Ariana Sibylla's page

Flavor for Ariana
Ariana's research and testing into the nature of reality has proven useful over the years, resulting in increased understanding of nature as a whole.

----------

You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in that skill, this bonus increases to +6.

Flavor for Ariana
After being employed by the thieves guild to help them build and create items and resources, options very quickly became a primary commission of hers as a chemist. She was happy to learn and oblige.

----------

You can create a potion of any 3rd-level or lower spell that you know and that targets one or more creatures or objects. Brewing a potion takes 2 hours if its base price is 250 gp or less, otherwise brewing a potion takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. When you create a potion, you set the caster level, which must be sufficient to cast the spell in question and no higher than your own level. To brew a potion, you must use up raw materials costing one half this base price.

When you create a potion, you make any choices that you would normally make when casting the spell. Whoever drinks the potion is the target of the spell and spells with a range of personal cannot be made into potions.

See magic item creation rules for more information.

Flavor for Ariana
Ariana was never much of a fighter but, when you deal with the criminal underworld long enough, you're bound to run into trouble from time to time. Rather than picking up a sword or bow like most, Ariana threw together alchemical concoctions she could throw at a moment's notice to get out of a tough situation.

----------

You do not suffer any penalties for using an improvised ranged weapon. You receive a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made with thrown splash weapons.

Flavor for Ariana
Korvosa is a fairly large port city and she has spent a lot of time there meeting new people and learning from people from all walks of life. Picking up new languages and some additional knowledge along the way was exactly what she wanted.

----------

You can speak and read two additional languages of your choice. In addition, choose two Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skills. Those skills always count as class skills for you.

Flavor for Ariana
Ariana was framed for murder right as she began orientation at the Academae and, just like that, her dreams were crushed. From the ashes of those dreams, however, she has built better ones and worked hard to achieve them.

----------

You were the one accused. Although you were eventually freed when a friend confronted the fisherman and got the truth, the damage had been done. You were forced to leave your school or church. As a result, you were forced to self-train and promised yourself you would become better at your chosen profession despite the spurning of your peers. You gain a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks.

Flavor for Ariana
Just as she believes all things can be approached rationally and methodologically, magic is no different. While others may be able to use their force of personality or will to get magic items to do what they want, Ariana knows how to make it work.

----------

You may use your Intelligence modifier when making Use Magic Device checks instead of your Charisma modifier.

Flavor for Ariana
While a naturally very awkward girl (and still is in some respects), studying logic and reason as well as social interaction in the same way she believes everything can be learned, she has mastered the art of persuasion and can be a very convincing conversationalist.

----------

You can use your Intelligence modifier in place of your Charisma modifier on Diplomacy checks to persuade others and on Bluff checks to convince others that a lie is true. (This trait does not affect Diplomacy checks to gather information or Bluff checks to feint in combat).

Flavor for Ariana
Ariana is certainly a perfectionist, preferring to have a plan and some background knowledge before attempting anything. When she doesn't have these things, she gets nervous and overthinks--often times to her detriment.

----------

You take a –2 penalty on skill checks for skills with which you’re untrained.

Flavor for Ariana
Ariana has a difficult up time trusting people--especially people she doesn't know--because of her framing during orientation. She has an exceptionally hard time trusting her gut, choosing instead to trust no one until she has good reason.

----------

You can roll twice and take the lower result on Sense Motive checks to get hunches. You cannot reroll this result, even if you have another ability that would normally allow you to do so.

