Ilmira Theosa
The Living Bastion
General Ilmira Theosa
"I can't do this, Theol! I don't even - I can't - I can barely manage just being a person, I can't - this is too much!""Then don't be a person, Miri. Be a symbol."".... Okay. Right. I... I'll try."- Miri and Theol, circa. 528
Born Miri of Mervine, the woman who would become known as Theolin's greatest warrior initially showed no such signs of greatness. Now known as Ilmira Theosa, she was instrumental not only on the battlefield of the war, but in the background as well. Joining the Theoli Revolution as a teenager, Ilmira first worked as a scribe and aide for the Lavender Correspondence, putting her small amount of magic to use. She grew close to both Juventia and Pyrion, eventually resulting in the discovery of her Armor.
Upon the declaration of Theolin's independence, she refused any political power or status, outside of what she had already gained as a General of the Revolution. She purposefully avoided any discussions of interim government, instead taking time to recover after the last engagement of the war, during which she was severely injured. As such, she missed the coronation of the twins, but has been by their sides ever since.
Biography
Early Life
"If you could just try, Miri, please -""Yes, Mum. I'll do better.""No, we both know you won't. I know it's not right to ask it of you, with your condition and all, but - are we sure the doctor was correct? You've much too bright a mind to be Soul-touched, not at this age.""I don't know, Mum.""Well, I do. And you - you're too strong to be Soul-touched, do you hear me? Whatever this is, it will pass. But only if you keep trying. Don't forget again."- Elsin and Miri of Mervine, circa 516
The middle of three children, Ilmira grew up surrounded by examples she could never quite reach. Her parents, Elsin and Kethan, were the main livestock health experts in their region. They kept a large garden and a small plot of land, but primarily bred and raised farm horses. Their household specialized in the crossing of the taller, sleeker lowland horses with the stockier Hariad ponies, in order to make strong, sturdy work and cart horses better suited to the foothills.
Ilmira grew alongside other village children, and her differences were at first too small to be of much note, or put down to personal preferences instead of the signs they would only be recognized as much later. She tired easily, didn't fare well in the weather's extremes, and quickly came to prefer the indoor or horse work to the garden labor or other chores. For the first few years of her life, her parents accepted this is what came of being the youngest child. After her younger sister began to surpass her, however, it became more and more obvious that Ilmira would not grow into the role her family expected.
Unfortunately, her manifesting magical ability did not soften her family's perspective on what was proving to be a lifelong illness. Instead, her ability to sometimes call small flames, or to warm water for bathing or cooking, became a poor sign of talent wasted, particularly when no one else in her family manifested any other magic. It seemed, to her siblings, that Ilmira was relying on her bit of magic or a foolish doctor's diagnosis to skirt work that they then had to complete. Those accusations dissolved whenever they saw her try to accomplish her own work, but had a habit of returning when times were hard.
Joining the Revolution
"I know my father's here to buy horses for our guild - but those horses will need someone to take care of them. Do you know anyone who'd be willing to travel with us? At least for a while?""Well. There's me."- Juventia and Ilmira, circa 521
When Ilmira was sixteen, Soren Calcade, then up-and-coming in the Lavender Correspondence Messenger's guild, came to Mevine on business. He was accompanied by his seventeen year old daughter, who would go on to take the name of Juventia as Theolin's first and only queen. At the time, going by different names and leading different lives, the two struck up a conversation while their parents haggled over the price of a few horses for the guild's use.
Worried that her family was growing to resent her, Ilmira took the chance Juventia offered her: to join the Lavender Correspondence, at least for a time. Before accepting, Ilmira warned the Calcades that she was considered Soul-touched, and perhaps not the employee they truly wanted. At Soren's response, that they wanted the employee who understood the job and all it entailed, regardless of conditions they carried or limits, she joined without further hesitation. Ilmira wasn't aware of the guild's revolutionary ties until later, though she once said she'd likely have joined regardless.
When Ilmira developed her magic's second core, as an inscription or 'scribe' mage, she worked closely with Juventia and Pyrion alike to help develop the message and spy network that allowed the revolution to flourish. Though she wasn't a particularly powerful mage and still tired easily, they would often have her sit and transcribe conversations she overheard while on duty, or make copies of documents they needed to see without breaking the initial document's seal. When open conflict began, she traveled with Juventia to arrange the revolution's supply lines.
