Hero

Where It Always Rains

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Maybe it was the amount of car accident fails or something, but Shiori found that she wasn't nearly as horrified at the sudden act of violence as she should have been. It was almost incredible--day one and this guy was determined to make enemies. Or maybe he was just that petty and didn't want anyone messing up his shoes. Or maybe this is why he was banished to the far ends of bumfuck nowhere after having a violent outburst at his old school. Not that she was one to talk as her own record showed, but she wasn't looking to get expelled day one. At minimum, she usually waited for the first week to be over before causing trouble.

To be fair, Sakaguchi deserved it, but not for the reasons most thought.

Recovering from her initial shock, Shiori let out a sigh. "Away from there, c'mon," She beckoned him to follow her, taking an exasperated puff. Hiding in her usual place would've normally been her first step, but with the clouds looming over, she'd have to keep them close to the building.

The old sports' team shed was nearby, mostly empty except for some outdated equipment that had yet to be thrown out. While she was sure it was unlocked, the trees nearby provided some good enough cover--and more importantly, was away from prying eyes.

While normally Shiori would be content to smoke in silence, she figured she may as well address...that whole thing, lest she find herself needing to study some martial arts to take down someone twice her size. "You got a vendetta against skateboards or do you just hate meeting new people?" She couldn't help but ask, raising an eyebrow.

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She said she could sit! And her name was so cute! Ichika happily took up the dark-haired girl's offer, plopping down onto an empty seat and dragging it over. Ah, there was solace in companionship after all! She gently placed her lunch on the desk, opening up the bento box Shiori had made for her. Thankfully, despite her cousin's grumpiness, her cooking was actually good. She didn't make it look cute at all, but everything was cooked nicely and would likely be as appetizing as her dinners.

Before she would dig in, however, Sakaguchi asked her a weird question. Ichika slowly blinked, trying to think of what to say. Oh, was it because of Shiori? She did hear some weird things from her parents. "No, no, I don't really get into fights like Shi-shi does," She decided to clear the air as quickly as possible. "Mama just thought it'd be good to get a taste of the countryside before I go off to university. Or something like that...But I haven't done anything bad! I make sure to follow all the rules."

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Where It Always Rains

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Shiori enjoyed her cigarette in peace, though she raised her eyebrows at the rain comment. She didn't have much to say about it, usually not being a fan of rain due to the sheer amount of times she ended up getting caught out in it. She assumed tall people wouldn't like it either, but maybe that was just a weird assumption. Her eyebrow raised at his thanks, her hand already moving to wave him off. He stopped abruptly, though she wasn't surprised to see the cause. If he wasn't busy selling his goodies, Sakaguchi was more likely to be found on a skateboard.

As new kid started stomping off--likely to break the board over Sakaguchi's head--Shiori had to bite back a grin. Clearly, the correct decision was to watch since he was twice her height and if she was being honest, watching Sakachuchi get what was coming to him would be comical. As she leaned back, however, she caught onto some hushed voices. She immediately pushed herself off the building, looking around for the source.

"What the--?" She cut herself off as she spotted a sandwich on the floor. Someone was watching? Ah shit, probably Nakano or Sayaka or--ugh, if it was Takano, that was just going to ruin her day.

She almost took off before remembering the new kid, turning after her first step and running up to him, grabbing him by the sleeve. "It's getting too crowded, come on," She said, gesturing to the fallen sandwich.

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Why'd Shiori have to leave her all alone for lunchtime?!

Ichika pouted in her seat, resting her chin in her hands. Her mom did warn her that Shiori could be anti-social at times, but she figured lunch was a given. They had dinner just fine, even if it was kinda...quiet. Well, she didn't complain since she wasn't used to eating alone, and getting to watch TV while they ate was nice. But she wasn't expecting to get ditched on the first day, either!

Letting out a sigh, she reached into her bag and pulled out her lunch slowly as she looked around. People scattered pretty quickly, all things considered; some of them seemed to trip over one another to run out, others quickly started putting their desks together. There was a not-so-subtle pang of jealousy that hit her as she watched them for a little, and she started to miss her old friends. Well, most of them, she was glad to be free of the clingy Kyoko.

