Elowen

[Elowen]

Basics

Theme song

Name: Elowen
Race: Mixed race (half human, half Aukari)
Date of Birth: Vhalar 64, 709
Languages Spoken: Gernevoir (Fluent), Common (Conversational)
Location: Mistral Woods, Rharne
Profession: Apothecary & Naturalist

Appearance

Elowen is a petit, 153cm (5') tall fifteen arc old who tends to walk around with a plain scarf wrapped around her head to hide her burning red hair. She also wears comfortable cotton shirts and pants, anything that gives her mobility but isn't too tight so her body shape is not accentuated in any way. Her clothing is clearly worn and mended but does not appear scruffy, just well used and loved. She does not wear any jewellery. Her face has gentle features of blooming beauty. Her eyes are round and often speak more than her lips do. The colour of her irises is blue grey. She has no permanent marks on her body of any kind.

Personality

Elowen is a quiet child which often makes people think she is mute or dumb. She prefers to keep to herself and if she can, she avoids interacting with other people. Those she doesn't know, she keeps her distance from because strangers make her uncomfortable. She has constant fear lodged in her heart. Sometimes she gives it meaning or a reason, but most of the time she has no idea why she feels it. This can often make her skittish and behave like a doe in the sight of an arrow.

However, aside from all those external qualities, on the inside, Elowen is incredibly curious about the natural world. She absolutely adores plants and wildlife. She loves watching the grass sway in the wind, hear the birdsong between the branches. She strives to understand what she sees and therefore has nurtured a sharp inner intellect that is hidden from many due to how she behaves. She also loves drawing which is the only way for her to record what she is seeing or thinking since she is illiterate. And on top of that, thanks to Meira’s way of bringing her up, Elowen never does things aimlessly. She doesn't wander. She doesn't waste time. She always has a purpose and a reason even when she seems to be idly watching the grass sway or listening to birdsong.

Likes: Nature, peace and quiet, animals, harmony
Dislikes: Caverns

[Elowen]

History

Elowen's earliest memory is that of the Sunstone in her small hand. Her fingers not able to close over it. She was four arcs, feeling scared and lonely. She was missing someone, needing someone, but they weren't coming. At least not in the appearance she knew. An old woman came to her, frowning. She looked her up and down before huffing as though to say beggars can't be choosers. And perhaps it went both ways.

The old woman extended her hand to the girl. "Come with me." That was all she said in that melodic Rharnian accent and even though she was a stranger and there was little invitation in her voice and more a command, the girl obeyed. What else was an abandoned child to do?

And that was how Elowen met Meira and became her assistant, apprentice, cleaning maid, errand girl and anything else in between that Meira in her advancing arcs could no longer do herself.

The thing that Elowen did not remember was that she was a child of infidelity. Her human mother had a short affair with a man who did not appear Aukari due to his shaved head and their meeting during hot cycle. But he was one nonetheless. Her mother found out about it when her lover ignited out of blue and that was the end of their affair.

Her mother did not know she was pregnant until months later and by then she believed the child was her husband's. Their little family was meant to live near the border of earth and glass quarter. After all, they were up and coming merchant family who found success and gemstone trading. But when Elowen was born, dread filled her mother for the child had undeniable fire red hair and skin so warm the wet nurse was constantly worried for the child's wellbeing.

Elowen's mother lived with the guilt, the hate and disgust for as long as she could until she had reached her limited and orchestrated the child's disappearance. Carefully crafted, her mother asked Elowen to deliver a Sunstone to one of her girlfriend's who was in on the scheme. Elowen went as the obedient child she was eager to please her mother. But the girlfriend wasn't home and did not come until many breaks later only to tell Elowen it was in fact the Star Sunstone she wanted from her mother. The little girl ran back home to report on the silly mix up, only to find the place empty. All furniture gone and her parents nowhere to be seen.

That as well as the immediate aftermath of being abandoned was conveniently blocked out by her little brain. Only the Sunstone remained as a silent witness to an injustice that the girl would probably never know only that she feels strongly about keeping the stone for it keeps the fear at bay.

