Khilgana

Once one of the most celebrated leaders of Drow, General Khilgana committed the unthinkable and surrendered her army rather than dying in combat. Granted mercy, she lead her men and women into parole as political refugees, and has become a prophet of sorts, receiving a dream from Varissa, with a message of forgiveness and unity.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

In her prime, Khilgana may have been close to holding the record for being the tallest among Drow women. Decades under heavy armor and forced march, along with a poor nutrition after surrender has caused her to lose some of those inches, though still roughly equal to most of the male Drow on the island. Having already been born with silk white hair, like most of her kind, helps obscure her age to the Elvish delegates she interacts with. Despite everything that's happened, she still carries herself with pride and authority; her defeat was only a minor setback and necessary to being granted something even greater.

Physical quirks

The Drow General has reached an age that she had not realistically believed she would see; having spent over a century in the soldier's life, before living on this hardened existence on the island of Hylsa. It's laid a tole on her body, notably in her back. She is slow to stand up from a sitting position, and will occassionaly have need of a cane when traveling up the hills of the island. It's not a dignified look by any means, for a Drow or Elf to be in such a fragile state, but she tries to carry herself with the same pride she had whilst in the armor that caused all this.

Specialized Equipment

Khilgana keeps a decorative saber that she was granted upon being given command. Although, in her culture, her surrender was incredibly shameful, the Slyran allowed her to keep it; one of the few pieces of weaponry allowed on the island. Part of it was the magnanimous spirit that has pervaded the whole experience, but the other was that a sword with such decorative finishes is hardly effective as an actual weapon, and as such would generally be safe in her possession.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Khilgana remains a very mission oriented individual, as she has since becoming a junior officer. Her mission is, as it has always been, to take care of the people she's been responsible for, even above the orders she's been given. Now, with an island to govern and tens of thousands of souls to lead, that task is significantly harder, but she's up to the task. She is their defender and advocate, as no one else will be. The Sylran will respect her former position as a general, if nothing else, and what little they have received can be attributed to her continued negotiations and advocacy.

Part of that also entails the sincerity of her other mission, granted by Varissa. She would have never asked to take it, admittedly, and would have never believed it, had she heard it. That may have been the whole reason why she was chosen, in hindsight. Having heard the First Sister's voice and seen her, and been told what to do, she immediately understood and relented to the Goddess' orders. Knowing that unity with Elves really is possible, and she and her people are chosen to make that happen, she is eager to see it realized in her life time, or at least to make it closer to reality than when she began.

Vices & Personality flaws

Khilgana can be open minded while she's deliberating a course of action, but once she's made her decision, she can be very stubborn and unwilling to hear input from others. While this has worked well in the past, refusing to have subordinates question her orders or her authority as general, it's proven more difficult lately. Among other things, the children of the soldiers she lead into battle are adults now, and having not been necessarily raised to be soldiers, lack that structure and are more prone to asking questions, and making their dissenting opinions vocally known. Brenvira is a classic example, the young woman had a good idea and was the ideal choice to leave the island, but it took dozens of seperate conversations of those helping making her case before Khilgana would agree to it.

A downside to her lengthy memory is that she's used it for seemingly petty reasons. Khilgana is not likely to forget slights against her, or her people, and is not above finding payback. This form of backstabbing behavior is common among Drow leadership, both military and poliltical; her former soldiers and their families are aware of it. The Sylran Elves are not, at first, unless they've been notified by their associates. Though it has caused some backsliding diplomatically, it has ensured one thing: her and her people will always be treated respectfully and seriously in her presence.

Social

Reign

She is now the effective ruler of the island of Hylsa, and it's refugee inhabitants. In so doing, she is the ruler of the smallest and least populous nation in all of T'sara. In her mind, it's diminuitive size does nothing to change that, for the moment, it is one one of the most important. The future will start here on Hylsa, and when their mission is achieved, and Drow and Elves are brought back together as one one kind, one family, under one Goddess, Hylsa will be seen as having been the most important part of the world since the Sundering.

Family Ties

The soldiers once under her command are her family now. At the least, they are the only family she will ever see again.

With her soldiers forming families and having children, she is elevated in status of Drow society to that a Matron, a leader and guide of her people. Beyond merely rising in age, it is a sign of great trust and respect, even more so than that of a General.

Religious Views

It would be an understatement to say that she was reluctant to be the one chosen by a God to carry out their will, especially Varissa. She was the enemy, even more than any of the elves or their allies. She would have wanted it to be any one else, but once chosen, she understood her charge fully. It had to be her. She had to lead her people in this new endeavor. She was the only person that would be listened to.
Her reluctance has fallen away in the decades since her first prophetic dream and message. Having seen and heard that living together and a peaceful existence truly is possible, she wants to see that better world realized. She must walk a careful, patient path; one the now adult children grown under The Absolved rarely understand. A strong house must be built on solid foundations.

Since becoming a prophet to Varissa, she has begun praying to the other Gods as well, hoping she might hear from them and be granted guidance for the future. Although contemplation has helped grant some insight, she has not heard from any other God or Goddess.

In the quiet moments before sleep, Khilgana prays deeply to Phoenicia, Sixth of Six Sisters, begging the Goddess of Mercy for forgiveness for all the senseless killing she did as General, for the lives she ordered to their deaths for nothing.

Wealth & Financial state

Khilgana is now, effectively, penniless. Her and her soldiers are entirely reliant on what the Slyran will grant them, which is little more than what they need.
Having found some means to produce valuable exports in the form of wool and meat, there is limited trade occurring, though that too is going to basic necessities, more often than not.
It's a stark difference from the comfortable life she envisioned returning to after the war, assuming she lived. Even through hindsight, she would happily trade all that away for a chance to live longer, especially when being given an even greater mission than she would have imagined.

Species

Drow

Aligned Organization

Hylsa

Other Affiliations

• The Absolved

Ruled Locations

• Sheomalasha