Garry Norris

Name: Gary Norris

Birth date: Atma 29th, 1803

Age as of 1826: 23

Race: Ilkhatal/Killer

History:

Gary was born to farmers who lost their farm during the Shadow invasion of 1806. They fled north until they reached a farm owned by a Shivian on the other side of Bearcaska-far away from the battlefield. The farmer allowed Gary and his family to live on his farm, but they had to work for him. They basically became indentured servants-always working for the right to a warm meal and a place to stay. Because they lived on the outskirts, Gary’s family missed the news about the KLA and did not even know that some Killers were using the war to their advantage. It was hard work, but everyone did their part-even young Gary. In 1807, the Shivian police came to the farm and demanded that Gary’s father enlist in a Killer corps being raised to help the war effort. Gary’s family tried to resist, but the police threatened to arrest Gary’s parents if they didn’t cooperate. Gary never saw his father again. It did not comfort him that his father died in the Battle of Trippe-the most decisive battle of the war.

He spent most of his childhood toiling on the farm and only left after they found his mother's body in the river one morning. He was sixteen. Gary eventually worked his way to Bearcaska and was employed as a bartender at McGill’s tavern. He enjoyed his time as a bartender but fell into vice and sin. He was often found in a drunken stupor and was always with the wrong crowd of people. He was known for getting into bar fights and eventually McGill had to fire him because he was causing too much damage to the bar. Gary spent the next few years wandering the streets of Bearcaska until he met a young Killer named Siegfried Von Hult. The Killer helped Gary clean up his act and got him another job as a part time stage hand, which may explain his dogged loyalty to him. He worked every other weekend at the local theater, forced to use the backdoor because the owners didn’t want the Shivian citizens to see a Killer working in the theater. While Gary worked at the theater, he was able to watch the famous Shivian actress Lana Mills up close and personal and he fell in love with her. He didn't say anything to her though, because he knew she wouldn’t want to speak to a Killer. He remained friends with Siegfried and in 1823 joined the KLA and became Siegfried’s loyal acolyte.

"We live and die so that others may be free. That is the cause and that is all that matters."

Despite the fact that Gary tried to clean up his act partly for Siegfried and the KLA and partly for Lana, he was constantly getting into fights. One night, after winning a poker game against three Shivians, they took him out back and proceeded to beat him. If Devin Tossier had not intervened, the fight would not have ended the way it did. Gary and Devin managed to beat the Shivians back and ran away. Once they made sure they were safe, Gary thanked him for his help and took him to meet Siegfried. Devin joined the KLA that night and would occasionally crash in Gary’s room-sometimes bringing a prostitute or two with him so they would have a safe place to stay. It seems to be around this time that Gary discovered the Crossnic religion  (a traditionally Shivian religion) and attempted to become a fully functioning member of the Church. Why he was called to the Crossnic religion as opposed to the Alanist religion (a traditional Killer religion) is unknown.