Mairwyn Nic Asgaill
Arthael Mairwyn Nic Asgail
Mairwyn Nic Asgaill is the current presiding Arch-Duchess of the Knochenwald within the Cimbormen Empire, and the Arthael of the Elven people therein as of the year 1498.
After a relatively uneventful live as an apprentice to her hometown's Bandura, a priestess-druidess sans wisewoman, she was identified as having the same birthmark as every single Arthael, believed to be the reincarnation of a long dead monarch of the Elven empire of old with the same name, has had and was dispatched to compete in the trials awaiting all of the individuals identified with said mark following the death of the previous Arthael.
After a year, she emerged as the sole survivals of the trials put in front of the 'aspirants', as is practically always the case - with one emerging victorious, the others ending up dead. Recognized as the 'true' Arthael and carrying the blessings of the ancestors, she was sworn in as the Arthael with the blessings of an assembled council of Bandurae and a gathering of other assorted, more worldly, leaders, and subsequently as the Arch-Duchess of the Knochenwald. Her ascension to the position went relatively unopposed, despite being somewhat controversial - all the other, more favored and experienced candidates had ended up dead during the death of the last Arthael and her swearing-in.
She has no great popularity among the nobility of the Cimbormen Empire, as is the tradition. Unlike some of her predecessors, Mairwyn has yet to make any overtly hostile actions towards the Empire and its rulers, although some more skeptical outside eyes might attribute this to much of her first year being dedicated to being rapidly educated on the matters of statecraft by her peers. On the rare few journeys she has made outside of the Knochenwald as Arthael, she has been known to visit local Elven populaces, usually bringing some manner of gifts (often of a more practical variety such as food or direly needed tools or clothes) for them, suggesting to some that she is trying to get wider recognition - and following - among the more spread out, often downtrodden, groupings of Elves within the Empire's populace.
Her pale complexion, eyes, and hair, as well as her background as a would-be priestess of the Elves of the Knochenwald have lend much substance to accusations of witchcraft by the ever-common Elf-hating people outside of the Knochenwald.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Relatively tall, with a lithe build and silvery white hair reaching no further than her shoulders, Mairwyn does not match the common Cimborian beauty ideals, and when paired with her pallid skin and cold, grey eyes, it is not too difficult to see where descriptions of the woman as an 'Elven witch' come from.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Mairwyn Nic Asgaill was born in the small town of Arbeth to a hunter and his wife, deep within the vast forestscape of the Knochenwald. Picked out for what was apparently a keen mind at a young age, she was from an early age on trained by Arbeth's local Bandura, Dealla, to one day follow her up. While certainly not anything even remotely close to a formal education, she was taught of herbs and medicine, of the ancestors, their worship, and their rituals, and the ways of the hunt and of combat - all things a true priestess of the woodland Elves of the Knochenwald are expected to know of and be competent at.
Born with an unusually pale skin and with silvery white-grey hair, and often secluded from the others due to her lessons, Mairwyn was an outsider among the local youth and was little-liked by them, having trouble to socialise and fit in with them - some of them being fearful of her thanks to her appearance, and most steering clear of her. This changed somewhat as they all grew older and more mature, and perhaps with the realization that she would one day be one of the most important people within Arbeth that they could very well need the aid of one day. Still, she remained somewhat isolated from her peers for most of her life.
Her tutor, Dealla, had long since recognized the small spots on the woman's lower back, indicating her to potentially be the Arthael reincarnated, and when word came that the Knochenwald's ruler had departed, the druidess had her spirited sent off for the capital, to compete with others born with similar markings, to see whom would become the next Arthael and ruler of the Knochenwald. Entirely unaware of any of this for most of her life, this came as a great surprise to Mairwyn, although on the journey towards Penmach she became more and more convinced that it should be she rather than any others that should become the next ruler - even if she did not particularly feel like a reincarnation of a long-dead monarch.
While the trials put in front of the aspirants are a well-guarded secret and remain a mystery to most, Mairwyn was the only one of the candidates to emerge victorious from them due to a combination of resilience, cunning, and most likely no small amount of trickery and backstabbing. Following this, she was coronated in 1498.
Education
Mairwyn received education from one of the Bandurae, the Knochenwald's priesthood-caste, and as such has been educated in manners regarding herbs and medicine, the ancestors and the worship of the ancestors, the ancient rituals of the Elven people (or at least the variant shown within the Knochenwald's borders), the hunt, and to an extent, combat.
Upon her ascension to Arthael and, by extent, Imperial Duchess, she received education on matters regarding diplomacy and statecraft by senior officials and advisers of her predecessor.
Accomplishments & Achievements
The most important of Mairwyn's accomplishments thus far are political and military in nature. Politically, she has managed to improve relationships with the rest of the Cimborian Empire, at least in part, through a less rebellious and hostile approach to non-Elven dignitaries and statesmen, and she enjoys great popularity among the Empire's Elven populace, even more so outside of the Knochenwald itself than within its borders, with many of the local nobility finding themselves to possess more overtly rebellious streaks, still.
When it comes to the military, she has made continued steps towards modernizing the duchy's military under her own banner, both to provide for a better defense against outside threats, and to be able to better deal with any internal strife.
Social
Hobbies & Pets
Mairwyn Nic Asgaill is known to be fond of hunting, and is often accompanied by large, vicious dogs bred for the hunt. Rumor has it that these beasts have been taught to hunt and devour humans, but such claims, persistent as they are, are as of yet entirely unsubstantiated and are decried as slander and propaganda by political enemies.
Relationships
History
Political in nature, the two became acquainted upon the Elf's ascension to the throne of her homeland two years ago. Roughly similar in their political approaches, to an extent, and with little reason for outright hostility, relations appear to be on friendly terms.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Both consider stability within the Empire and Vreya as a whole as something of great importance and, as such, share common interests in this. Likewise, both share recreational interests such as hunting.
Shared Acquaintances
Various political figures throughout the Cimborian Empire.
History
Although the two do not known each other intimately (something Lennaert is keen on changing in his quest to bed the Elven noblewoman), the two have met each other a decent number of times due to many of the political and social functions arranged by the Imperial court.
Species
Ethnicity
Birthplace
Arbeth, the Knochenwald
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Penmach, the Knochenwald
Gender
Female
Eyes
Grey blue.
Hair
Half-long, silvery white.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale white.
Height
174cm
Aligned Organization
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments