Melithea Whitethunder Titeneamh

> I'm not giving you grandma's blanket if you complain again
>
> - Melithea, talking with Chrono

Melithea “Mel” Whitethunder Titeneamh is a twenty-five years old fighter with knowledge on plants and their medicinal properties. Leaving the mountains and her tribe for unknown reasons, she joined the party and is now one of the seven ruby wielders in the world of Lomia. A goliath with a heart as big as her, she will do anything to protect her friends. But do not abuse her kindness, she is still a goliath after all.

## Appearance

Mel's markings, front viewMel's markings, back view
Melithea is, by goliath standards, quite an unusual folk. Her tall stature and athletic build are those of a giantess in her prime, but her long, downturned ears and pinkish, nearly white hair are unheard of between her kind. Her hair is medium length, and extremely fluffy with a near velvety feel, which made it a troublesome chore to carefully braid it while still living with her tribe, now preferring to keep it free or in a loose short braid. Under direct light, it seems to turn iridescent and gain a subtle glow.  Her eyes are sea-green, and she has a beauty mark beneath her right eye. Even if her skin tone is white-gray, when she becomes flustered her face reddens immediately, up to the tips of her ears. The darker markings on her skin are important features, especially for goliaths, each having its own meaning. Worrisome ones are the asymmetric three slashes on her abdomen, but she brushes it off as "gods running out of paint for her." Her voice is soft and comforting, with a medium pitch, but when under extreme emotions, turns growly and hoarse as ice shards in a snowstorm.

Her preferences in attire are odd among goliaths. She wears clothing that intentionally covers as much of her skin as possible, but would not display signs of discomfort when wearing revealing garments - an example the gown worn at Kairos' Coronation Ball- leaving this peculiar choice as a simple personal preference. She sports a polearm that resembles a scythe in the fashion in which its blade was forged.

## Personality & History

Mel hugging Ayre
A caring friend with a kind smile, Melithea is a valuable addition not only on a mission, but also as valuable moral support. She quickly got everyone’s trust and support in the party, being helpful and always ready to shield from harm the ones she loves. There is no treasure greater in her eyes than the bonds of friendship and fellowship. Her intimidating presence and other goliath traits come in handy when dealing with enemies. She might look nice and harmless once she speaks, but, she will not hesitate to resort to violence if the situation requires it, oftentimes choosing aggressive methods of action and only after considering the less destructive alternatives.

She is quick to lose composure if faced with danger directed towards close individuals or objects with affective value in her possession. Her sharp tongue is a result of her not suppressing her emotions or opinions, but it is not done in ill will, in her view it is better to let it out and face the problem.

The fierce protectiveness and boldness of her character are the other side of the coin, as she is extremely caring, to such extent that it can be considered motherly. When still in her tribe, the Tent-mother often picked Melithea to help in taking care of the settlement's children. She is affectionate, loves to see the content smiles of people after eating her cooking, and often seems to drift off into daydreaming. On other days when she did not act as a teacher, she passed her time practicing under the watchful eye of their druid and spellcasters, her interest for herbalism and practices that although suspicious in efficiency even for her, were fascinating.

Her oldest memory is that of her facing a squirrel and trying to talk with it through the coos and nonsensical words as a toddler. As most young goliath children, she was raised by the whole of her tribe. Her family is well respected among the small community, her father keeping watch on the tribe as a Dawncaller, and her mother being their best hunter, but she was their lone child. She is especially close to her grandmother from whom she took up the brush and weaving, her love for art having grown with each creation her grandma did with Melithea watching closely and trying follow the same on her goofy pieces.

For most of her life, days went by doing chores and learning all that the elders of her home could impart on their young. It took her longer than most of the children her age to learn how to survive in the harsh mountain climate, where snow, sharp ledges, scarce but hardy vegetation and few animals would live. But even so, she grew up fast, faster than usual, and even if she had the natural athleticism of goliaths, she'd work in the boundaries of their village or in gathering and foraging. It would not be far fetched to reveal that she oftentimes sneaked to their Skywatcher to ask to be taken in her team before the Chieftain would even choose the captains for the current day's work.

