Earth's Children - Sharamudoi / Characters

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Sharamudoi

A tribe found along the Danube River, near the Carpathian Mountains, featured most prominently in The Valley of Horses. They are distinct in that they are technically two tribes who work together and share customs, consisting of the Shamudoi, who live in mountain caves and specialize in hunting chamois, and the Ramudoi, who live on floating platforms near the river and specialize in building boats and fishing.

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In General

Born Under the Sail: Ramudoi culture is heavily centred around building boats and fishing; they are known to be highly skilled sailors and boat-builders, and are capable of hunting huge sturgeon with harpoons. They also live on floating platforms on the edge of the Danube River (which they call the Great Mother River) most of the year, though they spend winters in the Shamudoi's mountain caves. A Ramudoi boy becomes a man when he successfully catches a fish from a boat and a couple wishing to marry have to first help construct a new boat (the same applies to their Shamudoi neighbours if they intermarry).
Fantastic Honorifics: Their shamans and healers are called shamuds.
Secret Art: The Sharamudoi have a secret technique for making chamois skin very soft and pliable (involving adding a mixture of chamois brain and sturgeon roe to the hide), and only members of their cave are allowed to know it. This is done for economic reasons—soft chamois is a valuable commodity and other tribes trade things they want for it.
Theme Naming: The Sharamudoi often have names ending in "o".

Thonolan

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

Jondalar's younger half-brother, whom he goes on his life-changing journey with. Born to the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, he adopts the Sharamudoi as his people in The Valley of Horses. Thonolan is Marthona's third child and the only son of Willomar. In addition to Jondalar, Thonolan is the younger half-brother of Joharran and older full brother of Folara.