So when Meira saw the girl and observed her over the few trials she was in Rharne, the older woman was satisfied in the knowledge that she was not kidnapping someone else's daughter. Meira also had ears and heard rumours about who the child might be and so she was really doing her a favour. The trek back to Mistral Woods was long and although the red hair caught some eyes, no one questioned them. So it was more for Meira's discomfort that at some point she purchased a scarf and had the child wear it. All day. Every day. From then on forward.

Life with Meira was not hard but it was not comfortable either. The woman spoke to Elowen mainly in Gernevoir, a language the girl did not know. So there was a long period of adjustment. Meira was a blunt woman. Expecting things done on first asking with minimal mistakes, but giving correction where needed...once.

Elowen was Meira's girl for everything the older woman couldn't do and as arcs passed, the girl's tasks expanded. Eventually, she started helping the woman gather herbs, venture into the forest, tend to the animals, keep the shack clean and organized. And near Meira's life, Elowen even assisted with some herbal preparations, receiving instruction from Meira albeit curt and still in a language that Elowen struggled with.

When it was clear that Meira had fallen terminally ill, Elowen did her best to care for her in ways she knew and ways she was instructed in. There were no tears on either side when Meira breathed her last. No final words. No heart-breaking goodbyes. Only stillness and Elowen alone again.

[Elowen]

Possessions & Wealth

Starter pack - City dweller
Housing: Shack in the Mistral Woods, not too deep in and not too close to Mistral Village either so it's always up for a debate whether it is or is not part of the village. The workstation in her home now bears score marks from Pea's claws as a result of this thread. The home is kept in order with few decorations taken from nature and some drawings displayed here and there. It is otherwise minimalistic and pragmatic.
Mantel decorations: Peaphoenix feathers, Sorrowcall remains, two pots with planted Bloodleaf seeds (planted Vhalar 724), Eldwyn fur
Wealth: Tier 5
Wealth skill: Medicine

Belongings:

• Heirloom - Tier 5 - Sunstone perfect size to fit inside her closed hand, carried in a small pouch at her belt
• SP - Tier 5 - four outfits of average quality
• SP - Tier 5 - average-quality drawing set (incl. pencils and few sheets of parchment)
• 1x average quality pair of leather gloves used for dangerous herb gathering
• A bundle of Peaphoenix feathers
• Sorrowcall remains (pieces of lifeless wood)
• First signature item - Harvesting knife
• Eldwyn fur (3-inch long strips of dark brown to black fur)

[Elowen]

Meira, The Apothecary of Mistral Village

Name: Meira
Date of birth: Zi'da 35, 661
Date of death: Ymiden 10, 724
Status: Approved
Relationship to Elowen: Mentor
Skills: Medicine: Herbalism (55), Gardening (45), Animal Husbandry (30), Field Craft (30)
Languages: Gernevoir (Fluent), Common (Broken)

Short bio:

Meira was born in the Mistral Village. Her father worked as a lumberjack and her mother stayed home to care for livestock and siblings. So it wasn't unusual for Meira, being the oldest, to be either helping her mother, or running into the woods after her father or to play with other children. It was at some point then that she developed an ever-strengthening interest in the forest.

So much so that when she reached a marrying age and a suiter from the more affluent Mistral family presented himself, Meira turned him down against all protests of her family. She did not want marriage, not yet at least. She wanted to be in the woods. She knew the boy would not wait for her and she did not care. But she had to appease her parents. So she promised them an excursion only of a few seasons to 'get her kicks out'.

But it wasn't enough. When she returned and told them all impassioned about everything she saw and learned, her parents knew she was a lost case. They loved her as much as they loved the woods, but their pain was great, for the wood has claimed their daughter. Meira's mother cried and her father's face was hard with barely controlled emotion as Meira packed for the final time.

That's how Meira came to live in the woods. Her father eventually came around and helped her build a shack whilst Meira continued to learn about the forest and all its plants. So when her family fell sick, she was there with treatment and soon word spread among the villagers. Soon Meira became the local apothecary who prepared balms and powders, herbal mixtures and tinctures.

Her little shack grew over time to include herbal and vegetable garden and a small pen for hens. And she aged in there, in seclusion.

No one really knows why Meira brought Elowen home with her. She never talked about it and when asked, she would shrug or ignore the question. But the general hypothesis is that Meira who was childless for obvious reasons wanted a company in her old age and someone to carry on her legacy. And that became the widely accepted explanation.

