Ischia etNatuia

[Ischia]

Player Name: Alyson
Name: Ischia etNatuia
Age: 41
Race: Half-elf
Height: 5'1
Weight: 97
Physical Description: Almost waif-like, with shorn raven hair and eyes of amber. Grey-elven, her skin is an ashen blue, and her ears slightly pointed. She bears enough resemblence to both parents to pass as either human or Elven at will, with use of cosmetics.

Possessions: A boot-knife with a carven wood pommel, of Elvish steel. It is the only remaining possession from her parents. She carries a small sack with various potions, herbs, and drugs, along with her clothing, and basic supplies. Her clothing is simple and comfortable, but well-tailored and of good material. Strong linen shirts and doe-skin breeches, good leather boots. She wears a light wool knee-length cloak, and keeps a heavier fur cape that doubles as a bedroll. The coin she keeps depends wholly on whether she has work. A very good client will pay upwards of 500 Bishani. A bad one pays in coin or in blood. Of course there are dry times. In those periods she will resort to theft.

Powers or Strengths: A decent knowledge of poisons. A cunning wit. The ability to move silently and deftly. A complete lack of fealty to any deity, politico, or faction. A fair ability to apply hand-to-hand combat, within reason to her size.

Weaknesses: She is small, and has little physical strength, and no training in magic to speak of. She is lonely, and moderately depressed.

History:

Ischia was born of a love-match between Nilya, a grey elf priestess and Bowen, a Myrnian merchant carpenter who was hired to furnish the temple where Nilya served. The elf-woman died in childbirth. The temple priestesses demanded he leave the child with them, to take her mother's place in time, but Irtysh, heartbroken as he was, stole away with her while her nurse was entranced at prayer. He doted upon his raven-haired daughter, using his great skill at woodworking to keep her in the finest linens and schooled by the choicest of tutors.

Bowen, already five-and-forty when Nilya stole his heart, did not live to see Ischia come to maturity. At the rebellious age of 31, Ischia buried her father on the roadside. Hurt and alone, she cried out against Teodinus, demanding to know why... HOW He could take away the only family she had. She cursed the god, burned her father's private idols, broke the beads of his prayer - hand carved of the most costly woods. She demanded Teodinus destroy her, if only He could, to prove His existence. Her blasphemy unpunished, Ischia set off, leaving the quiet merchant life behind her.

She was not a girl driven by hate for long. Her rage was quite spent at that outburst, but though there was no longer a fire, the coals of her anger glowed hotly beneath the surface. She found the release of this pain through weaponry. Not fighting - no, that was too simple and clumsy - but cautious, quiet, decisive action. When her father's coin ran out, Ischia learned to feed herself with Bishani fetched by deftly cutting the tiniest slit in a man's belt purse.

In time, she began searching for an easier lifestyle, and came to the Puradyne Temple - once the home of her mother. She was taken in as ward, and quickly became a darling of the priestesses. In a short while, she had discovered her own personal Sacrifice - bringing those who corrupt the public with Magic Most Foul to the end of their sinful lives. Ischia still could not bring herself to fully trust in the God, however, and was discovered experimenting with a trivial piece of Elvish magic. The High Priestess of that temple, who had become much like a mother to her in the years she spent there, could not bear to deliver upon her the judgement of death, but instead took hold of Ischia, sliced off her long raven braid, and banished her from the Temple.

Her connection to the Puradynes severed, Ischia used the skills she gained to forge for herself a new profession: Knife-for-hire.

[Frug]

Approved.