Best Friend: He's not just Jondalar's younger brother, he's also his closest friend. Thonolan is one of the only people with whom Jondalar feels comfortable letting his guard down and being completely vulnerable, because Thonolan is never scared off or judgemental, and understands him completely. Jondalar loves Thonolan enough that he'll follow him across the entirety of Europe for years on end, come hell or high water.
Big Brother Instinct: Inverted. Thonolan is always looking out for his older brother, Jondalar. Even in the depths of his Heroic BSoD, when he doesn't care that much for his personal safety, Thonolan still tries to protect Jondalar from the cave lion that claims his own life.
Boldly Coming: He gets fawned over by women everywhere he goes on his travels across Europe. He even ends up joining the Sharamudoi to marry Jetamio, after falling in love with her.
Character Death: He dies in the latter-half of The Valley of Horses.
Character Development: He always said he was never interested in settling down, but he does with the Sharamudoi after falling in love with Jetamio. On a sadder note, his whimsical and impulsive nature is warped into apathy and recklessness after Jetamio and their son die.
The Charmer: He's very friendly and charismatic, and is one of the few people able to talk Jondalar out of his moods.
Chick Magnet: He's arguably even more popular with the ladies than his brother, due to his charming personality and good looks; while some women can find Jondalar intimidating, Thonolan exudes warmth and humour, which makes him very attractive to many women.
The Confidant: He serves as this to Jondalar, with his older brother often confiding his deepest feelings and secrets to him, mostly because he knows Thonolan won't judge him for it.
Cruel and Unusual Death: He is fatally mauled by a cave lion and while he dies quickly it's still not a nice way to go; Ayla finds him with a broken neck and huge puncture holes in his throat from the lion's teeth.
Cynicism Catalyst: He starts out as very positive and carefree, especially compared to Jondalar, but the death of his mate and child causes him to become very bitter and cynical. Notably, Thonolan's general attitude towards life before this tragedy is that he doesn't know what the meaning of any of it is; you just have live the life you get to the fullest and don't fret over it too much. Afterwards, his attitude is warped more into 'nothing matters at all and why care about anything' because of the immense pain and suffering he and his family went through.
Death Seeker: He becomes one after his mate dies. He tells Jondalar it doesn't matter if he dies and that he intends to keep travelling "until the Mother takes [him]"; when he gets stuck in a swamp, he initially tells Jondalar to leave him. He later recklessly heads into a lion den to retrieve a stolen kill despite being aware of the dangers, which indeed leads to his death.
Deuteragonist: Of the second book, he being the most important character after Ayla and Jondalar.
Everyone Looks Sexier if French: Like his brother, he's from the area that becomes France thousands of years later, and he's regarded as very handsome.
Florence Nightingale Effect: He falls in love with Jetamio after she treats his injuries sustained in a wooly rhino attack.
Generation Xerox: Everyone is convinced he is the son of Willomar's spirit, given not only their resemblance but their shared love of travelling and meeting new people. Unfortunately, Thonolan's travels end in tragedy and heart-ache, and unlike his father he doesn't return home. Thonolan says that his mother recognized this shared trait and that while she wasn't completely happy about it, she accepted it and let Thonolan do whatever made him happiest.
Going Native: He joins the Sharamudoi and adopts their customs after falling for Jetamio.
Happily Married: To Jetamio. He himself says he never knew he could be so happy, although he is troubled by her difficulties conceiving and carrying a pregnancy, fearing for her well-being. Then she dies in childbirth.
Heroic BSoD: He goes through a major one after his wife and baby die in childbirth. Thonolan is utterly distraught, wandering aimlessly, expressing that nothing matters anymore and even suggesting he wants to join Jetamio in the spirit world. His brother Jondalar is clearly disturbed and upset by the change in Thonolan. It's unknown if he would ever had recovered, as he's killed not long after.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With his brother Jondalar. They're closer to each other than anyone else, especially as Jondalar has some difficulty opening up to people, including going on a years' long treacherous journey across a whole continent together. When Thonolan settles down to get married, Jondalar stays with him even though deep down he wants to return home; Thonolan later points this out to him but Jondalar is reluctant to leave him. Serenio notes that Jondalar is far more devoted to his brother than any of his lovers, suggesting he should find someone like him if he wants a lasting romantic relationship; when Jondalar questions if this means he should be romancing men instead of women, Serenio explains she meant he should find a woman who completely and unconditionally accepts him the way Thonolan does. Notably, Jondalar meets Ayla at the same time Thonolan dies.
Ladykiller in Love: Thonolan Really Gets Around, but has eyes for no one but Jetamio after meeting her, even declaring she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen and deciding to permanently settle down with her.
Maternal Death? Blame the Child!: A variation where both the mother and child end up dying. After Jetamio dies trying to give birth, Shamud tries to save the baby by performing an emergency c-section, but is unable to get the boy out in time. When Thonolan is told about this and asked if he wants to see the baby, he says he "doesn't want to see the son that killed her", suggesting that, even if the child had survived, he would have blamed him for what happened to Jetamio. On the other hand, he may just be lashing out from grief; it's not known how he would've viewed the situation in the long-term given he himself dies not long after.
Near-Death Experience: He's attacked and seriously wounded by a woolly rhino, and would've died if Jondalar hadn't met with the Sharamudoi and gotten Thonolan the medical attention he needs. The brothers stay with the Sharamudoi while Thonolan recuperates; Thonolan decides to stay permanently due to falling in love with a local woman.
Nice Guy: He's very friendly, optimistic and carefree, often joking around and easily befriending people...at least until both his mate Jetamio and their baby die, after which he becomes bitter and morose from grief.
Outliving One's Offspring: His baby son is stillborn, which further compounds his grief given Jetamio had wanted a child more than anything and died trying to give birth to their baby.
Rage Against the Heavens: He begins going on rants against the Great Mother when Jetamio suffers multiple miscarriages, demanding to know why the Mother would keep letting Jetamio get pregnant only to lose them, especially as Jetamio really wants a baby and has prayed to have a living child. Jondalar helplessly says he has no answers for his brother.
Sacrificial Lion: He's a main protagonist alongside Jondalar and Ayla in The Valley of Horses and is killed by a cave lion in the final third of the book. This results in Ayla and Jondalar meeting and also deeply affects Jondalar; while Jondalar was extremely upset by the death of his sister-in-law and infant nephew, the loss of his younger brother - whom he'd known all his life and regarded as his best friend - has an even more profound impact on him. It's Thonolan's death that really cements Jondalar's determination to return to the Ninth Cave, as he not only misses his home and family, but he'd promised Thonolan he'd go back; he also has to tell his family what happened to Thonolan. On a related note, it gives Jondalar something else in common with Ayla, who has also lost family members.
Shipping Torpedo: Although he wants his brother to find a mate, he tells Jondalar he's glad he didn't go through with mating Marona, feeling that she's wrong for him due to her vindictive and shallow nature.
Someone to Remember Him By: It's strongly implied that the Losadunai girl Thonolia is his daughter, with her mother even naming her after him.
Together in Death: Implied to be the case with Jetamio and their baby, if the vision Jondalar has in the fifth book is anything to go by.
Took a Level in Jerkass: A downplayed and justified example: you wouldn't be so happy-go-lucky after your wife and baby died either. Thonolan's grief and trauma results in him becoming extremely bitter and short-tempered, even lashing out at his beloved brother Jondalar.
True Love is Exceptional: Jondalar notes to himself that Jetamio is shorter, thinner and plainer than most of the women Thonolan is usually attracted to, but as far as Thonolan is concerned she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen and he quickly falls head over heels for her.