Melithea knows hard work and the price of lacking in ability like the back of her hand. Many were the days the weather made her skin freeze, when people returned injured, or saw at times members of the tribe leave, never to return.

Even by an outsider's standards, she led a peaceful life and was sheltered from the major conflicts and chaos of the lowlands. Yet she was unmovable in her decision to leave that secluded haven and pursue her love for medicinal sciences, albeit that was but one of the factors that led her in a self imposed exile at 17 years.

Even if she knew little of the advanced technology of the cities, she could win one's daily bread through small jobs here and there, but could not gain enough to afford studying, until she joined the army far off in Riternora. Her physical constitution, strength, and medicinal skill proved useful. Although it took long before she was not alienated by the regiment she'd been assigned to, slowly she rose in rank and trust by proof in battle and more illegal skirmishes she did not even flinch back from, but even dived head first into, between soldiers.

Years after, when on army leave, besides playing with alchemical tools and finally getting a chance to study biology, during a forest stroll she ran across a gathering of druids, and as there was no hostility at her boundless curiosity for their craft, she was given the chance to be taken under their wing. And why would she overlook such an opportunity? Little did she know where this decision would lead her... Alongside the rare knowledge she had gained on nature and healing, that is where her manipulation of the plane's energy, then not aware of its nature, was discovered and honed. Sometimes the shadows she conjured as an Echo Knight seemed to be exuding a terrible sadness and melancholy that should not exist on a mere mirror of herself.

Yet the winds of fate led her away yet again, due to her own mistakes and crimes. After having joined the Ruby bearers, she pledged herself to protect each of them as all had proven trustworthy and her care for them grew faster than she'd have ever expected. She shows excessive care and is overprotective of Zophiel and Zenid, and if asked, she would agree that she sees the latter as her son. Even if she disagrees with Chrono in some aspects, Melithea would rather bite her own foot than argue, even looking out for him and lending him her prized family gift, a blanket from her grandma.

Unknown as to why it is even possible, Melithea can enter, albeit only while unconscious and with the requirement of a massive amount of demonic energy present to compensate her lack of mana, the boundaries of the elusive pocket dimension of Ayre's creation. She is open and talkative with the Singularity, being fond of and displaying affection towards this individual, though it may appear as a lack of precaution from a bystander's side. Having been 'mistaken' for another person whom should have lived thousands of years before her birth, and sharing traits with her, Melithea's resistance to the effects of demonic presence, her peculiar appearance, and secrets she struggles to mask and solve on her own caused by incomprehensible phenomena came to a worrying conjecture. She is another incarnation of Lisaena's soul.

## Trivia

* There is a belief among goliath tribes that the markings on someone’s skin tells what the future holds for them; the recognizable shapes on her body are a flower, ram horns, a dragon head, lightning, waves and the sun.
* Mel has arachnophobia, revealed when all the current Ruby bearers had nightmares with their worst fears. She is extremely afraid of forgetting past deeds she had done.
* She absolutely adores sweets, and spent many hours trying recipes herself.
* Mel loves flowers so much so that she sneaked plant seeds from everywhere she had journeyed to in the group's infinity pouch. But she has a mild allergy to pollen.
* She is unnerved by the Cult of the Proclaimers of the Rising Sun from certain encounters.
* Her parent given name is formed of *Meli,* meaning 'sweet' or 'honey'*,* and *Thea,* short of *Theleya*, who is a spirit of fertility and life in goliath beliefs.
* A bunny is commonly used to compare Mel to.
* Sometimes she sleeps holding Ayre's feather in her hand, claiming 'it helps calm her even after a day of utter horror and to sleep like a bear', but it is from her growing feelings for the man. She has a feather from Conah as well.
* She loves chatting and gossiping with Eden the most. Melithea already made wrapping akin one used for a child to carry her Halfling friend if the need arrives, who knows when the need to scale another mountain arises.
* She was born when a comet was visible during the daytime, from where her Chieftain given name comes.
* She doesn't care if one is a god or a snail. She treats everybody the same.