Leinathan's Mistress CotCT

Game Master leinathan

When at home with Marius, her husband, and Sigrid, it's hard to see the warrior in Auraelia. She smiles brightly and does what she can to help the family along. She cares deeply for them both, and isn't afraid to show her affection for Marius in public or in private. She's quite protective of her family, feeling it her duty to ensure their safety as the only one of them trained for combat. Her husband, while a wonderful man and a hard worker, was only a Chelaxian after all, and hadn't been raised to fight from the time he could walk as she had.

Despite this, when she's out on business she's as fearsome as all but the most battle-hardened Shoanti warriors. Just a glance from her can send the bravest thugs scurrying into the back streets, and when it comes down to fighting she's more than capable of holding her own.

Life wasn't easy in her Quah, but it was good. She became well respected herself, and when she came of age she was gifted the title "Rasar Björn" ("Raging Bear") in common, partly for her tendency to lose herself in battle, and partly for the ursine qualities that she took on when calling upon her totem spirits in battle. Things continued well for her for several years afterwards, studying combat under her father and druidic magic under her mother when not hunting for the Quah.

One day, shortly after she'd turned nineteen, a group from Shiikirri-Quah came to visit. They brought with them many Chelaxians, whom they were trying to use to convince the other Quahs that peace with the Korvosans was in the best interests of everyone. While the members of the Lyrune-Quah were relatively uninterested in what they were offering, Auraelia herself was quite curious about the non-Shoanti visitors, having never seen any before in her life. One evening during their visit she stole off to their campsite and there she saw a young Chelaxian man sharpening various weapons. His face was quite striking, framed by short-cut black hair, and his body--if small compared to the average Shoanti--was quite athletic. Before she knew what had happened, she found herself smitten with the man, her heart racing as she spied on him.

Not knowing what else to do, she strode into the camp and demanded to know his name. The young man, startled and a bit intimidated at first, replied eventually that his name was Marius Blackthorn, and that he was apprenticed to Damien Baradin the smith who'd come along on this trip. A few tense moments passed, and then she smiled at him and introduced herself. The two spent the rest of the evening talking, and several subsequent evenings together as well. On the fourth such night she led him back to her tent and the two spent the night together there, waking in each other's arms. That morning they professed their love for each other, and he promised that as soon as he could return he would be at her side again.

What they got, however, wasn't at all what they'd expected. Auraelia stood before them and explained the truth, that she'd approached him repeatedly, and that they'd fallen in love. She'd shared her tent with him because of that, and she intended to keep the child and bring Marius to live with them. Her pronouncement divided the clan quite clearly. While some were willing to accept that, her parents included, a great many of the Quah were incensed that a member of one of the great families of the Quah would debase their bloodline. Unfortunately for Auraelia, the elders were forbidden from voting when doling out punishment to one related to them by blood. Without her mother's vote and council, the elders voted three to two to banish her from the tribe, stripping her of her moniker and forever declaring her a främling. Furthermore, they declared that she would be subject to punishment, possibly even death, should she violate her exile. Confused and heartbroken by the decision of her people to exile her for choosing her love and her child, she left the Quah and sought out the Shiikirri to find out where she might find Marius. They directed her to Korvosa and gave her the name of the shop Damien ran.

The trip was long and hard, but eventually she arrived in the city. It was quite a shock for her, having lived in the wilderness all her life, seeing the cramped quarters of the city. Still, she had no choice, and so she wandered the streets until she found Damien's shop. She encountered Marius there, who was quite confused to see her, but welcomed her with open arms once she'd explained the situation. The two moved in together almost immediately, and with Damien acting as a witness, were married in the Church of Abadar. Half a year later she had her child, a gorgeous baby girl she convinced Marius to name after her mother.

The first few years afterwards were difficult, as Auraelia had to stay at home to nurse the child, but her parents had secretly given her a small sum of gold when she left, and it was sufficient to help them through the lean times until Sigrid was old enough to not require constant attention. When Sigrid was almost four years old, Auraelia began looking for jobs around town that could make use of her skills. She learned quickly that many people in Korvosa did not approve of Shoanti, and even the Shoanti she encountered soured when they found she'd married a Chelaxian. It caused her a great amount of anguish being isolated from both her people and the rest of the citizens of the city, but Marius and Sigrid anchored her and gave her a reason to continue on. Eventually she was able to make some contacts among the Korvosan guard, who would occasionally give her work tracking down some fugitive or another, as well as among some of the various shopkeepers who needed someone to help collect on outstanding payments. Though she sometimes suspected that the work she was doing was legally in a grey zone, that work helped put food on the table when work at the smithy was slow for Marius.

