Cavanassi

Saint Cavanassi Vechinae Ilesanae

One of the Thirteen Mage Lords or D'arcan, Saint Cavanassi brings a unique and valued perspective to the Council. Having served as a lifelong cleric in the church of Vrishka, she not only brings expertise in the realm of Divine Magic that no other Mage Lord possesses, but also bureacratic and management experience of being affilliated with such a large and expansive church.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Cavanassi was born and grew up within D'arcan. Her parents were not wizards, but in the meritocracy had proven themselves enough that she could be afforded extra opportunities for learning and education.
From an early age, Cavanassi seemed more interested in understanding people and in history than she did in the arcane arts. She became enthralled with the mythical stories of the Lost Age, of the Gods and Goddesses that created T'sara, and defended it from the Fey.
The more she learned, the more reverent she became. She found her calling as a servant to the Gods, dedicating herself specifically to Vrishka, Second of Six Sisters and creator of Man and Magic.
Her path from a Parson to Mage Lord is complex, as those within the divine rarely progress outside of it. The Yozigbi Hordes had been gathering on the warpath. Cavanassi answered the call for chaplains to serve within the Valetanian provincial army. This encapsulated not only performing sacred rituals, but entering the battlefield alongside the men, acting as a medic, or, as needed, last rites. She personally attended to the care and burial of the dead, regardless of side, to ensure they were buried according to the dictates of Dineth, the God of Death.
Having performed with distinction, she was elevated within the church. Her temporary position in the military heirarchy became a permanent commission, having become something of a hero from her daring actions to save others in battle. Her experience in leading congregations and later multiple churches helped her lead in government positions, as few accomplished wizards had true experience in leadership. As she rose, her unique knowledge and perspective became more widely sought after by her superiors.
She has been the Mage Lord of her native Valetania province for a dozen years or so. In that time, she's been able to put a chaotic and mismanaged province to a greater order, much to the thanks of her constituent citizens. She's also been critical in helping cool tensions on the southern borders with the Yozigbi and Birena.

Sexuality

Cavanassi has been a strictly monogamous woman, often too preoccupied with her work to seriously consider a relationship. For her, intimacy is solely a means to express one's love for another. She's seen and heard countless tales while Chaplain if where people acting outside this paradigm have gotten into trouble.
She's also seen that care for others translate as an additional motivation to serve and fight. In her eyes, the cost and struggles are worth the gains, even if she has not been lucky enough to find the right man herself.

Education

Cavanassi went through extensive education to enter the Vrishkan church, including a number of languages. In her Chaplaincy, she's expanded her religious training to understand and complete the rites and rituals of most faiths in D'arcan. Although not a wizard, her understanding of the intricacies of the Arcane exceeds that of most of the Darcani graduates.

Acting as one of the heads of state of the nation, she has become increasingly fluent in foreign languages and dialects, beyond the dead languages of print.

Accomplishments & Achievements

While in her Chaplaincy, Cavanassi performed a great heroic act that made her a part of D'arcan history. In the midst of battle, she was able to personally rescue a dozen soldiers from the battlefield, resuccitating them all back to life, including three wizards. Her brave act immediatelly granted a huge rapport between her and the soldiers, as well as increased the morale of the unit. In their eyes, the Gods themselves were on their side, so long as Cavanassi was with them.
For having gone well above the call of her position, she was not only given a permanent comission, but a rare decoration in the Order of Silver Moon.

Mental Trauma

Cavanassi is troubled by the sights she saw of war. The Yozigbi are terrifying in the battlefield, with little dignity for the injured or dying. The gruesome faces and bodies she witnessed still haunt her, though less dreadfully over time. She's taken to making this curse a blessing, as all the more reason to avoid further conflict, so that hopefully no one may else may have to suffer.

Intellectual Characteristics

The Divine Mage Lord is a consistent reader, though this is hardly unusual for someone in her position. While her fellow Mage Lords have risen through the ranks by trying to uncover magical secrets or show profound mastery, Cavanassi remains more interested in understanding the people's of the world. Though she wouldn't call herself a historian or scholar, she's read a great deal of the past, either of wars or of leaders both great and flawed. She finds them great vehicles to understanding the minds of others, including the minds of her contemporaries at times.

Morality & Philosophy

Both from her teachings, her time as a chaplain, and personal study of philosophy, Cavanassi is committed to peaceful diplomacy. The act of war and violence, to any degree, can never be constructive or beneficial. All it can ever do is harm and destroy, making the work a net loss, even in the victorious.
In her study of magic that is so commonly practiced in D'arcan, she views magic as an ultimately unknowable expression. Magic is part of the divine energy itself; almost echoing the words of The Divine Balance. Why the powers and spells she's granted through her religious fealty are different from that of the Arcane, she's made a few guesses, and even spoken her theories at the academy. In the end, the difference is an academic concern she's rarely uninterested in. The knowledge of magical powers is less important than what is done with the knowledge that's obtained, and the Mage Lords have not always been even handed with that knowledge.

Social

Reign

Cavanassi rules over the Valetania region of D'arcan. It's regional capital Mentallani is her hometown. This region, though roughly average for the size of land, is one of the more sparsely populated regions of the nation. The northern reaches are hilly, approaching the Certe mountains and the D'arcani Dwarves that reside there. The area is warm and arid. With minimal waterways, it is principally reliant on rainfall for it's agriculture.

Contacts & Relations

Cavanassi is not only a frequent negotiator with rival nations on the southern border, but she's a mediator even among the mage lords. She understands Marllyn's long approach, and sees the benefit of her goals. Kehr Trinax on the other hand, is notoriously difficult; a spoiled brat of a dwarf who uses consistent threat of secession and war to get what he wants. Being one of his neighbors, Cavanassi has the most urgent need to prevent this from happening, and has the most to offer in trying to pacify his actions.

Religious Views

Her position as Chaplain has provided her a long view regarding religion and dedication to Gods that she did not hold as a young woman. At first, it seemed natural and obvious to dedicate herself to Vrishka, above all other things, and looked down on those who did not see the world as she did. Having been responsible to counsel those of different persuasions, and even grant religious ceremonies in accordance to religions she was not was a member of, has allowed her to see from a greater number of perspectives.

It's from this perspective that she finally began understand the old legends of the first Mage Lords, leaving a city-state of Rija, fully dedicated to Vrishka, to avoid the dogmatic dictates of The Divine Balance that was growing in the country of Vishy. There's enough room in the world for multiple understandings of the Gods, and multiple ways that by which someone may pay respects and serve them, both in and out of the church.

Species

Humans

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Beyond her title as Mage Lord, she has reached the title of Saint within the Church of Vrishka. While some use this term for the celebrated dead, in her faith, this is also a term for those presumed to be blessed and chosen by the Second Sister herself. With her heroics, and lifetime of service, it's hard to imagine that the title is not appropriate.

Age

55

Aligned Organization

D'arcan