Aillen
Karen Murphy - Group 1: The Seekers

Aillen was born into one of the great Houses of Athkatla. A frail and delicate looking child with huge eyes of midnight blue and wispy hair of a delicate strawberry blonde, she found no favor with her brutal and powerful father, leader of the House, except as a potential alliance with one of the other Houses. Until, that is, she was chosen to attend the Mage School north of the city. This prestigious honor brought her, too late, the attention she desired. Too late because now she understood that her family cared nothing for her and that her position would always hinge on appearances she could not change. She also understood that though her size and appearance was unimpressive, the power within her could gain her the respect she wanted, and would encourage others to leave her to her own devices when she chose to have it so.She attended the school for many years, apprenticed to Master Sillen, a gentle but unswerving taskmaster who drilled the basics of manipulating the Weave into her even as he instilled a great appreciation for the power of the Weave and the delicacy needed to truly master all its potential. Aillen blossomed into a quiet, resourceful mage, aware of her limitations and cautious in her approach, but loyal and tenacious when she saw a need. She became popular in the School kitchens, having befriended the fire elemental who called the huge stove home; he taught her much of the ways of power, and she brought him tales of the world outside and those who moved within it. In thanks, her bread never burned, nor was a roast ever overdone.Nearly a month after her induction into the Mages' Guild, Aillen was asked by Master Sillen to return to Athkatla and recover for him a book of power that was to be delivered to the docks. He did not trust anyone in Athkatla to guard the prize, but felt that she would be easily able to manage this small task. She agreed, and thus began more adventures than she cares to think about. She has discovered that, while she respects honor and those who serve the Weave, and while she will keep her word, she has little interest in abstracts such as good and evil. Aillen has also realized that her wants in the world include first and foremost a warm fire, dry clothing, and decent food. She dislikes combat, though she will fight fiercely as long as she has the spell energy to do so, but she is much more interested in the comforts that magic can provide, to herself and any around her. She works hard to keep herself and her companions clean, dry, warm, and well fed, and has even begun to instill in them a sense of respect for food well-prepared.