Ilsa
Snow Princess Ilsa Fáwë (a.k.a. The White Witch)
Lady of the northern regions of the Mountains of Das EkLachen, Ilsa was a powerful warlord of the Disintegration Period in Caládolhn history. This era was after Lordscome and the Great Flood, spanning from 0 Year of Nelqora to 1300 Year of Nelqora. It was a time of petty chiefs and kings fighting over the few fertile plateaus and valleys of the northern mountains. It ended with the region's total conquest by the Nelqorana. Snow Princess Ilsa was an important part of this period in history. Her belligerent raiding of Orï's Grove caused the Nelqorana to quicken their operations.
Before Lordscome
Ilsa was second-born to the clan of Fáwë, clan of the High King Iver. Her brother was the High Prince Liliger, and later her mother, Helwë, would bear Lango, another warlord during the Disintegration Period. As the daughter of the western High King, her ladyship was to be over a vast territory, spanning over all the west of the northern mountains. But she was born at an unfortunate time, at about the end of the Fifth War of Hate. She was the age of one when the High King Iver and Liliger were killed in the siege of Arca. Her mother fled with her and a few servants. They fled westwards and traveled uncounted distances, but at last found refuge among the tribe of Muyyaqar and were treated well. It was here that Helwë gave birth to Lango. He would never see his kingdom; it was destroyed in later conflicts.
In exile Ilsa grew up beautiful and strong. None of the Muyyaqar could beat her in a footrace, and they called her 'Deer Foot'; for often deer would run beside her as she ran beneath the leaves of the woods, but if she thought to outpace them she went quicker than the wind. She was taught many arts and skills by the masters of her city, and grew wise. But many around her thought to themselves that she was a little lesser in all these things compared to her mother, and they wondered if the blood of Iver ran thin.
The Yeqitari were not idle in the meantime. They soon massed upon the eastern marches of the desert and began their sixth invasion of the West. They came in a great sweep across all the Desert Elf lands, and they also went southwards towards the Eresdolhn. It was the greatest mobilization of Yeqitari that had yet been seen, and the kingdoms of the Itie'lman crumbled.
Helwë fell in the onslaught. Ilsa took her family and went with Lango to the docks, where they found a ship and sailed back northwards towards their homeland. There was no land where they could be safe, so they sought to return home to see what good they could do there. But Lango and Ilsa were separated on the shores of Airnan. They would not meet each other again until many years had passed.
Ilsa landed on the beaches of the northern Circa Pass. There she met with those who had once served her father, and she established herself as a rebellious warlord — a thorn against the Yeqitari. Long was her fight, and it was filled with many griefs; and at one point all seemed lost — the Naharaim pounded at her gates — but then was Lordscome, and the gods descended in wrath, and Fionn eä Vanwi came with his hosts and went eastwards to capture Gendûet Seat of Judgement; but Ilsa was left in the quiet of her kingdom's rubble.
After
Ilsa rejected Fionn's offer of return and judgement. She had lost her child in the Wars, and when told that she would still be separated from him, as he lay in the Halls of the Dead while she would be Elsewhere, she was filled with untouchable grief and rage and would not be persuaded to change her mind.
Instead she went about and rebuilt. It was a hard time. There were many like her who sought to bring back the old kingdom of the High King Iver. And while none were successful, Ilsa grew to become a dominant player in the region. She slowly expanded her dominion over the many bickering tribes of Men and Elves and eventually ruled all of the Circa Plateau. But the Plateau was a cold place and snowed for more of the year than not.
She also met with Lango. He had grown strong in her absence and had founded a large kingdom over the western fjords. But it came to be known that these two were related and that both were children of the past High King. It was accepted by both of the landed peoples of both kingdoms that if one were to die, then the other should inherit all their land. While Ilsa thought little of this arrangement, as she still loved her brother and thought him capable, Lango lusted over her territory. He became mean towards Ilsa. So soon they became estranged, and cold, and much love was lost.
Ilsa ruled with her husband, Nekhbish, from their seat of power in Circama — a new town built on the ruins of an ancient city. Together they made their land fair and lovely, and were loved by their peoples.
But time crept forward, and none of Ilsa's arts could dissuade its movement. Coming southwards from unknown lands were a mighty people called the Nelqorana, and they fought like demons. And while she put up a good fight, in the end they conquered all the Northern Mountains and slew many of the Caládolhn. And never again was she to be seen wandering beneath the green leaves of the woods of Circama in spring, the deer attendant to her.
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