Post by Raylene Hope on Dec 16, 2009 18:05:08 GMT -8
They use fire to burn down Illinor. I will use it to make Illinor grow.
Name:
Raylene Hope
Gender:
Female
Age:
330
Birthday:
June 18th - Last day of the Blue Moon
Species:
Elf
Affinity:
Life
Abilities:
Natural Vitality
Fast Healer
Witch Doctor
Pure Blood
Artifact:
A crescent shaped ear ring carved from deer skull
Contains the ability Prey Sense
Role:
Fae High Council Member
Alignment:
Fae
Look at me. These are the eyes of a hunter. They are hungry.
Body
I have thick brown hair that tumbles gracefully down to my waist in gentle waves. My skin is fair and sun kissed. Light freckles dusted across my cheeks and nose give me a more youthful appearance than I would otherwise possess. As an elf, my ears do come to a point. I have arched eyebrows that make me look proud and somewhat haughty with piercing blue eyes that hold a nerve wracking chill. My body is relatively lean and my features appear soft. With my eyes shut and my body relaxed, I would look as helpless as a lost child.
Demeanor
I hold my chin up high and survey the world around me with a sharp eyes. I walk with purpose and with grace. I am, as many put it, untouchable. My movements are quick and purposeful. It is rare to see me hesitate. Although in many ways I may seem stiff, I move with surprising fluidity. People see me and know that I have power. They know I have influence. And they know I have pride. Even the way I stand lets everyone know that I would be a formidable enemy. My presence intimidates most and frightens many, even among my own circle of friends.
Style
I take pride in the styles of the fae. I love fae fabric and fae colors. I wear gowns even in the forest, though of course I change to more durable and practical styles. More often than not I wear cool colors, such as silvers and blues. Occasionally one may find me wearing pastel warm colors like pale pink or melon. During the winter, I wear wool cloaks and stockings with fur lined boots to stay warm. When it is especially cold I have warmer dresses. I prefer not to wear them, however, as I do not like sleeves.
Other
If there is one thing that others notice about me it is my eyes. They tend to be more expressive, more truthful than anything else. When they show disdain, they cut like a dagger. When they show compassion, they melt like ice in the spring. The azure color is deep and bright, shining like jewels and contrasting dramatically against my skin. They may be used to comfort or to frighten. They are sharp and unnerving. Many people comment on them. They have been called creepy, terrifying, hypnotizing, fascinating. In all my 330 years of life, they have never been called beautiful.
My mission in life is to heal. You are a disease. You will be removed.
Interesting
I am well learned and quite adept at conversation. I have lived for well over 100,000 days. During that time I have read as many books. There is very little I do not know about the world and I would be more than happy to share this with you. I love stories. I love to hear them and I love to tell them. I am quick witted, though sarcasm is relatively new to me. I am well cultured. Not only do I study the wild places of Illinor, I visit them. I have as many stories from experience as I do from the books I read.
Durable
I never give up. I have trekked across the Northern Ice just to feel the bite of the wind. I have lost my family, my friends, and my home. Nothing, no obstacle, is strong enough to stop my path. No misfortune can cause my hope to dwindle. It is in my very name. I will see my goals to their very end. I will persist. I am stubborn. I do not compromise. To compromise is to weaken. My spirit burns with a passionate flame, the kind of flame that will burn in the middle of the ocean.
Effective
My bark is as wicked as my bite. When I command, people listen. There is a hardness I possess that tells people I am not playing. With that being said, I have a fairness and confidence blended with enough compassion to make people want to listen. I am an eloquent speaker who is not afraid to lead by example. There is nothing I would not ask that I would not be willing to do myself. I plan well and I am not afraid to act. Nobody has ever accused me of being a coward.
Other
I have style and class. All my life I have been recognized as special or unique in some way. I have what appears to be a rare combination of strength, depth, and compassion. I also seem to possess a royal quality that makes me feel separate from those around me. Beneath my pride and power, I am surprisingly lonely. I have always existed alone. Although I will comfort friends, I have never asked for comfort. I do not show my vulnerability. This, perhaps, is my greatest weakness. Even stronger than my desire for vengeance is my desire and respect for love.
When will this carnage end? Must Illinor first become a desert?