Her eyes trailed off and landed on one of the few that sat alone. She looked disappointed--or annoyed? Dark hair, red eyes, a scowl--but her little sidetail was cute! Before Ichika realized what she was doing, she had grabbed her lunch and stood up, practically bouncing over to the girl.

"Hiya! I'm Shimuzu Ichika--the new girl, remember?" Ichika decided to go for a friendly, cheerful greeting. "I noticed you were by yourself, too. Wanna have lunch together?"

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The Shattering of Aegis

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Eila listened to the young man's talk of claws and presences and vanishments with minor amusement. He seemed unsure of what it was that he saw, and despite his distress, it relaxed her a touch. He was sincere in his concern, at least, his tone reminding her much of a few of her classmates back at the Academy. He must have been young, perhaps fifteen or sixteen summers, if at that. And yet here he was, alone! And going to the Bounty House, if she took his words at face value. She supposed the state of the world must be worse than she initially assumed if children had to take to mercenary houses for work.

He then asked her about Genesians. "What is--" Eila outright stopped in her tracks as the realization hit her, and she looked back down at the young man in complete surprise. "You aren't aware of your type of magic?" She couldn't help her incredulous tone at all. Her manners teacher would be mortified. Then again, her other teachers would be, too, seeing a Genesian display his magic so casually without understanding.

Pursing her lips for a moment, she thought to herself as she slowly resumed her walk. Aetherborn came wherever the wind blew, so to speak, so it wouldn't be so strange to hear one not entirely aware of what type they could be. In fact, this was a prime teaching moment. The Empress must have seen their paths cross for this very reason.

Nodding to herself, Eila finally gave the lad her full attention. "I have studied aether and magic for a majority of my life, you see. I am quite adept at recognizing all forms," She explained. "Genesian Aetherbon infuse their own aether into either objects or into their creations. Unless your creature has your aether infused through the corpse of an animal, I believe it to be a creation of yours."

"As for your creature...I cannot say. I believe the tracks in the road belong to wagons and a very large orc, perhaps," She guessed, though she thought of something. She walked in front of him and bent down a touch so that they were eye-to-eye. "It isn't polite to assume people are monsters, young man. Remember, Iriganis is always watching, his hammer ready to strike after he sees your sins."

Straightening up, she figured they were overdue for introductions. "Forgive my manners, I have yet to introduce myself. I am Eila Aurelios. And you are?"

---

_{@Trainerblue192}

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Kazuki felt that sometimes Alja either didn't listen or just didn't understand what he said. He supposed it was typical for other people to act before thinking, but he didn't put up any protest as she dragged him in. Unfortunately, he was as wimpy in the game as he was in real life, and that meant getting away from the much-stronger Alja was fruitless. He did roll his eyes a touch, mumbling, "Income from NPCs, not other people." as he was pulled along.

He wasn't sure what to say to Luci's words, though for once it wasn't out of guilt. He still had no idea why they were here only to find that everyone was, once again, clueless as to what to do. He wasn't surprised Luci didn't know anything since she seemed to not be a fan of doing anything she deemed unimportant.

Letting out a small sigh, he figured he should speak up. "Do you have any idea what the other guilds are doing, then?" He asked.

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Kazuki's brow furrowed as he took a moment to think. He knew realistically he would prefer to avoid Mystic Prophecy, but if they didn't have a genuine reason to visit, then showing up without reason would likely result in unneeded tension. In truth, everyone was aimless--Benkei had the right of mind seeking out an apprenticeship, but what the next step would be was anyone's guess.

His mind still swum a touch, but it was enough that realistically he could think of a few options they could pursue here and now: seek income, seek a way to get materials, and learn valuable skills. There was, for once, a minor silver lining; the way the skill system worked in this game paralleled real life, so all you had to do was practice enough to get good at something. Real-life skills translated nicely as well, and he figured quick learners had some sort of advantage.

"If Priscillica needs something, I feel she would appreciate us stopping by," He noted out loud. "Otherwise...perhaps we could ask the townfolk if they're in need of help? Isn't that how you get sidequests for extra income sometimes?"

