Avelina Mercurius

“Size doesn’t matter when it comes to magic,” - Avelina Mercurius

## Knightly Deeds

Though not a Knight, Lina has several ‘knightly deeds’ under her belt. Such as her part in the

## Appearance

Lina is a fairly young looking lioness with a petite build and small frame. Standing only about five feet-two inches tall, she is by far the shortest of the Raven Knights. She sports long purple hair, swept back all the way down to her tail. She has no bangs, leaving her forehead and the two dark marks of her family's ‘brand’ exposed at all times. He long hair falls down before her ears to rest over her shoulders most times and her head is adorned with two thin braids that go from near the top of her head down to the back. With golden eyes and a sour demeanor, she is often considered to be ‘cute, but moody’.

Typically colored for a lion, she sports two distinct markings on either side of her cheeks, dark brown hashes that frame her muzzle. She is almost always frowning about something and is often times regarded as being bitter or negative just from the sight of her. Many mistake her for a child though she is in her early twenties. Lina was also not blessed with a womanly figure. Her breast and her rear being small and girlish, adding to the many annoyance and insecurities she has about her appearance.

## Personality

Avelina, or just Lina to most, is a very serious and sardonic woman who does not suffer fools. The type of woman who prefers a straight line to anything roundabout. Those who do not know her consider her to be a cold and rather off putting woman, with her dismissive mannerism and often times biting quips. Lina is short on patience, heavy on sarcasm and occasionally both cranky and foul mouthed, insulting to most people without a second thought. She despises fools and waste little time trying to be polite to useless people. Despite this, her behavior seems less severe when interacting with commoners instead of nobility. Though she still comes off as rather cynical and cattish with the citizens she encounters, she is noted to be far more personable and caring with civillians. This is thought to have a lot to do with Lina herself being common born.

Aside from her sarcastic and standoffish nature, Lina is often times prone to both angry and inappropriate outburst. Often times saying what she thinks before thinking better of it. Because of this she is noted at being one of the more honest individuals within the Order. Her directness and bold attitude often times earning her respect from her superiors, who have no time to have serious situations sugar coated. This however is not limited to serious situations. She oftentimes makes inappropriate observations and statements in her personal life. Once wondering aloud if fellow Raven Knight, Dame Megogo’s students were only attentive because of the size of her massive breasts and whether or not she would get the same attention. She shows serious rage at mention of her physical shortcomings, as when in response Reese remarked that her small stature would not support breast of that size. He rage is legendary, as often times they become outburst of fury and magic. Many believe her to be accidently comical. Sir Riyo in particular believes her to be hilarious and often times is unaware when she is being serious or not.

Though she seems to have no regard for the emotions of others, always striving to have the mages under her command fulfill their duties to perfection, she is not truly a callous woman. Lina is actually deeply insecure and particularly lonely, having been under suspicion and scrutiny because of her familial ties to the Librarium. Being the first Prelate in the history of the Order not selected from the Cabal, rather from the Magus Librarium directly. Many question Lina’s loyalties to the Order given her background, but Lina takes her oaths and promises seriously. She is rather impatient and short of attention at times, often having her mind clouded by random thoughts. This does not mean she is scattered brained or unfocused, just easily distracted. Especially by anything that challenges her mentally.

Adolyn has many times defended his decision to recruit Lina into the order by remarking that she is not just knowledgeable, but proper smart. Possessed of critical thinking skills that he believes set her apart from others. Both he and Megogo also assures everyone that Lina has a kind heart. A notion Lina scoffs at, but does not contradict. Though some believe her to be selfish, arrogant, self-absorbed and perhaps a little neurotic; Lina strives desperately to work above her shortcomings. Though she is especially withering in her criticism of others, she isn’t one to not remark upon their accomplishments. Giving everyone their due and respecting people's efforts and abilities. She has shown herself to be competent in command and creative in her applications of magic. Though many do not like her attitude, many respect her abilities.