Basic History
I was born to a respected elven family in the most lush part of Illinor. I looked like my father in every way, though my style and mannerisms mirrored my mother to the core. I was a happy thing with a smile that could outshine the sun. Most of my time was spent raiding ancient libraries, either my father’s own or the one in the High Council. The stories engulfed my mind. I learned to read the ancient language and decipher the runes just so I could continue to explore the past.
Despite my love for reading and my habit of shutting myself away in a room for hours, I was a charming child. I enjoyed conversations, though I rarely played with the other children. I preferred adults with their comforting arms and fantastic stories. Sometimes, I would make up my own stories and return the favor.
Everything in my tiny body wanted to grow up to be just like my parents. I wanted my dad’s sparkling eyes and musical laugh. I wanted my mother’s intuition and keen intelligence. “One day,” I would whisper, “One day, I am going to be a council member! I will help lead the fae and keep peace in the forest.”
I took every chance I could to travel. I visited places all over Illinor with my parents and sometimes with their friends. I enjoyed going to the High Council and meeting new people. My life was full of warmth, laughter, and fascinating knowledge.
I lived this way for just over two hundred years, growing and blossoming into a bright young woman. Carefree and sharp-minded, I was indeed my parent’s child. The respect I commanded among my peers was well earned. Already, I had discovered the cures to many sicknesses and poisons. I could cure most things without using a drop of magic. Sadly, all attempts at cultivating an herb garden failed miserably. I did not have the same knack with plants that I had with other things.
And then the mortals came.
I actually saw the sails. I was playing along the western coast, climbing a tree as I spied on one of my best friends (and long-time love), Cornell Horn. I giggled as I watched him try to find me. Then, something strange began to appear out of the horizon. I thought they were clouds, albeit strange clouds.
Both fascinated and scared, I dropped from the trees to stand beside my friend. I watched all day as the clouds drifted closer and closer. Eventually, we were able to agree that this was no magical weather. It looked like some sort of a craft. It was not until the boat landed that we learned it carried people. Strange people with crude mannerisms and round ears.
Cornell and I welcomed the strange creatures. I was joyous and fascinated. Cornell was a bit more timid. He warned me to be cautious. I was not. I escorted the leaders and a few of their men to the council. I believed they came from another world, like the daemons. It was I who first learned their language. I became the unofficial ambassador with Cornell ever by my side, and was soon after admitted as an official council member.
The mortals were great at first. They were clumsy and made many mistakes, but always begged forgiveness, which I was always willing to give. They do not know better. But then they started burning. It was my home that burned first. I watched, terrified, as the smoke drifted into the sky. Nobody was hurt. The fae, my family and friends, were evacuated. Even so…Where would they go?
“We have claimed this land for our people.” I can still remember those words. I can remember the pointed nose, the black hair, the greasy smile of the man who said them. Bela of Coarici, he called himself. No wait. He changed that. Bela, King of Illinor.
Negotiations opened up. I flew at them with all the rage my confused body could muster. How? Why? That was my HOME! They only smiled and patted me on the head. “Don’t worry. We will build a city. It will be safe there. You will see.”
The council agreed to let them keep their claimed land so long as they promised not to burn down the rest of the forest. I seethed, but knew there was no point in arguing. What use had we for that land anyway, now that it was destroyed? At least now things could be peaceful again. And they were for a while.
The city was an interesting place to watch grow. I found no joy in it, however. Many families were taking shelter wherever they could find it. My own home lay buried beneath its stone walkways. I hated that place. Hated it with every fiber in my body. I found myself spending days watching it, wishing I could burn it to the ground without facing the repercussions.
This anger within me grew and grew. I was not surprised when the human messenger entered our council and announced an end to our treaty. These creatures had no sense of honor. While the rest of the council looked on in shock, I merely watched as the man left. He did not fear us. He did not care about us at all.
The forest began to burn again. That was also when the massacre started. The fae were being hunted down. When the mortals learned that they could harvest magic from fae blood, the killing grew far worse. My parents were slaughtered on their way to the high council. Cornell was killed right in front of me. I would have died, too, had he not continued to fight for me even with the fatal wounds he bore. They used his blood to make artifacts to sell in the city. They were made of deer bone. Each one held a glimmer of Cornell’s magic. I could not help myself. I disguised my figure and snuck inside the city.
