Shoedsackovskaïa family
The Shoedsackovskaïa family is a royal family of maniac hunters. Known members include Nimrod, Artemis, Zaroff and Razoff.
| Shoedsackovskaïa family | |
|---|---|
| Alignment | Bad, Unknown |
| Appears in | R3 |
| Species | Unknown (similar to to the Grub race from The Animated Series; may be part-divine though Artemis) |
As of Rayman 3, Razoff is said to be the last descendant of the family, implying that Nimrod and Zaroff (and possibly Artemis) are dead.
A Shoedsackovskaïa family tradition is that each member of the family must leave home and settle in the Bog of Murk, only returning home after successfully hunting an exotic creature. It seems that Nimrod's prey was the Abominable Geranium of the Seas of Cockatoo, while Zaroff's prey was, in fact, the Space Mama of Picture City, who appeared as a boss in the first Rayman game. Razoff attempted to make Rayman his 'exotic prey' (going so far as to say "I've always wanted a Rayman-skin rug", implying that he has had his sights on Rayman for some time), but Rayman defeated Razoff when attacked by him in Razoff's mansion in the Bog of Murk. As a female who married into the family, Artemis was presumably exempt from this tradition.
The name of each member of the Shoedsackovskaïa family is in some way a reference to hunting. A hunter named General Zaroff appears in the short story, The Most Dangerous Game, the plot of which bears some resemblance to Rayman's encounter with Razoff in the Bog of Murk. 'Razoff' is simply 'Zaroff' with the 'R' and the 'Z' switched around. In the Old Testament, Nimrod, who was said to be responsible for the construction of the Tower of Babel, is referred to as "a mighty hunter before the Lord". And in Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of hunting (it is, however, unknown if this reference to a goddess is of any real significance or connection to other deities of the Glade of Dreams, such as Polokus and the Leptys).
The witch Bégoniax is infatuated with Razoff, and is last seen forcing her affection upon him in his dungeon in the Bog of Murk. As such, the fate of the Shoedsackovskaïa family is uncertain.