Daeris Merilindes
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Daeris Merilindes
Dae, Admiral (by Uru)
125
28th Frost, 8170
5' 10" / 177.8cm
Female
Dark Elf
Exorcist
Birchbird Nurse/Alchemist
The Birch Nest
Dark Blossoming
Likes
quiet days, cooking, listening to records, the smell of smoke, jasmine
Dislikes
too strong a smell of smoke, loud people, holier-than-thou types, messy spaces
Personality
Daeris is a stiff upper lipped woman, and has very low tolerance for those who misbehave, or disobey the rules. She doesn't hesitate to deal out a punishment for any sort of disobedience, either. However, there are brief moments in which she won't be sour, which is when she's in a good mood over something happening. Daeris desires only the best for her daughter, and given the situation, probably wouldn't be so antisocial towards anyone she's mentioned as a friend. In the past, if you spoke to her about her husband, or tried to, she would become remotely silent, and possibly even try to change the subject as quickly as possible, but since his return has become more open to sharing storeis about him--both the good and the bad (still, it's not a good idea to speak ill of her husband near her, in an 'I'm the only one who can talk about him like that' kind of way). She's not incredibly polite to outsiders, as expected of a resident of Iadlain, but that doesn't mean she'll outright turn her nose up at them. She, like most other residents, only really bothers paying attention to the things that go on within the city; anything outside of the city, she finds no need to pay attention to the things there unless it benefits--or harms--herself or her family.
History
Daeris has always lived quite the easy life since childhood. With her father being a close adviser of an older Count, who happened to be the current Count's grandfather, not many things or people could harm her. However, even her status was not enough to protect her from knowing of some violent outbreaks between the Kingdom and the Empire. Of course, while she was young, she knew that the two groups could never get along, but didn't really understand why. At least, not until her Father sat down with her one night when she was about seven and told her the extensive (but highly biased in the favor of the Empire) story of the reason for their differences. She came to understand it, but her curiosity not yet satiated, she went on to ask what happened to her mother, since he only ever told her before her life was lost in another one of the violent struggles. After a brief hesitation, he did tell her; she was killed by a terrible sickness cast upon her by one of the Exorcists of the Alliance. But, after hearing of the dangerous power an Exorcist can control, instead of coming to fear them, she was highly fascinated by them, and wanted to hone her magic ability to become one herself. After she reached age 90, she finally mastered her abilities, becoming an Exorcist.
After reaching the Final Class, she started to help her father in his work, as well as starting to look for her own job. But, just when she hit 93 years of age, the full responsibility of caring for the family was passed down to her, as her father finally resigned as the Count's adviser--this occurring after Cassair's father took over--for his own personal reasons. One may think that she immediately went into a frenzied rush looking for work right away. But, with most of the Koben Empire looking to Iadlain for Alchemic materials, her line of work was not all that difficult to decide on.
Many of the younger residents of Iadlain believe that Daeris has always been cold to the core, but some of the older ones know that that's not entirely the case. A year after her father resigned, on a trip to Linhythe she met a man that she found particularly charming, and he was rather interested in her as well. Long story short, though it was against her fathers wishes, they got married the next year, and had a daughter, naming her Moriel. And for a while from then, her mood was much better (still not towards the outsiders though). However, four years afterward, there was a terrible ship-against-ship battle between a pirate-hunting crew from Estraude, and her Husband's own crew. Of course, her husband's crew was exponentially smaller than the opposing crew, as when he left, he had just intended to show his Father-In-Law what traveling the seas would be like; just one quick little trip. Long after they left and were supposed to return, Daeris finally received word of her husband and father, though not as she would've liked to get it. It came in the form of a letter, sent from an unknown location from one of few survivors of the raid, telling her about what happened to everyone involved. As one could imagine, she was quite the wreck following that, and it wasn't long after then that she dulled her emotions again, and went back to the way she was before, if not worse.
Current Story
Daeris had already witnessed several other Iadlish citizens taken from their homes--somewhat forcibly--to join the Empires army for the war. So when they came while Cassair was away, threatening to take Moriel instead if she didn't go along with them... how could she refuse?
Daeris is out with the rest of the forces to witness Prince Sigmunds first public appearance to the masses but she would truly honestly deeply love to be literally anywhere else but there right now.
Ignition
Daeris is among the troops sent to launch the assault on Amedra. She figured if she laid low and stuck to using her alchemy knowledge and healing minimal wounds she'd slip under the radar of those looking for people to go out on the offensive... Unfortunately the people who find her know just what to say to force her out. While out there, she has an unlikely encounter with another Exorcist and, before she has the chance to steel her resolve and kill him, he offers her a way out of the fight; a way out of the war. After some debate... She accepts.