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The Shattering of Aegis

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Who knew dirt roads were so impressionable? Not in a good way--Eila wasn't pleased to see that Valentina wasn't kidding when she said paved roads were a luxury. While she no longer stepped awkwardly from adjusting to uneven ground, she did find it interesting how it seemed to take in footsteps. Granted, the large footprints must have belonged to quite the character, but to have them stand out even after others walked was somewhat interesting.

Eila looked at the ground as she walked, absorbed in her thoughts. Before her mind wandered too much, an odd cat appeared in front of her. Coming to a halt, it took her far longer than it should have to notice that said cat was missing some crucial features. As her head snapped up, she heard the sigh of someone unfamiliar. Hm, perhaps she looked vulnerable enough to approach. She was more adept at her bow than her dagger, but at minimum, she wasn't going to let them get away without spilling some blood. Perhaps it would discourage them from attacking?

By the time she finished the thought, however, he spoke. A warning? She frowned as she turned around, though she was caught off guard by how...well, the would-be assailant was just a kid. A dirty one, poor thing. She meant that in the literal sense as his clothes bore specks of dust and his hair was--moving?! What was this?! She initially believed that perhaps it was a trick of the light, but that hair wasn't hair. It was difficult to describe, but it was truly fascinating to look at.

Unfortunately, she hadn't heard a word he had said.

By the time she turned back to his words, she managed to catch something about the Bounty House and skill. And something terrorizing the woods? Odd, she hadn't heard of such a thing at the inn, although she didn't go out of her way to question anyone aside from asking for some directions. A shame, she would have liked to investigate. Unless...this was a ruse? She had read something like that in the paper once, of a group that lured unsuspecting travelers by sending someone unassuming first. If there were others, however, she did not sense them.

She wouldn't quite let down her guard, though she returned her gaze back to the boy. "And knowing this, you are alone?" She asked, a little incredulous. He didn't look like he could hold his own, though there was that...cat.

"Curious, the Genesians I have met and studied were less obvious about their magic," She muttered, narrowing her eyes slightly, though she would speak louder as she continued, "Very well. If you require accompaniment to avoid the creature you claim is roaming around this part of the woods, I have no qualms about going to the Bounty House together."

She wouldn't wait for a response as she continued the trek, though she did make sure she knew where her dagger was in case he did lure her to a trap.

---

_{@Trainerblue192}

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The Shattering of Aegis

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"Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or forms of measure. And all of it... irreplaceable."

Her words were drowned out in the bustle of the town outside, though they weren't aimed at anyone in particular. Fictional stories were not her first choice of reading, but sometimes she came across a line or two that raised an eyebrow, or at the very least kept her reading. This one's plot was fairly simple--a prince that had the weight of his kingdom on his shoulders. His conflict arose as duty and emotion clashed, surrounded by enemies at nearly every turn, his only comfort coming from a peasant girl that he had met in his youth. Compelling, but she had read similar stories where the girl ended up dying, so she hoped that this one would end differently.

Making a note of where she left off, Eila placed the book aside as she approached the open window. Soft Haven was so much smaller than what she was used to. Louder in comparison, somehow, but it had its own charm. With a well-rested night and a quaint breakfast consumed, she supposed it was time to get out to the streets and go to the Bounty House. She had allowed herself this stay as the carriage ride had been rough, but she knew going forward she would have to consider frugality.

Leaving that thought behind, Eila gathered her belongings and fastened her traveling cloak around her. While she wasn't incognito, the hood did give her a small sense of comfort. She exited her room, remembering to thank the innkeeper before she left the inn entirely. She had remembered to ask for directions to the Bounty House so she wouldn't be completely lost, but once she had stepped outside, the small sense of comfort she had quickly gave away to an unusual unease.

No, no time for fear. She mentally scolded herself, ignoring that her first few steps were hesitant and a little meek before she regained her usual stride. She was well-educated, confident, and had something to prove. She headed to the Bounty House, though her pace was slowed as she couldn't help but look around a little.

---

Where It Always Rains

damn 3 months no posts where you at @TGM

The Shattering of Aegis

May the fate She has chosen be kind to you.

