Aiwyn+Elenwyd

=Lady Aiwyn Elenwyd, Priestess of the Order of the Templars=


 * **Age:** || 134 (as of 1 Therendor 998) ||
 * **Date of Birth:** || 12th of Nymm; 863 YK ||
 * **Blood Type:** || Elven Blood ||
 * **Eye Color:** || Blue ||
 * **Hair:** || Brown; Long straight, kept braided ||
 * **Height:** || 5'2" ||
 * **Weight:** || 89lbs. ||
 * **Relatives:** || Ariel Elenwyd (Identical Twin Sister); Zalae Elenwyd (Mother, Deceased); Feln Elenwyd (Father) ||

Appearance
As children the Elenwyd sisters were nearly indistinguishable from one another. Now, after 135 years of life, the two are easy enough to tell apart as almost any man. Aiwyn's childhood wasn't as nearly forgiving as her sister's and her time spent fighting in the Last War is shown in her eyes and the way she carries herself. Her face is at rest in a stern emotionless glare. She wears her long brown hair braided. In battle, she wears a Mithral Breastplate, blessed for protection by the Silver Flame, over which she wears the Order of Templars uniform (part priestly vestments, part officer's uniform). Though she is skilled with a bow, the weapon that serves as a symbol of the Silver Flame, she favors a narrow bladed thrusting longsword known as a Thinblade and a Kite Shield (heavy shield). Both sword and shield are magical and bear names. //Aer'Calyr//, the sword, "Faithful Law Bringer" and //Baelual//, the shield, which means "Holy Guardian." Armed with the fighting techniques of her faith she wields her sword and shield with such inspiring courage that the men fighting along side her feel relieved of their wounds in battle. Aiwyn is a devoted worshiper of the Flame and she never goes without her holy symbol which she wears around her neck. Her armor and shield also bear the emblem of the Church of the Silver Flame.

When not in battle Aiwyn dresses in formal attire. A military uniform cut appropriately for her noble station. She wears her sword at her hip, but does without the shield in an effort to look less combative, using the sword merely as a symbol of station.

Background
Born, with her identical twin sister Ariel Elenwyd, into Galifar's aristocracy. The Elenwyd sisters come from a long line of Khorvaire noble Elves. Her family was wealthy and powerful enough to send her and her sister to the best educational collegiums of their choice. Ariel chose the academies of Breland, Aiywn however chose religious studies in Thrane. In their continued effort to provide their daughters the best, the parents Elenwyd set up a household in each land. The Mother, Zalae, set up a modest estate in Thrane, while the Father, Feln, built a luxurious home in the Towers of Sharn. The newest Lightning Rail routes providing an easy way for this split family to stay together.

In the midst of the Lycanthrope Purge, a young Aiwyn, unable to prevent a cursed brigand in Wererat form from entering their home, watched as her mother was bitten and mauled into unconsciousness. With her mother incapacitated Aiwyn hid while the brigand tossed the jewelry and gems into a bag and made off into the nearby Burnt Wood. Once the coast was clear, Aiwyn ran to Shadukar. Reaching the town in near exhuastion she collapsed at the footsteps of a Church of the Flame. The Priests inside cured her of her fatigue and she explained what happened. A team of Paladins, Priests, and Inquisitors was dispatched, Aiwyn knew what this ment. The group found her mother lying on the floor. While a team of trackers led by the Paladins trailed the Lycanthrope through the woods, the Clergy, with Aiwyn's help, constructed a pyre. The threat of Lycanthropy too great, Aiwyn and the Priests had to purge her mother's body with flame, least she become a wererat herself.

Shortly thereafter (as Elves reckon things), the Last War raged across Galifar. With Aiwyn in Thrane and her sister and father in Breland, she was effectively cut off and orphaned by the rest of her family, though her mother had several relatives and connections throughout the area and Aiwyn was still well cared for. Her will was strong and so was her faith in the flame, Aiwyn had no regrets when she joined the Army under the banner of Thrane. Assigned to the Legion of the Pure at age 79, her first action was at the Battle of Brey River. Though a child among Elves, Aiwyn, with her noble standing was given a minor officer position in charge of a unit of levies. The opening day of battle was a massacre, though the people of the Silver Flame ever faithful stayed strong and by Day Three the momentum was shifting. At the end of Day 3, a band of goblin mercenaries, from the Breland force stationed nearby to prevent this battle from spilling into Brelish lands, broke ranks and charged the battle lines. Slamming into the Cyran flank, the Cyran forces assumed Breland had decided to back Thrane and began to withdraw. All of this mattered little to Aiwyn, who was mortally wounded on the morning of Day Two. Her unit was charged by a veteran team of Cyran Pikemen and an enemy soldier unhorsed her and drove his weapon into her piercing her chest with the ranseur's wide blade. Leaving her to bleed out on the field as he moved onto the rest of her unit. Aiwyn would have surely succumbed to her wound had not a Paladin of the Silver Flame and his brothers of the sword trampled the enemy pikemen in a ferocious charge. A lull in the hostilities afforded the Paladin, Darek Sepulveda, enough time to find Aiwyn among the bodies of the dead and hoist her to safety. Behind friendly lines she was giving medical attention and then sent out with the wounded back to Thrane.

