Orissa Sal'ynarai

Orissa Sal'ynarai was a paladin of the Order of Nethsara and twice a hero among her people, for her actions saving Paeriannis from the Resarian Imperium in IY 43 and once for saving her people from utter destruction on Illyara when facing Raeldrek Cloudstill's armies sometime around FY 598.

Stats

 * Birthday: July 2, 1138 BI


 * Death:


 * Nationality: Paerian


 * Race: Fire Elf


 * Sex: Female


 * Alignment: Lawful Good


 * RPG Class: Paladin, Knight, Warrior

Description
Orissa Sal'ynarai is about six feet tall, athletic, with wavy auburn hair that falls to the small of her back. Her armor is black and trimmed in red. She is a soldier first and typically dresses as one. If not in her plate armor, she will wear something more befitting to a soldier. However, if off duty or during a formal occasion, she shows her more feminine side and enjoys silk dresses and gowns and strapped sandals.

Skills
She has a small amount of mana, she can cast few spells, however her magic  truly manifests itself in healing magics. Though still weaker than most magical healers, she is capable of healing battlefield wounds to a limited degree. Her elemental magic is all but useless, except in the arts of fire, as she is a Fire Elf. Generally she uses a mixture of fire magic and nature magic in order to rally and protect her troops. She is capable of inspiring vigor and strength in her troops, of protecting them with magical shields and healing their wounds.

However, as her mana is very limited, such spells will tire her out rapidly. For comparison sake, she does not even have enough mana to be considered a "mage" by the standards of the School of the Arcanites

She is a tactician and a very capable fighter. She tried but failed to become a Veyelle . The fact that she tried alone is a sign of her prowess.

She is also extremely capable of non-magical, medicinal healing, a subject of great interest for her.

Items of Note
Asonde, her sword and Unora, her kite shield. Asonde meaning faith, and unora meaning honor.

Unora has a grip like a hoplon and is used by her in a similar manner as a greek hoplite would use.

In battle, she also uses a spear, either upon a horse as calvary or within a phalanx.

Biography
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa Sal'ynarai is the second daughter and third child of General Elrain and Lady Arwelle of  House Sal'ynarai<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">, an influential lord in Paeriannis. General Sal'ynarai elected to remain in Paeriannis, unlike a large number of Fire Elves, when Illyara was founded. The Sal'ynarai Estate is a few days ride due north of Aldara'celantra and there he rules a relatively quiet part of Paeriannis.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa, having the spark of magic in her, though it wasn't a strong spark, was trained by Charisadae Lor'sinnaea, a sorceress employed by General Sal'ynarai as a healer. Elrain wished Orissa to go into medicine and become a physician, combining both her skills with herbs and with magic together. But Orissa's desire was to serve her country. Against her father's will, she joined the army when she was 20 and trained as a squire. Her relationship with her father became estranged at that point.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa became a knight when she was a young three centuries old (you laugh, but 300 is considered young for elves) after proving herself in action at the Battle of the Wesselin River, defeating bandits from a neighboring country (said country was swalllowed by the Resarian Imperium centuries later and never re-emerged.) During the war against the invading Resarians in IY 17, she was promoted to Knight Captain after leading her company after her captains death to victory at the Battle of the Ayana Crossing. Her maneuver effectively cost the Resarians the crossing and enabled the bulk of the Perian armies to chase the Resarians out of Paeriannis forever. Rantiva<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> never made good on his threats to return.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">She lived a relatively quiet life for the next millenium, dealing mostly with bandits but in FY 593, the  Wolvhan<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">invaded Paeriannis at the start of the  War of the Necromancer<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">. Again, she proved herself at the  First Battle of Aldara'celantra<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">. She was promoted, to Knight Captain of the Order of Nethsara. Though her rank remains the same, this is still a promotion as the Order is very prestigious and she has authority over all Knight Captains not in the Order (or the Order of another  Dragon<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">.) This was an honor Orissa had striven for for most of her life. At this point, she was officially a Paladin, as all members of the Order of Nethsara can cast some magic, though they are a melee cavalry outfit.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa went with the Order into Ztaraii when Paeriannis conquered the Wolvhan nation. She participated in the siege and assault of Mesalupos and witnessed the banishment of the Gods. After the fall of Ztaraii, she returned home, thinking the war was over, until a horrific plague began to appear in Tordellen, Ztaraii and the Stonebreaker Mountains. Dragon Queen Nethsara, recognizing Orissa's healing abilities, sent her to the Stonebreaker Mountains to investigate, using the Waygate located at Aldara'celantra. She brought Tvia'natan with her as he had a hunch the amulet he found was connected some how (and he was right.)