_{5'9 | 145 lbs | Green | Blonde}

"In this world, there are many sorrowful things. Feelings that cannot be expressed. Thoughts that I cannot come to understand. Even so, I will venture forth."

Name:

Eila Aurelios | Eilowyn Strigios

Age:

23

Gender:

Female

Appearance:

Standing at a height of 5"9', Eila is a lovely girl with flawless skin, long, luscious blonde hair, and sparkling hazel-green eyes. She has a fairly curvaceous figure, tends to move gracefully, and carries herself with pride as a woman who is keenly aware of her own looks. Her clothing leans towards elegant yet fabulous with a preference for clothing that flows with her. Her current ensemble consists of a simple white dress accompanied by a dark green shoulder top with a pair of trailing, translucent capes. She uses a floral hair pin to keep some of her hair pinned back and wears a pair of short boots. She carries the symbol of Lady Azaiza around her neck at all times.

Classification (Aetherborn Only):

Animas - Physical (Healing Specialty)

Abnormality:

For the most part, Eila's features are unaffected. However, the color of her irises changes color depending on her mood. Stronger emotions elicit brighter colors, and while the intensity varies, her eyes reveal the truth of her feelings.

Color Wheel

Hazel-Green - Default, as well as her natural eye color
Red - Anger
Orange - Anxious
Yellow - Focus
Blue - Sadness
Green - Happiness
Purple - Curious
Pink - Love in the form of tiny hearts
Grey - Emptiness

Personality:

Eila is a proper and prim young lady, unflinchingly polite and formal to a tee. While some may be put off by her formality, in truth she is personable and generally open-minded, making her easy to talk to. Her sunny disposition is accompanied by an endless amount of optimism as she does her best to find the silver linings in even the worst situations. She gives it her all no matter what and tries to help in any way she can, quick to help those in need.

Under the surface, however, there is an unsteadiness. The thought of disappointing someone makes her give her all, and as a result, she puts a lot of pressure on herself even if she is told to take it easy. Despite having an overall warm and gentle nature, she avoids opening up to people even though she likes it when people confide in her. Her tendency to keep people at a distance is somewhat contradictory, often confusing people, but it's clear she has a lot of trouble expressing her true feelings.

Bio:

The Aurelios family has lorded over several mines of gold and jewels for a long time, their name coming from an ancient word once used to describe gold. The Stirgios family has designed each Grand Marshall's ceremonial jewelry since Buscon's beginning, their name known even outside of Relfin. Both are well respected in family and duty, so their union was not only convenient but made logical sense. And so Ellowen Aurelios wed Lorelei Strigios, and the marriage resulted in Eila. The elf has exhibited a thirst for knowledge since the day she learned to read on her own. To call her a prodigy was an understatement; there were few subjects she couldn't grasp, and she was christened as a gifted child. Her enrollment into the Mage's Consortium wasn't a question, it was a manner of when she was ready to take that next step.

Entering the Consortium at the age of five, Eila was introduced to the world of magic. Of course, the Consortium had a reputation for being aggressive in its curriculum, forcing her to focus on nothing but her studies. Her 'gifted' label quickly faded as she was surrounded by the best of the best, though she refused to let herself drown in a sea of mediocrity. As both her mother and aunt were of the guild--the former one of the twelve and the latter the Grand Sorceress--there were great expectations placed on her. Said expectations hung over her every day, threatening to crash down with every mistake made. With time, however, she thrived, falling in love with magic and aether.

There were three main things that helped her keep her sanity during her tenure, with the first being her loving aunt's endless amount of encouragement. While she would never question that her parents cared for her, her aunt was the one that she looked to for familial affection. The second was a slow-growing archery talent. Focusing on something that wasn't related to her studies and could be taken lightly did wonders for her mental state, providing a nice escape and fresh air to accompany her. The last was her worship of Lady Azaiza. When all else failed, knowing that everything she was going through was the Empress' plan for her comforted her in a way.

