Mela

Mela (a.k.a. Ireena Kolyana)

TaowhiriTaowhiriTaowhiriTaowhiriTaowhiri last saw Mela when she was 14 years old, younger than him. She is now older due to the different passage of time between the planes. She remembers nothing from before Barovia. She fiercely defends her loyalty to her brother, Ismark Kolyanovich, and family who saved her.
The Death Knight of Neskull kidnapped Mela and took her to Barovia on the orders of Neskull. There he left her on the edge of the woods past the gates, until she was found and adopted by Kolyan Indirovich, the Burgomaster of Barovia. She took the name Ireena Kolyana, and remembers nothing of her past, including the Death Knight who took her from Bygone Isles" href="/w/ilarium-Hardiman12/a/motu-article">MotuMotuBygone Isles" href="/w/ilarium-Hardiman12/a/motu-article">MotuMotuMotu.
Ireena, a striking young woman with auburn hair, has been bitten twice by Strahd. The villagers are afraid of her and avoid her.

Interactions with the Party

C2S5: Approached Taowhiri during the night whilst he was on guard. Spoke of how the Black Knight on the cliff had looked at her, as if he knew her, and questioned Tao on what it was. Tao refused to believe this, stating the knight was after him instead. When Ireena stated that Strahd had been terrorising her ancestors for centuries, Tao asked Ireena why she looked different from her brother ("the colour of your skin?") to which Ireena replied "brothers and sisters can look different, that is not unusual. My father is the Burgomaster. He raised me, and that is all I remember". Tao told Ireena she looked almost like an Islander who had passed through the Divine Gate, like himself. He told Ireena that he left Motu because it was boring and to pursue evil (he was actually trying to get away from evil). Ireena warned Tao that there has been evil ruling over this land for centuries, and that the Black Horseman was a new and different threat.
C2S6: when Strahd ambushed the party in the Svalich Woods outside Valaki, Torinn held his scimitar to Ireena's throat in a ploy to get him to back off. Torinn betrayed the party and handed Ireena's to Strahd, who mounted his horse in a trance and rode off with him to Castle Ravenloft. Once there, she was sequestered away in the bridal suite to await the wedding, prepared for three days hence.

Physical Description

Body Features

Lightly tanned skin, auburn hair. Slim (more slender than her teenage years when she was an Islander).

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Before Carric Liadon, Senlin, Taowhiri, and Torinn entered Barovia, wolves and other terrible creatures had attacked the house night after night for weeks. The burgomaster's heart couldn't stand the constant assault, and he died on 26th Snow Moon, Year 735, three days before the party entered through the gates to Barovia. Strangely, since his death, the house has not come under attack. Ireena says that no one from the village has been brave enough to help her brother Ismark take Kolyan Indirovich to the cemetery for proper burial.

Mental Trauma

She doesn't remember her early past on Bygone Isles" href="/w/ilarium-Hardiman12/a/motu-article">Motu with her family. She doesn't know how she came to Barovia or where she came from.
Her encounters with Strahd are fuzzy memories, thanks to his vampiric charm, but she can recall clearly the blazing hunger in his eyes.

Morality & Philosophy

She fiercely defends her loyalty to her adopted brother, Ismark, and the honour of the family who saved her.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Ireena asks the characters if they would be so kind as to help Ismark deliver her father's body safely to Donavich, the local priest. She refuses to be taken to Vallaki or anywhere else while the burgomaster lies dead on the mansion floor.
She will aid companions as best she can to save herself from Strahd. She is willing to accompany them under certain conditions.

Social

Family Ties

Taowhiri (brother) Ismark Kolyanovich (adopted brother)

Religious Views

There is only one god in this land. He is evil incarnate, and caled Strahd. The Morninglord left long ago - it would be foolish to waste time on his prayers.

Social Aptitude

Although she appears mild, she has a strong will.

Speech

Haughty. Insults persons she comes to respect.

Age: 28 (born 2 years after Tao, but time has moved differently in Barovia and she is now 3 years older.

Species

Human

Ethnicity

Islander (Bygone Isles)

Birthplace

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Current Residence

Barovia

Gender

Female

Eyes

Brown with flecks of grey

Hair

Auburn hair

Height

5'10"

Weight

65kg