Gáyle Faèwynd.:.Kaýrrhem.:.Elven Knight

Name: Gáyle Faèwynd

Occupation: Elven Knight

Gender: Female

Race: Elf

Tribe: Kaýrrhem

Age: 383

Approximate Lifespan: 700

Age by Appearance: 30

Knowledge & Training: Equal to a 41 year old human.

Birthday: 1286 A.S., 14th day of Maáh'valannía

Eye Color: Emerald

Hair Color: Nor'sidian, sun-faded with hints of chestnut.

Height: Slightly over 2 Peds, 2 Palmspans, 3 Nailsbreadths (About 7’4”)

Weight: 1 Pygge, 9 Hebs, 1 Hafeb, 4 Ods, 6 Mut. (220 lbs.)

Title: Hallowed Huntress

*~*Appearance*~*

Intermediate length nor’sidian locks course to respite between the elf’s petite shoulder blades in a tousled, straightforward fashion. Seldom are these adorned with any trinkets, as such things are frequently lost or forgotten. Normally these tresses are raised in a high poised ponytail, to keep the maiden’s vision clear of obstructions. There are undulating waves of chestnut easily observed throughout her mane, evidence of Injèrá's influence over the course of centuries. Extremely obvious is the knight’s general disregard for proper grooming. Usually a plait is hastily assembled each morning, with a few wayward strands allowed to frame Gáyle’s delicate cheeks.

Pointy ears jut out from these tresses, their silken luster a stark contrast to these dark locks. No ornaments can be noted along their lengths, nor is there any indication that they have ever been blessed with such adornments in the past. Subtle high cheekbones polish the maiden’s visage with an aura of sophistication. The rugged knight’s grin is a zenith of full lips, suggestive of someone pouting flippantly, accompanied by rows of pearly white perfection. The type of smile that elevates the morale of nearly everyone, merely improved more-so, when in concurrence with her harmonious tender voice.

Almond-shaped, emerald eyes are drawn into her graceful countenance, almost like a duo of portals overlooking a summer’s meadow. A kindhearted sparkle glimmers profoundly within them, even in the most laid-back of settings. These mystifying orbs are extremely expressive, permitting the casual observer a clear indication of the maiden’s mood. Extensive eyelashes highlight these windows elegantly, drawing onlookers into their depths. Attractive eyebrows are poised symmetrically above them, flowing across the knight’s gentle brow in accentuated refinement.

Gáyle is a bit high-grown for her tribe; she towers near the most stout of men within the Kaýrrhem. With an extremely trim physique; though reasonably buxom she is still a smidgen on the slender side. Beneath her immaculate porcelain hued skin, sinewy muscles can be observed rippling, providing great verification to the refined heritage the huntress was born into. An eminence of self-assurance exudes from the elf recurrently, as she holds an overconfident demeanor regardless of the conditions she finds herself in. A picturesque wood elf in her appearance and bearing, one would be hard pressed to find a figure that expressly states the regality and lineage of her tribe, such as the huntress does.

Gayle’s head is well rounded with a tiny jaunt outwards at her delicate chin. The entirety is topped with an abundant cascade of dark locks that fall down a willowy neckline and come to rest between her petite shoulders. Her mid-riff is accentuated by a moderate bust line that tapers over a lean stomach and flares dramatically into curvaceous hips. The maiden’s legs remind one of a long draught of fine wine, well defined and never-ending. If the knight’s legs are any indication of her build, one should note that her lissome arms flow from each shoulder in an accentuation of sublime fragility. So is the silhouette of the elf, for those willing to step back and imbibe the sum of the sensual creatures form.

Gáyle’s plate armor consists of a winged helmet, a gorget, spaulders, couters, vambraces, gauntlets, a cuirasss with a fauld, tassets, a culet, a mail skirt, cuisses, poleyns, greaves, and sabatons. While it looks weighty, this set of full plate is in truth quite light, only 40 od and fashioned from daintily wrought tempered steel. The weight is so dispersed over the elf’s body that she can openly sprint and jump high enough to reach the saddle of a standard horse. The knight has confirmed it is even achievable to swim in this suit, yet it is difficult. It is also possible for the huntress, in armor, to chase after and catch an unarmored enemy. Intricate filigree covers the complete exterior of this suit, reminding one of autumn leaves.

Upon close observation and those astute enough to notice, the knight’s pallid skin is a plethora of scars. Most notably are the elf’s slender digits, the entirety of their spans are minute nicks and cuts. These subtle white blemishes have been garnered from a lifetime of combat training and conflict, combined with hard exertion. Gáyle’s legs are also pot marked with a surplus of diminutive wounds, gained from thistles, rocky ledges and weapons. Although far less dense than the abrasions upon her delicate hands, they are effortlessly seen by the vigilant. Old cuts and abrasions are not restricted to these areas, the extent of her arms bare similar markings, as does her fragile neckline.