Jetamio

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

A young woman whom Jondalar and Thonolan meet on their travels, who falls in love with the latter. She is the adopted daughter of Dolando and Roshario.

Action Girl: She's a skilled hunter and moves quite quickly in spite of her limp.
Affectionate Nickname: Tamio, which her adoptive parents and Thonolan occasionally call her.
Character Death: She dies part way through the second book.
Convenient Miscarriage: Averted. Her many miscarriages are a source of much grief and drama for her and Thonolan.
Cruel and Unusual Death: She dies in agony during childbirth, barely even able to recognize her mate near the end because she's so delirious from the pain medication Shamud gave her.
Death by Childbirth: She suffers this fate; her baby is in the breech position and she's unable to deliver him properly, with Shamud speculating it could be down to her paralysis. Shamud cuts her open after she dies in a desperate attempt to save her son, but is too late.
Florence Nightingale Effect: She falls in love with Thonolan after nursing him back to health from a wooly rhino attack.
Happily Adopted: By Dolando and Roshario, who took her in after her parents died and clearly love her as if she were their biological daughter. Although she does love her adoptive parents, it's implied that being adopted is partly what makes Jetamio desperate to have a family of her own with Thonolan.
Happily Married: To Thonolan; they are very happy together in spite of their troubles conceiving, until her death.
Law of Inverse Fertility: She and her mate want a baby more than anything, but she struggles to conceive and has several miscarriages. She finally carries a baby to term but unfortunately there are complications, resulting in her death, whilst the baby is stillborn.
Meaningful Name: Her name is similar to 'je t'aime' French for 'I love you', and her Love Interest Thonolan is from the area that later becomes France.
Nice Girl: She's a kind and gentle soul.
Plot-Triggering Death: After her death, Jondalar and Thonolan travel to the Valley of Horses, where Jondalar meets Ayla.
Together in Death: Possibly with Thonolan and their baby, given Jondalar sees them together in a vision in The Shelters of Stone.
Tragically Disabled Love Interest: A downplayed one to Thonolan. She suffered seizures, one of which caused her to have partial paralysis that gives her a limp. However, she doesn't let it interfere with her life and is quite independent now she's recovered. Sadly, her paralysis results in childbirth complications, and both she and her baby son die, leaving Thonolan devastated.
When She Smiles: Jetamio isn't an exceptionally beautiful woman...until she smiles and then she looks stunning.

Serenio

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

A woman who forms a romantic relationship with Jondalar in The Valley of Horses. She is the mother of Darvalo.