## Childhood

Avelina Mercurius was born on a particularly warm winter day in 232 AC. Her mother Gracia Telfar was a Rune Knight and adventure, in service to the Magus Librarium. Her father was Corwin Mercurius a ‘White Wizard’ and latest in a long line of members of the Mercurius family with strong magical affinity. She was the second of two daughters and her birth was seen as simple, routine and without incident. She was a bright child, awakening to the flow while still only two years old. Like her sister before her, she displayed the signs of having a peculiarly deep spirit well, manipulating the mana around her subconsciously and attracting pyreflies as many young adepts do. Her parents had her tested for source retention when she was three as a mere formality, as they had already begun teaching the child simple spells and techniques. Lina of course had been every bit as powerful as her older sister Luna had been as a child, marking her as a person of interest for the Librarium and some thought she may even surpass the good wizard Corwin, her father. However by the time the girl was five years old, many had noticed certain problems with the young adept that dulled the enthusiasm they had with training her. Though she possessed all of her father and older sisters raw talent, intellect and affinities; Lina’s personality developed to be more like her mother. The young girl was rash, short-tempered, disagreeable and bratty. Outside of her parents and a few instructors, Lina was not very easy to get along with. Though many attributed this behavior to her mother, which she favored in temperament and appearance, her sister Luna had another assessment. She correctly surmised that Lina had grown tired of being constantly compared to her older sister and that everyone’s interest in her was based on her familial ties. She was particularly difficult when someone compared her to her sister or reminded her of lineage. She was standoffish with other students and prideful about her own personal abilities, working hard to set herself apart from her family. This however seemed impossible. Even though people stopped comparing their magical talents, with Luna’s being slightly better in all things to her younger sister; many could not stop bringing up the difference in the two girls attitudes and demeanors. Many often saying that Lina should be more graceful or respectful, like her sister. Much to the young lionenss’ chagrin.

By twelve years of age Lina had already the skill to be considered a full mage. She was a darling to most Librarium professors who enjoyed watching their students excel. Other professors hated her tendency to challange and question everything. Often times retaliating against her by holding her back from more useful or meaningful pursuits that she was capable of tackling. Using her age and inexperience against her. Despite this when a group of mages were sent to investigate the appearance of a mana fault in Forest of Trent, she had been invited a long by her professor, the Wizard Hargrove to assist. Though young, Lina possessed devistating attack magic. The likes of which Hargrove himself could not compare. Despite having a several run knights, clerics and mages along, the group was unprepared for the true peril. The expedition quickly turned into a dangerous farce. The fault it seems had been created by several feral lilin who had been pressing upon the Forbidding, where it was apparently weak. Their efforts had caused a scar in the flow and that scar was magnified into a full on fault. The wild mana had begun to lash out, subverting and corrupting the creatures and plant life around the fault and bolstering the powers of the elderian creatures. These lilin had begun to lure unsuspecting kinlings to the fault to see them subverted. Those who survived, had their enriched energies fed upon. The lilin engorged themselves on their victims quintessence and grew ever more cunning and powerful.

The perversion of the land had seeped much further than anyone had thought. Trees and plantliff had been subverted and transformed to dangerous and carnivous things. Feral beast grew large and were infused with minor elemental magics. The party was under attack from one thing or another from the time they entered the Forest of Trent. When the lilin set upon them, the grueling battle left many in their part dead and the good Wizard Hargrove and the surviving clerics were taken. The only mages left alive were the young Lina, who Hargrove had sacraficed himself to save and a mage named Ordo. Shaken by the ordeal, Ordo wished to flee, but Lina would not have it. Throwing quite the tantrum and threatening those weak of heart with her powerful magic, she ‘encouraged’ them to continue their missing and save those taken. Reluctantly, they rallyed behind the young mage.

At the center of the fault, they faced many perils including a full fledged demon, but Lina was not detered by the power or majesty of her opposition. Working together with the rune blades, she protected the clerics as they healed the scars in the flow and weakened it’s effects on the flora and fauna around them. Lina herself defeated many lilin with her powerful attack magic and ended up saving her professor from being consumed by the demon, though many others had already been lost. Together with the good wizard they were able to subdue the elderian

At the age of seven while his father and he were accompany an envoy of nobles, including the prince, Eriol de Lioncourt to Amarok, he was embroiled in a plot by tribal cultist to unseal ‘the Illich’. During the conflict many Knights of Amarok and Lioncourt were killed. Adolyn’s life would change dramatically when in danger the natural gifts of his bloodline became apparent. Adolyn is faster and stronger than any normal child of his age, taking his mother's sword, ‘The Christin Blade’, a powerful Eldeidan and assisted his father and the prince in sealing ‘the Illich’. He was injured gravely in the conflict, but his Elioudan blood saved his life and accelerated his healing. This was considered his first ‘Knightly Deed.’