[Elowen]

Pea, The Rescued Peaphoenix

Name: Pea
Species: Peaphoenix
Acquired: Ymiden 17, 724 in this thread
Approved by: Pig Boy via PM

Appearance: Pea is past the middle of his life span and so has stopped growing at little over forty inches. He is a vibrant mixture of pearlescent white feathers along his head, body, thighs and top of his wings and firey oranges and reds along his tail, remex feathers and with a little sweeping tuft on top of his head. His lightning mirrors that of his white feathers and so often he looks like he is sparkling. His lightning will change depending on his mood. If he is happy, it is soft and crackling, playful over his body. But if he is worked up for whichever reason, the lightning becomes chaotic, lashing out further from his body.

Personality: Playful to a certain extent, a tease, opportunistic. Does not trust strangers at all and will keep his distance if possible either by flying above Elowen where no one can reach him or staying on the edges of the woods where there is cover.

[Elowen]

Ronan, The Magic Mentor & Lightning Knight's ex-captain turn investigator

Name: Ronan Alderidge
Birth trial: Vhalar 87, 649
Race: Human
Magic: Defiance (Master)Most noticeable witchmark - constantly appears to have wet hair, Attunement (Expert)Witchmark - Puzzle eyes
Skills: Endurance (Competent), Animal Training (Competent), Leadership (Expert), Tactics (Competent), Unarmed Combat (Competent), Mount (Competent), Weapon: Seax Sword (Master), Investigation (Expert)
Relationship to PC: Attunement mentor
Status: Alive and approved here

History: Ronan followed his father's footsteps into the Lightning Knights order. From day one, he wanted to be part of the cavalry and that's where he went. He worked hard, harder than most some would say. Soon after his first few deployments Ronan became known as the man who kept it together and kept others together in the heat of the fight. And although he was promoted to Lieutenant, he felt himself helpless against the threat of Faldrun's cursed children. It was then that he sought out a Defiance mage and after much discussion, Ronan received his spark. Arcs of training - blood, sweat and tears - working with his spark and advancing, Ronan became a formidable force on the battlefield - fierce, loyal and single-pointedly focused on one thing and that was to win as the only way to protect. His superiors noticed and at 43 arcs of age, Ronan became a captain. Arcs after, during a heavy battle which Ronan believed they were losing, the man unleashed all his power on the enemy, heavily overstepping in Defiance and causing Abandoning as well as a deep depression that had essentially taken Ronan out of the order for many seasons. Due to that, Ronan was transferred from Cavalry to Liasons, given with light tasks. These often revolved around tracking down people or things that were of interest or missing, anything to distract the man from what has happened which still haunts him to this trial and can leave him bedroom bound. It was during this time that he sought an Attunement spark as an attempt at peace, to understand the world around him better and perhaps why certain things have happened the way they did. These trials, Ronan has retired from Liasons and only acts as occasional counsel for that branch or for Cavalry. Most of his time is spent at his home in Rharne, or running small investigation for select clientele.

[Elowen]

Ark, The Singing Dog

Name: Ark
Species: Doberman (without tail docking but with ear cropping)
Acquired: Saun 13, 724 in this thread
Approved by: Pig Boy

Appearance: Ark is just over arc old. He has a sleek black body and enough energy to share. It is unclear who has done the ear cropping on him but by the time Elowen had adopted him, it had already healed without any marks left behind. As any Doberman species, Ark has now stopped growing and reaches up to somewhere between Elowen's hips and waist due to her own petite frame.

Personality: Playful, attentive and always testing for boundaries. Fiercely loyal to and protective of Elowen. Loves snuggles in the evening and at night. Too clever for his own good at times when it comes to obeying or ignoring commands.

Special ability: Rhythmic barking: The dog can create rhythmic barking patterns that almost sound like beatbox. It can mimic simple songs or popular tunes or create its own simple melodies.