All Love Is Unrequited: She falls in love with Jondalar, but she knows he doesn't feel the same way; he definitely cares for Serenio and his relationship with her lasts longer than most, but he can't return her love the way she wants. She actually tells Jondalar that loving him at least proved to her she could fall in love again, despite all she'd lost, and she believes she'll meet someone who loves her back eventually (which she does).
Ambiguous Situation: When Jondalar leaves the Sharamudoi, Serenio tells him she believes she might be pregnant, meaning he is most likely the father. When Jondalar returns to the Sharamudoi a year or so later, he asks if Serenio did have a baby, but no one is sure because she left to move in with Gulec before it was confirmed she was pregnant – it remains unknown if she was indeed pregnant or if she only thought she might be.
Anguished Declaration of Love: Downplayed. Serenio is too composed to angst a lot, but when she tells Jondalar she's in love with him, it's as they're about to break up and she makes a point of explaining that she knew they'd never get mated or last as a couple, because she knows he doesn't love her the same way, that she would eventually resent him for it and she doesn't want either of them to live like that.
Broken Bird: She comes off as bit reserved and emotionally distant, on account of having lost so many people she loves. She starts to become less so near the end of her relationship with Jondalar and tells him she's willing to open herself up emotionally again.
Cartwright Curse: Her first mate died some years ago. She found love with another man, but before they could tie the knot he died as well...and she miscarried what would've been their child. She falls for Jondalar, but knows from the start that it won't work out in the long-term because he doesn't feel the same, and they eventually break up. Luckily, she finally averts this when she meets Gulec.
Differing Priorities Breakup: One of the reasons she and Jondalar don't work out is because deep down he wants to return to the Zelandonii, while she's never had any desire to travel so far.
Everyone Loves Blondes: She has dark blonde hair and has attracted much attention from men over the years; she's been in relationships with four men who were willing to marry her.
Friends with Benefits: With Jondalar. After living with her and her son for around two years, Jondalar talks about them getting married, but Serenio refuses; although she loves him, she knows he would just be settling and thinks they both deserve better.
Happily Married: It is eventually revealed she fell in love with a Mamutoi man named Gulec and left the Sharamudoi to mate him.
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: She turns down Jondalar's proposal that they become mates and tells him to go travelling with his brother after Jetamio dies, because she knows and accepts that he will never love her as much as she loves him.
Meaningful Name: Her name sounds like "serene", an apt description of her.
Misery Builds Character: Serenio has known a lot of grief and loss in her lifetime - including the death of her first mate and a miscarriage - and it has made her very compassionate and understanding. People often turn to her for emotional support in difficult times and she's been known to assist Shamud in healing patients.
Ms. Fanservice: She's described (in great detail) as attractive and featured in some of the sex scenes in The Valley of Horses.
Silver Fox: Downplayed. She's not exactly old, but is implied to be an older woman, yet quite attractive.
Someone to Remember Him By: Cruelly subverted. After the man she loved and hoped to marry died prematurely, she was pregnant with her second child, but suffered a miscarriage.
Statuesque Stunner: Serenio is described as attractive and quite tall, reaching Jondalar's chin (Jondalar is 6'6").

Dolando

Appears in: The Valley of Horses | The Plains of Passage

The leader of the Iron Gates Camp. He is mated to Roshario and had a son, Doraldo. He is the adopted father of Jetamio and later takes in Serenio's son, Darvalo.

Berserk Button: Merely mentioning the Clan around him is enough to get him worked up into a seething rage and makes him highly irrational. This is somewhat justified due to the fact his son was killed by Neanderthals, but when Ayla mentions she was raised by the Clan (and the clan who raised her had no involvement in his son's death), he blows up on her and tries to force her to leave. He gets over this somewhat though, when he learns his son was actually killed by Clan men in self-defense, after he tried to rape a Clan woman.
Freudian Excuse: His hatred of the Clan stems from the fact they killed his son. Then he finds out why they killed him...
Happily Married: To Roshario.
Jerkass: Downplayed, and he's more of a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, but he can be short-tempered and judgemental, and god help you if you mention the Clan around him. He softens up after he finds out the truth behind his son's death.
Outliving One's Offspring: His son Doraldo was killed several years ago in a fight with Neanderthals. Later, his adopted daughter Jetamio dies in childbirth. Poor guy.
Supporting Leader: Of the Iron Gates Camp; he's a supporting character in The Valley of Horses and The Plains of Passage.
Tragic Bigot: He's extremely vitriolic towards the Clan and even says he would happily see them all wiped out, while refusing to hear anything more positive about them. While most Cro-Magnon don't view the Clan as people, many people note that Dolando's hatred towards "flatheads" can be extreme, especially as few other animals inspire such feelings. The reason for this is that Dolando's only son was killed by Clan men in a seemingly unprovoked attack.
Ungrateful Bastard: Ayla goes to a lot of effort resetting his mate's broken arm, meaning it will heal properly and won't cause her any more pain. However, when he learns she was raised by the Clan, which is in fact where she learned her healing skills, he acts like she's some kind of leper, rudely orders her to leave and even tries to shield Roshario from her as if she's going to hurt her. However, he calms down after certain revelations and apologizes to Ayla, expressing gratitude for her help; luckily for him she's a Nice Girl and doesn't hold a grudge over it.