After the incident in Amarok, his mother stole him away one night from Lioncourt, taking him deep into the heart of the Moorlands, past the ruins of several Kingdom’s long dead, to the secluded Khyber’s Keep, a Druidin hold. There in secret he studied the Arcane and Martial skills of what they called Antediluvian Arts. During his four years of study under the High Druid D'Astil and his Arcane Knight’s Adolyn gained skills and knowledge long thought forgotten by the world. He was taught the basic concepts of cyto-manipulation, that he may properly control his advanced healing and endurance as well as strengthening his body and reinforce his physical defense. He was taught the differences in the energies of a person and the planet they live on and how that a person’s individual essence, their chi can influence the energy of the planet or Mana. He was taught the basic secrets and truth of cognisance and the understanding of the natural world and it’s power and how all things relate to them. But above all else, he was taught the Druidin concept of duty to the land, it’s people and the preservation of the powers of the natural world.

Adolyn’s training under the High Druid was intense and often antagonistic. D’astil was hard on the boy, pressuring him to quit whenever Adolyn felt the High Druid was being unfair or harsh. D’astil would answer no questions about why Adolyn was accepted for training under the Druid, an honor that Adolyn had read no one had ever received aside from those being trained as the Druid’s Guards, the Arcane Knights. His questions and inquiries were met with misdirection or downright hostility. Despite this, Adolyn showed a determination and patience that defied his young age. Qualities he’d gotten from his mother and not his proud father. D’astil’s antagonism came to an end three years into Adolyn’s four year apprenticeship under the Druid. when, refusing to back down from a challenge, he was almost killed in combat versus several shades. D’astil aimed to teach the boy his own limitations, but his antagonism pushed the young noble to succeed despite the danger. In the end he’d drawn upon his own life energy in an a desperation technique he’d taught himself. Despite his Elioudan blood, his child’s body didn’t have enough energy to contain the techniques might and though his enemies were defeated, Adolyn was left a drained and near lifeless. Without the ancient Druidin secrets of healing and revitalization, the boy would have been lost.

When Adolyn’s training under High Druid D’astil was complete, he was merely eleven years of age. His training already making him a match for warriors with far more experience than he. Older and wiser now, he was able to pick up on the tension between the Druid and his mother. Realizing that the Arcane Knights too seem to know her personally. When he asked of this, neither D’astil or his mother would comment on it. He was sworn to secrecy about his time in the Keep and the secrets he’d been taught. He was to only use his skills when absolutely necessary and preserve the traditions of Druid secrecy. He vowed to do just that and left the Khyber’s Keep with his mother, never to return again.

Upon returning home, he was greeted by his father with love. Despite obviously wanting to know, his father never asked him about his time away. Instead, he spent every free moment spending time with his son and teaching him the in’s and outs of becoming a Knight of the Realm. The Duke wished for his son to follow in his footsteps and one day lead the Border Legion, the Knights of Evandale who patrol the Eastern borders of the Kingdom of Lioncourt. A free command that held both Knights of noble blood and commoners on equal footing.  He enjoyed the time with his father and when he was allowed at the age of twelve, became an Initiate within the Knight’s of the Order.

As an Initiate he had no equal in combat or scholastics. He was well liked by most of the other Initiates and his Knight Instructors. It wasn’t long before he was made a full fledged Squire, the youngest there was at the time. Despite his hard work and diligence, there were many nobles and even other Squires who felt that his high marks and high regard was the result of favoritism or nepotism. Many of his fellow Squires refused friendship with him for fear that they’d be seen as groveling to the Duke’s son. He’d have a rough go of it until he met his first real friends.

At thirteen he was sent from Evandale’s Knight Academy to the Knight Academy in Bast, the Capital City, where all the exceptionally talented Squires were sent. There, though still quite a great deal more powerful than most any he encountered; Adolyn for the first time met others who could challenge him. One such Squire, was Jonah Schwarzsturm. Jonah was the top Squire in the Academy before Adolyn’s arrival and it did not take long for them to clash. Jonah, or Jo as she was called; resented all of the rumors about Adolyn’s skill and challenged him to one on one combat in the proving grounds. Sword to sword, Jo was more than a match for Adolyn with her aggressive combat style and deceptive strength. She’d pressed the younger Squire the entire bout. Adolyn’s sword skills were nearly on par with Jo’s, but his Druid training gave him the edge, however he refused to use any of his Arcane skills to overcome Jo’s physical advantages. In the end, neither Squire could truly best the other. Jo had been too strong and too skilled for Adolyn to defeat with only his skills and wit; and that skill and wit were just too much for Jo to overcome.