Once she graduated, she made up her mind to do the impossible: her life's goal would be to create an instrument to measure aether. She was keenly aware of the monumental task in front of her, and so she spent a few years getting her hands on anything that would teach her about aether in order to better understand it. However, her father seemed to disagree with her decision, feeling it was best for her to turn her talents elsewhere. When the two couldn't come to an agreement, Eila decided to strike out on her own and see what the world had to offer. This decision was also met with opposition, but after gaining her mother's reluctant blessing, she decided to head to the new Bounty House, hoping to find adventure.

Likes:

• Books are basically like sweets to her. Storybooks, biographies, fiction, non-fiction--if it is something she can read, she will like it. While she has a preference for anything that can add to her arsenal of knowledge, she does enjoy a good story once in a while
• Her family. While her father is distant and she relates more to her aunt than her mother, she still loves them dearly.
• Being compared to her mother or, more likely, her aunt. She is eager to prove herself worthy of them.
• She adores the theatre and used to attend nearly every show from her favorite troupe.

Dislikes:

• Not finding what she needs.
• She understands why merchants require their coin up front, but she's spoiled from simply flashing her family's crest so that the estate would be charged. Also counting money gets old after a while...and it gets heavy.
• Being compared to her mother or, more likely, her aunt. She is also acutely aware that she has a massive legacy to live up to.
• Commentary on her aether abilities. Yes, her aunt is one of the most renowned Water Primordial Aetherborn, yes her mother is also a powerful Air Primordial Aetherborn and it would have been nice to have Primordial magic, but she was not born with those abilities and she is not upset about that at all but she would very much like it if people stopped bringing that up. Please.
• Dirt. No explanation needed.

Habits:

• Her handwriting is absurdly small, yet legible...if you squint.
• Once she is on a roll verbally, it's hard for her to stop talking.
• Has mastered the art of multitasking during her reading sessions.

Inventory:

• Her trusty longbow and quiver of arrows
• A satchel for her belongings
• A mostly-blank book and pieces of charcoal for writing
• A silver dagger
• A second necklace adorned with a golden crow used for prayer
• Her coinpurse is currently carrying 3 gold, 7 silver, and 6 copper.

The Shattering of Aegis

May the fate She has chosen be kind to you.

_{5'9 | 145 lbs | Green | Blonde}

"In this world, there are many sorrowful things. Feelings that cannot be expressed. Thoughts that I cannot come to understand. Even so, I will venture forth."

Name:

Eila Aurelios | Eilowyn Strigios

Age:

23

Gender:

Female

Appearance:

Standing at a height of 5"9', Eila is a lovely girl with flawless skin, long, luscious blonde hair, and sparkling hazel-green eyes. She has a fairly curvaceous figure, tends to move gracefully, and carries herself with pride as a woman who is keenly aware of her own looks. Her clothing leans towards elegant yet fabulous with a preference for clothing that flows with her. Her current ensemble consists of a simple white dress accompanied by a dark green shoulder top with a pair of trailing, translucent capes. She uses a floral hair pin to keep some of her hair pinned back and wears a pair of short boots. She carries the symbol of Lady Azaiza around her neck at all times.

Classification (Aetherborn Only):

Animas - Physical (Healing Specialty)

Abnormality:

For the most part, Eila's features are unaffected. However, the color of her irises changes color depending on her mood. Stronger emotions elicit brighter colors, and while the intensity varies, her eyes reveal the truth of her feelings.

Color Wheel

Hazel-Green - Default, as well as her natural eye color
Red - Anger
Orange - Anxious
Yellow - Focus
Blue - Sadness
Green - Happiness
Purple - Curious
Pink - Love in the form of tiny hearts
Grey - Emptiness

Personality:

Eila is a proper and prim young lady, unflinchingly polite and formal to a tee. While some may be put off by her formality, in truth she is personable and generally open-minded, making her easy to talk to. Her sunny disposition is accompanied by an endless amount of optimism as she does her best to find the silver linings in even the worst situations. She gives it her all no matter what and tries to help in any way she can, quick to help those in need.

