Silvermaiden
11-13-06, 05:08 AM
Name: Delfa Meritania
Age: 22
Race: Half Elven, Half Merfolk
Hair Color: Silvery Blue
Eye Color: Dark Blue with no pupil (right eye) Amber yellow (left eye)
Height: 4' 7"
Weight: 147 lbs
Occupation: Farmer, Herbalist, Adventurer
Personality: Delfa is typically quiet and observant, more often around new surroundings or new people. She strives to do for herself and not rely on others; however, she is not beyond asking for help if she needs it. Around her family and friends, she is more open and presents a bright and cheerful demeanor. Not a loner by any standards, she prefers the company of others rather than being alone and will often seek out familiar company when they are around. When upset, she will either become very vocal or very silent, depending on the circumstances, and sheds tears seldomly.
She is always looking to improve herself, both physically and mentally, and often jumps at the chance to run errands or do other work in hopes of a rise in opportunity. She also enjoys adventuring when the chance comes up, having gained a bit of wanderlust to see the world. Though due to a slight fear of becoming distanced from her family, she has never gone very far for long periods of time. She considers this to be both a blessing and a curse.
During a fight, Delfa is surprisingly focused, a result of her martial arts training. This focus also helps her concentration with her magic skills as well. One downside, however, is that she may sometimes become too focused on her target and lose track of other surroundings. She is also rather intelligent and clever and can make use out of most anything she gets her hands on, sometimes being very creative with different items.
Appearance: Though already into her twenties, due to her elven side, her body bares the size and appearance of a 13-14 year old girl. She has long and wavy silvery-blue hair, which is held up into two long ponytails with long bangs hanging parted in half down the front of her face. Her skin is a golden light brown tan, a result from her work farming in the fields of her home. Her right eye is a deep sea blue color with no visable pupil, which comes from her mermaid mother, and her left eye is a golden amber yellow passed from her elven father. Her ears are long and pointed like elf ears, but bare webbing between the point and the lobe. Gills for breathing underwater are concealed beneath a flap of skin behind her ears. Her face is young and gentle in appearance, but not necessarily what others would call beautiful. Her small body is lean and well toned due to her work farming and also from martial arts training. Her hands are normal in appearance, however her feet bare webbing between her toes which aids her in swimming.
Delfa currently wears a sleeveless top that clings tightly above her small bust, with white light fabric flowing down over her chest and stopping at her midrif line. At her torso is a plate of leather wrapped around her waist with a thick cloth rope acting as a belt to keep it tied in place. Two wooden tonfas hang at her waist, one at each side. Further down are baggy green pants that stop at knee length, a small yellow ribbon tying off the fabric around each knee. At her feet are laced farm sandals with the laces tied around her ankles. Leather shoulder guards are attached to the straps of her top, with a large bright cyan scarf wrapped around them and across her neck. Thin sleeves cover her arms from from wrists to armpits, with leather arm gaurds strapped over them on both her upper arms and forearms. She also wears a red ribbon tied around her forehead like a headband. She carries a sack made of leather on her back, in which she carries essential items and groceries during shopping, errands, and such.
History: Delfa's birth was the result of an affair between a Mermaid and an Elven man when the two met during passing in the Yarborough countryside of Corone. Circumstances behind the affair are unknown, however the mermaid was rejected by her mate for it, as well as by the rest of her family. As a result, she was forced to leave her home on the southern seashores near the Firewiner River and traveled back to Yarborough, hoping to find the Elf she had been with. He was nowhere to be found. After much searching and having nowhere else to go, she traveled north and set up a small homestead along the Bradbury River. She periodically returned to Yarborough, hoping for some sign of the elf. During that period, she befriended an older human couple who sympathized with her plight. When Delfa was born, the mermaid established the couple as her guardians and asked them to care for her while she went on a journey in attempts to find the elf. They consented. Once she left, however, she simply never returned. All the mermaid left behind for her child was a box made of coral which was meant to remain unopened until Delfa came of age.
