Mirielle Merlon
History
Her Royal Highness Mirielle Merlon is a scion of Ashdell, a small kingdom in the forests around the Spine. She was the third child of Ashdell's king, Adalric Merlon. By tradition, she was groomed for a future in governance and diplomacy. She was sent off for a formal education once she outpaced the help of available tutors. As she'd demonstrated a modest aptitude for proper College Magic, she was shipped to Elbion, where she did her level best to blend in students, thinkers, and artists. She enjoyed that her minor foreign title made her an unexceptional peer.
Mirielle visited home from time to time by way of the Cairou River and portal stones. On one such journey, a horde of orcs waylaid her in the Spine and killed her escorts. With local survivors, she took refuge in the abandoned Ethenveld Castle. During their last stand, she was rescued by Taun-Lok, a mysterious inhuman priest-king. When he sacrificed an orc to summon a reptilian god for consultation, the god chose to speak to Mirielle. She asked it for advice in defending her home and people against certain growing threats, and was given a riddle in return. She opted to follow the riddle rather than return home safely.
The riddle, and the ways of Taun-Lok's people, came to dominate Mirielle's young life. Deeply conflicted and disgusted, she nevertheless joined in sacrificial rituals to get necessary information from what she came to know as the Serpent Gods. Through risk, initiative, and unpleasant need, she began to practice Divine magic, particularly a sacrificial kind. She traveled with Taun-Lok's people in their wars and explorations for more than a year. Throughout all this, she kept a detailed, blood-smeared sketchbook with comprehensive notes. She chronicled everything unusual she saw, in part to keep her mind off the cost of her new knowledge. By various means, she sent occasional messages home, to keep her father apprised of her general welfare. She became secretive and depressed, and though she sought for her old self, she could never quite manage the carefree approach again. And though she eventually left Taun-Lok's people and returned to Ashdell, too much had changed in her soul and countenance for home to feel the same ever again.
Now somewhat older and wiser, or at least sadder, she agreed to an arranged marriage far away and carved out a nebulous role for herself at the edge of others' expectations. That role fell more within her control when her husband, essentially a stranger, died unexpectedly.
Her husband Melic had been the brother of Amir Farid Ibn Baha, who ruled the prosperous city of Lazular in the fringes of the Seret Mountains. Farid continued to welcome his brother's strange widow, realizing that her secrets could be to his advantage.
Mirielle proved a valuable set of eyes, ears, and invisible hands. Her close association with Archlector Snaaib paved the way for Lazular to take a strong position in the Empire. Gerra even appointed her to represent Lazular and her brother-in-law on the Imperial Divan - a privilege rarely afforded to a client state.
Mirielle visited home from time to time by way of the Cairou River and portal stones. On one such journey, a horde of orcs waylaid her in the Spine and killed her escorts. With local survivors, she took refuge in the abandoned Ethenveld Castle. During their last stand, she was rescued by Taun-Lok, a mysterious inhuman priest-king. When he sacrificed an orc to summon a reptilian god for consultation, the god chose to speak to Mirielle. She asked it for advice in defending her home and people against certain growing threats, and was given a riddle in return. She opted to follow the riddle rather than return home safely.
The riddle, and the ways of Taun-Lok's people, came to dominate Mirielle's young life. Deeply conflicted and disgusted, she nevertheless joined in sacrificial rituals to get necessary information from what she came to know as the Serpent Gods. Through risk, initiative, and unpleasant need, she began to practice Divine magic, particularly a sacrificial kind. She traveled with Taun-Lok's people in their wars and explorations for more than a year. Throughout all this, she kept a detailed, blood-smeared sketchbook with comprehensive notes. She chronicled everything unusual she saw, in part to keep her mind off the cost of her new knowledge. By various means, she sent occasional messages home, to keep her father apprised of her general welfare. She became secretive and depressed, and though she sought for her old self, she could never quite manage the carefree approach again. And though she eventually left Taun-Lok's people and returned to Ashdell, too much had changed in her soul and countenance for home to feel the same ever again.
Now somewhat older and wiser, or at least sadder, she agreed to an arranged marriage far away and carved out a nebulous role for herself at the edge of others' expectations. That role fell more within her control when her husband, essentially a stranger, died unexpectedly.
Her husband Melic had been the brother of Amir Farid Ibn Baha, who ruled the prosperous city of Lazular in the fringes of the Seret Mountains. Farid continued to welcome his brother's strange widow, realizing that her secrets could be to his advantage.
Mirielle proved a valuable set of eyes, ears, and invisible hands. Her close association with Archlector Snaaib paved the way for Lazular to take a strong position in the Empire. Gerra even appointed her to represent Lazular and her brother-in-law on the Imperial Divan - a privilege rarely afforded to a client state.
Skills and Assets
Mirielle had a comprehensive education as a child of minor royalty. She studied proper, formal College Magic under tutors and in Elbion itself, but never had significant aptitude for it.
Secretly, she performs blood sacrifices to what she calls the Serpent Gods, and may be their only human follower. The most serious sacrifices involve sapient beings, which is deeply distasteful to Mirielle. She likes to think of herself as an ethical person, so she only performs these kinds of sacrifices at great need and when there's a genuinely evil person available to kill. Unfortunately, the Serpent Gods have a strong preference for sapient sacrifice.
Mirielle's greatest strengths as a magician are invoking curses and scrying.
Secretly, she performs blood sacrifices to what she calls the Serpent Gods, and may be their only human follower. The most serious sacrifices involve sapient beings, which is deeply distasteful to Mirielle. She likes to think of herself as an ethical person, so she only performs these kinds of sacrifices at great need and when there's a genuinely evil person available to kill. Unfortunately, the Serpent Gods have a strong preference for sapient sacrifice.
Mirielle's greatest strengths as a magician are invoking curses and scrying.
References
- Amaranthine Apotheosis — Mirielle obtains a magical artifact.
- The Strength of Foundations — Mirielle begins an association with Archlector Snaaib and meets some dangerous magicians.
- Play the Hand of Fate — Mirielle plays a high-stakes card game in Lazular.
- Skirmish in the Sands — Mirielle supports Amir Farid's forces in a skirmish against the White Swallow's Shktamat warband and the elven mage Ashieron.
- You knew what I was when you picked me up — Mirielle welcomes the mage Ava Gilleth to Lazular.
- Pilgrimage of Rippled Blades — Mirielle and Amir Farid encounter General Ashuanar while traveling to buy swords from the Sereti Ogres.
- From the Inside, Looking Out — Mirielle and the Divan welcome Gerra home.
- Gifts in the Grasslands — Mirielle and General Ashuanar lead a diplomatic expedition on Gerra's behalf.
- Divan Dealings — Mirielle serves on the Divan.
- Friend or Foe? and Annuakat: Prince in Chains — Mirielle brings Gerra's half-brother to Annuakat.
- For Those in Need of Home and Homestead — Mirielle represents the Amir in a major colonization initiative around Fort Shalik and the Cairou headwaters.
- Titanfall: Preventing Disaster and The Sleeping Sea — Mirielle grapples with a globe-spanning crisis of magic.
- Rumors of War — Unveiled as a blood magician, Mirielle's strategic scrying aids Gerra as his army attempts to break the siege of Alcazar.
Clouded Dreams
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