We are so lucky to be able to speak with Borkin Krauk, main character of the novel 'Borkin the Archer' by Frej Wasastjerna
- Tell us a little about yourself? Where do you come from?I was born in a village in southern Sharauth, early in Cycle 111... excuse me...Sorry for the interruption, that was the author reminding me that the Nurasagi calendar is unfamiliar to you and that even he can't tell when I was born in Terran terms. In fact, he suspects that that isn't even a meaningful question. I don't understand this multiverse stuff myself. Probably even he doesn't.
- Tell us a little about your home, what are your feelings towards home?Home, now where is my home, really? Sharauth is where I grew up. Now I've spent a bit more than three cycles in Nurasag... excuse me, nearly eight Terran years. Here is where I got married, here is where I expect I'll live several more cycles. Maybe some day I'll have saved enough that I can go back to Sharauth and buy myself a farm or shop or something. With luck, I might be able to do it while my parents are still alive so I can see them again, in addition to my brothers and sister.
- What motivates you along your journey?Apart from just making a living and giving Lieni something like the life she deserves, I have two main goals in life. One is securing religious freedom. The other is putting an end to the slave trade. And as if those two goals weren't hard enough in themselves, they contradict each other! How in the name of Angramansh am I supposed to combine them when the slave trade is essential to fund the struggle for religious freedom?!I promised Lieni to do what I could to stop the slave trade, and I meant it. But I can't betray Kuartsha and his fight for freedom. So what am I to do?!
- How do you see yourself/ how do you see yourself in relation to the rest of the world?Huh?? Well... I suppose I could describe myself as a plaything of fate, of the gods or whatever. Sometimes the gods get weird ideas.
- What is most important to you in this world?It's Lieni, that's clear. When I married her, I swore on a holy sword that I would protect her, at the cost of my life if need be. And I very much meant that too. But now she's got kerpeif! I can't protect her against diseases! So, again, what can I do? If either of us has to die, that would be my task – even my right. But now there's nothing I can do!Okay, kerpeif doesn't kill all its victims. I suppose I can hope and pray.But I doubt that that will do much good.
- What characteristics do you consider important in a person? What kind of people do you try to surround yourself with?Hmm... well, given a choice I would prefer nice people. In practice it hasn't so much been a question of what I prefer. Circumstances have decided for me.
- What do you see for yourself in the future? Where will you be? What kind of person do you want to become?I have no idea. What can a single longbowman hope to achieve?
