in this version of the character's story, red sonja lives with her family in a humble house in the western hyrkanian steppes. when she is just 17, a group of mercenaries kills her family and burns down their house. sonja attempts to defend herself, but cannot lift her brother's sword. she is raped by the leader of the group. answering her cry for revenge, the red goddess scáthach appears to her, and gives her incredible fighting skills, on the condition that she never lie with a man unless he defeats her in fair combat.