Though the match was called a draw, Adolyn sought to befriend the haughty piglet, who begrudgingly accepted his friendship. During his time at the Academy he made fast friends with two other Squires. One of which was a fellow noble, the daughter of the Eridanus Family,  Countess Aritrea Angelica Eridanus. A cheerful and sarcastic young lioness who excelled in archery and swordsmanship equally. The two had met when Adolyn had stood up to her for picking on one of the other squires, a young outlander named Cress, whose family was new to the nobility, an award his father had earned only two years before his birth. Aritrea had never had any male stand up to her before, especially not another Squire. The daughter of Marquis Harlem Eridanus, Captain of the Royal Guard; she and her siblings lived a charmed and pampered life. A naturally gifted warrior, she didn’t take her training seriously and often bullied lesser nobles and commoners, something Adolyn would not stand for.

Far from embarrassed or contemptuous over his intervention, Aritrea was quite taken with Adolyn, who had his reservations about her friendship. However she’d made a concerted effort to impress Adolyn with her behavior; learning how to treat others with equal respect and not lord her station above them. Likewise she began to take her studies more seriously, if only to keep up with Adolyn as he quickly rose through them. Eventually, her determination won him over and the two became nearly inseparable friends.

His best friend in the Academy had been the young Cress, an effeminate young thylacine he’d been asked to look after by his superiors. Cress was an archer by trade, whose blade skills were below average when the two met. Most other Squires regarded the fresh faced Cress with either indifference, scorn or outright antagonism. Adolyn fought many battles with other Squires on behalf of his friend. Eventually he taught Cress to defend himself better by teaching him techniques he’d learned under the Druids that weren’t considered forbidden to the world at large. The two developed a close friendship that would last through their Academy days and into their adult lives.

As Knight’s Apprentice he served under Dame Angel Ross a Blade Knight and veteran of many battles. Dame Angel or Mama Angel as she prefered to be called, took him on as her apprentice. Despite many Knights wanting the ‘honor’ of being his Knight’s Master, he’d chosen to train under Dame Angel because he’d known her growing up. One of his father's most trusted knights, she was High Warden of the Border Legion. Under her he would see vigorous combat and go on many adventures. Though he didn’t learn much of combat and martial talents under Angel, he did learn insidious and cunning ways to employ his skills on the battlefield as well as how to lead men. He was an apt pupil earning the respect and admiration of even seasoned knights as he fought beside them in Border skirmishes with Agorians, Saurians and even the savage barbarians in the Moorlands.

## Adult Life

By the age of Sixteen he was an experienced Borderman. His Academy friends, Cress, Aritrea and surprisingly even Jo had become Border Knights as well, each taking apprenticeship under a Knight within the Legion. Though most Knight’s tended to keep their apprentices close by, Adolyn in his friends were given an autonomy that even seasoned Knights would envy. With Jo as the de facto leader of the group, they had many adventures in the Borderlands and proved to be an invaluable asset to the Legion. This was no more apparent as when Prince Eriol’s daughter was kidnapped by Eternian Cultist.

Out late one spring night bird hunting, the eagle eyed Cress noticed a large creature flying from the lands toward the Moorlands to the North. When the princess’ bracelet fell to the ground from the creature, he alerted his fellows and they gave chase. Adolyn and his fellow Knight Apprentices braved the ruins of the Kingdom of Garman in the Moorlands to the heart of the former nation. There they found cultist who worshipped the Eternian Gods of old, these cultist wished to use the blood the princess, in a ritual that would break the seal on a Eternian creature known as the Baldimorg. With serious help from his friends, Adolyn defeated the cultist leader and slayed the Shade of the Baldimorg, preventing it’s true form from being unsealed. This earned him and his fellows many accolades and the permanent adoration of the young princess Megan.

The world at large took notices after that, Adolyn and his friends were named full fledge Knights by King Legault himself. Despite the honor for one so young, his knighthood was bittersweet. His friends and he would be separated. Jo was sought after by the Home Guard in Assyria and Nemea. Cress and Aritrea had been given an opportunity to train as a forward scouts, with serious considerations of being trained as Rangers, though Aritrea would have moved the heavens to follow him back to the Border Legion had he asked.

Adolyn, however did not stay in the Borderlands for long after his knighthood. In the fall on 249 AC as a favor to his father, he was sent along with other Bordermen to Forest Kingdom of Faeorie. The Faeorie were experiencing an unnatural drought and strange forest fires had become common.Their Rangers were taxed keeping the people safe from the Wilderings, forest hare’s whom were outcasted from Faeorie society. In the course of his adventure, Adolyn discovered the troubles were caused by a sect of Faeorie Witches who plotted to reanimate the bones of the great dragon Garvos and use his power to conquer the Kingdom. Eventually with the help of Faeorie Rangers, the surviving bordermen of his Legion and the support of his childhood friend and rival, Dame Jo; he was able to brave the Meandering Woods and defeat the feral beasts within and claim the sword Durendal. With it’s power Garvos was slain and the Faeorie, and perhaps all of Thuria were saved.

