Ila Irdleliem

Ila was the Princess of the Kingdom of Elvatar and also the Queen of the Valdoreians in Veland. She led her people on the exodus from the continent during the Disaster of Unara, and fought in the Sunset War against the Kingdom of Epixus. She's known as a wise and patient leader, but also a fierce warrior when it came to protecting her people. She bonded with the halfling Jorga Greywing, and they ruled the Valdoreians in Veland until his disappearance to found the Dark Guild.

History

Early Life

Ila was born in Valdorei in the year 533 AG, to the Kingdom of Elvatar. She was the daughter of King Nandum and Queen Alveral. As a Princess of the Elvatar, she was expected to be able to protect her people, so she learned how to channel Divine Magic and fight with a Scimitar. However, the realm lasted in relative peace for over 500 years, so she never had to use her abilities. Her mother passed away, and her father was already the oldest Elf to have lived, so she was in effect, ruling by the time the Disaster of Unara destroyed the Kingdom.

Disaster

She organized a resistance to the Disaster and held with Clerics and Paladins against it for as long as possible, but they were ultimately overwhelmed, and Valdorei was destroyed. She ensured her people, and the dwarven peoples were evacuated, and sailed them East, leaving behind the continent and anyone who remained. It's rumored that she valued the lives of her people so much, that she stayed behind for as long as possible, fighting with magic and her scimitar, against hordes of demons and devils swarming up out of chasms. She refused to board the ships, and had to be dragged aboard by her father's royal guard, as she didn't want to abandon a single citizen on the ravaged continent.

Sunset War

Upon arriving on the Western shores of Veland, she attempted to communicate her people's need to the King of Epixus, King Turled, but he insisted that they not be allowed to settle. Her father, as his last declaration as King, ordered their men to carve out a swath of land for their people, going against the orders of King Turled, and declared open war against any who would stop them. King Nandum was killed in the first battle, leaving Ila to handle the rest of the war.

The war raged for years, with her people spreading as far as they could to survive, until one day, a halfling dropped down behind her with a dagger in his hand. She attempted to stop him, but he had already dropped it, and introduced himself as Jorga Greywing. He professed how her beauty has overtaken him, and she was taken aback by his forwardness. In her 500 years, there had been many suitors, but none she found worthy. Yet here was a halfling who had no fear for himself. She spared him, and bid him listen to her tale of woe. Upon completion of her tale, she begged him to end the war, and save her people.

Jorga did what his was bid, and he did his best to end the war. Ila worked closely with him to relocate her people onto reserved areas of the Kingdom and they began courting one another over the next few years while she solidifed her new realm.

Later Life and Death

However, following the ending of the Prime Demon threat and the new Age of Heroes, she detected a change in her lover. He had a darkness hanging over him that she could not banish. He would disappear for longer and longer, until there was some disagreement with a Dwarf named Bil Fyn, who forced Jorga to leave the Martial Guild, which had taken up most of his focus. From that moment on, he was a changed man, and she begged him not to give into the darkness that had overtaken him. Her pleading fell on deaf ears, and he left, never to see her again.

Her sadness persisted for the remainder of her time, but she resigned herself to her rule, and ensuring the protection of her people, as her parents had bid her prior centuries prior. She took a small comfort in the connection her and Jorga still shared, as even though he left, he never severed the emotional bond between them. She could sense him, and feel how dark his mind still was, but took comfort that he was still alive.

In the year 127 AH, at 660 years old, Queen Ila clutched at her heart while seated on her throne, let out a sob for Jorga, and collapsed onto the floor of the throneroom.

Legacy

Ila's legacy is a complicated one. She served for her people, and was beloved by all Valdoreians for her selfless rule, but remained hated for her scorched earth tactics against Epixian towns and citizens. She considered each of her citizens innocent, so every innocent that was killed in the war, she would inflict it back ten-fold. Her fighting spirit waned as she neared the later years of the war, and when she met Jorga it disappeared entirely.

She would become a kind and loving ruler once again, with the assistance of her bonded lover. The two never had children, so the throne passed to her cousin, Zala Kos, who was too ambitious for his own good. She had tried to temper him towards the end of her life, as she knew that with Jorga leading the Dark Guild, she would never have children of her own and she hoped for continued peace for her people. She failed to temper his spirit though, and he led several uprisings against Epixus, each of them failing and the numbers of the Valdoreians began to dwindle. He tried to lead a fourth uprising as he neared his end, but a coup overthrew him, and a new dynasty was put on the throne. Queen Thadu Feyel made a peace treaty with Epixus, and tensions eased. Valdoreians were eventually even allowed to settle in the region, although this was long after Epixus had fallen and been replaced by the Empire of Carladia. Dwarven Valdoreians eventually split and formed their own kingdom, Bhamtodur, in the World Core Mountains, leaving just the elves to be ruled by the new Feyel dynasty.