9 ranks/level (4 (class) + 4 (Int) + 1 (FC)) + 2 BG ranks/level

Bluff +4 (2 ranks, -2 Cha, +3 class, +1 [Wary]) (+(Int-Cha) when rolling to convince someone of a falsehood [Student of Philosophy]),

Craft (Alchemy) +9 (2 ranks, +4 Int, +3 Class (BG)) (+2 when making items [Alchemy]),

Craft (Armor) +9 (2 ranks, +4 Int, +3 Class),

Craft (Traps) (2 ranks, +4 Int, +3 Class (BG)),

Diplomacy +3 (2 ranks, -2 Cha, +3 Class) (+(Int-Cha) when influencing another person's attitude [Student of Philosophy]),

Knowledge (Arcana) +13 (2 ranks, +8 Int x2, +3)

Knowledge (History) +9 (1 rank, +8 Int x2),

Knowledge (Local) +12 (1 rank, +8 Int x2, +3 Class),

Knowledge (Nature) +16 (2 ranks, +8 Int x2, +3 Class, +3 Skill Focus),

Knowledge (Religion) +12 (1 rank, +8 Int x2, +3 Class),

Linguistics +5 (1 rank, +4 Int),

Sense Motive +0 (0 ranks, +1 Wis, +1 Wary, -2 Meticulous) (Roll twice and take worse result when getting hunches [Betrayed]),

Spellcraft +11 (2 ranks, +8 Int, +3 Class, +2 Framed),

Use Magic Device +9 (2 ranks, +4 Int, +3 Class)

-2 to all untrained skill checks [Meticulous]

+Int on all Knowledge checks and checks made to remember things [Perfect Recall]

Use Int instead of Cha to determine Use Magic Device bonus [Pragmatic Activator]

+2 to all Spellcraft checks (already the included) [Framed: Dropout]

Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Half-elves receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge(nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. 

Half-elves with this trait gain a +1 racial bonuson Sense Motive and Bluff checks.

Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.

Alchemists are not only masters of creating mundane alchemical substances such as alchemist’s fire and smokesticks, but also of fashioning magical potion-like extracts in which they can store spell effects. In effect, an alchemist prepares his spells by mixing ingredients into a number of extracts, and then “casts” his spells by drinking the extract. When an alchemist creates an extract or bomb, he infuses the concoction with a tiny fraction of his own magical power—this enables the creation of powerful effects, but also binds the effects to the creator. When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an alchemist gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the Craft (alchemy) check. In addition, an alchemist can use Craft(alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potionfor 1 round to make such a check.

An alchemist can create three special types of magical items—extracts, bombs, and mutagens are transformative elixirs that the alchemist drinks to enhance his physical abilities—both of these are detailed in their own sections below.

Extracts are the most varied of the three. In many ways, they behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like dispel magic using the alchemist’s level as the caster level. Unlike potions, though, extracts can have powerful effects and duplicate spells that a potionnormally could not.

An alchemist can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts is given on Table: Alchemist. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day. When an alchemist mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately becomes inert if it leaves the alchemist’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an alchemist cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use (but see the “infusion” discovery below). An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before becoming inert, so an alchemist must re-prepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work—most alchemists prepare many extracts at the start of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s not uncommon for an alchemist to keep some (or even all) of his daily extract slots open so that he can prepare extracts in the field as needed.

Although the alchemist doesn’t actually cast spells, he does have a formulae listthat determines what extracts he can create. An alchemist can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on his formulae list, but not spell-completion items (unless he uses Use Magic Deviceto do so). An extract is “cast” by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion—the effects of an extract exactly duplicate the spell upon which its formula is based, save that the spell always affects only the drinking alchemist. The alchemist uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level. Creating extracts consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements (alchemist extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement). An alchemist can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, an alchemist must have an Intelligencescore equal to at least 10 + the extract’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an alchemist’s extract is 10 + the extract level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier. An alchemist may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract but not when he consumes it. An alchemist begins play with two 1st level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional forumlae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new alchemist level, he gains one new formula of any level that he can create. An alchemist can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs and time requirements. An alchemist can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An alchemist does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them.

