Aurelia Skyglow

[Aurelia Skyglow]

Aurelia Skyglow Appearance Race: Human, mixed (half-Vantha, half-Human) Gender: Female Age: 25 Birthday: 47th day of Summer in 488 Birthplace: Whitevine Hold, Avanthal Appearance: Aurelia stands 5'7" with curling black hair that has become overly long in her journey south. The journey has also taken its toll on her body -- she now weighs only 116lbs and her bronze skin is over-laid by the pallor of malnutrition. Her eyes, which were always the colour of emeralds, have now been forged to stone-like hardness by the trials that have fallen upon her. All in all, Aurelia is all hard angles and sharp edges; too care-worn and too thin. Character Concept Since fleeing her home, Aurelia's driving factor has been fear -- fear of the dangers of travel, fear of pursuit and fear of being alone. That fear and her single-mindedness in over-coming it has prevented her from feeling the hopelessness associated with the latter two but, now that she's arrived at Alvadas, she'll have to confront her grief and work out how to earn a living and find a place in this alien city. Curious by nature, Aurelia has learnt the value of reflection, consideration and attention to detail. This makes her quiet and retiring, despite her musical and storytelling abilities. However, her innate compassion for others was sorely taxed by the suspicion of her husband's clan and finally destroyed when a gang of bandits disguised themselves as a starving family with emaciated young children. Aurelia is generally courteous and habitually honest but tries to avoid being drawn into quarrels, especially those that don't involve her directly. She has always loved the mountains in which she has lived her whole life, finding them peaceful, awe-inspiring and ever-changing. In contrast, she hates being penned in and cooped up with other people, from whom she generally keeps separate. She holds a deep-seated, irrational prejudice against the people of Sylira, who she believes to be arrogant and self-aggrandising. This attitude began with a story told by one of the Whitevine elders when Aurelia was a very small girl in which the southern queen was blamed for causing the Valterrian. Aurelia is a devout adherent of Morwen. Until marrying Fredrik, her happiest day was that on which she received a Gnosis from the goddess upon coming-of-age. Aurelia's ardent devotion to Morwen meant that leaving Avanthal felt like the end of her life and she has lost all hope of happiness. Character History Growing up in the heart of the Whitevine Hold, Aurelia was a happy and helpful child. As a young child, she was also a worry to her family because her curiosity often led Aurelia into dangerous scrapes. However, that all changed at the age of 10, when she fell from a tree from which she was trying to reach the Aurora. Aurelia landed badly and fractured her left elbow so terribly that the bone was poking out through the skin. Her friend, who had stayed at the bottom of the tree, ran for help and Aurelia was soon in the capable hands of Whitevine's most blessed healers. However, she was forced to spend the next three months watching and then assisting her grandmother in her work as a herbalist. The months trapped inside, working quietly and paying attention to the small things, made Aurelia thoughtful and reflective. She grew up to be a useful member of her hold, not only good with herbs but also an adequate seamstress for both cloth and skin. When it came time to pick her husband, Aurelia's parents chose a sober man of 36. Fredrik Skyglow's artistry tended towards sculpture, a good match for his 19-year-old bride who had developed an interest and a little skill in playing the flute. From Aurelia's earliest years, her parents had always noticed that she was more interested in the lyrical tones and rhythm of the communal storytelling than its content. Her parents knew that Aurelia's musical skill and song-like storytelling would be appreciated in the Skyglow hold and indeed they were. In fact, Aurelia was very happy for her first year of married life; she loved her husband and found herself more at home among the artist than ever she had with the medicine men of her own hold. However, everything started to change when, twelve months after the wedding, there was still no sign of a child. As year after year passed and Aurelia remained barren, the