And so years passed for her little family. Their home was small, and they were always just barely scraping by, but Auraelia was happy nevertheless. In many ways it was no harsher than the life she'd had in the Quah, although she still prefered the wilderness to the town by far. Occasionally when things were quiet she dreamed of returning with her husband and Sigrid to the Quah and being accepted again. A small portion of her longed to return home like that, though for the most part she accepted that she'd never have that chance.

When she returned she found Marius at the table in their small shack, laying face down, barely responsive. She managed to rouse him finally and, with tears in his eyes, he explained that Sigrid had gone missing one day when he'd taken her to the market. The news hit Auraelia as hard as it had hit Marius. The two of them consoled each other, and when she'd regained some composure, they went to try to retrace Marius's steps and to look for clues to Sigrid's whereabouts. Half a year passed and there was little to no information about what had become of Sigrid, but Auraelia refused to give up hope. She eventually managed to make contact with an informant in the Underground who sold her information that a man named Gaedren Lamm had been involved in the abduction of many children throughout the city. Following up on that trail eventually led her to several witnesses who described a black-haired Shoanti child who had been forced into service as one of the "Little Lamms".

With evidence that Sigrid was still out there, and a name for her abductor, Auraelia's grief turned into rage. Her child had been stolen, and she intended to retrieve her and to injure Lamm so grievously that he'd beg her for the release of death. Knowing she'd need better gear than what little she'd managed to get while in Korvosa, Auraelia resolved to return to her Quah to ask her parents for her inheritance.

She explained the situation to Marius and took off, borrowing a horse from a friend who tended the stables at one of the inns in town and riding as fast as she could back to her home. Several days later she caught up with her Quah and strode into the center of the encampment, whereupon she was detained by those Quah members on guard duty. They dragged her before the council of elders, her mother conspicuously absent, all elderly women who whispered amongst themselves about the gall the girl had returning.

Auraelia cleared her throat to gain their attention. She was in no mood to listen to them going on about this, and the sooner she was done here, the better. Though they didn't recognize it, the woman standing before them was in many ways quite different than the one they'd booted out of the Quah a decade earlier.

"Be recieved, stranger" the council said to her, seemingly taking pleasure in greeting her as an outsider.
Auraelia remained impassive, however, and lowered herself onto her knees before them in the traditional gesture of respect, addressing them, "Council, I have come here to ask for your permiss-"

"The girl must long for an early death," quipped Aryah to the others, cutting Auraelia off mid sentence. She was the eldest of the council and the one who had originally called for her exile. "Perhaps her husband abandoned her," added Yaziyah gleefully. "Was one night of passion worth it?" she asked Auraelia.

Again Auraelia suffered the insults stoically, much to the disappointment of the council. She began again, hoping they'd allow her to finish this time. "Council," she opened, more forcefully this time. "I have come seeking your permission to ask my-"

"What you have come seeking is of no consequence to us, you are no longer a member of this Quah," Aryah said, taking great pleasure in cutting her off again. "Leave our lands and return to that mongrel child of you-" Auraelia stood and bellowed "ENOUGH," drawing a look of shock from the old women before her. It was one thing to insult her and her husband, but Auraelia would not tolerate this treatment of Sigrid.

"I did NOT come here to listen to your prattling. Listen to me you old crones, you WILL sit there and hear me out, and you will remain quiet until then," she said, her rage clearly evident not only in the tone of her voice, but in her face and stance. "You may have stripped me of my rights and my name, but not even you can take my birthright from me. I have come to ask a boon of my father, and if I didn't need your permission in order to do so, I'd not have set foot here to begin with."

The council sat there in stunned silence, seeing the woman before them anew. Auraelia, more than willing to continue without their interruptions, wasted no time. "My daughter has been taken from me, kidnapped by some piece kogödsel named Gaedren Lamm. I will carve a path across Korvosa to get my Sigrid back, and if that has to start here, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO DO SO." She towered there before them, seeming to have grown in stature before their very eyes. "I may be a främling now, and my daughter may be nothing to you, but are you so cold and cruel, have your hearts shrivelled so much that you would deny a mother the chance to save her child? Which one of you wouldn't do the same in my place? If you wish to execute me for this affront to your sensibilities, so be it! But you will grant me words with my father, and you will allow me to leave to save my Sigrid. Once I have done that, I will return and face your 'punishment', whatever that may be."[/i] Auraelia finished and returned to her knees out of respect for the traditions of her Quah, if not for the women before her.