The man and woman who raised Delfa had never had children of their own, so taking care of a child was new to them. Especially one so unique.The two lived a simple life in the Yarborough fields as farmers. Still they raised her as best they could, referring themselves to her as grandparents. Delfa grew mentally like any other child, though due to her elven side, her body aged a degree slower. She grew up learning about the land, as they raised her to be a farmer as well, but her learning was not restricted to work. Her grandfather was an old student of martial arts and taught his skills to Delfa, helping to improve her concentration and her physical strength. Her grandmother was also an Herbalist by trade, and taught Delfa the many different plants and herbs that could be found around the world, along with their various uses. The two were also responsible for her schooling, as they did not want to risk possible persecution from other children by sending her to a school. They did their best to also teach her to speak Elven in case it was ever needed, and at times even sought the help of personal tutors for it when it could be afforded. Regardless of any shortcomings, Delfa loved her life. She grew to love both of her "grandparents" dearly, and hardly thought twice about her differences most of the time. There were occasions when she was alone, however, where she did ponder her existence. She had only asked a few times about it as a child, but never recieved a solid explanation. Eventually, she made it a point not to ask.
When Delfa reached 18, she was given the box that her mother had left behind for her. Inside was a large, shimmering, beautiful cyan colored scarf. Upon it lay a note. It was a letter from her mother. It spoke of Delfa's origins and the true reason her mother had left:
"I know truthfully that I will never find the man who is your true father. What matters is that your childhood has been spared the persecution of my people and that you have been able to grow in the light of a complete and loving family, something I could not give you. Even if you do not understand that, understand this- I love you and wish only a happy life to be had for you. I have left you this as my last token of motherhood. Our family heirloom, the Thread of Meritania. It shall be a guide for you as you learn the ways and history of our people. It shall also assist you in both learning and performing magic, if you choose to take that road. You need only hold it to you and say 'By the blood of my mother, I am Delfa Meritania', and it will recognize you as it's master. With this, I leave you, Delfa. May the mother ocean smile upon you and grant you her mercies, my child."
Once she finished the letter, Delfa took the scarf into her hands and invoked the phrase her mother had written. As soon as she had, the large scarf promptly came to life within her hands. After sweeping around Delfa, as if sizing her up, a voice came forth from the garment saying "So you're my new charge, eh? This should be interesting". As it turned out, the scarf was not only magic, but bore a will of it's own. With it's aid, Delfa soon underwent her training in magic. The scarf, which Delfa gave the name Mare, was not only her focus item for magic, it was also her teacher, as it carried the knowledge from it's many years of existence. Delfa did not take to using magic easily in the beginning, but with much patience and training her abilities improved. Mare also taught her the ways and history of the Meritania family, as well as the language of the Merfolk and other creatures of the sea.
Presently, wherever Delfa goes, Mare is with her, wrapped around her shoulders. The two have become a team, relying on eachother. In essence, Delfa is never alone when away from home, as she has Mare as her constant guide and confidante.
THE THREAD OF MERITANIA - How long it has existed is unknown, but old stories within the family speak of its creation as being woven from pearl dust and sea foam by the goddess of the ocean herself. Whether this is actually true or simply a fairy tale is unclear. What is known it has been passed down through the Meritania family since the beginning of their existence. Embued with old magic, it developed a will of it's own over the course of it's existence. Rather than simply be a tool for the casting of magic, it now takes up the role as a familiar, helping to teach magic as well as guide and advise whoever currently bares it's ownership. Though it can move on its own if needed, it does not, however, have the ability to cast magic on its own. It teaches the skills to its holder and works only as focus for casting (such as one would use a wand or a jewel).
In the history of the Meritania family, the Thread of Meritania has been passed down to each firstborn child once they "come of age". In this instance, it is when they reach the age of 18. The issue of passing it only to firstborn kin has raised issues over time regarding jealousy and the idea of earning the right to own it, however the family history states that the "right of the firstborn" has remained unchanged.
Delfa's mother had already recieved the Thread before the incident that expelled her from her family. She took it with her to lock away and leave for her daughter before she left for good. This too was a reason for her leaving, as she feared that her people would come looking for her to retrieve the Thread so that it could continue to be passed through the family line. She believed that as long as she was elsewhere, Delfa and the Thread would be safe.
