Nayella
Nayella is a member of the mysterious Suraathi Species.
Thought not much is known about her people, it has long been understood that the Suraathi send their magically gifted children to study in Elbion. Nayella was among these.
Initially she proved to not only be a diligent student, but an exceptionally gifted mage. Understanding and fully embracing many of the more standard practices of college magic, Nayella grasped concepts more quickly than typical students of her age.
This all changed when she learned that her purpose in Elbion was a lie.
A long held belief shattered during naught but idle conversation, Nayella found herself doubting every belief she'd previously held. Lost, and searching for something new, the gifted student found herself delving into places where even the Masters of Elbion feared to tread.
During her search, Nayella stumbled upon a voice. It was a calling song, one that reached out to her and only her. A small stone of blue and onyx, begging to be held. Though she could not know then what it was, she knew that it was her right. Plucking it from the vault and taking it with her.
Nayella abandoned her place in the City of Mages, stealing the stone and venturing into the night.
Since then she has been spotted all across Arethil, always searching for something, and always causing a wake of destruction in her path.
Appearance
Nayella's appearance is nothing less than unkempt and uncared for.It is very clear that what she looks like is not at all important to her. Once flowing white hair lays atop her head knotted and braided, dirt staining the ends. Her clothes are little more than ragged leathers wrapped around her body, and one stands to wonder how she doesn't stink to high heaven.
Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Nayella is more than eye catching.
She has the appearance of a wilder, the braided knots of her hair wielding an odd assortment of magical trinkets. Her hands are wrapped an in an odd metallic set of gloves. She appears a warrior in a strange sort of way, hearkening back to her roots as a Suraathi.
The strangest adornment upon Nayella however is not her clothes. Rather it is the crown of three stones that sit upon her head. Melded with her flesh these stones appear as horns, yet the odd black and blue coloring note them as something created by artificial means. This 'crown' marks her out of even the most ostentatious crowd.
Skills and Abilities
Nayella is a gifted mage, having studied for most of her youth in College Magic at Elbion.Despite this near lifetime of study, Nayella has all but forgotten this more common form of magic. Instead she young woman has fallen to the study of something all together more dark.
Though not necromancy nor really blood magic, Nayella has through her own studied learned of something she refers to as 'Blight Magic'. Though in truth no such school really exists, Blight Magic is in effect a mixture of various natures of magic itself.
The effects of Blight Magic essentially rely upon utilizing the innate energies of something against itself. Functioning somewhat like entropy, Nayella simply invokes the natural decay, rot, and festering that exists within almost every living thing to fuel her powers. She takes energy from that which is around her, utilizing it to fuel her magics.
Of course the cost of Blight Magic is high, and essentially lays upon an equal valuation. Whatever Nayella manipulates, whatever she changes, must pay the price. If it cannot pay the price, then it will be exacted from Nayella herself, unless of course she directs the price upon something else.
Blight Magic itself cannot be directly used upon inanimate objects such as stone, however, Nayella could take the energy from a living thing near her and direct it towards the inanimate, essentially utilizing the entropy of the living thing to effect what she wants. This however presents more difficulty, and strains her a great deal. Channeling death and entropy through herself in such a manner can not only be taxing, but deadly.
Biography & Lore
Nayella is a member of the Suraathi Species, a group of raider like people that hail from a set of near uncharted islands far to the North of Liadain.Once a proud warrior species, the Suraathi were long ago cowed by a powerful mage of the City of Elbion. Though none know the exact truth, it is said that the Suraathi had spent decades raiding the northern coast of Liadain. They were a terror from the far northern islands, landing on the shore and spending weeks slaughtering everything in their way.
Eventually the people of Liadain's north tired of this, and collectively they called upon the city of Elbion. A mage answered, and though his name and stature is now unknown, the man proved to be a more than effective solution.
Though it is unknown exactly how he accomplished the task, it is said the mage somehow turned the Suraathi's own ferocity upon them. During their final raid the mage cursed the Suraathi, laying upon them a vile spell that effectively broke their ability to make war.
Unfortunately the Mages curse is still not entirely understood even after a millenia of it's passing. The known effects devastated the Suraathi population, dropping the infant survival rate to only one in five. These children were also less magically inclined, the Suraathi's mages coming far more infrequently than among other people. The Curse also marked each member of the species, those that survived birth being magically branded with a distinctive black patch of skin upon their flesh.
The effects of this curse have struck the Suraathi culture hard. Though still holding to their warrior nature, they now act more as isolationists than fierce raiders and killers. The tribes constantly fight among one another for what scant resources can be found upon the islands, stopping only when called upon by the Elder Conclave.
This conclave is called only rarely and for few reasons. One of them being for the birth of a child capable of doing magic.
When this occurs warriors are chosen from various tribes, a blood oath is sworn, and the child is taken to the city of Elbion. This is done in a hope that with enough children gifted to the mages College the curse on the Suraathi will be lifted.
This belief is of course false. The mages of Elbion themselves do not know about or understand this practice, nor have they heard of the course laid upon the Suraathi.
It was this knowledge, given to her during an idle conversation, that set Nayella upon her current path.
Furious at the lies told her by the elders of her people and wrathful at a life sent wasted Nayella delved into the darker secrets of Elbion. Seeking a new path, an understanding of her future she ventured where she was forbidden, seeking knowledge long lost. There she stumbled upon what would bring her to her fate. A sliver of stone, blue and black.
Whispers fell upon her ears, dark claws set within her mind, and the blight called to her.
Though she could not know then what it was, she knew that it was her right. Nayella abandoned the cause of her people, stealing the stone and venturing into the night.
Since then she has been spotted all across Arethil, always searching for something, and always causing a wake of destruction in her path.