Becoming A Legend
"You're going to need a new name. An Orelli name. Something that will make them respect and fear you, that won't let them dismiss you as a backwater farmer. We can keep it close enough to your original that people will think it's a nickname, in case someone fouls up. Amiri? Amaria? No... Ilmira."- Theol, circa 528
While sorting through the supplies gained after seizing a noble's house, Ilmira jokingly tried on a part of an old decorative armor. The armor, to everyone's surprise, turned out to be more than a family heirloom or wall decoration - it held magic, and reacted at Ilmira's touch. After a thorough round of experiments, they concluded that the armor would not function for others as it did for her. And when Ilmira tried to call on her magic after being fully dressed in the armor, what should've called a small candle flame burned down a wing of the mansion.
Initially, Ilmira and her companions at the time planned to wait to try anything with the armor until after it could be presented to Soren Calcade or Theol, current heads of the rebellion. While waiting, however, they received news of a nearby battle where revolutionary forces had been caught fleeing, and were now pursued by Orelli forces. When it seemed some of the revolutionaries might try to shelter in a town along the way, the Orelli forces began to burn it to the ground. Furious, Ilmira convinced Juventia to help her into the armor, and set off for the site of the battle. By calling on her magic, she reached it in time to make a difference, though much of the town was still destroyed.
After her first appearance, and much debate, it was decided that Ilmira should keep using the armor in select circumstances. Some battles she was asked to appear at, or to make demonstrations at gatherings. Others, she joined of her own accord, such as when she sent The Bastion's Missive near the end of the war.
During the course of the war, her status as someone who was Soul-touched was kept secret. It was felt that having her origins be mysterious would serve to heighten the appeal of the Flame-Made-Flesh, and the more faith they could garner in both Ilmira and the Revolution, the better.
Physical Dossier
Physiology
"A darker skinned woman of average height, possessing primarily Hariadi features..."- An Orelli spy report
Ilmira, even in armor, is not the imposing figure expected of a legend. At approximately 5'6" and with a weight that varies between just over 100 and just under 115 pounds, she hardly seems capable of lifting a sword, let alone swinging it with any great strength. With the additional dark hair and mid-tone eyes, Ilmira can pass as a local just about anywhere in Theolin, though her eyes show at least some degree of Hariadi genetics.
Magic
"Passion Core - Elemental; Pyrokinetic.
Logic Core - Communication; Inscription
Power level fluctuation significant. Upper limit unknown. Further investigation required."
- Excerpt from an Orelli spy report
Ilmira's magic first manifested when she was approximately eleven years old, first showing as the ability to conjure heat. When focused, that heat could become flame, though she was unable to reverse the action or always call heat on command. In fact, she often complained of being cold. This ability has expanded significantly, allowing Ilmira to call much stronger and more focused flame for longer periods of time while under the effects of her armor. Without it, she can still call heat, but summoning flame takes more than her body has to give, often requiring her to spend several days bedbound after even a small demonstration.
At age eighteen, the logic core of her ability manifested, allowing her to expand her work for the Lavender Correspondence messenger guild. What began as idle doodling revealed her ability to perfectly copy the written word, and make words appear on other surfaces. This ability proved much easier for Ilmira to utilize without the armor's support, and she still uses it with some degree of frequency.
By now, Ilmira's magic is considered to be fully developed, with any possibility of further manifestations or mutations slim to none. Her ability to mix her magics, however - such as when she created the words in flame at Harlan's Valley - makes her an unusual example of a modern mage. How much of this is her ability, and how much is due to the armor's influence, is unknown.
"As a final note - regarding claims of divinity. Ilmira herself denies them in any and all capacities, though she is aware of at least one group who worship her as a Godsform of the Younger Sister deity. When informed that several groups were considering the current age the 'Age of the Sun' due to her abilities, she only sighed, and refused to comment. Personally, I do not doubt there is some degree of magical machination behind her ability. But there is no sign that she is truly gods-blessed or a Godsform at this time."- From an Orelli spy report
Divine Classification
Godsform (debated)
Conditions
Date of Birth
20 Metoran 505
Year of Birth
505 O.L.
27 Years old
Children
Pronouns
She/Her
Gender
Female
Appears in...
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