[Elowen]

Livia, The Unwilling Chaperone

Name: Livia Alderidge
Birth trial: Ashan 53, 703
Race: 3/4 Human, 1/4 Eidisi
Skills: Ranged Combat (Composite bow) - 45 (Competent), Combat (Unarmed) - 25 (Novice), Hunting - 40 (Competent), Field Craft - 40 (Competent), Athletics - 10 (Novice)
Relationship to PC: Chaperone
Status: Alive and approved here

History: Livia is Ronan Alderidge's granddaughter. Her mother (Thunder Priesteess - Chanter) met and married part Eidisi man (a scholar at the Institute). From him, Livia inherited the vibrant blue hair colour whilst her complexion remained rather human. Ever since Livia can remember, she had always clashed with her mother who demanded that Livia join the priesthood. Livia's father, on the other hand, was more hands-off, advocating for Livia to figure out her own path and then fully dedicate to that. This was where Livia's maternal grandparents (Ronan and his late wife) stepped in and gave the young woman structure she needed in her life - free of pressure, but with some guidance. Livia loved them both, but she adored her grandfather especially. In her eyes, Ronan embodies everything Rharnian. It is him she wants to impress the most. It is because of him that she has a dream of joining the Lightning Knights. But first, she wants to fully train and prepare herself so she can breeze through the ranks and perhaps even beat Ronan to the same rank he used to hold.

[Elowen]

First Signature Item

Item: A harvesting knife similar to the hori hori type with one edge cerrated and the other straight, both edges sharp.
Quality: T7 Good
Minor Enchantment: Verdant Edge
Effect: The knife draws upon the latent energy of nearby plants to enhance its sharpness and precision when used for harvesting. When the user is cutting herbs, roots, or other plant materials, the blade subtly shimmers with light that seems to have passed through cut glass (it's most noticeable in dim conditions, not much in bright daylight). This enchantment allows the user to harvest plants with minimal damage, ensuring more potent medicinal properties and quicker regrowth of the plant. The knife can also hum softly in the presence of plants that are ready to be harvested, acting as a guide for the user.

Limitations: The enchantment requires concentration from the user to fully activate. Prolonged use (such as harvesting large quantities in a single session) will cause enchantment fatigue. The enchantment is most effective when used in areas with abundant plant life.

Note: This item offers the wielder + 1 Competence Level in Gardening when undergoing the specifics of Harvesting samples, seeds, etc, from a living plant.

Status: Approved

[Elowen]

Sesil, The Helping Hand

Name: Sesil Wicklow
Birth trial: Vhalar 35, 708
Race: Human with distant traces of Biqaj now only recognizable in slightly pointed ears
Skills: Intelligence (55), Logistics (40), Research (35), Resistance (30)
Relationship to PC: Friend & helping hand
Status: Alive
History: Sesil was born into poverty. The story of her family line is that of a Biqaj once making love to her great-great-great-great-time to wake up great-grandmother before leaving and never coming back. The woman was heart-broken, banking on the promises she had been given but which would never come true. It was a cautionary tale for Sesil - don't trust promises and don't trust men. Her childhood was also far from ideal. Both of her parents were preoccupied with getting just enough to eat. It was never a feast. Most of the time it was also barely edible. They tried to be loving and caring, but they were tired most of the time. But one thing that they indirectly gave Sesil was grit. Both her mother and father worked odd jobs at the docks. Fleeting work that paid little. But they did it, again and again and again. Madness. As soon as Sesil was old enough to work, which was awfully early for a child, she was exposed to that lifestyle in all its force. But she had something her parents no longer did - the wondering mind of a child. And as she saw the world around her, she began noticing something that over time crystalized into undeniable clarity - her parents were doomed in their blindness. Stuck in a cycle they didn't see how to break out of. But the others...those who started low but slowly rose. Those who came through already high up. They all had something in common - knowledge. And the knack for learning from facts. So it was very early on that the girl began saving every nel she earned. At first, she didn't know how to spend it. Where? Where did one get knowledge? Until she overheard someone speak of a library, a place of books. The ultimate source of that she was seeking - knowledge. It was tough going at first, not knowing how to read and all, but she did an odd job here and there, earned a few favours, paid the little she had to learn, to progress, to get out of that life into which she was born. It had been some six arcs now that she had been going to the library as soon as she had saved enough to paid the entrance. Over this time, some of the librarians came to recognize her. Some preferred that she did not come for she often stank a little of the harbour and her clothes wasn't always the cleanest. Others ignored her for whatever reason. And only a few admired her dedication, sneaking in a book recommendation or two here and there. After all, Sesil had big plans. At some point, she was going to study at the Institute - whatever that may cost her at the end.