Under the surface, however, there is an unsteadiness. The thought of disappointing someone makes her give her all, and as a result, she puts a lot of pressure on herself even if she is told to take it easy. Despite having an overall warm and gentle nature, she avoids opening up to people even though she likes it when people confide in her. Her tendency to keep people at a distance is somewhat contradictory, often confusing people, but it's clear she has a lot of trouble expressing her true feelings.

Bio:

The Aurelios family has lorded over several mines of gold and jewels for a long time, their name coming from an ancient word once used to describe gold. The Stirgios family has designed each Grand Marshall's ceremonial jewelry since Buscon's beginning, their name known even outside of Relfin. Both are well respected in family and duty, so their union was not only convenient but made logical sense. And so Ellowen Aurelios wed Lorelei Strigios, and the marriage resulted in Eila. The elf has exhibited a thirst for knowledge since the day she learned to read on her own. To call her a prodigy was an understatement; there were few subjects she couldn't grasp, and she was christened as a gifted child. Her enrollment into the Mage's Consortium wasn't a question, it was a manner of when she was ready to take that next step.

Entering the Consortium at the age of five, Eila was introduced to the world of magic. Of course, the Consortium had a reputation for being aggressive in its curriculum, forcing her to focus on nothing but her studies. Her 'gifted' label quickly faded as she was surrounded by the best of the best, though she refused to let herself drown in a sea of mediocrity. As both her mother and aunt were of the guild--the former one of the twelve and the latter the Grand Sorceress--there were great expectations placed on her. Said expectations hung over her every day, threatening to crash down with every mistake made. With time, however, she thrived, falling in love with magic and aether.

There were three main things that helped her keep her sanity during her tenure, with the first being her loving aunt's endless amount of encouragement. While she would never question that her parents cared for her, her aunt was the one that she looked to for familial affection. The second was a slow-growing archery talent. Focusing on something that wasn't related to her studies and could be taken lightly did wonders for her mental state, providing a nice escape and fresh air to accompany her. The last was her worship of Lady Azaiza. When all else failed, knowing that everything she was going through was the Empress' plan for her comforted her in a way.

Once she graduated, she made up her mind to do the impossible: her life's goal would be to create an instrument to measure aether. She was keenly aware of the monumental task in front of her, and so she spent a few years getting her hands on anything that would teach her about aether in order to better understand it. However, her father seemed to disagree with her decision, feeling it was best for her to turn her talents elsewhere. When the two couldn't come to an agreement, Eila decided to strike out on her own and see what the world had to offer. This decision was also met with opposition, but after gaining her mother's reluctant blessing, she decided to head to the new Bounty House, hoping to find adventure.

Likes:

• Books are basically like sweets to her. Storybooks, biographies, fiction, non-fiction--if it is something she can read, she will like it. While she has a preference for anything that can add to her arsenal of knowledge, she does enjoy a good story once in a while
• Her family. While her father is distant and she relates more to her aunt than her mother, she still loves them dearly.
• Being compared to her mother or, more likely, her aunt. She is eager to prove herself worthy of them.
• She adores the theatre and used to attend nearly every show from her favorite troupe.

Dislikes:

• Not finding what she needs.
• She understands why merchants require their coin up front, but she's spoiled from simply flashing her family's crest so that the estate would be charged. Also counting money gets old after a while...and it gets heavy.
• Being compared to her mother or, more likely, her aunt. She is also acutely aware that she has a massive legacy to live up to.
• Commentary on her aether abilities. Yes, her aunt is one of the most renowned Water Primordial Aetherborn, yes her mother is also a powerful Air Primordial Aetherborn and it would have been nice to have Primordial magic, but she was not born with those abilities and she is not upset about that at all but she would very much like it if people stopped bringing that up. Please.
• Dirt. No explanation needed.

Habits:

• Her handwriting is absurdly small, yet legible...if you squint.
• Once she is on a roll verbally, it's hard for her to stop talking.
• Has mastered the art of multitasking during her reading sessions.

Inventory:

• Her trusty longbow and quiver of arrows
• A satchel for her belongings
• A mostly-blank book and pieces of charcoal for writing
• A silver dagger
• A second necklace adorned with a golden crow used for prayer
• Her coinpurse is currently carrying 3 gold, 7 silver, and 6 copper.