Matoya

## History

Master Matoya is a venerable witch with a keen mind and sharp tongue. She has a no-nonsense attitude and a stern, if not aggressive, disposition toward strangers. Her attitude hardly softens after it becomes apparent that she likes you, though anyone who knows her comes to understand that her verbal jabs toward friends, though unkind, are affectionate. She rarely shows a smile, but when she does there's a warmth to it that truly feels earned.

In decades past Matoya had close connections with the powerful mages of Luracia and was influential there due to her knowledge and talent, serving in her youth as a teacher of arcane history and application. During her tenure, Matoya came to believe that magic was too powerful to be dealt out among the masses and that some day, someone with less understanding of the gravity of the power of the weave would come along and be the undoing of the world. It had happened before, it would happen again. But Luracia used their magic for power, for influence, and so gaudily that it felt sickening. Ever headstrong, Matoya became an outspoken opponent of the Luracian way of life, and her controversial opinions were noted by Lyzanthir . Her tenure as an influential mage was ended ignominiously.

On the surface Matoya lived a life of some adventure, but never took to feeling at home with anyone. Most people either hated and feared her or sought to become dependent on her talents, and neither was an option. Eventually she settled in a tower east of Millendia. Not particularly a fan of the childishness of the little races, Matoya still found their lack of direct interest in her personal affairs a great boon, and made this her home.

The entrance to her tower is hidden, a single hole in the ground that leads through an underground cavern before reaching the tower itself. The cavern is better furnished than the building as a living space, as the tower itself is lined with crooked bookshelves filled to bursting. Matoya enjoys the solitude, and usually keeps only the company of her animated broomsticks, enchanted talking frogs, and her raven familiar.

Under the rule of queen Noshishi Dol Noshi laws were changed such that Matoya's tower would be taxed. Matoya absolutely refused, as she had neither income nor exports. After the princess Monana expressed an interest in magic Noshishi gave Matoya an ultimatum; take her daughter on as a student or vacate the tower. If Monana hadn't been a pleasant little girl Matoya would have certainly abandoned her home, but somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered the joys of teaching young students, and agreed to teach the princess. Besides, Monana was young enough to learn wisdom in her youth, unlike the carefree youth of the Emerald Moon. Matoya would see to it that the girl matured unspoiled by the luxury of royal privilege.

## Relationships

#### Lyzanthir

Matoya got along well enough with Lyzanthir back when she was a studious mage in training. As she grew older and more cynical, she lost respect for the head of her guild and was unafraid to be blunt about it. Lyzanthir remained professional, and Matoya only used his formal approach toward her complaints as leverage to feel further disenfranchised. Lyzanthir would tell you that it was Matoya who drove a wedge in their friendship, and he wouldn't be wrong.

#### Olanna

Matoya always respected Olanna. She would no doubt give her a hard time about the folly of making predictions in a world so chaotically malleable, but Matoya always found the study of augury the most fascinating. Olanna is perhaps the only Luracian guildmaster Matoya still respects.

#### Noshishi

Matoya had no love for any of the royal family of Dol at first, and grew irritable when new tax laws interfered with her hermetic life. But her attitude softened when Noshishi sent word requesting a preferred means of communication and, when Matoya obstinately requested the queen come in person to manage her own affairs, came to negotiate in person. The queen of Ornatir has shown genuine respect even when it wasn't deserved, and because Matoya expects her offspring to similarly demonstrate similar obeisance she accepted to take Monana on as a student of astrology.

#### Monana

Matoya sees Monana as a both a student and a grandchild. She never strays from strictness, but the two have shared many warm moments together. Despite Matoya's thorny personality she's always happy to see Monana and feels proud of her as a student and a person. Were Matoya younger she would consider taking in another student to experience the joy of teaching a young student again, but with Monana's growth perhaps it's an opportunity to pass the torch to a new generation.