Sibylla's page

About Sibylla

Appearance
Sibylla is an attractive young woman with auburn hair and a light dusting of freckles. Slight almost to the point of delicacy, she might be truly beautiful if she smiled or put effort into her appearance. Instead she favors severe expressions and plain (especially white) dresses that led many to describe her as innocent. Such is her intended outcome, a deception for all that interact with her, a façade of purity to hide behind. Still, hints of classical beauty slip through in her large expressive eyes, high cheek bones, and full lips. The true appeal of Sibylla however is in her unusual shadow, thought to be evidence of the blessings she received as a child, for under observation it is clear her shadow bears angelic wings.

History
Sibylla was orphaned at a young age when her parents, heroes both, were slain as part of the crusade against the Church of Asmodeus. Later elevated as holy martyrs in Markadian IV’s crusade, Sibylla has no memory of them. Taken in by the Church of Mitra as an infant, and rumored to have been blessed by an angel because of parent’s heroic sacrifice, much was expected of the young girl, but little was required. She grew up lonely, bitter, and misunderstanding of the high expectations others had of her. She was separate, different, and even her caretakers found her less a daughter and more a symbol.

As she grew into her teen years her feelings turned increasingly poisonous, to a slow hatred of the Church and King both – they had taken from her any semblance of a normal life, robbed her of her childhood, and now seemingly demanded that she devote her life to their ideals. She resolved that her fate would be her own, and though she followed in her mother’s footsteps studying arcane magic, did so as a means of unchaining herself from the Church rather than aiding it. Eager to provide for her, the blessed child of martyrs, few questions were asked so long as she maintained a facade of piety and goodliness.

It was during her studies that she met Father Victor Morgan, a priest of the Prince of Darkness hiding among the Mitrian clergy, and there her path changed. Rather than allow Sibylla to slide away from the light and into gray area between, Morgan pulled the teen headlong into the heart of darkness. Befriending her and learning of her disenfranchisement, Morgan saw an opportunity to secure a coup for his lord, to plant a dark seed in poisoned fields. Slowly, very slowly, he introduced her to Hellish theology. She proved a receptive student, half eager to rebel against the Church of Mitra and half eager for the discipline Morgan increasingly provided to his dark disciple.

By the time she left her studies and journeyed to make her way in the world Sibylla was not simply a wizard, but also an ordained priestess of the Lord of Hell. Sibylla spent almost two years perfecting her craft before everything came crashing down. Morgan’s allegiances were discovered, and under the question he gave up not only Sibylla, but many others. Apprehended by Sir Balin Sibylla now awaits her death in Branderscar – a heretics death. Sibylla however has no intention of facing that end quietly…

Personality
Sibylla has, since her childhood, worn two faces. In public she has played the part of the innocent student, a reserved and fulfilled woman with few desires and an easy demeanor. Even after her indoctrination into the faith she continued to play her role, deflecting all suspicion. This public face is quiet, shy even, and very cautious. Though talented, she downplays any achievements. She is seemingly without pride or sin.

In private, she is quite different. In truth Sibylla is a tremendously ambitious young woman with a taste for all things forbidden. She seeks power, power enough that she can write her own destiny. In the pursuit of that power she is rigidly organized and calculating, preferring to plan far in advance rather than react to events. Her delight in forbidden acts, powers, and ideas manifests itself in an adventurous streak with cuisine and… other matters.

She secretly takes delight in masquerading as a paragon of virtue, and takes even more delight in reveling in the horror when others learn her true nature. When apprehended by Sir Balin rumor tells that she roared with laughter while she was led away before disbelieving eyes. In that way she delights in embracing the trickster aspect of her god – and make no mistake Sibylla holds Asmodeus as her one true god.

The Father Below exemplifies those ideas she has grown to embrace. Discipline, firmness, and self-interest are ideas she has built her life around. She does not offer forgiveness, only penance. She does not believe in altruism, only investment. She views, in many ways, the ideology of the Prince of Darkness as having liberated her and opened her eyes to the truth of the world.

Goals & Desires
Make no mistake, Sibylla is no lost child led astray by dark forces. She is an eager and willing participant in wickedness, one who uses her own blend of deception, ruthlessness, and cunning to achieve her goals. Though to date those goals have been modest, Sibylla has plans of a great sort. She wants power enough to make her own rules, decide her own fate, and create the world that she views as both appropriate and needed. Towards her greater goals she seeks the overthrow of the line of the king, the destruction of the Church of Mitra, and the remaking of all of Talingarde.

Though she is driven perhaps in some small secret part by lingering hatred or bitterness over the loss of her parents, the angry girl child is long vanished behind the true believer. In Sibylla’s eyes the Church of Mitra and the King promote ideas, ideology, and beliefs that are morally wrong. Altruism, sacrifice, and generosity are no virtues to her, and the ‘indoctrination’ of the people of Talingarde into the bizarre cult-like rituals that defy all logic and self-interest is an affront to the natural order. These organizations and individuals must die not for any personal slight to her, but so that the people of Talingarde may return to sane and rational thought. This is not for their own good, but rather for her own. Living in a world gone mad is uniquely frustrating for one of a handful with open eyes. The inmates are running the asylum, and she is tired of sharing their garb.

Beyond a return to the ‘natural’ order of civilization, Sibylla personally desires power both arcane and divine. In her mind the former is the gateway to the latter for, though she rarely speaks of it, she holds any that would approach the Dark Lord empty handed and begging for scraps of his unholy might to be hardly worthy. Towards that end she is eager to seek out greater sources of eldritch lore – in particular that dealing with forbidden and lost magics. She longs for the day that she may call a fiend to this world and bend it to her will or animate the slain to carry out her desires.

Temporally she is relatively ascetic. She desires materials for her research, wealth enough for comfort, and appropriate garb for a priestess of the Prince of Darkness, but she has few aspirations (presently) towards riches.

Name Sibylla Noriha
Aliases The Harlot of Harrisville, Martyr’s Promise
Gender Female
Race Aasimar
Height 5’10
Hair Color Auburn
Eye Color Black
Age 24
Class Wizard2/Cleric1
Family Valien Noriha (Father, Knight of the Aerion, Deceased), Anora Noriha (Mother, Sorceress, Deceased)

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