Minutes passed in the tent, none of the elders apparently willing to be the first to speak up lest they anger Auraelia further. Aryah especially seemed to be in shock, desperately trying to find some retort to regain the face she'd lost in being intimidated by this girl before the others. Finally the youngest among the group, Catahrra stood and spoke, [b]"What you ask of us is well within your rights, and we will not deny your request, Auraelia." Hearing her name spoken for the first time since she'd arrived calmed Auraelia down significantly. She looked Catahrra in the eyes and saw there only sympathy and respect, instead of the fear and derision she saw in the others.

The other elders began to protest, but Catahrra calmly silenced them and continued, "When you have saved your daughter, or avenged her, you will return to us and submit to our judgement. If you will swear by blood that you will do so, we will allow you to see your parents. The request that she return to stand for punishment when done seemed to calm the concerns of the rest of the women.

"By blood it is sworn," Auraelia replied without hesitating, drawing her dagger and extending her arm forward, palm open facing upwards. She traced the point across it, drawing a trickle of crimson from the cut and then extended he dagger hilt first towards Catahrra. Catahrra stepped forward quietly and took the blade, repeating the gesture and clasping her hand to Auraelia's, sealing the blood pact. She returned the dagger to Auraelia and turned to the others. "It is done. Are you all satisfied? If so we will let her go ask what she will of Dagak and Sigrid." She turned back to Auraelia and smiled, and when no objections were raised, bowed and gestured towards the door, giving her leave to exit.

Auraelia nodded with respect at Catahrra and strode out of the tent and towards that of her parents. She'd only vaguely known of Catahrra before she'd left, and she must have been added to the council quite recently. Auraelia hoped in her heart that she wouldn't pay for standing up like that. When she entered the tent, she found her father and mother there waiting anxiously. Sigrid ran up and embraced her, nearly in tears. "Aryah had said they would execute you on the spot," she said, her voice breaking up. Auraelia, now almost half a foot taller than her mother, embraced her and smiled. "The Quah chose well in seating Catahrra among the elders. I might very well have been put to death if not for her compassion."

"Why would you risk coming back here, Auraelia," Dagak asked impassionately, "You knew that the price for doing so might be your life."

"Sigrid..." Auraelia started, but realized she'd not even had a chance to tell them about her daughter in past ten years. "My daughter, I named her after you mother," she said with proud smile. "You'll meet her one day, I swear. She's getting so big now..." She said, her voice trailing off as she recalled various memories of her daughter running about. "She's been kidnapped by a man. This man Gaedren Lamm, he steals children and forces them into lives of petty thievery to support himself. I came to ask for your help, father." Dropping down to her knees, she prostrated herself before him. "Please grant me your armor and greataxe that I might bring down anyone who stands between myself and Sigrid. We... Marius and I, cannot afford to provide me with the weapons and gear needed for me to hunt Lamm and mete out justice to him. Please father, grant me this favor!" She looked up at him, terrified that she'd see disappointment or disgust in his eyes at her failure to protect her daughter. Instead she saw pride and compassion as he reached down and lifted her up. He held her close and said "Of course, even if the Quah does not consider you to be among them anymore, you are still my child." In her father's arms she felt like a child again and then and there she broke down, crying for both for Sigrid and for the life she'd lost among her people. She stayed a while to visit with them, telling the story of her journey to find Marius, and of Sigrid's birth and all the things that had happened since then.

The next morning, with her father's breastplate and greataxe packed and strapped to her back, along with a modest sum her parents had saved, she began the trip back to Korvosa. Once there she would get Marius and Damien to help adjust the breastplate for her, and buy any remaining supplies she needeed before beginning her hunt. And then she would track down Gaedren Lamm, get Sigrid back, and kill him, mercifully if she was unharmed, and less so otherwise.

2. What did Gaedren Lamm, the notorious criminal, do to you? How did you respond, emotionally to it?
One day, a close friend of the family came before him, her face wet with tears. Her eldest son Silva, an old friend of Mavarro’s, had recently died of a drug overdose. The news did not particularly surprise him; his relationship with the man had eroded years ago, when he had learned of his involvement with the Sczarni. Nonetheless, Silva had been a brother once, and he bore no ill will towards the man’s mother. When the cards failed to provide a satisfactory answer, Mavarro resolved to find out why Silva had to die through other means. Over the next few weeks, he reached out to his clientele, offering his services in return for gossip instead of coin. As he continued his investigation, he learned of more and more people that had succumbed to the very same drug as Silva – shiver. All of the threads seemed to be connected to the same name – Gaedren Lamm. When it became apparent that the Korvosan Guard was not going to do anything about him, Mavarro decided to take matters into his own hands.