In addition to magical extracts, alchemists are adept at swiftly mixing various volatile chemicals and infusing them with their magical reserves to create powerful bombs that they can hurl at their enemies. An alchemist can use a number of bombs each day equal to his class level + his Intelligencemodifier. Bombs are unstable, and if not used in the round they are created, they degrade and become inert—their method of creation prevents large volumes of explosive material from being created and stored. In order to create a bomb, the alchemist must use a small vial containing an ounce of liquid catalyst—the alchemist can create this liquid catalyst from small amounts of chemicals from an alchemy lab, and these supplies can be readily refilled in the same manner as a spellcaster’s component pouch. Most alchemists create a number of catalyst vials at the start of the day equal to the total number of bombs they can create in that day—once created, a catalyst vial remains usable by the alchemist for years.

Drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb requires a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Thrown bombs have a range of 20 feet and use the Throw Splash Weapon special attack. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Point-Blank Shot and Weapon Focus. On a direct hit, an alchemist’s bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the alchemist’s Intelligencemodifier. The damage of an alchemist’s bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered alchemist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from an alchemist bomb is always equal to the bomb’s minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage). Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier.

Alchemists can learn new types of bombs as discoveries (see the Discoveryability) as they level up. An alchemist’s bomb, like an extract, becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else.

The alchemist gains the ability to create a cognatogen, a mutagen-like mixture that heightens one mental ability score at the expense of a physical ability score. If the cognatogen enhances his Intelligence, it applies a penalty to his Strength. If it enhances his Wisdom, it applies a penalty to his Dexterity. If it enhances his Charisma, it applies a penalty to his Constitution. Otherwise, this ability works just like the mutagen ability (including the natural armor bonus). Anytime the alchemist would prepare a mutagen, he may instead prepare a cognatogen. All limitations of mutagens apply to cognatogens as if they were the same substance—an alchemist can only maintain one mutagen or cognatogen at a time, a cognatogen that is not in an alchemist’s possession becomes inert, drinking a cognatogen makes a non-alchemist sick, and so on. When the effect of the cognatogen ends, the alchemist takes 2 points of ability damage to the ability score penalized by the cognatogen. The infuse mutagen discovery and the persistent mutagen class ability apply to cognatogens.

When the alchemist creates an extract, he can infuse it with an extra bit of his own magical power. The extract created now persists even after the alchemist sets it down. As long as the extract exists, it continues to occupy one of the alchemist’s daily extract slots. An infused extract can be imbibed by a non-alchemist to gain its effects.

At 2nd level, a mindchemist has honed his memory. When making a Knowledge check, he may add his Intelligence bonus on the check a second time. Thus, a mindchemist with 5 ranks in Knowledge (history) and a +2 Intelligence bonus has a total skill bonus of +9 (5 + 2 + 2) using this ability. The mindchemist can also use this ability when making an Intelligence check to remember something. 

At 2nd level, an alchemist gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and then again to +6 at 8th level. At 10th level, an alchemist becomes completely immune to poison.

1. A description of what your character looks like. What clothes do they wear? What do they do with their hair? Are they clean or dirty? Do they accessorize?

Dark Osirian skin, semi long ears, very dark blue eyes, black hair, dresses fairly nice in polite company, dresses more like an adventurer when working.

2. An explanation for why the Korvosan Guard would call on them for help. Are they a local mercenary with a good reputation? Are they a community leader with public goodwill on their side? Are they a guardsman themselves? Are they an informant in the criminal underworld of the city? It's your call!

Ariana is employed with the thieves guild where she has a reputation as someone who deals with information and as someone who can find things out. She's a perfectionist and, if there's a way to make something work, she'll know it. She also has a reputation as an impartial party toward the thieves guild. She works for them but is uninterested in crime or being considered a member. She would gladly become an informant for the city guard if it meant the city would see less wrongdoing and an informant within the guild could report as much back to the city guard.

3. Tell me where your character is from. Are they a Korvosan native? Are they from Kaer Maga? Are they a Shoanti, or a Chelaxian?

She is a Korvosan, born and raised, but both of her parents are from elsewhere. Her dad is from Osirion and her mother is from Kyonin. They met in Korvosa where they conceived Ariana and raised her until she was old enough to begin attending the Academae.

