Aila

## Aila Balton

"*Brorc...Cheeeeeesecake...."*~Aila

Aila Balton is an Aasimar cleric of the Hoketh, and high priestess of the Hoketh Clergy in Alivast. She also serves on the City Council.

Aila's celestial parent is the Harvest Man, a celestial servant of Hoketh that serves as the grim reaper. Her mother died shortly after giving birth and she rarely talks to her father who is a medicinal herbalist from Westifal Glade near the South West of Tristella Court. In her education by the Hoketh clergy she learned basic medical techniques, but mainly rituals and ceremonies, church administration, and history.

The Unexpectables first met her during the Alivastian Festival. They quickly discovered that Aila can see ghosts and spirits. Though she doesn't know spirits by name, she can understand their emotions and intentions. She may also have the ability to sense roughly when a person's time has come, as when she was first approached by The Unexpectables she commented it was "not yet their time" to her guards.

## Personality

Aila has a soft child-like wonder, and she seems to have a very aloof nature towards food and people. She is an odd woman who speaks and moves in a slow, sleepy manner. She is often viewed as being creepy and weird in social situations due to her nature and job, as she doesn't have too much exposure to the living, and she can come across as knowing something the other person doesn't. If one looks past this spacey outer layer, she can be more emotional than initially thought, as she "joyfully" reunites with her husband, and actually has a slight penchant for mischief, often making playful jabs at the uncomfortable situations her underlings or subordinates are sometimes subjected to.

She is aware that her personality makes her unsuited for social occasions, but still often comments openly on what her spirit sight shows her.

## Relationships

### Brorc Bronze-Fang

Brorc Bronze-Fang was in charge of escorting Aila around during the Alivastian Festival in the stead of her husband who was busy fighting in the war against the Fire Giants. Aila appears to have rank over Brorc and idly would jab at him about his presentation to the people.

Aila either enjoys tormenting Brorc or is completely oblivious to his discomfort because she uses her status to keep him present after ordering Remy to read a letter from her husband  that contains his personal thoughts on Brorc and no small amount of romantic innuendo towards herself.  When the letter got very personal or saucy, she repeated her order for Remy to continue reading despite his and/or Brorc's protestations.  This left Brorc very flustered and muttering his desire to die to the embarrassed Remy.  During this whole process, Aila maintained an expressionless face that gave no clue to her inner thoughts on the matter.

### Balfor Balton

*"SHMUMBLEKINS!" ~ Balfor Balton*

Aila is Balfor's wife. they are deeply and madly in love, and Aila mentions he is a wonderful husband and laments that "She should not go to social gatherings without her husband" suggesting that the two often attend events together.

Balfor's overbearing affection for the stoic Aila is evidenced by how his letters to her lapse into purple prose and gushing pronouncements of love.  She apparently encourages this verbose correspondence because she gave him a dictionary as a gift at some point.

The couple's marriage was arranged by the Council as that body has the power to control the lives of aasimar to such an extent. The two knew each other from their work on the Council but were not previously in love. In an odd alchemy of their eccentric personalities they fell head over heels in love with each other and were able to make the best of what could be an otherwise awkward or even tragic situation.

To accommodate the wedding traditions of Vetrion, Aila and Balfor had a ritual contest of strength as part of their wedding. Since Aila’s strengths are mystical and not physical like Balfor’s, any regular contest would be woefully unbalanced in his favor.  To provide a semblance of balance, and make light of a ritual that seemed unsuitable for their pairing, the pair satisfied the requirement by engaging in a thumb war.  Balfor won.

After waiting a great deal of time for her husband to return from the front lines, the couple was finally reunited at The Silver King's ball. After greeting each other with a warm and exceptionally fluffy embrace, Aila and Balfor shared finger foods before leaving the ballroom to spend time alone.

### Task

Aila idly mentions that "200 souls" are following in his footsteps, referencing Task's lost Kobold clutch, and that they are concerned about Task's path in life. She attempts to comfort Task by explaining Hoketh's cycle of life and death involves removing mortals from un-bearable pain. Task takes it in strides but still finds Aila's conversation unnerving, and more of a warning rather than comforting. Aila met up with Task at the ball and inquired about the health of Willow, who was assailed by a Somalisk sent by Mel. She also offered help "on the house" whenever Task asks the Hoketh Clergy for help. She also gave Task a wooden symbol of Hoketh.

### Borky

Upon meeting Borky, Aila observed an empty space next to the orc and commented that "She could see the family resemblance". This comment unnerved Borky causing him to storm off. Later the same night Aila tries to comfort Borky the same way that she attempted to comfort Task, and explained that "It was her time" in reference to the spirit following Borky. Borky, rather than accepting the words, disagreed and argued that it "Wasn't her time" and that Aila was wrong.

### Greckles

When Aila first met Greckles during the Anniversary Festival, he gave her looks that implied a feeling of fear. Later on, he did bow, to Aila, wishing to express his respect. She responded by complimenting the color of his feathers. When asked, she saw it fit to answer Greckles' inqueries about her husband, Balfor.

During the Harvest Festival, Aila was signed up to be a judge for the cooking competition. Upon noticing Hammergnar's seat was empty, Aila decided to offer it to Greckles so she could talk to him over dinner. She bluntly inquired as to why Greckles seemed to be afraid of her, who explained that her demeanor and position reminded him of how people of influence present themselves in the Eastern Isles. The two also talked about Solly's position, and how Greckles feels about her. When Greckles explained he may harbor romantic feelings for Solly, Aila told him not to get his hopes up. After the competition, Greckles revealed to Aila that she was supposed to be using the paper sheets to judge the food, and that she gave everybody zeroes on accident.

## Trivia

* She apparently has a fondness for cheesecake.
* Aila is left-handed.
* According to her husband, she was originally supposed to marry Brorc Bronze-Fang. The specifics of their former betrothal are unknown other than it was up to the changing political whims of the Council.
* Beyoncé was used as a visual reference for her character design.
* Unlike other aasimar, she does not receive influence from her god through dreams. Perhaps because her spirit sight makes her every waking moment a brush with Hoketh's will.
* When things get real, Aila uses a massive scythe.
* Aila was born in the autumn.
* She still keeps in touch with her birth parents. This doesn't necessarily mean that they're still alive.
* Aila wore a very nice silver-blue dress to the Silver King's ball.
* Monty has said that Aila is possibly the most powerful aasimar in Alivast.
* Aila has a sister living north of the country of Marteralo.

## Gallery

* Battle Aila fan art by @nikkitsquare
* Battle Aila fan art by @RoSohryu
* Balfor and Greckles react to Battle Aila fan art by @RoSohryu
* Battle Aila fan art by @belias\_drak
* Battle Aila fan art by @Okame186
* Aila and her Mother fan art by @nikkitsquare
* Aila fanart by @APsaull
* Aila fanart 2 by @APsaull
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