3. Why are you your alignment?
Mavarro is chaotic good. He views law and order as manufactured concepts, that ultimately do little else but to oppress others. Korvosa’s discrimination toward Varisians and the city guard’s refusal to apprehend Gaedren Lamm are only two such examples. Even the tradition he has dedicated his life to is ingrained in chaos, for the future is never absolute. As someone who offers his services to all, he tries to keep an open mind about everyone he meets, giving them – and their cards – a chance to speak for themselves. He understands the value of an altruistic act, and is willing to go through great lengths to protect his people and their traditons.

4. If you're a spellcaster, where are you getting your spellcasting from? If you receive powers from a deity, why do you worship that deity? If you studied, who did you study under and why?
Mavarro draws his power from his grandmother’s harrow deck, passed down through the generations. The cards represent centuries’ worth of tradition, and are said to contain the spirits of all their past owners, imparting to him their knowledge of the arcane and the harrow. Whether this is strictly true does not particularly matter to him – all he knows is that looking to the cards indeed provides him with some measure of power, which he has learned to control over the years with his grandmother’s guidance.
5. Do you have a family? What are your relationships like with your family?

Mavarro has no actual siblings to speak of, nor does he have parents; they both died when he was still young. It was his grandmother, Mahala that raised him, teaching him everything she knew as she had once down for his mother. She has been ailing as of late, but is still alive and kicking. He still frequently turns to her for advice when he is uncertain about his interpretations of the harrow. And of course, he has an extended family in the form of various friends, some whom he considers close enough to siblings.

6. Are you a Korvosan native? If not, where are you from and why did you move to Korvosa?
Mavarro was born on a caravan, on which he spent most of his early years. The caravan traveled all over Varisia, from Sandpoint to Magnimar, to Riddleport, to the Mierani, and even to the Velashu Uplands. Ideally, this life would have gone on forever. Unfortunately, a failed attempt to negotiate passage through giant territory resulted in the destruction of much of the caravan, as well as the deaths of Mavarro’s parents. The survivors salvaged what they could and took refuge in Korvosa. Leaving proved to be a far more difficult task, as they had to exchange many of their commodities for shelter and sustenance. They ultimately had little choice but to settle down there.

7a. List a short-term (complete-able within a month) goal for your character.
To find Gaedren Lamm with or without the law’s help and put an end to his drug trade, giving peace to Silva’s mother and the rest of his people. He is willing to let the law enforcement take the man if they are so willing, though he suspects that more drastic action might be necessary.

7a. List a medium-term (complete-able within five years) goal for your character.
Improve the situation for his fellow Varisians. He wishes to prevent other youths from getting involved with the likes of the Sczarni and Lamm. Perhaps if fewer of his people gave them a bad name, they would not be so heavily discriminated against.

7c. List a long-term (complete-able by the time you die) goal for your character.
Mavarro has come to acknowledge Korvosa as his home, but it will never be where he belongs. He would love an opportunity to leave the city once again, to travel across the land. Perhaps one day he will leave the city for good, and adventure to lands beyond the borders of Varisia.

The Cerulean Society, (run by a man called Boule) is something of a thieves' guild and operates within the confines of Old Korvosa. Somehow, they make crime and thieving standardized and safe.

Glorio Arkona, an Old Korvosan nobleman, has his hands in many criminal enterprises, although he maintains a polite public face. He is primarily a smuggler, although word has it that he has many of the city's criminals in his pocket.

Gaedren Lamm is an old, washed-out criminal by now, but he still holds power. Mostly he has a few employees and a very handy knowledge of when to move so that the authorities never catch him.

Devargo Barvasi is a younger, new guard of criminal. He owns a flotilla on the docks called Eel's End, and there's everything from drugs to prostitution to gambling on Eel's End.

Would Aaron associate with any of these people?

As for Lamm, he's wary of the guy's reputation and isn't fond of his rumored methods surrounding children (one of Aaron true limits is that he does not take harming children well) so he'd have avoided the guy if possible. He definitely would have taken more interest in Lamm once he realized there was a connection to his fiance's murder though.

For Barvasi, I actually have a question. How long is 'new guard' exactly? A few years? Aaron's been at this business for over a decade (twelve years actually) so if the guys too new Aaron wouldn't really have the same respect he has the older, bigger syndicates, but he'd take contracts if he was asked.