Roshario

Appears in: The Valley of Horses | The Plains of Passage

Dolando's mate and the mother of Doraldo. She is takes in Jetamio and Darvalo.

Happily Married: To Dolando.
Nice Girl: She is generally kind and level-headed, and is very grateful to Ayla for healing her arm; she also doesn't judge her or bear her any ill-will even after she learns about her history with the Clan.
Outliving One's Offspring: Poor Roshario. Her son Doraldo was killed in a fight with Neanderthals. Then her adopted daughter dies in childbirth along with her grandchild.
Trauma Conga Line: Good grief. Her son was killed by Neanderthals. Her adopted daughter suffers through several miscarriages, then dies giving birth to the one baby she carried to term, and the baby dies too. She then falls off a cliff and breaks her arm; as their healer passed away there's no one who can properly treat it, meaning it heals wrongly and causes her a great deal of pain, as well as preventing her from being independent for around a month. She has to undergo a potentially dangerous operation to re-break her arm and set it properly (we're talking cave man medical care here, after all). And then, she discovers her son was fought and killed by Neanderthals after he was caught trying to rape a Clan woman.

Shamud

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

The shaman of the Iron Gates Camp.

Ambiguous Gender: Jondalar cannot figure out if they're a man or a woman, and it's never confirmed either way. Auel refers to Shamud as "he" on one occasion, but it's never made explicit that they're male. At one point Jondalar asks Serenio if she knows Shamud's gender; Serenio in turn asks if he really wants to know the answer and Jondalar decides it actually doesn't matter.
Ambiguously Bi: If not Ambiguously Gay. While talking with Jondalar about relationships, Jondalar gets the impression that Shamud could be attracted to both men and women, and it's not entirely clear what gender Shamud themselves are. Shamud talks about having the "essence" of both a man and woman within them, but it's not entirely clear if they're talking about their sexuality, their gender or both. Although they're unmated, Jondalar gets the impression that Shamud hasn't been celibate their whole life and Serenio states they "have the body of one and the inclinations of another" when it comes to relationships.
Character Death: It's revealed in The Plains of Passage that they passed away from illness last winter. Shamud's death actually provides a plot point in the fourth book, because with them gone there were no healers skilled enough to treat Roshario's broken arm (which subsequently healed badly) until Ayla comes to stay with the camp.
Cool Old Guy/Cool Old Lady: It's not clear which they are, but Shamud's definitely old and quite cool; they're very wise and worldly, a skilled healer and can seemingly foretell the future.
Dreaming of Things to Come: Though they're technically awake, they go into a trance-like state and have a disturbing vision, prompting them to cry out "Not the mother and child!" This foreshadows the death of Jetamio and her son.
Put on a Bus: After Jondalar leaves the Sharamudoi towards the end of the second book. Becomes a Bus Crash, as they're revealed to have died a year before the events of book four.
Reasonable Authority Figure: To Jondalar, providing him with some sound advice and warnings.
Seers: It's indicated that one their gifts is foreseeing the future. Among other things, they predict that Jondalar's destiny ultimately lies on a separate path to his brother and that something bad will happen to a "mother and child" and both these things come to pass.
You Can't Fight Fate: Shamud believes in this to a degree, telling Jondalar that if the spirits have chosen them for some destiny, then they ultimately have to follow it even if they find it difficult.

Darvalo

Appears in: The Valley of Horses | The Plains of Passage

Serenio's son. He is later taken in by Roshario and Dolando.

