Gwaeron Sulime Dethemir
Guildmistress Gwaeron Sulime Dethemir (a.k.a. Gwae)
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Gwae is physically weaker than the many Eladan, on par with human, but is otherwise physically healthy. Not particularly athletic, she retains a slim frame.
Body Features
Gwae's skin is pale and often cold to the touch, even in the summer. Her skin is unnaturally unblemished and any mundane marks made on her skin disappear after a short time. Her fingers, arms and legs are long and slender.
Facial Features
Gwae has a round-shaped face with large eyes and soft features. Her pointed ears stick out at an angle from the sides of her head. Her hair is silver, almost metallic, save for a maroon lock in the front. This is often tied back in an elaborate braid. Her eyes are a piercing, unnatural blue.
Identifying Characteristics
Gwae's Sidhe features (pointed ears, hair and eye colour) makes her stand out from humans, while her distinct, deep red forelock makes her easily recognizable among her kin.
Physical quirks
Gwae favours the left hand when writing.
Special abilities
Gwae is a powerful spellcaster of the Amainsecht School of Arkane, with strong proficiency in Druidecht, her knowledge heightening her natural abilities, which are middling by Tuatha de Danann standards. Gwae is immune to cold and can see well in low-light conditions. She is immune to fairy time (but acutely aware of the concept of time) and can enter Faerie without difficulty.
Apparel & Accessories
Gwae typically wears a sky blue dress made from a shimmering silk-like fabric, enchanted with magic by Gwiader weavers, with long sleeves and two triangular cuts down the front of the dress. She wears a corset, embroidered with knotwork and a dark blue shortcape and matching waistcape. each clasped with a triskellion medallion. She typically wears the beret of the Merchantmen, light purple in honor of the local Korrigan Troupes she works with.
Gwae is capable of altering her clothing's appearance at will with her glamour.
Specialized Equipment
Gwae has a silver staff, topped with a triskellion in a circle. At the center is a blue sapphire, formed in a volcanic forge in FJallkonan. Gwae uses this to channel magical energy and focus herself.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Gwae recalls little of her childhood, living in idyllic bliss in the Cruacha Gorma of Murias, the Northwestern Province of Emain Ablach. Her tranquil life was shattered when a fleet of sails appeared on the horizon, bearing the dread Eye of the Fomorian Ard Rí Balor. Gwae, attending a festival in the city, was caught in the attack, forced to hide for 3 days as Balor's forces sacked the city and the forces of Tir na nÓg drove back the attackers.
With each second existing in clear clarity as the city burned around her, Gwae watched the chaos unfold. When she was pulled, nearly catatonic from the wreckage, it was determined that she was experiencing Time Madness. She found herself unable to connect with the lotus-eater existence of her fellow Eladan, finding little joy or connection as her friends returned to their blissful days of feasting and dancing, even as the Eye of Balor remained watching in graffiti around the city.
Gwae became obsessed with the acquisition of new knowledge, teaching herself to read both Ogham Script and the languages of the Fomorian and Bediz, pouring over any book she could get her hands on. She spent weeks following around anyone who talk to her, and many who wouldn't, constantly asking questions about their craft and personal details.
Gender Identity
The Sidhe only rarely acknowledge gender and even more rarely define themselves. However, in her time among the Bediz, Gwae has adopted a personal and public identity as female.
Sexuality
While the concept of strict binary genders of the Bediz is culturally absent from the Eladan, Gwae finds herself drawn physically and emotionally to exclusively female partners. Gwae strives to find a balance between the open, intense, but short-lived passions of the Eladan and the more complicated, reserved sexualities of the Bediz. While she is full of doubt in her own personal relationships, she is open about her preferences and lifestyles, despite cultural pushback from socially conservative forces like the Southern Church and the Staunchists.
Education
When Gwae felt she had exhausted what she could learn in Murias, she traveled surreptitiously to Kameled under a glamour as a Bediz peasant girl named "Gwendolyn", acquiring books and attending classes where she could. "Gwendolyn" obtained employment in a noble house, where she carefully would position herself to overhear the private lessons of the nobleman's children and using Arkane to complete her designated chores. From time to time, she would disappear back into a pocket of Faerie when able, usually with a stack of stolen books.