Following that, Daeris was supplied with wood elf glamours, and promised that she would be kept safe under the watchful eyes of the Regent of Belport for the duration of her stay in Kingdom Territory--all she'd have to do in exchange was help look after the man and his injuries, as well as help teach and train Daniel in how to actually control the release of his Burden so it doesn't leave him so weak and vulnerable each time he uses it. It takes time, but she settles almost comfortably into the new routine of her life--helped along by an old friend, an ex-member of her late husbands crew. All was well for a time, until...
In the dead of night, the Empire came. They flooded the streets, taking prisoners and casualties both, and it was all Daeris and Seo could to to help evacuate civilians to safety. They eventually split ways, Daeris off to look after the Regent, and Seo off to look for any straggling civilians. After the escape, Daeris was a little concerned when she couldn't find Seoras among the evacuees, but figured she'd be able to take care of herself well enough, and they'd meet again when they could... It was a true and tragic shame about Belport and Valsk, though.
Moved now from Belport to take refuge first in Amedra, and finally after more shuffling, finishing in Cantor with other displaced Northerners, Daeris spends most of her time in the company of the Regent as well as Daniel, often pestering the latter during their lessons about retrieving her Daughter as per their initial deal if she accepted his offer. It takes some time, but he eventually follows through, and they're reunited at last and able to stay in their own small cottage together for the time being. Moriel does what she can to keep up with Empire side news--especially any news on Iadlain and Song-Lu since those areas are where their family are--, while Daeris continues her work and meetings with the Regent and Abbot both. They steer clear of any large events, and gladly keep to themselves. All seems well and peaceful enough...
Harvest Eve
... Until disaster strikes. Not for them, but in Iadlain. The news is a few days old, but it's definitely real, and Moriel and Daeris are both shocked to read what they do. Despite the risks, they put together a letter to send to home and pray it reaches them safely (without exposing them for who and what they are, hiding out on Kingdom soil in one of the most dark-elf xenophobic areas there are).
Things settle into a lull once more after that, and thankfully there don't seem to be any more vicious spats between the Empire and Kingdom... (that they deeply care about, anway).
With the moments of peace afforded to them by the lull in the world and general unharried air of Cantor (save for the mild panic about helping Nisalvini with it's little thorn problem), Daeris (and Moriel) observe the days and activities for the Traditional Week of Kin together. Things almost feel normal again.
What a tumultuous time...! After about a Year and a Half of being apart, Mother and Daughter finally reunited! Alongside a merciful winter, they also prayed for the safety of their family, the safety of their home, and even prayed that the war wouldn't last long so that there's no risk of anyone getting dragged into anymore danger. By this time, Moriel's already started speaking about wanting to go back home, and Daeris knew she wasn't going to want to stay in place for long, though she also knows she can't exactly risk going back herself yet (being a war criminal now for deserting mid battle and all). They both pray for safe travels when the time comes.
Word reached Daeris and her daughter of the Neutral-Grounds event, and took the opportunity to go out, relax, have a good time, all with the hopes that their family would be on the scene as well... And so they were indeed! She was relieved to see her family alive and well, and though she couldn't yet forsake her promises and return to Iadlain with the others, with a whisper tree in each others possessions, communications between them would be a lot easier than they have been, and with this she could rest a little easier.
... She also had herself a very unexpected bonding moment with the Regen, and it made their relationship grow a bit more than she expected... A bit more than she was ready to admit. Hm. Thinking about Uruvion in the days that followed was easier than it had been in many years...
After returning to Cantor, weeks carried on as usual (albeit a little quieter without Moriel there, but not so lonely as she started to spend more time with the Regent), but there was one change--Lessons for Daniel started to dwindle, as he made decent improvements in the handling of his ability. She was worried, for a bit, that without being able to teach him, her usefulness would be gone, and she'd be sent off to find her way home, but then opportunity came in the unlikliest of ways... And she got new job security :D
From there. Daeris spent a majority of her time helping anyone with a penchant for healing hone their abilities, and look after any other sick or wounded around Valevo, as well as the rest of Cantor. She was getting comfortable, really starting to feel for and resonate with these people, and even though many of them seemed to be averse to the idea of making friends with Elves of any kind, she.. Found friends, and allies in them all. Especially in the Regent. So, when talks of their own revolution came, she sided with them. and when word of going to the north to take back what was theirs came...