Once back in Thrane, Aiwyn spent her time in a hospital for wounded soldiers. It was assumed that her wound was so grevious that she would live a crippled existance, however, the attending priests were mezmorized when her wound healed to nothing more than a wicked scar. A scar that could be argued given the weapon that made it and the subsiquent cauterization is relatively flame shaped. Aiwyn took this as a sign that the Flame had protected her, guided the Paladin to her rescue, and filled her with the will to take up a sword in it's name once again. This time however, Aiwyn would hoist her sword under the banner of the Templars. Having spent the years before the war under the tutorship of a Priest of the Flame. However, at the time she was sailing towards a career in politics. Now, she sought a new profession, and would need to reapply herself into becoming a Priestess. She used her family's connections and was able to locate the Paladin that rescued her. She spent the next part of the war at his side, serving first as a acolyte and squire, then after four years of seminary school at the Cathedral of the Silver Flame in Flamekeep, she served as a shieldmaiden, and elite guard in the Paladin's personal unit**. Darek Sepulveda, young and dashing 70 years ago, aged and noble today -- but still strong in the Faith. Probably would have to be a Khoravar (half-Elf), to make the years work. This opens the door to the two of you becoming more than knight-squire, if you know what I mean. **

Aiwyn, focused dutifully in her training, performed admirally and even recieved honors later in the war and was eventually promoted to Foot-Captain. Given her own unit of foot soldiers she continue to serve in the Pure Legion...

... after the war, Aiwyn was Knighted for her services and assigned to the position of royal escort and vanguard to Princess Daerdra ir'Wynarn, a daughter of King Boranel married to Queen Diani of Thrane's youngest son.

... on a mission to Sterngate, after the death and funeral of King Boranel of Breland, Aiwyn was assigned to the defense of Breland by Princess Daerdra where she worked in consort with several party members. Their goal was to put an end to the Marguul Clan Bugbear forces that gathered at the Darguun end of the pass. Aiwyn sortied in several missions to dispatch insurgents. Irritated with the lack of mobilization of the Brelish forces Lady Aiwyn returned to the Princess's side as she joined the Procession bearing her father's body towards Thronehold, former capital of united Galifar.

On 27 Olarune, at the Breland-Thrane border as the Procession prepared to board the airship //Golden Dragon// for the final leg of the journey to Thronehold, two Paladins arrived from Flamekeep; Thurm the Dwarf...and Darek Sepulveda. The past 70 years have not been kind to Darek (in comparison to Aiwyn's Elven agelessness), but he still carries himself with grace and nobility, and something of the spark between you remains. But there's no time for personal matters: Darek carried new orders for Aiwyn directly from the Keeper of the Flame (written in her hand and sealed with her signet); Thurm was there to brief Aiwyn on his experiences in northeast Breland back in Zarantyr. Long story short, Aiwyn is to travel to Sharn immediately, with Darek taking her place as head of Princess Deardra's royal escort.

Personality
Aiwyn is a devote follower of the Church. She is aware of the different factions in Thrane, but feels that the Theocracy is doing the best job.

Continued Q&A
Next Question is What are these orders? Jaela Daran, the Keeper of the Flame, has seen a dark, grim future; Breland riven by civil war; mad hordes of Goblins and other things sweeping west and north out of the Seawall Mountains; armies of Gnolls and Ogres marching east from Droaam; and Thrane, Aundair and Karrnath drawn into a new War. If the hordes can be stopped or prevented, then Breland will have a chance to settle its leadership crisis. Aiwyn's orders are to find those who helped convince the Bugbears to withdraw, and who stopped the Dark Hands incursion, and assist them. They are the random element. But time is short; you have a month at best.