One of the tutors, a visiting scholar from Neustria grew suspicious of the strange serving-girl's odd mannerisms and frequent loitering and began to watch her. Catching "Gwendolyn" taking out a parchment that had been put away by the lord of the manor, the tutor seized the girl and brought her before the castellan, suspecting her of being a spy for the lord's political rival. When confronted, Gwae quickly impressed both the lord and the tutor with her extensive knowledge, her enthusiastic rambling and unending lists of tangential trivia proving without a doubt that she was doing exactly as she claimed. After a discussion and the realization that "Gwendolyn" had seemed to acquire everything taught, except anything with any worthwhile strategic value, a decision was made to allow her to continue her studies while serving a more useful role as the castellan's assistant. No longer having to conceal her intentions, she excelled at the management of the estate. Under Gwae's hidden patronage, the household flourished, favoured by inexplicably good harvests and weather.
Employment
After several seasons, Gwae traveled with the lord of the manor to Carusburg, where she was fascinated by the fast-moving economy of the Normany port. She decided it was time to retire "Gwendolyn" and live openly as a Tuatha de Danaan, attaching herself to a local merchanthouse, overseeing the shipping of Calvados to Akitania. Gwae's time in Carusburg came to a head when she, quite accidentally, outnegotiated a rival merchant from the powerful Lugoni Mercantile Guild. Impressed at the personal defeat, Kerrick de Lisieux bought the small shipping business and transferred Gwae to his office in Rotomagus.
Despite reservations from Staunchist Guildmasters, Kerrick secured Gwae's ascension in the organization through a combination of blackmail, bribes and clever politicking. Gwae proved a capable tradesperson, serving as a liason between the Lugoni and the Sidhe Courts, attempting to open up regular commerce, as well as overseeing more mundane connections.
Accomplishments & Achievements
After leaving her home, Gwae has found several notable successes in her trade, administering both the manor house in Kameled and the merchanthouse in Carusburg. Her proudest professional achievement was negotiating the Lugoni official access as full merchants to the Korrigan Goblin Markets of La Manche. She also championed the allowance of Korrigan membership to the Lugoni itself, and the recognition of the Gargoul Tower, “les Alchimistes du Gros Horloge” as a recognized guild.
Failures & Embarrassments
Gwae is considered an embarrassment and an oddity to the Courts of the Seasons, as a result of her Time-Madness, her open cohabitation with Bediz and her eccentricities. Gwae has declared herself a solitary Fae, outside of the protection and obligation to the Unseelie Court of Winter, a choice which is not always accepted by her peers.
Mental Trauma
Gwae suffers from Time Madness, a condition that affects some in the Tuatha de Danaan. Time Madness is a unique psychological condition that renders a Sidhe acutely aware of the passing of time (Chronos) and is generally viewed as quite serious, driving them to madness, despair or, in extreme cases, suicide. After Balor's attack on Murias, Gwae was "awoken" from her blissful existence on Emain Ablach with an intense self-awareness and suffered a complete existential breakdown, rendering her near catatonic.
When she emerged, she found herself questioning everything, desperately attempting to understand not only how things happened, but why. She began to focus intensely on experiencing and learning new things, completely ignoring her former, lotus-eater existence to neurotically study and obsess over details.
In Gwae's case, Time-Madness has manifested itself as with intense self-aware introspection, empathy and awareness of causality and time, leading to neurotic self-questioning and existential crises. Time Madness is viewed as a serious and debilitating condition by the immortal Sidhe, although among humans the condition is barely noticed. Sidhe refer to time-madness as the "human condition."
Intellectual Characteristics
Gwae is intensely inquisitive and analytical, although she still may be subject to fae impulsiveness. She is introspective and empathetic, but fails to sometimes grasp the nuances of human emotions and morality, which are so alien to her culture that they are considered a psychological disorder. She frequently struggles with her Time-Madness as she tries to determine what her existence as a person means.