Perhaps it was the zealous energy. Perhaps it was her growing feelings for the Regent she did not yet want to come to terms with. Whatever it was, something possessed her to go and help fight in a battle that never should have been hers to fight in, and she nearly paid the price for the lapse in judgement with her life. Shot by a round, she received immediate medical attention, and was removed from the battlefield... Thankfully the person who got her didn't question the odd flicker in her glamour, but it definitely made her reevaluate her life and ask herself what the hell was she doing out there. With the North more or less reclaimed for themselves after this, it was time for a serious proper talk with the Regent and Abbot about her future in the Kingdom...
Wolves Come Home
Following that, she returns to Belport with the Regent and other Northeners, and mostly keeps to herself/the Regents quarters. They were celebrating their homecoming and quashing of Kobener Troops, which was all well and good, but it only made her miss her own home that much more... (Also she was still recovering from being shot in the ches--) She conveniently leaves out the fact that she took part in that re-invasion and nearly died from it from her family once she manages to speak to them again through Whisper Tree.
It is from about there right up until Firefall That Daeris does her best to recover and think out plans to return home, and once word of what King Silvan ordered and had done to Song-Lu and Linhythe spreads, she feels all the more out of place and in danger. After reaching and making sure her family was alright and nowhere near the epicenter of the attacks, her mind was made up: whatever the Koben Army might do to her should they find her and realize she had deserted would be nothing compared to what this new King and his people would do to her if they found out who and what she was. She started up regular communications with her brother (whenever he was available, since he had lost a dear friend to the Adabrene attacks), and put into motion a plan to bring her home properly. IT was time to say goodbye to the Kingdom. (Since the plan was to leave through Cantor to go through Estraude to get back to Iadlain, avoiding as many Koben/Imperial Toop focused areas as possible, she at least stopped in to give her farewels and thanks to Daniel for saving her back then. Imparted some final wisdom about not being too reckless with his Burden.) It took a few months, but she was fibnally able to return home for the first time since the war had begun...
Daeris and her daughter are wary but happy (respectively) about the strange glowing orbs floating up from the ground... But neither want to miss the opportunity to investigate these and see what potential use they could have in Alchemy (which, much to Daeris' surprise, Moriel has taken an extremely grand interest in and made many improvements in since she last had the chance to work together with her). They meet up with Cassair, and have a nice, quiet, relaxing reunion all together during the mysterious event.
Ambition
Of course, such peace cannot last forever. As Reluir jumps into action, so too do Daeris and her family, plowing into the woods to do something about those pesky little chests in that big gaping chasm pouring out all those nasty little goop monsters. She is less than pleased with the way Moriel kept running headfirst into danger, but is relieved, at the very least, that she can be there to look after her. The way this all happened though... Just what had Reluir's Queen been working on and towards, all this time??
Unravelling
Daeris turns her focus now on occasionally helping out the Clinic with delivery of alchemical medical supplies and looking after patients, while also keeping an eye on Moriel and her own recovery. Uneasy, since even though they have the chests, it's still not clear what they were going to be used for...
From here, most time is spent in Iadlain and in the shop, keeping her nose in her work and trying not to think too hard about how everyone she left behind in the Kingdom is doing... And then the quiet peaceful life is turned on its head when someone very unexpected makes an appearance in the shop. Not long after her daughters and their friends returned from Linhythe, Urûvion comes as well. Daeris is equal parts elated and enraged, but the elation soon fades and becomes full blown rage (with a hint of despair) when it becomes clear that the Uru before her is one that has no memory of the life and family he'd left behind when he disappeared on that dangerous journey years back. He is allowed to stay, but not sure what to do with him with her emotions all out of sorts, she avoids him a lot and tells him not to come anywhere near her for the time being. To think, the man she loved and thought dead all this time was actually still alive...
World's Wrath
It's almost a relief when the world erupts, because it is now something else she's able to focus on instead of what to do with Uru. Even though his memory has returned by this point, she just can't see past the years of hurt his disappearance left her with yet. So when a strange.... Thing starts growing from the garden patch out back, much easier to focus on that and what to do (or not to do) with it than him.
And after her kids and their friends return from the Citadel of Crowns (Which she had trouble believing really existed but well, the reports couldn't lie, nor could her brothers excited babbling about it), there's a whole new issue to focus on: Moriel wanting to move out and study in Koben. She was too young! It was too dangerous! It was too far from home!! But at the same time, how could she say no, when she herself was away from home for so long, leaving her children to fend for themselves, much further than Koben... It takes a few days, but Daeris relents, and helps her pack everything she thinks she will and won't need. It was just in Koben, just to study; she wouldn't be far...!