Though Adolyn would complete many noble charges, as well as survive many dangerous adventures; he is most well known for his actions at the ‘Battle of Herald’s Keep’. What was to be an armistice in order to discuss peace, became a plot by the Saurian King to murder the Lioncourt Royal Family. Poisoned by ancient and black magics, the King was weakened and struck with a mortal blow by the Saurian King Mizer. Though King Legault was able to plunge his sword, ‘The Raven’s Wing’ deep in the heart of the Saurian King, it was not enough to stay the Saurian attack.

The Border Legion was called on to face the Saurian’s Wyvern Riders and their fierce and powerful Dragon Knights. Adolyn however was not at the Keep with his legion, but as a guest of Princess Megan de Lioncourt, along with his Academy fellows who previous helped save her life. It was during this battle that Adolyn again saved the lives of the Princess Megan and her brother Prince Vandell, stowing them away with the Raven Riders to return to Bast. With Jo, Aritrea and Cress by his side, he fought his way deep into the Keep to find their father, Prince Eriol de Lioncourt.

The prince and his Raven Knight’s were found on the Keep’s walls, trying to make their way to the more fortified eastern tower. Adolyn had known if the King were alive, the Royal Knight’s would have surely took him there. Lead by their Primus Corvinus; Sir Garret Jesstane the weapons master, the Raven Knight’s ferociously fought back the Saurian onslaught. Though few in number, the Raven Knight’s were warriors of incredibly ability, each wielding an Eldeidan. Their archers peppered the skies with explosive and magic arrows, keeping wyvern riders at bay. Their lancers fought back Saurian dragoons as they pressed the lines of the enemy. At every edge they were assaulted, the Raven Knight’s held the line, but the overwhelming might brought to bear against them seemed to be too great. Many of their number were lost in the battle.

Adolyn arrived on the battlefield with Durendal in hand, the blades power and legend were enough to give his enemies pause. With it in hand, he did not fear revealing his druid taught skills. Most would credit the feats to the Eldeidan he carried. Though only four, he and his fellows were enough to push back the assault of the Saurian soldiers. All seemed to turn until the a High Wyvern attacked. Massive and breathing fire, the feral beast began to lay waste to the defenders. Sir Garret and his Knight Commanders took on the beast, stabbing their weapons into it and disappearing into the night, leaving Adolyn to command the remaining forces and defending Prince Eriol until the Captain of the Royal Guard, Sir Harlem Eridanus and a few of his men arrived.

Though Adolyn acquitted himself in command and protection of the Prince, he was not nearly in time to save the life of King Legault. He and his men were slaughtered to the last, having held out in a hall beneath the east tower, their intended escape route destroyed and covered in debris. The Prince had seen his father's final moments, too weak from magic poison to defend against the onslaught any longer, he and his final Royal Guard, the wife of Sir Harlem Eridanus and mother of Aritrea were killed. Adolyn could only watch as sorrow and fury overtook those around him and the king’s killers were butchered to the last. His life, his kingdom, would never be the same.

With the Saurian attack beaten back, the Kingdom of Lioncourt mourned the death of her King. Eriol de Lioncourt was named King of the Pridelands in the wake of the disaster. The King’s first order was to dismiss the Royal Knight’s whom left his father's side during his darkest hour, especially The Captain of the Guard, Harlem Eridanus who was banished from ever stepping foot in Castle Ravenclaw. This dishonor was seen as both harsh and unnecessary, carrying with it not only significant damage to the Eridanus family as a whole, but leading to Adolyn’s friend Aritrea resigning her post. When Adolyn and the King requested her to reconsider, she spat in the King’s face. Though many wanted to see her hung for this insult, King Eriol forgave it and allowed her to leave without incident, with the offer to return to Knighthood if she so chose.

With Sir Garret Jesstane seriously injured and his Raven Knight’s devastated by the battle, Adolyn was offered apprenticeship under the great warrior and the role of Primus Corvinus of the Raven Knights. Dame Jo and Sir Cress were also offered places within the great order. Though Adolyn refused, wishing to return to the Border Legion, the King refused this and named him the future Primus anyway. From that day forth Sir Adolyn’s life would never be the same. No longer just a Knight or a Hero, he was now Champion of Lioncourt and the most recognized name of their order at only twenty one years of age.