Mare (it's name shortened from Meritania) now guides and teaches Delfa and works only with her, as she is the recognized heir to it's ownership. Aside from having it's own will, it has something of its own personality as well, and will often take the dominant role in decision making between the two. Mare will also speak out if necessary, but in most cases it allows Delfa to do the talking in an attempt to remain inconspicuous to strangers. When speaking, Mare's voice is neither distinguishably male or female and has no qualms about "speaking its mind", as it has done with Delfa's "grandparents" on a few occasions.
Skills: Delfa is a budding martial artist who learned the art from her adoptive grandfather. She has average fighting capability, and is both agile and quick footed. She can climb trees with ease and even leap several feet high (over a normal sized human for example). Unfortunely, her physical strength lacks compared to most. That is to say, she could carry more than what most children her size could, but not lift a log or a large rock by herself. She also bares below average skill in the use of tonfas, and uses them more for defense than for attack. It should also be noted that, if necessary, Delfa can use Mare as a weapon, weilding it in the style one might use a whip.
She uses basic magic, mainly elemental spells, which in slight variation could be considered geomancy depending on how she uses them. She can be as creative in her use of magic as she is with anything else.
Wind - Can generate anywhere between a faint breeze to a large gust. She can also use this is a means of levitation to reach high places if necessary, but can only move up and downward when doing so, as it is not intended for flight. Also with proper concentration, she can creat a vortex of wind that focuses to a single point, strong enough to pierce tree bark and possibly flesh if it is exposed (meaning no clothes or armor). A less intense version of this attack can be used to shoot projectiles at high speeds.
Cold Embrace - Can result in anything from causing her touch to be cooler than normal body temperature, to being able to freeze water within her hands, and even cause a rapid temperature drop within her general vacinity. With enough focus, she can cause the surface of ponds, lakes and even rivers to freeze and become sturdy enough to walk over. This, however, does not freeze the entire water surface, it merely creates a path wide enough to be used as a bridge on which she can cross. With creativity, this spell can have many uses.
Phantom Whisper - With this spell she can cast her voice to be heard elsewhere, like ventriliquism. Besides being able to use this spell as a distraction, it can also be used to secretly send messages over a distance. As long as there is no obstruction between her and the target and the target is in view, the spell can work successfully.
Tangleweed - A cantrip spell which summons vines from the soil to spring up and tangle around the target. Currently, Delfa is still in the process of learning to use this spell properly and has only managed to summon them to the point of tangling feet and tripping up her target.
Fire - This is a spell she has some issues with. While she has somewhat learned to control fire to an extent (such as causing a simple flame to grow quickly into a large fireball or even make it change shape), she cannot create fire on her own. In lou of this, she carries a flint and steel with her to generate at least the spark needed for her to get started.
Touch of Growth - Though this spell currently has no applicable uses in battle, Delfa chose to learn this spell to help her grandparents with the farming. By touching the soil and using a great deal of focus and concentration, she can cause the soil to become fertile and help the growth of plants and vegetation. Due to the complexity of this spell and the immense energy and focus needed to make it work, it has been used seldomly.
Gentle Rain - This summons the formation of a rain cloud and releases a gentle rain over the area. Though not as complex in its use, it also has no known application for battle. Therefore, it is also seldomly used.
Another skill Delfa possesses is Herbology/Herbalism, which she learned from her adoptive grandmother. She has extensive knowledge of wordly plants, herbs, and vegetation, as well as their various applications and properties. As a result of both her parents, Delfa also bares exceptional hearing, both on land and under water. Delfa also enjoys singing and dancing for enjoyment and does both moderately well.
Equipment: Leather shoulder guards, Leather waist guard, Leather arm guards, Two Wooden Tonfas, Thread of Meritania, Leather travel bag, (in bag) Flint and steel, gold pouch holding current funds, foodstuffs, water flask, 20 ft rope.
Familiars: Mare (the Thread of Meritania) bares the role of teacher and guide for Delfa in the use of magic, essentially making it her familiar. However, Though Mare bares knowledge of magic, it cannot cast it. And since it is essentially a talking scarf, it cannot "level" as a normal familiar would.
