Eltriel of White Tower

## Appearance

Eltriel is a tall and deceptively slender Altmeri woman, often seen in a simple white cotton shift with a dark blue apron over top, matching arm-cuffs, and a plain brown woven belt over her hips. Although this has become her default state of dress, having only a few brought to her by Kyra Leith and this one being her favourite, Eltriel can sometimes be seen in the simple white nightgown she perished in - the right side of which is soaked in blood and slashed open to reveal the fatal knife-wound to her side.

One could say that everything about Eltriel is somewhat ghostly, since she has long white-gold hair and white eyes to go with her unusually pallid complexion, which could be a result of the bloodloss she suffered in death, or her birth and upbringing in Glenumbra, away from the sunny beaches of Summerset.

Usually clad in long-sleeved gowns, irregardless if it be her nightgown or one of her new dresses, she appears deceptively slender. The long sleeves and loose folds of these dresses hide a more muscular physique and a few scars.

When armoured up, Eltriel either wears the unadorned and simple armour crafted for her by Evorio of Akavir or her ancient Sentinel armour. Where the armour made by Evorio is unadorned, her Knight-Commander’s armour could be considered over-elaborate. Like all lower Sentinels, Eltriel’s armour had initially been designed with an owl motif in mind, with feathery patterns carved into the steel, the helm bearing the facial appearance of the bird, but had been changed over the course of her service and rise to Knight-Commander until it more resembled an eagle. The avian appearance was topped by a full-helm shaped like the bird’s actual head, instead of a simple resemblance, with a plume of feathers from either side, and the fingers of her gauntlets tapered into wicked steel talons. What completed the look, however, were the large wings added to the back of the chest piece via a harness, feathered with long strips of fabric.

## Personality

Depending on how one first meets her, Eltriel may come across as a cheerful young Altmeri woman with an unbridled optimism, however those who get to know her or are already in the know of her situation will see her as the lonely, grief-torn woman she is. Her outward cheeriness and optimism is a front to avoid scaring people off, as well as an attempt to make friends with others. Eltriel feels strongly that she betrayed her order and herself by allowing grief to overtake her in life, and strives to make amends by offering aid to those around her, which at times allows her to be her old self again - driven and determined enough to lock-in on a specific task or cause.

She can come off as stubborn and thick-skulled once she has set her mind to something, or else matronly, kind, and sweet at other times. Her good-natured will does not always work out well, however, and sometimes has even potentially dangerous consequences.

Having been raised amongst the Sentinels of White Tower, and becoming one herself, Eltriel has a firm belief in what she sees as good and bad, right and wrong, which could potentially cause issue with those around her. However, in her current state, her mind has been opened a good deal to the idea that not all is black and white, and she is now allies with a few people she may not have considered even human in life.

Although usually gentle and kind, when on the battlefield, Eltriel has shown a brutal and ruthless side, leaving more dead than captured unless they are needed for information or hostages. This mentality was no doubt brought about from the need to prove herself a worthy warrior, a sign of her insecurity.

## History

Eltriel herself remembers only passing moments of her life before being taken in by the Sentinels of White Tower, namely that she and her mother roamed Glenumbra in destitution until one winter when they stumbled upon the fortress that surrounded the Tower. Not to be confused with Crystal-Like-Law, the White Tower was an ancient Aylied tower on the Moors of Glenumbra taken over by mages and their knightly protectors sometime during the Alessian Crusade, simply named so for its white stone. The two were taken into the Tower and given food and shelter, allowed to stay only until the winter storm blew over. Her mother perished in the following weeks, leaving the Sentinels with a young child with which they did not know what to do. Not wanting to turn the child out into the open world even once the storm had died down and spring was on its way, Eltriel was smuggled into the barracks and kept as a sort of mascot, fathered by all, for almost half a year before one of the Sentinels was caught in the armoury attempting to make her a new dress.