women of Skyglow began to mutter increasingly about her insuitability as a wife and there were even some who suggested that she was using herbs to stop herself becoming pregnant. Fredrik knew the truth, however; he knew that she was using ashwagandha root to try and increase her chances of conceiving. After five years of marriage without even a single pregnancy, the inhabitants of Skyglow shunned Aurelia; she was no longer welcome in the communal areas, her songs were no longer sung in the long evenings and if she was ever found with a child they were swiftly removed. It began to be whispered that Fredrik ought to take Aurelia before Morwen and have her translated into an Icemaiden. By this point, Fredrik and his parents were the only Skyglow holders who would willing associate with her. Then the worst happened. In the first month of spring of 513, Fredrik contracted consumption and died after 15 agonising weeks in which he could not draw sufficient breath and regularly failed to dispel the liquid in his lungs. Throughout her husband's illness, many of the Skyglow residents had questioned how a Whitevine wife could not heal this disease and, in a couple of corners, it was even suggested that she was causing it. Although Aurelia did not hear any of this mistrust as she did not move from her husband's bedside, her family did. On the night after Fredrik died, Aurelia's brother came to her at 5 o'cloak in the morning, bundled her into an old dress and then led her out to Gladiolus, his Frostmarch. The horse was laden with supplies for a long journey. Aurelia was surprised and asked Morten what was happening; he explained that the Skyglow holders blamed her and her Whitevine skills for Fredrik's death. Morten explained that the Whitevine pavintu janta was reluctant to welcome her home as it was the skills that Aurelia had learnt in Whitevine that made Fredrik's fellow suspect her of causing his death. He told her that she would only be safe if she fled Taldera. Shocked and grief-striken, Aurelia hauled herself onto Gladiolus and set-off south. Aurelia's prejudices and need to escape Taldera quickly, led her into Kalea and not Sylira. It was her poor understanding of Isur that directed her towards Alvadas, instead of Sultros. The journey was difficult and took the rest of summer to accomplish with many hardships along the way. The tent that Morten had supplied her with was the family one she remembered from her childhood. It had comfortably held Aurelia, her parents and both her siblings on their regular forestry retreats before Aurelia's accident and so was disproportionately large for a single woman. She also found herself struggling with both the grief of her husband's death, which was unresolved as she had not seen him laid to rest, and her expulsion from the community in which she had lived for the entirety of her life thus far. Language Fluent Language: Vani Basic Language: Common Poor Language: Isur Skills Skill EXP Total Proficiency Riding 27 SP 27 Competent Herbalism 15 RB 15 Novice Play Musical Instrument (flute) 6 SP 6 Novice Sewing 6 SP 6 Novice Storytelling 6 SP 6 Novice Horsemanship 5 SP 5 Novice Lores Lore of Religion: Morwen Lore of Vantha Culture Possessions 1 Set of Clothing -Used (poor) Cotton Chemise [value: 3cm] -Used (poor) Dyed Ramie Dress [value: 6sm, 5cm] -Linen Undergarments [value: 1sm] -Used (good) Wool (medium) Cloak [value: 5gm, 6sm, 3cm] -Used (good) Fur-lined (common) Boots (high) [value: 3gm, 7sm, 5cm] 1 Waterskin 1 Backpack which contains: -Comb (Wood) -Brush (Wood) -Soap -Razor -Balanced Rations (1 Week's worth) -1 eating knife -Flint & Steel 1 Sewing Kit 100 Gold Mizas Heirloom: Her husband's gold wedding ring [value: 38gm] Housing Location: Alvadas House: Aurelia has only just arrived at the city and so is looking for lodgings. She has been living in an overly-large tent on her journey south, which is always cold because there is too much empty air, a daily reminder of all she's lost. Starting package: 1 large tent (4 person) Large tarp 100 ft of rope Flint & Steel Lantern 2 torches Bedroll Blanket Fishing tackle & hooks A riding horse [a dappled grey, 17hh Frostmarch] A full set of tack A large set of saddlebags Ledger Purchase Cost Total Starting +100 Gold Mizas 100 Gold Mizas Embellishment on cloak -63 CM 99 GM, 37 CM Sewing Kit -18 GM 81 GM, 37 CM Thread List N/A