Age: 22
Race: Half Elven, Half Merfolk
Hair Color: Silvery Blue
Eye Color: Dark Blue with no pupil (right eye) Amber yellow (left eye)
Height: 4' 7"
Weight: 147 lbs
Occupation: Farmer, Herbalist, Adventurer
Personality: Delfa is typically quiet and observant, more often around new surroundings or new people. She strives to do for herself and not rely on others; however, she is not beyond asking for help if she needs it. Around her family and friends, she is more open and presents a bright and cheerful demeanor. Not a loner by any standards, she prefers the company of others rather than being alone and will often seek out familiar company when they are around. When upset, she will either become very vocal or very silent, depending on the circumstances, and sheds tears seldomly.
She is always looking to improve herself, both physically and mentally, and often jumps at the chance to run errands or do other work in hopes of a rise in opportunity. She also enjoys adventuring when the chance comes up, having gained a bit of wanderlust to see the world. Though due to a slight fear of becoming distanced from her family, she has never gone very far for long periods of time. She considers this to be both a blessing and a curse.
During a fight, Delfa is surprisingly focused, a result of her martial arts training. This focus also helps her concentration with her magic skills as well. One downside, however, is that she may sometimes become too focused on her target and lose track of other surroundings. She is also rather intelligent and clever and can make use out of most anything she gets her hands on, sometimes being very creative with different items.
Appearance: Though already into her twenties, due to her elven side, her body bares the size and appearance of a 13-14 year old girl. She has long and wavy silvery-blue hair, which is held up into two long ponytails with long bangs hanging parted in half down the front of her face. Her skin is a golden light brown tan, a result from her work farming in the fields of her home. Her right eye is a deep sea blue color with no visable pupil, which comes from her mermaid mother, and her left eye is a golden amber yellow passed from her elven father. Her ears are long and pointed like elf ears, but bare webbing between the point and the lobe. Gills for breathing underwater are concealed beneath a flap of skin behind her ears. Her face is young and gentle in appearance, but not necessarily what others would call beautiful. Her small body is lean and well toned due to her work farming and also from martial arts training. Her hands are normal in appearance, however her feet bare webbing between her toes which aids her in swimming.
Delfa currently wears a sleeveless top that clings tightly above her small bust, with white light fabric flowing down over her chest and stopping at her midrif line. At her torso is a plate of leather wrapped around her waist with a thick cloth rope acting as a belt to keep it tied in place. Two wooden tonfas hang at her waist, one at each side. Further down are baggy green pants that stop at knee length, a small yellow ribbon tying off the fabric around each knee. At her feet are laced farm sandals with the laces tied around her ankles. Leather shoulder guards are attached to the straps of her top, with a large bright cyan scarf wrapped around them and across her neck. Thin sleeves cover her arms from from wrists to armpits, with leather arm gaurds strapped over them on both her upper arms and forearms. She also wears a red ribbon tied around her forehead like a headband. She carries a sack made of leather on her back, in which she carries essential items and groceries during shopping, errands, and such.
History: Delfa's birth was the result of an affair between a Mermaid and an Elven man when the two met during passing in the Yarborough countryside of Corone. Circumstances behind the affair are unknown, however the mermaid was rejected by her mate for it, as well as by the rest of her family. As a result, she was forced to leave her home on the southern seashores near the Firewiner River and traveled back to Yarborough, hoping to find the Elf she had been with. He was nowhere to be found. After much searching and having nowhere else to go, she traveled north and set up a small homestead along the Bradbury River. She periodically returned to Yarborough, hoping for some sign of the elf. During that period, she befriended an older human couple who sympathized with her plight. When Delfa was born, the mermaid established the couple as her guardians and asked them to care for her while she went on a journey in attempts to find the elf. They consented. Once she left, however, she simply never returned. All the mermaid left behind for her child was a box made of coral which was meant to remain unopened until Delfa came of age.