4. How did your character become whatever character class they are, or learn whatever abilities they have?

She's a naturalist who has always had an obsession with the laws of nature and magic. She rejected following any form of deity as a child in pursuit of knowledge. Since being rejected from Academae, she has made it her goal to learn more than anyone there about the true nature of reality.

5. What does your character do for a living? When and why did they start doing that?

She's a craftswoman and artisan for the thieves guild within the city. She uses their money to continue her work and tends not to take part in any actual crime. She's been doing this since she was a teenager and freelance artistry hadn't been successful. She is also a broker of knowledge for the shadier types within the city but she doesn't get as involved with that as crafting since it can get dangerous and she only endorses crime against the deserving.

6. Is your character religious? Why? What does faith mean for your character?

While Ariana certainly believes in and recognizes the gods, she doesn't revere them in any way, choosing instead to focus her mental effort on understanding the fundamental laws of magic and nature. She also philosophically rejects the notion of faith and believes instead in tests and empirical data.

7. Your character must in some way care about Korvosa. For some, this is because it's their home and the place where their family is from. For others, it's because it's a place of opportunity where you can make a good buck if you're lucky and ready for it. Why does your character care about being a city hero?

The city is where she was born and raised. It's where there is a chance for people to be educated and the place she's done all of her work. She's also an intrinsically good person who cares about the wellbeing of others and desires not only to protect the city but to see it grow and become a better place than it is for the poor that live there.

8. What are your character's moral lines? What would they never do? What can they not stand by and watch? What will they always take advantage of?

Ariana is a moral objectivist who sees morality as the right steps needed to achieve a common goal and the common goal people should strive for is wellbeing. Like her studies in alchemy, there is a way to find the right answer and it's our obligation to find it. She will do everything she can to protect the weak from the tyrannical strong, make sure people get what they need to survive when she can, and help the weak and uneducated know what they need to know to avoid oppression. There are few actions that can't be justified in some way for the greater good and, in that way, she is somewhat utilitarian (though she recognizes that utilitarianism has its limits). Actions are evil if they harm others and lack proper justification and she will not stand-by and allow evil to remain unchecked.

9. If you have a character who has sworn a code (such as a Paladin or Cavalier, for example) be explicit in what that code entails.

Ariana has no code. Her ethics are grounded in both her reason and her learning. She typically does not approve of dogmatic moral systems.

10. What's your character's economic situation, and the economic situation of their family? A desperately poor character with a rich family tells a very different story than a desperately poor character with a poor family

Living the life of an employed tradeswoman, Ariana has risen from the poor she was raised with to what might be described as middle class.

Additionally fun fact; Ariana doesn't care for druids. She believes their approach to nature is wrong and disrespectful. Instead of drawing on it for power, people should do what they can to learn about and respect it. Faith, blind worship, and siphoning magic from it are all wrong.

Picture

Ariana stands 5'3" and weighs about 125 lbs. She's considered somewhat attractive with dark skin, black hair, and deep blue eyes. Her elven heritage is very apparent because, despite her dark skin, she otherwise favors her elven side.

She dresses fairly well. Not enough to stand out unless she's in the company of the desperately poor, however. She wears dark vests, pants, and sometimes overcoats as well. She wears minimalist jewelry but it's definitely something she puts meticulous thought into.

Ariana was born 26 years ago. The daughter of an Osirian man named Khazad Sibylla and an elven woman from the heart of Kyonin itself named Lili Yinthage, she was immediately born into a situation that would have her thinking about things from a different angle than most. Her father fled Osirion for a reason that was never made very clear to Ariana aside from he was likely in hiding. Her mother was the daughter of two elven human-hating nobles who restricted her behaviors and desires enough to force her to run away and see the world.

