Ali Silvestus

Ali Silvestus is a shadow magic sorcerer and adventurer.
Ali comes from a dark past, marked by abuse and death. Her mother died at childbirth. Her father Sebastian emotionally-abused Ali for her entire childhood. She worked as a servant for a noble family that looked down on her. Her found-family was murdered by an unknown figure. Now, Ali wanders with her young master Cirrus, one of the few to ever truly love her, in search of work and safety.
== History ==
=== Background ===
Ali Silvestus had a rough childhood. Born in the Imperial county of Oroheim, her mother died during childbirth, an event that Ali's father Sebastian blamed his own child for. As a result, Sebastian constantly scolded and emotionally abused his daughter, always putting her down and telling her to do better. Ali was also born into servitude, a child of two servants working for the Imperial Montclair household.
As a child, Ali was forced to work as a maid in the Montclair estate. Despite the constant emotional abuse, she still looked up to her father - the head butler of the estate. Wanting to be seen as his equal, by night she would practice to be a butler whilst simultaneously performing her maid role by day. At the age of 12, Ali finally gathered the courage to confront her father. She argued that she was the best maid in the house and wanted to be the best butler as well. Sebastian retorted that Ali was too inept to serve such an important function. There is no-one low enough to require her service, he said. To demonstrate, he demanded she pick a spoon up off the floor. However, every time she reached down to do so she would suddenly be blinded by intense darkness. She couldn't do it. Sebastian, disappointed, told his own daughter that she would never amount to anything and left in a puddle of despair on the floor. This event would be Ali's first encounter with shadow magic and would change the course of her life forever - even if she didn't know it yet.
At the age of 18, the Montclair household gathered for an announcement. The family head announced that 3 staff were needed to man a small property on their estate and the lowest performing staff would be the ones to go. The lowest cook and maid were chosen but, before a butler was chosen, Sebastian stepped forward and suggested Ali for the role. He argued that all the regular butlers were exemplary and that only Ali was low enough to justify serving the family's 'charity case.' The family head agreed. Ali was delighted. Sebastian though was as scornful as ever. The group hopped on a pair of carriages. Ali wore a new white uniform. The carriages travelled to an orphanage, where they picked up a young half-elf. This half-elf was named Cirrus and was around 5 years old. Ali, showing compassion for the boy, took his hand and walked him to the carriage.
The pair eventually arrived at the property, Ali and Cirrus' new home. It was not in habitable shape. The house was covered in vines, the grounds were overgrown, windows were smashed, and a fallen tree had destroyed the balcony. The inside was in shambles and filled with dust and leaves. Ali remained optimistic, however, and was determined to make this a good home. Entering the house, Cirrus was introduced to the other two staff members - Paysha the maid and Jerome the cook. As Cirrus was taken away for a bath, Ali and the other staff quickly realised that the Montclais intended for their charity case to die swiftly. That their 'kindness' was merely an attempt to gain reputation and not much else. They, of course, would try their best to prevent this from happening.
7 years pass and Ali had just turned 25. Over this time, the property had been converted from ruin to splendour. Cirrus, to, had recovered to full health. Ali's uniform had also been dyed purple, to reflect Cirrus' favourite colour. All of this positivity, naturally, angered the Montclair family to no end. Everything Ali did was for Cirrus. She helped him develop a creative mind, doing art, making fireworks, and playing with her inherent fire magic as a tiefling. In quiet moments before bed the young master would play games with Ali, Paysha, and Jerome. One day, remarked about 1 certain noble that had caught his eye. It was an infatuation. But his feelings were staunched by the stigma surrounding him. Until one day he sent this person flowers. A few days later a letter from the household had arrived stating his overzealous actions had stained the Montclair name. 
The next day while gathering fruit from the orchard for breakfast, Ali smelt smoke. Rushing, she found the property ablaze. With hesitation, Ali ran inside to find Cirrus, Jerome, and Paysha. In the kitchen, Ali found Jerome butchered with a kitchen knife. Paysha had a bruised neck and her eyes were bulging out of her skull. And by the fireplace, just about visible through the smoke, a figure with horns and a tailcoat could be seen, holding what could only be Cirrus by the neck. With a gruesome crack, the boys neck was snapped and his body went limp. Ali screamed and charged at the figure, who merely disappeared into the shadows. They muttered a single word, which lingers at the back of Ali's mind: inept. The killer gone, Ali lifted Cirrus' remains and carried him outside. She cried and wailed. With her new family destroyed, the only positive thing in her life gone, Ali pulled out a knife and placed it against her neck. She looked up, taking a brief moment to feel the morning sun on her skin, and sliced.
At some point later, Ali awoke gasping for air. She was in a bed that was not her own and in a house she did not recognise. Before her, bizarrely, stood Cirrus. Softly, he expressed surprise that they were alive and how lucky they were to survive such an attack. Ali tried to remember, but just couldn't. At Cirrus' suggestion, Ali left the bed to find the owner of the house they found themselves in. They found a grouchy old woodcutter. The woodcutter, not acknowledging Cirrus at all, suggested that Ali disguise herself and gifted her a shield - something that once belonged to his wife. Downing a glass of wine, he stood up and left to work. Ali looked into the fireplace and saw horns and black eyes. A trick of the light, she thought, and pledged their and then to protect Cirrus no matter the cost.
In the months after the attack, Ali has disguised herself as a man. Cirrus has, naturally, been with her the whole time. The two have travelled to the other side of the Empire, not a cheap feat, and so to make ends meet Ali has taken up adventuring work. This is the situation they find themselves in when they arrive at Week...
== Characteristics and Personality ==
Ali is a generally good person who wishes to help those in need. However, she is not beholden to the law and will generally do what is necessary to achieve what she sees as the right thing. This is deeply engrained in Ali's personality, perhaps to a detriment, as she will help others even at the cost of her own wellbeing.
Ali's other notable trait is that she is often seen talking to a figure that isn't there. This has, unsurprisingly, led several individuals Ali has met to question her mental wellbeing.
== Notable Possessions ==
=== Equipment ===
* Butler Uniform - a purple Butler's uniform that Ali wore during her time as a Montclair family butler. It is arguably less well-kept than it used to be but Ali still goes out of her way to ensure it stays in good condition.
* Fishing Net - a simple fishing net that Ali has repurposed for use in combat situations.
* Mother's Neclace - a Scaled States-style necklace that once belonging to Ali's mother.
* Woodcutter's Shield - a wooden round shield that once belonging to the wife of a simple woodcutter. It was gifted to Ali.