The elf’s primary weapon, the hornbow, is a bow relative in size to a longbow, which bends into two spirals resembling the horns of a ram. This exquisite weapon resides in an external sheath on the outside of her quiver, poised between Gáyle’s commanding shoulder blades. It is fabricated from two separate materials, granting the huntress a greater draw weight and superior durability. The outer layer is constructed of bone which overlays, on the face, a solid core of Birch. The handle is a complex wrap of deer sinew, well worn to fit the elfess’s firm grasp. The arrow shelf is scarred from use, though designed with no sights, as the hunter’s instinctual aiming would be hampered by such mundane assistance.

The elfess also carries a pair of spears as her primary in-close weapons. A sheath to the rear of her left hip holds the lower third of them. Their Birch wood shafts spanning near two and a quarter ped ride along the span of her back, where they are individually snapped to the upper side of her quiver. These permit the huntress a rather fluid and quick release for their utilization. The top third of their lengths are bound in ringlets of iron, to protect them from damage whilst engaging armed opponents. The lowest ring has five tines curved upwards to protect her hand from weapons sliding down the shaft. They are topped with a near three palmspan, razor-sharp point that is serrated along the lower two-thirds of their expanse. The center third of the shafts are bound in leather, which permits Gáyle a firm grasp as she moves her grip to suit a fluid fighting style.

*~*Personality*~*

Soft spoken, the elf appears almost timid when in a boisterous environment. Although this is the perception most gather from her, it is an untrue idea. With a lifetime amongst serene surroundings the knight’s general tone is one of tranquil lightness. She usually has a great deal to say even if it is only a parody of jests or congenial recants of tales she has heard. Small gatherings and friendly acquaintances about a campfire, seem to really open Gáyle’s sociable demeanor up. These occasions permit the elfess to allow her sparkling smile to radiate at her leisure.

Once someone gets the knight into wilder areas they will observe an almost serene aura falling over the elf. Far from civilization and the bustle of city life is where the huntress feels truly at home. The brush of the undergrowth, uneven earth beneath her boots and a fresh zephyr upon her face, are all touches of paradise for Gáyle. These areas can only be stated as the places she is most comfortable in and her lifelong skills can be readily expressed. Anyone inquiring to her actions in these places will quickly receive an informative response tinged with vast amounts of useful knowledge. To believe that she loves these areas, would be an unparalleled underestimation, in her eyes such sylvan settings are as the world should have been.

Although religion happens to be one of her favorite topics, the knight does not go out of her way to raise the subject. Still those with religious beliefs will find an attentive ear when conversing with the elf. Gáyle has immense knowledge when it comes to the topic of gods, goddesses and perceived entities of the divine. Would be clergy and those of powerful convictions will quickly find an understanding target within the knight. They will also find a well of infinite wisdom and indulgence from the huntress, who will gladly share her viewpoints. A lifetime of faithfulness in the service of Ývan, has forged the hunter into a creature of enormous perception and sympathy.

Always willing to help others, the knight frequently falls into some precarious situations. Even something as plain as a bar room brawl swiftly draws the elf’s attention. She will usually try to verbally diffuse situations such as these, yet should weapons be drawn there is no doubt the huntress will become part of it. People will fight is her opinion, but when they begin to die, it is time to act. Simple things as petty crimes in a city will also draw her interest, both to insure that the guilty parties are arrested and to make sure they are punished accordingly. This does not mean Gáyle is without compassion, especially towards children. It is not unknown for her to see a child steal food and then approach the vendor, paying for the stolen objects.

Where the Kaýrrhem is from, food is not something to be sold to those in need of it. Hence she does not deem those stealing such a life giving necessity to be true criminals. Yet theft of material objects not necessary for sustaining life is another matter entirely. Taking from others only makes them as needy as you were previously, only perpetuating the problem. Those that commit theft out of greed are considered to be the worst the world has to offer. Gáyle has no qualms over hunting down such vile individuals and bringing them to justice. Murder is another realm the elfess frowns upon, although there are tyrants that deserve such a fate, still these actions should be weighed carefully by those deciding to commit them.

Gáyle has no musical training but she does love performances done by others. A superior sonnet in a tavern might allow the elfess to forget her discomforts for awhile, causing her to stay about until the end of the presentation. Along the roadways with companions near a campfire, if someone were to chime-up with a ditty or musical instrument they will find a willing participant. Even though she has no formal training, the knight does have a peaceful harmonious voice that a few have complimented her on. Close companionship and music are a few of the things that sincerely allow the huntress to feel comfortable around people, really demonstrating the lighter side of her personality.

*~*Ideals of Knighthood*~*

Excellence: A knight must always do what is morally sound and right. They may never willingly associate or deal with those of evil intent. They may never stop their pursuit against Coór the Shadow and his minions. To fail in these things would allow darkness to spread and ruin all of creation.

