Aila

Eurielle 'Aila' Tihana Mendeleev is a sorceress and scholar from Velden. She dedicates her life to studying Magi and the dreadful Creepers. Amongst wizards, she is more widely known for having left the fabled Academy. Aila is driven by her curiosity, desire for knowledge, and wanderlust, however, she's also quite reckless.

History

Aila was born in Velden in 1000, as the only daughter of a mason and a seamstress, both quite superstitious and arialists. From birth, her father dreamed of his daughter growing to follow her mother's craft and later on providing the family with grandsons and granddaughters. As with all things, one can't get what they wish, and already at the age of 4, Aila was much more interested in her father's blueprints than her mother's fabrics. She loved the intricate diagrams and writings of his drawings, eager to understand, trying to mimic them with her own doodles. After a lot of begging, ranting, and convincing, Aila managed to have her parents arrange an apprenticeship with the local scribe, who happened to be a friend of the family.

A prodigy, she learned to read at the age of 5, an enormous achievement for anyone, even more for a peasant, and soon, no book big or small was a match for her. She became deeply interested in history, mythology, and linguistics; with all of this put together, it didn't take long for her to start questioning her parents' traditions, refusing to believe in common superstition, which led to arguments, and then fighting. "It's those damn books she keeps readin', I'm sure o' it. We'll have no more o' that, not under this roof". And so, she was prohibited from returning to the scribe and his bookshelves. She was 9 by this point. During all this time, the young girl felt neglected, as everything she loved and devoted herself only worked to make her parents push her away more. She would gather random objects she'd find in the woods: old amulets, broken weapons, and odd-coloured stones - 'I'm an artifact hunter', she would say, showing her treasure bag to her mother. If she was lucky, and her mother happened to be in a very good mood, Aila would maybe get an 'Interesting' from her, unlike the usual 'Stop collecting that trash, have you done your chores?'. Aila hated chores, she hated them with all her heart. Dumb, monotonous tasks that require little to no thinking.

Living in the farmlands, Aila never truly had friends when young. There was no shortage of children around, but they simply never understood her. While boys would flail at each other with wooden sticks, the girls would blabber endlessly about heroic stories, gossip and their daily lives; Aila would have none of that, she was an adventurer, eager to delve into tombs! Because of this behaviour, she gave her parents a few scares when she disappeared for long hours, only to explain later she had been exploring this or that cave - luckily for her she never became some bear's lunch.

In 1009, when she was nine, a month or two after being prohibited from returning to the scribe, Aila was having yet another fight with her dad, while her mother silently cleaned dishes in the room. 'Ye must think of yourself to be awfully clever, don't ye? Euriel is better than others 'cause she can read 'em fancy books while her parents toil at 'em jobs!' - At times, Aila thinks back on how powerful she felt about her answer to her father's query.

'I do indeed, da'. Do you think my books tell the names of masons? No, they speak of those worth remembering.

At that moment, she knew she had but a moment to turn on her heels and run, or else it would be a beating worth remembering. She darted for the door and yanked it with all her might, yet, it was locked. And like a furious beast, her father came at her, leather belt in hand.

Aila was never one to give up and wait for the worse, instead, she ran the other way, directly towards her father. Would she dodge him? Unlikely, but it was better than just taking the punishment. However, as she raced at him, the beating never came; she heard a brief swishing and hissing and a cold; when she looked around, she was now at the other edge of the room. She had skipped her father, and she understood at that moment what it meant. Furious, he turned at her: 'Not only are you a disgrace to our tradition, but yer also a bloody witch'. Nay, get out of here, yer not me daughter'. And Aila became homeless, a street urchin.

For most wizards and sorcerers, their powers first appear around the age of 14 or 15, but not for Aila. She was a kosmoggi, an incredibly rare sort of spellcaster, capable of influencing time and space. With her newfound gift, the girl managed to survive stealing and getting into places others couldn't. Skipping through walls and fences, leaving others dumbfounded and shocked. When she was 12, Aila had been strolling around the marketplace of Lebetyn, capital of Vevia, by then a skilled thief, when she spotted a man in grey robes buying books in a stall, she saw the unmistakeable glistening of golden coins and what looked like a heavy purse. She stalked him out of the city, wondering where such a man could be heading, still, it only made her job easier. When she was about to snatch the purse from his belt, the man turned abruptly, catching her arm with an iron grip. Aila took a breath to skip away, yet, when she realized, she fell to the ground, utterly petrified as the man took a step closer and looked down at her.

'There are better uses for your talent than picking pockets', said the old man, 'I am Areforn'.

He turned out to be a wizard, and an expert at it. Reluctant at first, Aila was marveled as she took her to his tower, a formidable home with no lack of books and knowledge. He took her as apprentice, albeit being incredibly harsh and demanding - yet it didn't demoralize her, because for the first time, she felt at home.

Aila stayed with Areforn for three years, upon which she learned from him to measure and fear her own power, for a kosmoggi is a beam of light in the dark for the dreaded Creepers. And so, the girl became obsessed: while most wizards learned to cower from them, Aila wanted to learn all about and perhaps uncover a way to stop or defend herself. Areforn, in turn, recognized her potential and, after contacting some colleagues, arranged it so that Aila could join the fabled magical school called The Academy. She eagerly accepted and devoted herself to studying magic, however, while most wizards would completely turn their backs on Mellanvärlden, she refused to do so, frequently visiting the mortal realm for a wide range of reasons. During this time she met and became close to Ser Hans Cuthbert, a knight in his own, personal quest, who also happened to be close to Areforn. They grew close and aided each other, often adventuring together.

When she was 16, Aila and Hans heard thundering noises in the woods, and clear signs of the Cursis, someone was in danger. With mighty strength and skill, Hans cut down a group of Devourers and saved a young, rather arrogant boy from certain death - Phyteas Barsotti. Yet, despite his rather pompous talk, Aila liked him and sooner than later, he too joined the Academy.


Nevertheless, they never got to study together, as soon after his joining, Aila left the organization. They didn't approve of her study, claiming it was a far too dangerous field, as the Creepers had to be recognized for what they are, a force to be reckoned. She refused to believe that and - after a few, rather harsh cursing at the archmages - she left the Academy, pursuing her research on her own.


A lot happened in the following years, she met necromancers, influential vampires, pirates, smugglers and more. At some point she also came to know the All-Caster Baldardash, as together they explored the depts of the ruins of Ellardia †.

As of 1025, Aila was last seen in the brandjordian city of Alluabid.

Year of Birth

1000 EL 25 Years old

Eyes

Pale Blue

Hair

Silver Black