For the next 18 years, they found what odd jobs they could to keep themselves and their daughter afloat, sometimes including simple tasks with the thieves guild. It was obvious from a young age that Ariana was very curious about the world and how everything worked. Instead of her "why" stage ending when she was was a child, her ability to ask why simply evolved into adulthood. [Meticulous] Her parents were spiritual people who revered all gods and they tried to impart that worldview on their daughter but her interest in knowledge and morality turned more philosophical as she became a teenager and her desire to know outweighed her desire to have spirituality. [Skill Focus (Knowledge (Nature))] Although they had the occasional disagreement on the subject, her parents were mostly supportive.

Ariana was pretty socially awkward as a child. Despite her outgoing and sociable nature, she had a hard time making friends. As she grew, however, she took on talking to others like any other subject she tackled. It was all a matter of how you think about it and it could come down to what works and what doesn't and that can be measured and tested. As she got older, she was able to mask her awkwardness with confidence and knowledge of social interaction [Student of Philosophy]. She has since always been pretty popular with her peers, garnering a decent number of friends and acquaintances but always being careful not to get too close to others primarily due to her half-elven heritage [Cosmopolitan, Wary]

Growing up outside the Academae in the Midlands without full ability to see the inside was hard on Ariana, she wanted so badly to be surrounded by those like her and have her own knowledge and views challenged. She had decided from a fairly young age that she'd do whatever she needed to do to attend. She finally was able to see the inside and formally apply when she was a teenager by showing that you can alchemically produce magical energy in the form of a liquid on the fly that could be imbibed by someone who is not the source of the magic safely [Infusion]. While not a completely new discovery, people did take note of the practical child who was able to make this discovery on her own without formal education.

A few months before orientation, Ariana's parents decided she was ready to be an adult and take on the city and the Academae herself. They decided to leave the city and travel as well as search for a better life elsewhere. They left her their small cottage and left with most of their supplies. With no family then, she just waited to begin Academae.

During orientation, one of Ariana's childhood friends named John Seamus murdered an older homeless man and pinned the murder on Ariana, intimidating a local fisherman into testifying as an eyewitness. Ariana's alibi of being at orientation was enough to delay trial precedings long enough for Ariana to convince the fisherman to do the right thing and retract his testimony. In immediate backlash of the fisherman's decision to retract his statement, he was killed that night. When it came to trial, the lack of witness allowed Ariana to be acquitted but by then, the Academae had reversed its decision to accept Ariana which doomed her to forever look-on from outside its walls. Determined not to let this stop her, she began studying harder than before. [Framed, Betrayed]

In need of a way to make money and most of her skills revolving around making things and knowing things, both of which being difficult career choices for someone with no hope of attending the Academae and residing in a town where worker guilds were completely banned, she turned to the one guild who has helped her family up until that point; the thieves guild. While the thieves guid was sought out for work by shadier types with different skillsets than the ones Ariana possesses, she knew they would be in the market for someone whose expertise was research and making things. It wasn't difficult for Ariana and the guild to come to an agreement. They would fund her research and projects if she will design and create things for them as well. Over time, she also became very adept and both identifying and categorizing magic items as well as learning their properties enough to use them in situations they may otherwise be unable to be used [Pragmatic Activator].

For the last few years, this is what she has been doing hoping one day to use her knowledge, resources, and connections to help the people of Korvosa and correct the imbalance that exists therein. That day may have finally come when the city guard finally came to her looking for someone with knowledge like those who reside in Academae but who also knew the people who work in the shadow and the way things work on the streets. Probably using the advice of the thieves guild, they arrived at Ariana's doorstep.

I crafted the following items before play:

Armor (19 on a 10, 24 with Crafter's Fortune):
Masterwork Studded Leather (DC 13 and 20)
Masterwork Buckler (DC 11 and 20)

Alchemy (21 on a 10, 26 with Crafter's Fortune):

Alchemist's Fire (DC 20)
Acid Flask (DC 15)
Alchemical Glue (DC 20)
Alchemical Accelerant (DC 25)
Smoke Stick (DC 20)
Scent Cloak (DC 20)
Alchemical Solvent (DC 20)
Brewed Reek (DC 25)
Stink Oil (No DC Listed but similar is priced is DC 15)
Dye Marker (DC 15)

Ariana initially believed Alistair to be nothing more than your run of the mill drunkard with nothing better to do with his family's money than to blow it on alcohol and women. As with all things, however, the topic of Alistair Wellington II turned out to be a bit more nuanced than Ariana originally anticipated.

