Aelyvia Thunderfist

## Biography

Aelyvia's birth in the Thunderfist clan was nothing of note. Nor was much of her life, as far as any historians were concerned, but the way her life developed was something that she was always keenly interested in, due to the way it had been kept from her. Indeed, although she was born to Sylme (her mother) and Yddard (her father), she never knew her parents. Before she was old enough to form memories, her parents were lost in a raid by a nearby upstart tribe of Freefolk. Her father was confirmed dead, but no one knew what became of her mother. Aelyvia only knew of her raising by the hand of Maddye, a woman she later learned was infertile and had raised her as her own to fill some sick need in her life.

The girl didn't even know she was being lied to until she heard the whispers from the others in Ruddy Hall. She confronted Maddye, but was unable to stomach the conversation for long. She cursed the woman with the most vivid words she had learned by the age of nine, but in her mind, it was nowhere near enough. Aelyvia had had her fill of 'parents', so she raised herself; she took on tasks in the village to make her way and learned to hunt for her own food when work was slow. She became quite an oddity amongst her people - not only because of her flame-kissed hair, but in the way that she took the term Freefolk to a whole new level of dedication. By the time she was reaching adulthood, Aelyvia had caught the eye of more than a few of the Clan's hunters, who couldn't openly 'train' her, but were more than willing to give her pointers and judge her progress.

She was a tiny girl, slight of frame, and agile. She spent a lot of time climbing trees in order to get a better vantage point. This also played into her favorite hunting tactic, which was employing archery from the high branches of a tree in order to bring down larger prey. Even as a child, she knew she stood little chance on the front lines, staring down a beast with a blade in her hands. The bow had been the most obvious adaptation for her. Of course, her time in the woods had taught her more than a few tricks of the trade when it came to survival. Stalking her prey, for instance, had been a difficult task for her when she was young. She was not trained to carry a weapon, and she had no idea how to best set up a proper camp. However, necessity being the mother of all invention, Aelyvia learned how to properly transport her equipment, deftly and patiently climbing to her station, and creating the most covert of temporary living arrangements.

When she learned of the King Beyond the Wall, Rogar Longshanks, Aelyvia sought him out. She had no family, no title, no profession, no allegiance, but as a member of the Freefolk, she stood before him. She knew the woods, she had scouted the Wall before. With promise of conquest and a better life in the South, she pledged her bow to his army.

## Timeline

382 AC - Aelyvia is born to Sylme and Yddard.

385 AC - Sylme and Yddard are lost during a tribal raid. Yddard is confirmed dead, Sylme's whereabouts unknown. Aelyvia is 'adopted' by Maddye.

390-391 AC - Aelyvia becomes aware of Maddye's odd stigma, forming questions of her own.

391 AC - Spurred on by rumors in Ruddy Hall, Aelyvia confronts Maddye. Infuriated by what she has learned, she vows to raise herself. Originally she assisted in performing mundane tasks in order to make her way, but she truly earned her way as a huntress.

394 AC - Aelyvia began catching the eyes of Thunderfist hunters. No formal training was offered, but she did get some pointers on occasion.

397 AC - Aelyvia learns of the King Beyond the Wall and seeks out Longshanks.

## Family

Sylme - mother (fate unknown)

Yddard - father (dead)

Maddye - 'adoptive' mother, abandoned Aelyvia knows nothing of her family, and assumes she has none.