Affectionate Nickname: Darvo, though he prefers to be called by his full name as he approaches adulthood.
Disappeared Dad: His father died when he was young and he latches onto Jondalar as a replacement.
Happily Adopted: By Roshario and Dolando after his mother moves in with the Mamutoi. Technically, he's still Serenio's son, with Dolando and Roshario acting more as guardians, but he preferred to stay with the Sharamudoi rather than move with Serenio. Seeing as he’s almost an adult anyway, they’re both fine with it.
Like a Son to Me: Played with in the case of Jondalar. Darvalo clearly views him as a father figure and is bitterly disappointed and upset when he finds out Jondalar is leaving. Jondalar obviously cares for Darvalo and tells him that he'll always think of him as "the son of my hearth" even though he won’t be around anymore. Jondalar, however, was actually not that much older than Darvalo himself and, given the circumstances, wasn't really in the right emotional state to be a parent to him, though he did his best. They both clearly still have affection for each other when they meet again in The Plains of Passage.
Outgrowing the Childish Name: When he and Jondalar meet for the first time in a few years, he asks to be called by his full name of "Darvalo" rather than "Darvo", as he finds the nickname childish now. However, he does say that Jondalar can call him Darvo if he wants.
Strong Family Resemblance: He's said to look a lot like his mother, though his hair is darker (closer to brown than dark blonde) and his eyes "lacked her impassiveness".

Tholie

Appears in: The Valley of Horses | The Plains of Passage

A friend of Jondalar, Thonolan and Jetamio and a distant relative of Talut and Tulie. She was originally Mamutoi but came to live at the Iron Gates Camp after falling in love with a Sharamudoi man named Markeno. They have a daughter, Shamio.

Connected All Along: She's the niece of Brecie, headwoman of the Willow Camp, who as it turns out is related to Tulie's mate Darnev.
Elopement: She and her future husband met during a trade meeting between their two tribes and quickly fell in love. However, Tholie's family demanded a very high bride price for her hand, which the couple skirted around by having Markeno and his friends 'kidnap' Tholie...with her full knowledge and consent, of course.
Going Native: She formally joined the Sharamudoi when she got married and embraced her mate's culture, though she still retains Mamutoi traits.
Happily Married: To Markeno.
Nice Girl: She's usually very friendly and cheerful.

Doraldo

First mentioned in: The Valley of Horses

The only son of Dolando and Roshario, who was killed by Neanderthals many years ago.

Asshole Victim: It's revealed he was responsible for own his demise; his death wasn't an unprovoked attack as initially assumed, but came about via a fight with a group of Clan men, who were defending a Clan woman Doraldo had tried to rape on a dare. While some of the Sharamudoi still don't quite grasp that the Clan are people, everyone is still shocked by this revelation and start to perceive Doraldo as having brought his fate on himself. His parents understandably still mourn him, though they're more accepting of his death after learning the truth.
Did Not Die That Way: Doraldo's friends, who were with him when he died, claimed he was attacked by a group of 'flatheads' unprovoked. However, Ayla challenges this narrative, saying that men of the Clan are unlikely to randomly attack a man of the Others for no reason and that they usually give the Others a wide berth. Eventually, one of Doraldo's friends is so uncomfortable and guilt-stricken he reveals that the group had been deliberately provoking the Clan men as part of a game, and that the fatal attack on Doraldo was triggered by him trying to force himself on a Clan woman as part of a dare. The friend explains he and the others were ashamed of this and didn't want to tarnish Doraldo's reputation, so they ommitted this vital detail.
Posthumous Character: He died many years before the main events of the series. His death still pains his parents, especially his father, who has developed a deep hatred for "flatheads" because they caused his son's death. Doraldo's death also led to his parents adopting the orphaned Jetamio.
Posthumous Sibling: He's technically an adopted posthumous sibling to Jetamio; following Doraldo's untimely death, Roshario and Dolando took in the young orphan Jetamio and raised her as their daughter (it's unclear if Jetamio was born before or after Doraldo died, but she didn't formally join the family until after his death). This makes it doubly tragic when Jetamio also dies young.
Too Dumb to Live: He and his friends were well aware that the "flatheads" they liked to provoke were quick and strong, not to mention much more intelligent than the average animal (even though they didn't think of them as people, even they recognised that), and they were already more than annoyed with them for constantly harassing them. When Doraldo tried to rape a relatively defenceless "flathead female", it's unsurprising the men retaliated so harshly.
Toxic Friend Influence: While Doraldo is presented as responsible for own actions, he and his friends tended to egg each other on in their stupidly dangerous and cruel actions; the whole reason Doraldo got himself into the situation that killed him was in an attempt to impress his friends. They're well aware of this and didn't reveal the truth about Doraldo's death for many years out of shame.
Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb: He wasn't very old when he died; his parents state he had barely reached manhood, likely placing him in his teens. He would often mess around and do risky things with his friends for fun, though his father dismissed this as harmless mischief. It takes a darker and more sobering turn in The Plains of Passage, when it's revealed Doraldo and his friends would deliberately bait Clan men for fun, despite being warned to stay away from them, and that Doraldo went along with a dare to rape a Clan woman, which finally pissed off the Clan men enough to inflict fatal violence on him. Overall, his death is treated as a tragic waste of life on idiotic posturing.