The man and woman who raised Delfa had never had children of their own, so taking care of a child was new to them. Especially one so unique.The two lived a simple life in the Yarborough fields as farmers. Still they raised her as best they could, referring themselves to her as grandparents. Delfa grew mentally like any other child, though due to her elven side, her body aged a degree slower. She grew up learning about the land, as they raised her to be a farmer as well, but her learning was not restricted to work. Her grandfather was an old student of martial arts and taught his skills to Delfa, helping to improve her concentration and her physical strength. Her grandmother was also an Herbalist by trade, and taught Delfa the many different plants and herbs that could be found around the world, along with their various uses. The two were also responsible for her schooling, as they did not want to risk possible persecution from other children by sending her to a school. They did their best to also teach her to speak Elven in case it was ever needed, and at times even sought the help of personal tutors for it when it could be afforded. Regardless of any shortcomings, Delfa loved her life. She grew to love both of her "grandparents" dearly, and hardly thought twice about her differences most of the time. There were occasions when she was alone, however, where she did ponder her existence. She had only asked a few times about it as a child, but never recieved a solid explanation. Eventually, she made it a point not to ask.
When Delfa reached 18, she was given the box that her mother had left behind for her. Inside was a large, shimmering, beautiful cyan colored scarf. Upon it lay a note. It was a letter from her mother. It spoke of Delfa's origins and the true reason her mother had left:
"I know truthfully that I will never find the man who is your true father. What matters is that your childhood has been spared the persecution of my people and that you have been able to grow in the light of a complete and loving family, something I could not give you. Even if you do not understand that, understand this- I love you and wish only a happy life to be had for you. I have left you this as my last token of motherhood. Our family heirloom, the Thread of Meritania. It shall be a guide for you as you learn the ways and history of our people. It shall also assist you in both learning and performing magic, if you choose to take that road. You need only hold it to you and say 'By the blood of my mother, I am Delfa Meritania', and it will recognize you as it's master. With this, I leave you, Delfa. May the mother ocean smile upon you and grant you her mercies, my child."
Once she finished the letter, Delfa took the scarf into her hands and invoked the phrase her mother had written. As soon as she had, the large scarf promptly came to life within her hands. After sweeping around Delfa, as if sizing her up, a voice came forth from the garment saying "So you're my new charge, eh? This should be interesting". As it turned out, the scarf was not only magic, but bore a will of it's own. With it's aid, Delfa soon underwent her training in magic. The scarf, which Delfa gave the name Mare, was not only her focus item for magic, it was also her teacher, as it carried the knowledge from it's many years of existence. Delfa did not take to using magic easily in the beginning, but with much patience and training her abilities improved. Mare also taught her the ways and history of the Meritania family, as well as the language of the Merfolk and other creatures of the sea.
Presently, wherever Delfa goes, Mare is with her, wrapped around her shoulders. The two have become a team, relying on eachother. In essence, Delfa is never alone when away from home, as she has Mare as her constant guide and confidante.
THE THREAD OF MERITANIA - How long it has existed is unknown, but old stories within the family speak of its creation as being woven from pearl dust and sea foam by the goddess of the ocean herself. Whether this is actually true or simply a fairy tale is unclear. What is known it has been passed down through the Meritania family since the beginning of their existence. Embued with old magic, it developed a will of it's own over the course of it's existence. Rather than simply be a tool for the casting of magic, it now takes up the role as a familiar, helping to teach magic as well as guide and advise whoever currently bares it's ownership. Though it can move on its own if needed, it does not, however, have the ability to cast magic on its own. It teaches the skills to its holder and works only as focus for casting (such as one would use a wand or a jewel).
In the history of the Meritania family, the Thread of Meritania has been passed down to each firstborn child once they "come of age". In this instance, it is when they reach the age of 18. The issue of passing it only to firstborn kin has raised issues over time regarding jealousy and the idea of earning the right to own it, however the family history states that the "right of the firstborn" has remained unchanged.
Delfa's mother had already recieved the Thread before the incident that expelled her from her family. She took it with her to lock away and leave for her daughter before she left for good. This too was a reason for her leaving, as she feared that her people would come looking for her to retrieve the Thread so that it could continue to be passed through the family line. She believed that as long as she was elsewhere, Delfa and the Thread would be safe.
