| Jeremiah Blackwood | ||||||||||||||||
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| Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood | ||||||||||||||||
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TBD
Special Abilities
TBD
Special Skills
TBD
History
Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood's early life, before the arrival of Europeans, was a period steeped in the rich traditions and natural harmony of the Shasta people. Born in 1723 in the serene expanse of the Klamath Mountains, Jeremiah grew up in a world where the rhythms of nature dictated the ebb and flow of daily life. His parents, Ethan and Clara Blackwood, who had been lovingly integrated into the Shasta community, raised him amidst the verdant forests and cascading rivers that the Shasta people had called home for millennia. In this idyllic setting, Jeremiah's days were filled with learning the ways of the land – from the art of crafting tools and baskets to the sacred practices of hunting and gathering. The Shasta's deep understanding of the natural world was his classroom, where every plant, animal, and stream offered lessons in survival and harmony. The community's matrilineal structure provided him with a profound respect for the role of women, and the spiritual beliefs in a creator god and the cycle of reincarnation imbued him with a sense of connection to all living things. This golden period of his life was marked by peace, learning, and a deep sense of belonging, as he lived and thrived under the guidance of a people deeply in tune with the essence of the world around them.
Exploring during the Gold Rush: 1848 to 1855
In the Gold Rush era, Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood's innate curiosity and wanderlust led him through the culturally diverse landscape of the Shasta region, where his experiences were as varied as they were profound. During this period of immense change, he became a witness to the vibrant amalgamation of cultures as people from around the world converged in California. Native Americans, including his Shasta kin, shared their deep-rooted wisdom and traditions with him. Europeans, each with their unique customs, brought stories and perspectives that expanded Jeremiah's understanding of the world. Chinese immigrants, with their rich cultural heritage, introduced him to their distinct art and culinary traditions. Latin Americans added their lively music and rich familial values to this cultural tapestry.
However, this era was not just one of cultural exchange and enrichment. Jeremiah also saw the darker side of human nature, especially the cruelty and avarice exhibited by many of the white settlers and gold seekers. He witnessed firsthand the displacement and mistreatment of Native American communities, the exploitation of Chinese laborers, and the marginalization of other minority groups. These experiences exposed him to the harsh realities of greed, prejudice, and the struggle for power that often accompany rapid societal change.
The Shasta War: 1855 to 1865
Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood found himself in a position both delicate and crucial. Bound by his parents' wishes and the overarching need to conceal the existence of the fairies from the wider world, particularly the white settlers, he walked a fine line throughout the conflict. Jeremiah's role during the war was that of a healer and caretaker, a beacon of hope and solace amidst the chaos. His parents, Ethan and Clara, staunchly opposed any involvement in the fighting, fearing not just for his safety but also wary of the risk that the fairies might be discovered by the outside world. This fear was not unfounded, as the discovery could have catastrophic consequences, endangering both the fairies and the Shasta people.
Amidst the turmoil, Jeremiah's days and nights were consumed with tending to the wounded, offering comfort to the children, and providing support to those who could not fight. He applied his knowledge of traditional Shasta medicine, learned from both his parents and the fairies, to heal physical wounds and soothe troubled spirits. His presence was a calming force in the temporary shelters and hidden encampments where the Shasta took refuge. The restriction against joining the fight weighed heavily on Jeremiah. He understood and respected his parents' wishes, and the broader need to protect the fairies, but it was a constant struggle. He was torn between his desire to actively defend his people and the need to adhere to the caution urged by his parents. This inner conflict was a source of deep personal anguish, further compounded by the horrors he witnessed as he cared for the casualties of the war.
Solitude and Grief: 1865 to 1967
In 1865, burdened by grief and disillusionment following the devastating losses of the Shasta War, Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood retreated into the solitude of the Northern Californian woods. There, near the cold, towering mountains, he found refuge in isolation, distancing himself from the pain and chaos of the outside world. Over a century passed in seclusion, with Jeremiah's only companions being the memories of his past and the quiet whispers of nature. It wasn't until 1967, when he overheard a pair of hunters discussing something as fantastical as landing on the moon, that his curiosity about the outside world was rekindled. Though distrustful and wary of these strangers, the idea of humans reaching the moon was enough to draw him out from his self-imposed exile.
Emerging into the world of 1967, Jeremiah experienced a profound culture shock. The societal landscape had transformed dramatically since 1865. The once-quiet streets were now bustling with cars – vehicles that were completely alien to him. Buildings towered towards the sky in a manner he had never seen before. The fashion, language, and behavior of people were all unfamiliar, reflecting a society that had undergone radical changes in the realms of technology, culture, and values. Televisions and radios, sources of sounds and images that would have seemed like sorcery in his youth, were now commonplace. The civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the burgeoning counterculture movement painted a picture of a society grappling with profound changes and conflicts, not entirely unlike the struggles of his own time, yet manifesting in vastly different forms. For Jeremiah, who had last interacted with white society during the rugged days of the Gold Rush and the grim era of the Shasta War, this new world was both bewildering and fascinating.
A New World: 1967 to 1969
In 1967, as Jeremiah Gideon Blackwood cautiously re-entered a society vastly different from the one he had left over a century ago, he was confronted with an overwhelming barrage of changes. However, it was the societal upheaval and the civil rights issues he witnessed that profoundly affected him. Amidst this tumultuous era, Jeremiah's deep-seated animosity towards white people, born from the painful memories of the past, was both challenged and complicated.
The Sacramento Valley, like much of America, was a battleground for equality and justice. Jeremiah saw Mexican American farmworkers enduring exploitation and discrimination, their struggle for fair wages and humane working conditions a stark reminder of his people's displacement and suffering. African Americans, too, faced relentless prejudice and systemic injustices, from voting rights suppression to school segregation and brutal police violence. These scenes were painfully familiar, echoing the injustices the Shasta people had endured. As he observed these struggles, Jeremiah's perspective began to shift. The white settlers he had once viewed as a monolithic source of evil were not immune to the corruption and cruelty that seemed to pervade humanity. He saw white individuals also suffering under oppressive systems, and others standing alongside minority groups, fighting for change. The realization dawned on him that the capacity for both good and evil resided in all people, regardless of race.
This period of social upheaval, marked by strikes, protests, and boycotts, was not just a time of learning for Jeremiah but also a time of unlearning. He grappled with his hatred, understanding that holding onto it would only perpetuate a cycle of pain and bitterness. It was a challenging journey, as he tried to reconcile the past's horrors with the present's complexities. The moon landing in 1969, a symbol of human achievement and potential, served as a poignant metaphor for Jeremiah's transformation. Just as humanity reached for the stars, he too reached for a new understanding, a realization that hatred could not pave the way for healing. He saw the need to embrace compassion and empathy, to recognize the shared struggles and common humanity that bound all people together.
Healing and Recovery: 1969 to 1981
TBD
Life after 1981
TBD