 About MirelinzaAppearance:
As young women go, Mirelinza is a typical Varisian physically. She has dusky skin and large, expressive indigo eyes. Her hair is a very deep shade of brown that has a hint of redness in the right light. Unlike the typical Varisian, you’ll never catch her wearing flowing, beautifully embroidered garments of red, green, blue, and purple – although her armour is often adorned with strings of coins and tiny bells. Following the fashion, she loves her brightly coloured, intricate, and personally significant tattoos – although none are visible. She was also blessed to enter the world with a tattoo in the form of a birthmark. These “birth tattoos” bear little resemblance to conventional birthmarks. Hers is an elaborate and multicoloured representation of the Dawnflower on her right shoulder. She’s lithe and long-limbed and has the athletic grace of a natural dancer – something she learned from her mother. Music and dance are a significant part of Varisian culture and her mother had a song for every occasion, grand and mundane, even for tasks such as washing the dishes or building a fire. And Mirelinza added the moves that formed the dance to accompany her. Her fighting style is all about grace and movement rather than brute force – some go as far to say her fighting is like just like one of her dances. Background:
From an early age, Mirelinza was destined for life as a member of her clan’s travelling dancing troupe. Despite her love of dance, this was not a life she wanted. As so often happens, fate intervened. She was noticed by an abbot that was on his way to take charge of a monastery. The abbot convinced Mirelinza's parents to release her to his keeping – as she was no doubt destined to serve Sarenrae – her tattoo was proof enough. Alas, the abbot was not virtuous and groomed the young Mirelinza - as he did with many pretty young girls he had convinced families to hand over to the church. Mirelinza knew the teachings of the church were not congruous with how she was being treated – and when a new young girl was brought to the monastery and was abused by the abbot, Mirelinza saw this as a test of her faith. She considered her beliefs and decided that the acts occurring at the monastery were not appropriate and she confronted the abbot. He laughed at her; then beat her and promised to rape her. She picked up a nearby candlestick and calmly bludgeoned him to death. Mirelinza knew her version of events would not be believed but she also refused to return home and become a dancer. Once more, she faced a moral dilemma. Deciding to act in a selfless way and believing it was her duty to protect others, she took up the role of a virtuous avenger. Running from the monastery, she looked for wrongs to right when others would turn a blind eye. When those who transgressed were above the law, she saw that justice was done.
Although it paid the bills, and allowed her to put distance between her and the monastery – it wasn’t fulfilling for her. The huge benefit of an inn was that ale flowed and that led to loose lips. Every village had its criminals that were above the law. Mirelinza didn’t select petty cutpurses but went after those that had power and abused it. She always offered them redemption first – as Sarenrae taught – and was surprised that none tried to bluff her and promise to change their ways but with no intention of doing so. Perhaps that was because they underestimated her? And so one day she arrived at a small town where she encountered a paladin of the Dawnflower. And the stories the locals told of this man made her come as close to losing her control as she ever has. Instead of smiting evil and defending the weak he chose to extort money from those who could not afford it and turned a blind-eye to the dealings of his rich patrons. Her faith had taught her that even with someone who has shown himself to be irretrievably evil, she was obliged to treat him with the kindness she would show to anyone who had lost his way. Redemption was supposed to be a swift process but her every fibre wanted to lash out and kill this man without delay. Mirelinza approached the man dressed in shining armour, the morning sun peeking from behind a could merely added to the image of a divine flame that was echoed in his shield of white with the sun beautifully painted to show the world of his ‘faith.’ With her left hand holding her sunburst pendant that was strung around her neck, she approached him as he helped himself to the donations left at the open air temple to Sarenrae that was so common in this area. Realising she was breathing fast, she tried to calm herself before speaking. He saw her approach and looked up. ”You’re the dancer from the inn, right? You could make a lot of money with the right management.” Mirelinza finally spoke;. ”You’re a paladin, right?” She didn’t wait for a reply. ”You provide hope to the weak and support to the righteous.” Her tone had changed from a question to a statement. The paladin’s focus had switched to the coins in his hand as he sorted the various denominations. ”I understood Sarenrae is a powerful force against evil, and strikes down the irredeemable without mercy. How would she measure you?” The man slowly looked up as if processing this information before responding. ”What is your point little girl?” Mirelinza started to list the crimes she had heard the paladin had committed. From stealing from the donations to failing to minister to those who could not pay him for his services. From killing for money in the name of Sarenrae to supporting a group of slavers. The paladin’s eyes smiled as he listened to her. He ran his eyes over her body, seeing that she had no armour and no obvious weapon. A dagger perhaps, but as a defence against a fully armoured killing machine? Her boldness amused him but he knew his patience was already being tested. ”Your point little girl?” he eventually interjected. Mirelinza’s voice rose an octave as she tried to suppress her anger. She knew he was trying to bait her into doing something rash. ”My…point…is…you…must…be…offered the chance to bare your soul to the cleansing light of the Dawnflower so that it may be purified.” An awkward silence followed. Then the paladin starting laughing. A quiet chuckle at first until it developed into loud bellows. The clouds now obscured the sun. Mirelinza continued regardless. ”You are a fierce warrior, like our goddess.” At the inflexion of her voice she let the symbol around her neck dangle free. ”You are supposed to provide hope to the weak and support to the righteous. You have failed Sarenrae. Will you repent and redeem your ways?” The laughter died away. The paladin sighed audibly and drew his scimitar. ”I remember an old tenet of the Sarenrae paladin code.” He circled