Dynasty
With Moriel gone, the house felt quieter somehow, making the small issue of dealing with Uruvion that much more pressing... So she was relieved (after a fashion) once again when a new distraction arrived in the form of an enchanted letter: Her family in Reluir (although they were sending the missive from Tusa) was asking for her help. They went to join in on the Red Torc revolution, and their group was in need of a capable healer and alchemist... She had plenty of questions for them, mostly ranging from "why are you doing this" to "why are you doing this", but with the state of Reluir as it is, and the fact that the Queen seemed to be getting more and more mad as time went on... Well. She packed some bags and, in the company of a friend, made her way to Tusa to meet with said family.
It was on the way there, however, that aforementioned friend--another ex-member of Uru's old crew, as it were--confessed to her just why that trip of his went wrong. It was their fault, having gotten a very emotionally charged other member locked up, and that member went and got a pirate hunting crew to do them in. If they hadn't messed up, none of that would've happened, and...
That was about all of the explanation Daeris was willing to hear. The rest of the journey was made in silence, and Daeris went her separate ways from that friend, with even more to think about than she'd left Iadlain with.
Playing Gods
And so when she returned to Iadlain, it was with her mind made up. After Marching down with the Torcs, she went straight home, straight to Uru, and... Made up with him. Many words--mostly apologies--were exchanged, and they made up just in time for the apocalypse to really begin. Panic for one daughter, panic for another daughter, lose the Alchemy Shop and also the house, hunker down with others and refuse to go down without a fight. All part of the norm in Iadlain.
Shadow of Atros
At first, she offered her services as an Exorcist to the Red Judges, joining the ranks of battle mages... But after a... shocking "discovery", it was deemed safer that she offer her services as part of the Birch Nest at the Birchbird Clinic instead. (she is Gregnate)
War of Ancients
Panic over the children again as they fall asleep for a good long while with no signs of waking up, and then worry about the odd changes going on with all the elves around (Black nails and eyes and mouths suddenly but at least they were all still alive?). Back to panic as Moriel again resolves to leave home instead of staying behind during these very dangerous times, but also figures things might be safer for her out of Iadlain right now rather than in it... Not to mention, she'd been trained rather thoroughly by her father, and between her skill in alchemy and improved skill with her summoning, Daeris is confident that she'll be able to look after herself right. (Plus she has Diarmit and that Heeren kid looking after her too so it'll be fine, it'll be fine........)
Beginning of the End
[Blankly stare at the sky as Atros' Generals fly overhead towards the Citadel. Moriel will be fine Moriel will be fine Moriel will be fine Moriel will be fine Moriel will be fine Moriel will be fine Moriel will be f--]
[Most current] Sin and Sacrafice
Between the news of Madness in Song-Lu and news that the new Empress (new Empress????) was pulling the plug on finding Iridus and not hearing any updates from family members in either of these areas, it's all Daeris can do to keep her head on straight and remain calm. Last thing they all needed on top of everything were complications with the Baby as well...... The baby that she is, at this point, very ready to have (someone is still upset about that 6-month loss because doesn't that technically mean she's been carrying this little demon for 6 months longer than a normal pregnancy By the Three she's EXHAUSTED--).
Additional Info
Blossoming Traits: Nails, Lips, Eyes & Eyelids
Her husband's name is Urȗvion, and he is several many years older than her. He was the "unofficial" Captain of the team he set out with before his supposed death. He has since, however, surprised her by coming back over 20 years later, and after at first not being sure what to do about him, they fixed their relationship and are back to being as romantic as ever (with a few tense moments every now and again but what couple isn't like that--)
Though Daeris has mastered her final class, it is still a great strain on her body (as it is with any Exorcist). So, while she can handle them for a bit longer than most, if she has to "carry" the Burden of any injury or illness for longer than 1-2 days, it begins to leave permanent effects.
Though her father did his best to form her opinions on the ourside world by coming up with wild tales and accusations, Daeris more or less kept her own opinions on things surrounding politics--opinions that changed a lot during her time as a Koben Army deserter in the Kingdom under the protection of some of its most influential leaders. If things weren't so end-of-the-world-y right now, her stance on alleigances during the war would've been solidly neutral.
Her father also lied to her about the truth of her mothers passing to sway her towards a strong class to work towards (lest he have a repeat of lackidasical behavior in her like her brother), and it worked... When she found out years later she was furious and that was what started her rebellious streak towards him (pick the job she wants, ignore Relan side of fam, marry a pirate of all things, etc etc)