Gwae is not always adept at reading Bediz emotions or subtle social cues, leading to occasionally awkward interactions.
Morality & Philosophy
Gwae's condition has forced her to confront her emotions and morality in a way that is rare for a sidhe, causing her to consider how her actions may affect others and herself. She strives to be a "good" person and improve herself, but finds both concepts difficult to grasp, leading to a lot of self-doubt.
Taboos
Like all Sidhe, Gwae is bound by Ere-Hud, both racially and personally. As Tuatha de Danaan, Gwae is heavily allergic to cold iron, must keep and enforce a thrice-made promise and must grant Hospitality if properly demanded.
Personality Characteristics
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Gwae is socially awkward in many situations, being viewed as aloof by humans and eccentric to Fae. She is incredibly intelligent, driven and well spoken, but is unsure of her place in either world. She has a loose and incomplete grasp of human emotions.
Gwae can execute complex maneuvers, such as the dances of her homeland or strategy games, but if she thinks too hard about it, she gets in her own head and can stumble.
Likes & Dislikes
Gwae is very fond of cream, as many fae are and can become intoxicated from it. Her favourite colour is blue and her favourite season is winter.
Gwae does not like the indifference of the powerful towards injustice and despises those who abuse others through their authority.
Gwae's favourite pastry - Chasson Aux Pommes
Virtues & Personality perks
Gwae is energetic, kind and intelligent, full of love and positivity. She is cautious and methodical, driven to learn and experience.
Vices & Personality flaws
Cursed with empathy and humanlike emotions, Gwae is unable to grasp or explain these culturally alien concepts to others, making communication difficult for her. She is plagued by self-doubt and worries that what she has come to define as herself is merely a "broken" aspect of her true nature.
Personality Quirks
Although Gwae presents a refined and controlled exterior, she is often fidgeting or pacing. She drums her fingers on her knees when impatient and bites the corner of her lips when she wants to say something.
Hygiene
Gwae takes hygiene and organization very seriously.
Social
Family Ties
Gwae has few connections with her immediate family, unable to connect with them emotionally as a result of her condition. She has contact with more distant kin, such as The Morrigan, the Queen of Winter, and Titania, the Queen of Summer, and others
Religious Views
Gwae's existence is deemed heretical by the Southern Church and she finds herself often targeted by their more zealous members. She has little love for the Church. She feels awkward around druids, as her status as a Tuatha de Danann makes her revered.
Social Aptitude
Gwae presents a confident face in public, but has trouble expressing her personal feelings when she is conflicted. Her mannerisms, empathy and upfrontness (comparatively) are seen as an embarrassment to most Sidhe.
Speech
Gwae speaks with a heavy County Louth accent.
Relationships
History
Afrik lead the siege of Murias, a formative experience for Gwae, who spent the battle beneath a collapsed house.
Wealth & Financial state
Gwae has acquired a small fortune as a guild leader, which she uses to rent a tiny room in the city, or, more specifically, the doorway to one. Gwae is able to live a comfortable life in the city, and has enough funds to maintain her lifestyle. She is a frequent and shrewd investor in trade expeditions and infrastructure, which has allowed her to maintain her wealth, in addition to her take of the deals she negotiates between merchants.
Gwae has used a considerable amount of Arkane power to create a Silverkey, which opens her door into a lavish set of apartments in a remote corner of Faerie. Her pocket of Faerie is considered upper-class, but not overly ostentatious by the standards of the Eladan.
Current Location
Species
Conditions
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Guildmistress of the Lugoni
Circumstances of Birth
Daughter of Banba of the Tuatha de Danaan, Gwae was "awakened" at some point from her lotus-eater existence after the Tearing of the Great Veil when she developed Time Madness.
Birthplace
Emain Ablach
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Gwae's Apartments
Pronouns
She/Her
Gender
Female
Eyes
Ice Blue
Hair
Silver with a dark maroon forelock. Usually tied back in an elaborate braid
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale, cold to the touch
Height
1.7 Metres
Belief/Deity
The Lucht Siúil
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