Maria Silkseller

## General Information

The fifth Hero of the party, Maria is a powerful sorceress. She's blind from birth, but has a special arcane sense that allows her to "see" magical influences, items, and creatures around her. Her magic is mostly storm-themed, with wind, lightning, and thunder being her go-to elements; this may be because she was chosen by the storm goddesses Astrape and Bronte to be their favored mortal. Her closest ally is Abra, a Fennec Fox with a mysterious origin and a close magical connection to the sorceress. From the Heroes, she seems to be closest to Bran.

## Original Description

*Maria is of average height, with brown hair messily tied up in a bun, carring a tall wooden staff with a sleeping fennec fox in her hood. Her expression is relaxed and her head is tilted a little to hear the music in the air, her dull grey eyes looking at nothing.*

## Backstory

Maria Silkseller, a half elf, was born blind in a nomadic caravan of merchents and performers. Her community travelled all over Meracyinth, from the Symalon Plateau of the east to the western border of Liirac, and from the northern Yngitiir Mountains to the southern deserts. While she was still a child, Maria's caravan were killed, allegedly by the Nightfall Mage Guild, and she started her journey into the world alone.

Years of wandering gave Maria many experiences, including saving Abra who is her constant companion and ally, and undertaking a daunting obstacle course in The Lich's Hunger. She learnt magic from many teachers and schools, including Lo'Nactha and Juliah, who introduced her to the Corodun NPR Guildhouse. It was here that she encountered Bran, who introduced her in turn to the party and she joined them.

## Meta

Maria is played by stormcause. Her first introduction was in the One-Shot: The Lich's Hunger, where she was a Sorcerer of Storm Sorcery bloodline. She joined the main campaign in WoDaD Session 5, starting at level 5. Soon after reaching Level 7, the system changed to *Fonts of Magic,* in which Maria became *The Thunderous,* which was later renamed to *The Charged*. During Session 25, Maria took the Playpage *The Harmonic* as she leaned into a more musical way to use her magic.

## Connections

1. Tomal is Maria's old friend from her caravan, the two having grown up side by side from birth. He is believed to have died along with the rest of her caravan in the Nightfall attack.
2. Selvara Siannodel was a very close friend of Maria's during her time at Lo'Nactha. The two fell out of favour with each other after an argument that left Selvara permanently scared. They have not made contact since.
3. Juliah is a human woman who introduced Maria to the Corodun guild, and is one of Maria's favourite teachers.

## Short Stories

1. In *Hands of a Blind Girl*, Maria is a young child selling silks with her mother, Keylina, who affectionately calls her Martzia. Other membes of her caravan make an appearane: Uncle Razdil, Uncle Tussok, and hos son and Maria's close friend, Tomal.
2. In *A rose has its thorns*, Maria is welcomed into Lo'Nactha and meets her best friend, Selvara. After months of learning, Selvara and Maria get into a disagreement over Maria's 'dangerous' sorcererous origins, which leads to Selvara being permanently scarred across the face in the shape of a lightning arc, and Maria leaving Lo'Nactha for good.
3. In *A Small Companion*, Maria is roused from a nightmare by Abra, whom she found only the other day and has taken in after finding he is injured. She takes him to a local village, where a kind family reveal to her the species of her new companion and help her find accommodation. What Maria does not see with her blindness is that Abra, supposedly wild, keeps watch over her all night.
4. *The first day of many* recounts Bran and Maria's meeting in WoDaD Session 5. The bard immediately catches Maria's curiosity, if not for his skillful music then for the witty banter they engage in. Her initial impressions of Amros and Yorsog are positive as the three boys banter.
5. *The second day of many* recounts WoDaD Session 7, starting with a strange dream Maria wakes from to find her staff humming with power. She follows the sounds of a flute to find the party as they are taught by Allexus, and engages in some pleasant conversation with Bran.
6. *After all, Maria IS blind* recounts the conversation with Qiro in WoDaD Session 20 from Maria's point of view. She reflects on the questions Qiro asks and while she cannot be fully sure of her own motives, the sorcereress decides to be a little selfish for once as she claims interest in Bran as a potential romantic partner.
7. *This is not Maria's Grief Party* starts with a retelling of Maria's childhood; from the day she recieved her staff as a gift, to the day she fell off a cliff and was magically caught, to the day she first heard the strings of the violin. It also recounts her state of mind in WoDaD Session 24 as she buries her staff, and her worry for Bran in WoDaD Session 25, including her offer for him to confide in her and the purchasing of her first violin.
8. In *Fear is my friend and it is my enemy*, Maria's fear spell rebounds onto her as well as her enemies in WoDaD Session 30. She remembers the warnings and distrust people have given her, namely Selvara, regarding her magic as the fear she instills in others compounds in her own mind to leave her alone. She manages to calm her raging magic so that it wouldn't tear apart innocent people, but at a cost.