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">In the Stonebreaker Mountains, she was disturbed by what she learned about what the Dwarves called the  Khad'jira<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">. While studying the plague, she was joined by  Darren Maerig<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">, an ambassador of the  School of the Arcanites<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> and his collegues, Scholar Darciona Del'ania and Scholar Tenjinn Alrood and their  dwarven<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> guide, Colvin Moehob. They were attacked by the Khad'jira and they fled to Hammersong. When the Khad'jira attacked Hammersong, they fled again to Dravol Khal. She followed Darren into Grimweald, chasing the mysterious figure Angoth, who warned her of bad times ahead for Paeriannis. He also warned her that if she returned to Paeriannis now, the world would fail.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">She went with Darren back to Darincedon and there convinced Crown Prince Ravin Atrimen that an alliance with the Orcs of Grom'char would be the only hope in retaking the city. While Ravin besieged his capital city, Orissa went to Grom'char and gained an allegiance with the Orcs. They brought forth an army of 200,000 and together with the Darincedonians, took back Darincedon. After the battle, Orissa worked herself out healing the wounded. When King Ravin was assassinated, she knocked herself unconscious in her attempt to revive ad resurrect him.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Ultimately, Darren found what he looked for in the School of the Arcanites and Darciona thought she knew of a cure for the Khad'jira. Orissa's desire to return to Paeriannis grew to the point that she could not stand it. She decided to ignore Angoth's warning but she would first go with Darren and Darci to Weldbept to find this fireblossom. Once they arrived in Weldbept, she was given Darci's notes, research and samples of fireblossoms. Orissa and the croag Altagora left Weldbept while Darren and his party continued to Anvarra. That would be the last Orissa sees of Darren for most of the remainder of the book. On Orissa's return to Darincedon, she is attacked by a  Sha'haran<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">. She does not know at the time, but another Sha'haran murdered Darci at roughly the same time (give or take a day or so.) Had she returned to Paeriannis earlier, the Sha'haran would have also killed Altagora and Darci's researched, and thus the cure, would be lost (for the cure required more than just the fireblossom. Darci had theorized it in her research however.)

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa found a ship and made it back to Paeriannis only to find its armies in full retreat against the Khad'jira. The mandellos was dead and cursed, Ophelsara was also dead. The elves were fighting for their lives. She joined the defense, giving the cure to her people but it wasn't enough. They retreated to Aldara'salissia and then left Paeriannis forever by ship to Illyara.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">There she defended Aldara'draskor, until it fell, and then the Siege of Porsalis, perhaps the battle in her life that gave her the most fame. Through her actions, she delayed the Khad'jira long enough to allow the remaining Fire Elves to board a fleet of ships and flee to the nation of Lanador, where they hid for the remainder of the war, having been utterly exhausted. Fortunately, the war ended soon after that, when Darren defeated  Raeldrek<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> and  Sarastae<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> and trapped Naggarlothep's soultrap in the  Plane of Hell<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">She lived in grief for a good century, almost destroyed by the loss of her family, of her friends (especially  Alessya Ona'sarian<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">.) Of her family, only her brother (Branwain) and mother lived. Her mother took her own life unfortunately a few short years after the war, unable to cope with the grief. Orissa attempted suicide a few times, but never succeeded, finding comfort in her remaining brother. She also gained some purpose in the efforts to rebuild Illyara (Paeriannis was totally lost, the curse and the Gorlock ensured no civilization would return for almost six hundred years.)

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On an expedition in Cairn Furglos in FY 1196, she stumbled upon the body of  Suzetta Kernohan<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;"> who had been slain in an encounter with Patrik Aruvious while she and Taeryn were attempted to escape the warlock. The Prophecy influenced Orissa to use the Resurrection Spell on Suzetta, bringing her back to life. They then parted ways, not knowing their lives were still connected. Two years later, Orissa was summoned by Nethsara to seek out Suzetta for Suzetta and Taeryn must destroy Raeldrek for good this time around. It was Taeryn's task, for he was Darren's direct descendant. Raeldrek, seeing how Suzetta had a striking resemblance to Azaelya Maerig thought to force Azaelya's soul into Suzetta's body as Azaelya's body was no more. He had Sarastae kidnap Suzetta's daughter, to draw her out of her home, while he set out to find the parts of the Heart of Magic so he could conquer all the world and become greater than a Titan. Orissa traveled with Suzetta to the end, offering her experience and her blade. Taeryn defeated Raeldrek utterly.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">What happens to Orissa after this is unknown. I originally thought she might die at the end in a sort of heroic sacrifice, and she might. But I do not know yet. If she does survive the Second War, then presumably she lives on quietly until she seeks the Halls of the Dead. Given how much she's suffered, I'd assume she'd chose to die sooner than later.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Profession
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Knight, Paladin of the Order of Nethsara, rank of Knight Captain.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Likes/Dislikes
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Very fond of good wine.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Personality
<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Orissa is very loyal to her people. She puts them ahead of herself always. She is a reserved woman, she is not quick to anger and she keeps her emotions in check. This is not to say she is emotionless however, just that it is infrequent that she will be reckless and behave only on emotion. She does have feelings however. She is very driven at whatever she sets out to do, especially if it is to defend her people. She has the courage to do the things that need to be done and the intellect to retreat if need be. She is experienced and wise. She is also not easily distracted once her mind is set on a task.

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">She also appears to be very reserved with a low sex drive. In truth, she never had a good relationship with a male because she's a lesbian, was always in love with Alessya Ona'sarian, but was forced to hide it, a fact Alessya never learns before her death, and a heartbreak for Orissa.