Mare (it's name shortened from Meritania) now guides and teaches Delfa and works only with her, as she is the recognized heir to it's ownership. Aside from having it's own will, it has something of its own personality as well, and will often take the dominant role in decision making between the two. Mare will also speak out if necessary, but in most cases it allows Delfa to do the talking in an attempt to remain inconspicuous to strangers. When speaking, Mare's voice is neither distinguishably male or female and has no qualms about "speaking its mind", as it has done with Delfa's "grandparents" on a few occasions.
Skills: Delfa is a budding martial artist who learned the art from her adoptive grandfather. She has average fighting capability, and is both agile and quick footed. She can climb trees with ease and even leap several feet high (over a normal sized human for example). Unfortunely, her physical strength lacks compared to most. That is to say, she could carry more than what most children her size could, but not lift a log or a large rock by herself. She also bares below average skill in the use of tonfas, and uses them more for defense than for attack. It should also be noted that, if necessary, Delfa can use Mare as a weapon, weilding it in the style one might use a whip.
She uses basic magic, mainly elemental spells, which in slight variation could be considered geomancy depending on how she uses them. She can be as creative in her use of magic as she is with anything else.
Wind - Can generate anywhere between a faint breeze to a large gust. She can also use this is a means of levitation to reach high places if necessary, but can only move up and downward when doing so, as it is not intended for flight. Also with proper concentration, she can creat a vortex of wind that focuses to a single point, strong enough to pierce tree bark and possibly flesh if it is exposed (meaning no clothes or armor). A less intense version of this attack can be used to shoot projectiles at high speeds.
Cold Embrace - Can result in anything from causing her touch to be cooler than normal body temperature, to being able to freeze water within her hands, and even cause a rapid temperature drop within her general vacinity. With enough focus, she can cause the surface of ponds, lakes and even rivers to freeze and become sturdy enough to walk over. This, however, does not freeze the entire water surface, it merely creates a path wide enough to be used as a bridge on which she can cross. With creativity, this spell can have many uses.
Phantom Whisper - With this spell she can cast her voice to be heard elsewhere, like ventriliquism. Besides being able to use this spell as a distraction, it can also be used to secretly send messages over a distance. As long as there is no obstruction between her and the target and the target is in view, the spell can work successfully.
Tangleweed - A cantrip spell which summons vines from the soil to spring up and tangle around the target. Currently, Delfa is still in the process of learning to use this spell properly and has only managed to summon them to the point of tangling feet and tripping up her target.
Fire - This is a spell she has some issues with. While she has somewhat learned to control fire to an extent (such as causing a simple flame to grow quickly into a large fireball or even make it change shape), she cannot create fire on her own. In lou of this, she carries a flint and steel with her to generate at least the spark needed for her to get started.
Touch of Growth - Though this spell currently has no applicable uses in battle, Delfa chose to learn this spell to help her grandparents with the farming. By touching the soil and using a great deal of focus and concentration, she can cause the soil to become fertile and help the growth of plants and vegetation. Due to the complexity of this spell and the immense energy and focus needed to make it work, it has been used seldomly.
Gentle Rain - This summons the formation of a rain cloud and releases a gentle rain over the area. Though not as complex in its use, it also has no known application for battle. Therefore, it is also seldomly used.
Another skill Delfa possesses is Herbology/Herbalism, which she learned from her adoptive grandmother. She has extensive knowledge of wordly plants, herbs, and vegetation, as well as their various applications and properties. As a result of both her parents, Delfa also bares exceptional hearing, both on land and under water. Delfa also enjoys singing and dancing for enjoyment and does both moderately well.
Equipment: Leather shoulder guards, Leather waist guard, Leather arm guards, Two Wooden Tonfas, Thread of Meritania, Leather travel bag, (in bag) Flint and steel, gold pouch holding current funds, foodstuffs, water flask, 20 ft rope.
Familiars: Mare (the Thread of Meritania) bares the role of teacher and guide for Delfa in the use of magic, essentially making it her familiar. However, Though Mare bares knowledge of magic, it cannot cast it. And since it is essentially a talking scarf, it cannot "level" as a normal familiar would.