The ear ring I now wear in my left ear was stolen that day. I swore vengeance for my people and my home. The forest became drenched in blood.
Rage and pain were all I knew. I hardened as everyone around me died.
This had to end. I pushed the council for war. It was the only way we could reclaim Illinor! The only way we could save our people. Naturally, the council agreed. By this time, I commanded quite a lot of respect among the council. I was the High Elf. Messages were sent out to the guardians and warriors to assemble at the council immediately.
Recent History
Amidst all the chaos, our princess vanished into thin air. She was always a headstrong little thing. I would not be surprised at all if she simply wandered to close to the Wall after giving her guards the slip. The princess is an irresponsible, whimsical fairy. Personally, I had a suspicion she simply got scared and ran away. I do not know. All I know is that Amaya has never once garnered my respect. I think the council would be better led by another. No, I am not insinuating that I do it (although I believe I could).
The council held an emergency meeting. It was agreed that the princess may have been kidnapped. If this was the case, we needed to investigate. With such a delicate assignment, the council did not want to send in an outsider. Our person had to be cunning, strong, swift, and one hundred percent trustworthy. This was my idea. Little did I know that I would soon grow to resent that…
Naturally, they chose me. I had been over the wall already. I could mimic their vocal patterns and could speak in their accent flawlessly thanks to all the time I spent with them. I had more mortal knowledge than any of them.
This was not a job I was happy about, but I went without complaint. I took very little, only the basic needs.
The guards at the gate would never trust a lone woman coming out of the forest. I was forced to hide in the shadows until a merchant family approached with their carts. I slipped inside and thanked the gods when I was not caught.
The first thing I did was seek refuge at an old, rundown inn. It was the kind of inn that attracted shady people. The kind where nobody would get into your business for one of two reasons; either they had their own business to attend to or they were afraid of getting cut.
Almost immediately a short mortal with a nasty scar on his face called for a game. I couldn’t help but smile at my luck. Gamblers were the best gossipers. Perhaps I would get myself a lead.
I joined his table, calling myself Raylene of Pell. And why not? That was where my home was once. It was no lie, although naming myself in the mortal fashion disgusted me.
I was lucky after all. It turned out that this man was not an ordinary man, but a spy of some sort. That was one pair of eyes and ears I had in the city. I hired him to find out anything he could about a kidnapped fae, saying that as nobility I needed to be up to date on the latest gossip. He gave me one of his knives as a sign of trust. Ha! There was no trust there, only a knowledge of what mortals would do for gold.
As chance would have it, I ran across another of my kind in that tavern as well. Kaito, the muse. A wonderful painter. But what was he doing behind the wall?
Later, when I had a chance to speak openly with him, he said he was investigating a poison. His mother was poisoned by the fae. Months had passed but she still was not getting better. The healers did not know what to do. He thought it might be a new kind of poison. I was not so sure. Others had bad reactions to the non-lethal fae poison. What made this different?
But poisons were my specialty. I was interested despite myself. I told him I would research his poison if he researched our missing princess. A fair trade off.
I soon discovered Kaito was right. There was indeed a new kind of poison, made with a liquid metal that burned even to be near. I tracked the poison to its source, an evil sorceress with dragon eyes stitched into her wrist.
I met with spy, Gavin, later that night to see what information he had for me. All he could say was that our princess was being guarded by two daemons, but this sorceress wanted her dead. Our conversation did not go far. The sorceress herself interrupted our party. I tried to get a sample of the poison she carried. Instead, I was poisoned myself. In a fit of desperation, I spoke the ancient spell of awakening; the one that would wake up the Guardian of the Forest.
To my surprise, the mortal helped me back over the wall and into my beloved forest. He stayed by my side and took care of me. I learned that his family kills not the fae but their own kind, those tainted with evil. I brought him home, to the High Council. He wishes to speak before them and possibly forge an alliance. I do not want to trust him, but I do. I will hear him speak.
Naturally, as he is the first mortal to enter the council in fifty years, his presence has caused quite a stir. Furthermore, I have recently learned that Kaito’s mother is now dead. After asking if there was anything I could do for the man, I was saddled with his little sister, Ella. She’s a darling creature, but I am unused to children. Only time can tell how this turns out.