A council meeting was held, and after a lengthy discussion for which Eltriel - and half a garrison of Sentinels who had stepped forward to be her ‘legal’ guardian - was present, it was decided at long last that she would be permitted to live and study at the Tower. Initially, she was meant to work toward magecraft, but having lived among the warriors, Eltriel instead turned her aims toward joining their ranks. As the only female amongst them, as Eltriel grew much pressure was placed on her to be just as strong and tough. Those Sentinels who looked over her as a daughter encouraged and aided her, though most were indifferent, and there were a handful who actively moved against her, such as Knight-Commander Merildor.

After many years of studying, training, and battle, Eltriel eventually found herself amongst the dozen Sentinels who were selected to become Knight-Commander Merildor’s right-hand and successor. In an effort to prevent her rise to right-hand, Merildor commanded that, in her trial in battle against an undead horde that had risen from the Moor, Eltriel was to bear on her back two wings of metal so as to physically feel the weight of command. Given advanced warning by Sentinel Areldil, she spent the run-up to the battle strengthening her back, shoulders, and core. When the time came, instead of her usual shield, she took up one of the huge scutums and took advantage of the added weight, turning herself into a vicious, nigh immovable bastion of steel. When Merildor passed, Eltriel was hailed as Knight-Commander.

Eltriel’s fall took place sometime after one century of service as Knight-Commander, when she fell for the stablemaster, a Nord by the name of Varrin. A lover of music, after the two had courted for two years, she crafted for him a harp of moonstone and silver. After delivering it to him, however, Eltriel came upon Varrin with another lover, who he soon after spurned her for. Her harp was returned to her, and she sealed herself in her chambers, taking little food or water. She simply played her harp at all hours, driving many mages and Sentinels to abandon the rooms within hearing range. Within a week, she committed suicide by stabbing herself through the ribs with a slender knife. Since then, Eltriel’s harp had become known for its enchanting visions of loved ones, of the happiest memories, its players witnessed when using it and was sealed in the vaults for the damage it did - all who played it would commit suicide within a week, driven to despair by the false happiness it provided. The harp was lost after some centuries, and eventually found by Sentinel Lillandlas, who left it in the care of Fenris Bade after having played it himself unknowing what it was.

## Abilities

As a Sentinel, Eltriel was trained in the way of the sword, mastering single-handed swords, along with dual-wielding and sword-and-shield - as a student, she was warned that a swordsman was only so good as long as he had hands to use, and so sought to never be bested by a single broken wrist. Soon, she became adept at using the heaviest of the orders shields - the scutum to counter her slowness on the field, fully trading speed for brutality and defence.

Allowed only to learn two spells, instead of learning the usual destruction-healing combination that most Sentinels chose, Eltriel learned to dual-wield ice and lightning. In her spare time, she learned enough of the mundane healing arts to keep herself patched up on the battlefield or long journeys from the Tower.

## Equipment

* Judiciar - Eltriel’s longsword, a plain and simple meteoric steel sword kept in a scabbard with runes inlain with moonstone. The pommel of the sword is shaped into the likeness of an eagle’s head, its eyes inlaid with white opal. In compliance with her vicious tactics on the battlefield, Judiciar boasts a flame enchantment so that she can raze her foes with fire even after her own magicka is spent.
* Blackheart - The scutum shield Eltriel chose for her trial and had kept ever after, so named for the ebony eagle’s head the armourer fitted to its centre in place of the Tower’s symbol.
* The Eagle - Eltriel’s armour, so named and styled specifically for her, it is heavy even without the wings, made up of plate and scale all fitted in an avian manner right down to the clawed gauntlets and double plume of feathers on the helm.

## Quotes

“I am not much of a healer. I only know enough to keep my guts inside long enough on the field to take a few enemies down with me. Yet I am told I would make an excellent one - I shall look into it, now I have all the time on Nirn.”

“I was disarmed during the defence of a fortress at one point, my opponent thought he had me beat. I pushed him against a wall and pinned him with my shield until the breath left his lungs, then tossed him over the battlement onto his comrades. If he wasn't dead before that, he was after."