her as he spoke but she remained still, even when he passed behind her. ” The best battle is a battle I win. If I die, I can no longer fight. I will fight fairly when the fight is fair, and I will strike quickly and without mercy when it is not.” He raised his sword and swung it at the back of her head. ”And this is no fair fight.” Mirelinza’s instincts kicked in. She dropped to her haunches in a graceful motion, so that the blade swung over her head. The paladin was too confident that the blow would land and the lack of connection made him overbalance. Mirelinza immediately raised her holy symbol and stuck it into his neck. A fountain of blood erupted but Mirelinza knew it was not a killing blow. She darted out of range of his blade and now they circled each other, the man ignoring the bloom of red soaking the white vestments that overlay his chest-plate. He swung and missed a couple of times but was patient. He knew she couldn’t hurt him from a distance and she couldn’t get past his sword. And then it happened. The sun re-emerged from the clouds and the rays bounced off the collection plate and straight into the paladin’s eyes. Mirelinza got close and managed to trip the man. As he fell he twisted, trying to avoid landing on his back. And as he fell, he impaled himself on his scimitar. Mirelinza watched him lay there for many minutes, her breathing ragged. Then she muttered, “I shall redeem the ignorant with words and actions. If they will not turn toward the light, I must redeem them by the sword.” She turned the body over and took his scimitar, wiping it on his tabbard. She then removed his purse and emptied the full amount in the collection plate. In the coming days and weeks she practiced with that blade until she was competent. It felt too heavy to wield effectively but she promised herself that the day she could manage to integrate the heavier sword into her graceful fighting style, she would truly know she had made the right decision and that Sarenrae would be sending her a message that she would have to answer. And her life as a paladin began. Personality:
Other people would pigeon-hole Mirelinza as a paladin, but she sees herself as long on theory and short on practice. Plus her devotion to the religion of Sarenrae means that she's not the typical lawful good knight in shining armour. Mirelinza is outwardly confident but this hides a deep-seated insecurity about her life decisions. She’s looking for either some strong guidance or a sign that tells her the way to go. She wants desperately to be devout and she knows all the rules and regulations but she has never had an epiphany that she expects all true followers of Sarenrae to have experienced. She reads the book of the faith daily and pursues the values of the faith but wonders from time to time if she's actually missing out on something. Her skills and learning have led to the life on the right side of the law – but it’s in itself a vocation that’s in two minds. It requires both patience and swift action at the same time. Mirelinza’s personality mirrors this turmoil. She’s frequently looking for reassurance that she’s making (and has made) the right decision. The life as a paladin has had its fair share of dark times. This is ideal for a young woman with a hankering for adventurer. And that’s Mirelinza’s second key characteristic. She’s a risk-taker, a daredevil. And there’s plenty to meet that need in this region. Linked to that adrenaline thrill is a desire to be in the spotlight. Insecurities or not, she could have just been a member of a dancing troupe. But she chose to be a beacon for all that is good. Regardless of life-decisions, Mirelinza knows what she’s good at and likes to demonstrate her proficiency. Confident or arrogant? It’s a fine line that she walks at times. Another facet to Mirelinza’s personality is her unwillingness to back down from a dare. Perhaps it’s that inner voice of doubt that pushes her to prove herself – to demonstrate to others what she’s capable of – but one thing is for sure…Mirelinza will volunteer for anything and refuse no challenge. Her faith is an embodiment of these things. She can be kind and loving and can show great patience with those who choose to be blind but may one day see. Yet for all her compassion, she sees herself as a powerful force against evil, and strikes down the irredeemable without mercy. Mirelinza’s’ Story:
Tales are told throughout Golarion of shadowy figures that lurk in dark corners—stories recounted to Mirelinza as a child at bedtime. Legends of undead creatures fascinated her and the teachings of Sarenrae only developed her knowledge and interest. Few locations in Golarion are as in need of paladins as Ustalav and Mirelenza was kept busy as she set out to vanquish evil and eliminate remnants of the Whispering Tyrant’s long reign. And so it came to pass that, as a fledgling paladin armed with only a couple of daggers, she’d survived an encounter with a particularly fearsome undead creature that that was terrorising a village. And that is when she’d met Professor Lorrimor. He approached her as part of his studies, and was amazed she had avoided death or even injury. This meeting developed into frequent correspondence until several months ago. It was the scars of that experience and his continual reminders of the encounter that prompted Mirelinza to hone her skills lest someday she faced the same type of creature again. The professor assisted her in this endeavour, providing her with insight into the anatomy and defences of the undead. Years of study have improved her combat effectiveness against this foe. Secrets/Plot Hooks:
Mirelinza's faith is a constant challenge. She wants to believe but is doing it by the numbers rather than through conviction at present. She won't react well to others' challenging her faith - she is passionate about succeeding - despite her shaky faith. Mirelenza’s popular sayings:
Greetings stranger, from a stranger!
Were you turned about at the crossroads?
I shall sing songs of your deeds.
You can see most clearly on a starless night.
Silver and gold are the same with eyes closed.
Mirelinza’ Sarenrae Paladin Code of Conduct:
We paladins of the Dawnflower are fierce warriors, like our goddess. We provide hope to the weak and support to the righteous. Our tenets include: "To be as a caring parent or sibling to all in need. Help heal the sick and lift the fallen. Be a guiding light into the darkest hearts and lands"
"To only respond to violence in kind with swift metal and scorching light"
"Each new day brings hope and renewed opportunity. I will not let darkness into my life"
"The strength of the sun guides me through the fog of mortal words"
Crunch:
(Varisian) Female Paladin 1
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