[Lullaby]

Hello, Aurelia! I am glad to see you chose Avanthal as your city of origin, since it's rich in culture and history that gives many opportunities for your PC. Even though this has been approved before, there are a few problems with you Character Sheet I would like you to review, and alter slightly.

• Skyglow Hold: This Hold is for artists, sculptors, painters, and the like. Storytelling, singing, and playing a musical instrument would actually be valued in Snowsong Hold, as stated in our Player Guide for Avanthal. Also, keep in mind that though her parents [which, you have to also remember one of them is not a Vantha, and would not have been born into a Hold, and thus had married into it] would have perhaps allowed her to take flute and the like, they would not encourage such a blatant interest since they would hope she would carry on as a healer in Whitevine -- especially if she showed an aptitude for it, as you mentioned.
• ashwagandha root: Taldera is very isolated, and very very cold. Herbs are hard to come by, and usually are already in salves and the like since they do not last long in our weather. That being said, this root actually induces abortion, so I'm not sure why she would choose to try to use this root to increase changes of conceivement. If you wished to play off that as a mistake and that is what was preventing her from conceiving, keep in mind that it would have come from Whitevine Hold to begin with, and they would be explicitly clear on what it was used for, not to mention, even though she has some skill in herbalism, they would not allow self-administration. This root may not even exist within Mizahar, and if it did, it would grow in much warmer climate, in which by the time it reached Taldera it's effect would have worn off. I'm only being picky about this because it ties into the twists you have at the end that cause her leaving Avanthal.
• Shunning: Holds are very tight-knit. Even though she is only half-Vantha and I could understand some very harsh and traditionalist old people perhaps giving her a bit of a cold shoulder, generally Holds are extremely tight-knit. This is because of the unity they have to have in order to be efficient and ensure everyone contributes to whatever craft their Hold specializes in [As said in Avanthal's lore: "The individual members of Holds get along with each other very well "]
• No Child: Not having a child would not spurn so much scorn from a Hold, either. Again, the psychology of the Vantha is quite friendly and the Holds are quite supportive of each other. If she was not able to have children, it is not something they would be so shamed of. She might get the occasional joke, but if she expressed that she was trying - as she was - and it wasn't working, the Hold would not hold (hehe) it against her. Having inner conflict within the Hold is not encouraged simply due to the fact that you will be around them so often, as the Hold is the commonplace for everyone of that name.
• Icemaiden: This is just me giving you a note that isn't all too important, but for accuracy of Avanthal culture. Icemaiden, though a title, is not given by Morwen or any figure of authority. It is more a nick-name used to refer to woman above twenty who have not, and never been in, a marriage. Additionally, the idea of divorce is very uncommon in Avanthal. To do so, also, on the basis of not having a child is unheard of, especially if they cared for each other. Once you're married into the Hold, it is a general notion that you will stay together forever more.
• Consumption: On the basis they would have had a professional Whitevine come and see him, the idea they would blame her is unrealistic. Additionally, the Whitevine are not blamed for the deaths of the illnesses that are uncommon and they do not have the ability to heal. There are no other doctors, if the Holds began to blame them for any death you wouldn't be able to see anyone. Also, the fact that she had married into another Hold shows how she was no where close to a professional, since she also married young, so it would be odd for anyone in her Hold to assume she would be able to heal it.
• Travelling: Keep in mind how absolutely difficult it is to travel in Mizahar. The terrain from Kalea to Taldera to hard, and rocky, and very very confusing. With no skills in either Wilderness Survival, Hunting, Land Navigation, or any type of weapon, there is no way that Aurelia would have been able to survive that journey. Not to mention, on horseback, it would take a lot longer than one season in order to reach Alvadas, that's on the assumption that you actually had a way of knowing what you were heading to.
• Isur: You note that Aurelia had just arrived in Alvadas at the time you start your in-game story with her. Thus, it would have been impossible for her to have learned any Isur, as the lore notes that: "The Isurian language is unknown to anyone but Isur who use it amongst themselves." She wouldn't have been able to learn it anywhere, and unless she'd spent enough time to pick up the third language, she cannot walk into Alvadas for the first time and know some Isur, even though it is within your Poor category.

If you need any clarification, please don't hesitate to PM me, though, please refrain from posting any more until these are addressed and I will remove this Intervention.

Sing away!