Being forced to travel together, Ariana quickly learned that Alistair's greatest pains are an experience foreign to any she's experienced. Ariana is an only child. Hearing Alistair talk about living like he's 4th in line for his estate seemed in a way like he believed he was 4th in line for everything when it came to his family. This aspect of Alistair's life triggered Ariana's curiosity and prompted her to learn more about Alistair.

When Alistair finally opened up about his twin sister's death, Ariana tried to help Alistair rationalize his feelings about her death but was understanding when he wasn't receptive to that approach. Alicia's disposition for helping people and general altruism has been inspiring to Ariana as well. Ariana and Alistair also have since shared a common hatred for Lamm.

While still not seeing eye-to-eye about most things, Ariana has a new found respect for what Alistair has gone through and the newfound drive he has for helping others.

Atticus is exactly the kind of character I think would be most fun to have in a party with Ariana.

It could be said that Atticus Montague deGray is Ariana's antithesis and that was exactly what her first impression of him entailed. She had met plenty of archetypically knightly people before and they were all the same; they all swore to an oath, they all plan their lives by their order or their god, and they all miss what's important in life, choosing to blind themselves to the beauty of the world in favor of a sense of superiority and misguided righteousness.

That is, all of them except Atticus Montague deGray. A fellow philosopher, Ariana and Atticus had an endless pool of topics to discuss and Atticus was far more articulate than her typical interlocutor. While they generally disagree on the details and the arguments leading to their conclusions, they agreed on the most important aspects of Ariana's view of the world; the world is beautiful place and deserves our respect and adoration and people should do all that they can to help one another and better themselves along the way. Atticus was simply more disciplined and looked at the world more with his soul than with his eyes and she respected his desire to see more.

Despite their vast differences in base philosophies, Ariana warmed up to Atticus deGray quickly and has learned to look at the world with a little more heart. She also jumps at the chance to help Atticus learn the answers to mysteries nature has presented that she's been able to solve. If Ariana was the rational mind looking at and respecting nature and magic, Atticus was the passionate heart.

It wouldn't be accurate to say that Ariana doesn't get along with the clergy in Korvosa. While Ariana certainly isn't the kind of person to devote their life to a church or god, preferring instead to look to reason and knowledge to find hope, getting to know Paige Ward was an eye opening experience for her.

It's easy to categorize the world into a seemingly endless series of dichotomies. This is, of course, not how things actually are and it has always delighted Ariana to be shown where her thinking was flawed. To her, the church represented a suppression of knowledge in the pursuit of divine favor but Paige Ward was a 'bridge' between the dichotomy of the faithful and the rational. Her desire to read, know, and help others in the name of Sarenrae presented an interesting thinking point for Ariana. How was that any different than Ariana's ceaseless reverence for the natural world?

Ariana had a hard time telling if Paige was annoyed by the amount Ariana talked to her. Imparting knowledge was one of Ariana's favorite things to do and she found someone who could teach her a thing or two in return.

Paige's upbringing, when she was comfortable opening up about it, was surprising to Ariana. Paige seemed so light hearted and positive, a trait the two women shared, but in the face of significantly more adversity than her own. Ariana didn't know what it was like to have parents who didn't care for her and Ariana's parents are still out there somewhere as well but she looks forward to their return while Paige would have good reason to be anxious about the return of her father. This garnered great respect for Paige in Ariana's eyes. Could this Lamm character have been responsible for Ariana's framing that got her dreams stripped from her? Regardless, she was committed to helping Paige right his wrongs.

When discussing Paige's atonement, Ariana placed blame for what she did squarely on Lamm's shoulders and, as little as it might mean to Paige and Sarenrae, she never even needed atonement in Ariana's eyes.