerisyhyra was to become a gladiator, Rorjka escaped from the arena explaining that she was just too big and not sneaky enough to make it out with her. She left with a promise to return and get Nerisyhyra out. The following 6 months were hell for Nerisyhyra. She was beaten, abused and pushed to her limits without her big sister protecting her she had no one to turn to. A rage built up in Nerisyhyra, which is exactly what they wanted to bring out in her, but she kept it down with the hopes of her sister returning and the freedom she would bring.
6 months later Rorjka returned, bribed the guards and Nerisyhyra was free with her sister, but hardly safe yet. Rorjka had made many enemies in the time she was out of the arena and the two sisters fled into a cathedral and claimed sanctuary. Pitying the two, the head priestess allowed them to stay, keeping them safe from the gang and the arena owners.
For two years they remained in the cathedral. In honor of their new life, Nerisyhyra took on the name Susan and Rorjka became Rosemary. In the 2 years at the cathedral Susan was able to learn more than brutal fighting tactics. She read books, learned to speak more eloquently but she wasn’t rid of that wild nature inside of her, that rage the arena put into her. She did become more controlled over it. She knew how to harness it when she truly needed it, but she most certainly preferred a more diplomatic approach if it was possible. Even though the church saved Susan, she could never fully grasp the concepts and beliefs like her sister. she would do whatever she could to help the church. Not solely because they saved her, but because Rosemary is the most important person in the world to Susan. Being the only family she knows and the one who protected her, her whole life, Susan would do anything for her sister.
When Rosemary and Susan left the church to start their new life, Susan’s skills were proved to be very useful to Rosemary and the church. Susan’s strength and constitution let her be a great asset in battles, her diplomatic ways and good charisma would help her talk through situations when Rosemary’s intimidation failed and her ability to wrestle and capture people with little harm proved handy time and time again. Eventually, Susan took on the role of Dusk Agent, patrolling the black markets, earning some cash and finding information needed for Rosemary and the church. Susan later came across and teamed up with Arok, their attitudes and personalities matching nicely together and they became quick friends. With Arok, she adopted the new nickname “Little Susie.”