Shamudoi Shamud

Shamud

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

A Shamudoi shaman, who attends the Mother Festival celebrating Jetamio and Thonolan's mating.

Armor-Piercing Question: She gives a few of these to Radonio, when she tries to complain that Jondalar hurt her when he shoved her away.
Big Fun: She's described as being obese and enjoys gambling at the Mother Festival.
But Not Too Foreign: It's mentioned that the shape of her eyes indicates she's of a different ethnicity from most Sharamudoi (who are indicated to live in Romania) and she has a tattoo on her face indicating she comes from elsewhere, but she also wears Shamudoi clothing and speaks the language fluently.
Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: Pretty soundly averted. She gently chastises Radonio for flinging herself at Jondalar, ignoring him when he told her to get off and then getting upset when he physically intervenes, saying that no one likes being forced to do anything against their will and that Pleasures should be consensual.
Only Known by Their Nickname: She's only known by her title.
Reasonable Authority Figure: She intervenes when a group of women upset Jondalar by trying to force themselves on him, also smoothing over an argument that breaks out amongst the onlookers when each of them starts taking sides.

Cherunio

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

A vivacious young Ramudoi woman who catches Jondalar's eye during his brother's mating ceremony.

Foil: She's described as being almost the complete opposite to Serenio. Where Serenio is tall and composed, Cherunio is short and lively.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: With Jondalar, to the point some of the onlookers crack jokes about it. Cherunio is rather short while Jondalar is over six feet tall; when he kisses her he literally sweeps her off her feet to reach her lips.

Radonio

Appears in: The Valley of Horses

A young woman who is attracted to Jondalar at a Mother Festival.

Green-Eyed Monster: She's jealous that Cherunio has caught Jondalar's eye, prompting her and her friends to muscle in and fling themselves at Jondalar. It doesn't end well.
Hypocrite: She gets upset with Jondalar for grabbing her arm and pushing her to the ground, but as a Shamud points out to her, she ignored Jondalar when he didn't want her and her friends groping him, which prompted him to push her down in the first place.
"Just Joking" Justification: She and her friends hatch a plan to separate Jondalar and Cherunio so they can have him to themselves. She and her companions think it's a laugh, but Jondalar isn't impressed, especially when they start groping him, restrain and gag Cherunio, and won't tell him where she is. Although he later acknowledges that it was intended to be a joke and he may have overreacted a bit, it wasn't particularly funny (especially if you flip the genders). ^note
"Not If They Enjoyed It" Rationalization: How she tries to justify sexually harassing Jondalar, grumbling that she thought he would like it. Shamud calls her out on it, saying that no one likes to have sexual activity forced on them, and that there's a difference between forcing someone and encouraging them.
Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb: After he calms down and realizes her actions were only intended as a prank, Jondalar notices that Radonio is rather young, barely a few years off First Rites, ^note and that she genuinely didn't mean to cause any harm.

Characters / Earth's Children - Sharamudoi

Thonolan

Jetamio

Serenio

Dolando

Roshario

Shamud

Darvalo

Tholie

Doraldo

Shamud

Cherunio

Radonio

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Characters / Earth's Children - Sharamudoi

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Thonolan

Jetamio

Serenio

Dolando

Roshario

Shamud

Darvalo

Tholie

Doraldo

Shamud

Cherunio

Radonio

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Index

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