Justice: A knight must always obey justifiable laws, even against their own personal interests. The knight may never follow a corrupt or evil edict. The knight has vowed to end all oppressive governments and to change all laws that are shady or immoral. The knight must always bring corrupt officials and persons of power to justice. The knight must make sure that neither they nor any governing body gives punishment that is not equal to the crime. The knight must respect titles of power, such as lords and kings, when righteous. To fail this is spreading chaos to the ruin of all.

Nobility: The knight must always go with honor. The knight may never use forms of guile to kill or incapacitate an enemy. Those who the knight faces must always be aware before being engaged. The knight must not lie or mislead others, and must always value and be affable to members of the opposite sex. To violate these things is to lose esteem and face in the eyes of the world.

Empathy: The knight must always temper law and justice with mercy and compassion. The knight has vowed to guard the weak, the poor, the innocent, the helpless, and those who can not defend themselves. Always have mercy upon your enemies and spare them whenever they yield. Do not end another life if there is a way around it. Never inflict unneeded pain or suffering upon any person. To fail in these things is to bring harm to the world and blights the knight’s glorious mission.

Acumen: The knight always uses wisdom in their doings. The knight must endeavor to see situations from all angles, and must look to the future to try and see all ends of their actions. Always be sure of evil, and only act when you have proof of corruption. A knight must always remember that the end does not justify the means, evil begets evil, chaos begets chaos, even the wise can not see all ends.

Combat: The knight shall be able and willing in combat. They must never fight an enemy that is below them, and must always make sure that they are capable of completely ending darkness’s influence. The knight must always be ready for battle, and be assured their armor and weapons are forever well maintained. The knight has the right to preserve their person and fight back in self-defense. To fail this is to allow our enemies to overrun us to the ruin of all.

Faith: The knight must always believe in Ývan and follow her ideals. In times of doubt, the knight must always remember their religious teachings. Respect and defend the knighthood, value other beliefs and the clergy of the twelve.

Harmony: The knight must learn to use all of these points in conjunction and equity, to temper each virtue in equal parts, forming that which makes the knighthood. To fail in this lesson is to slip from the glory of the brethren, tainting your Cár'áll.

*~*Strengths*~*

Hornbow: Gáyle designed this bow on her own and is the embodiment of her craftsmanship. With a 100 od draw weight it is a powerful weapon with a maximum range of 280 peds. At a distance of 230 peds she could easily hit a target the size of a horse. Within 200 peds she could call a shot and hit the appendage stated, on such an animal, with relative ease. A human sized target is not so difficult for the archer to strike at 150 peds. Anything under 100 peds she could call out the exact area of impact and strike it repetitively with tremendous accuracy. Having used this style of bow since the first few decades of her life, the elf is a mistress of 'Instinctual Aiming'.

Fortified: The knight wears a full suit of plate-mail overlaying chain-mail. This armor was handmade for Gáyle with a unique stylized motif to represent her role amongst the Kaýrrhem. Its design is not only exceedingly protective it is also eloquently constructed to allow movement while encased in it. Although not as profoundly defensive as frontline soldiers, the elven craftsmanship does give the elfess a tremendous benefit on a battlefield. With a kite shield over her left arm, this array is a daunting obstacle to most any would-be assailants.

Spear: The elfess has been using the spear for over three centuries, giving the knight immense expertise with it as a close quarter and ranged weapon. Although able to hit targets up to fifty peds by throwing, she prefers keeping a firm grasp on the shaft. The weapon grants the huntress extensive reach in melee combat, with precision thrusts and stabs. Gáyle is a swift opponent when using this weapon and quite a daunting adversary whilst pairing it with a shield. It would require another well-trained challenger to get beyond the elf’s skilled strikes, with fear of impalement.

Wilderness Survival: In the wilds of her homeland the knight could survive in the woodlands easily. Able to tell direction, track prey and find shelter in the wild is almost second nature for the elf. Most of her life being spent in such environments has fine-tuned these attributes to an astonishing level. Even after moving to Sarvonia, Gáyle could exist without visiting a province or town indefinitely. The general flora and fauna are still a bit obscure to the huntress, yet her knowledge grows exponentially with each passing day.

Fujin, Riding Cat: Warden has been traveling with the huntress since her departure from Nybelmar, about seven years ago. The feline functions as her friend, hunting partner and mount when the necessity arises. The beast’s natural hunting techniques works well in combination with the hunter’s skills. This allows the duo to remain a highly effective foraging pair, with minimal chance of a failed hunt. As the creature has only recently become bulky enough for Gáyle to ride him, they are still perfecting the necessary dictates such an endeavor requires..

Bowyer & Fletcher: The elfess is quite adept in the construction of hornbows, longbows and composite bows. Over the course of her life she has been required to construct and repair these in the field or in her leisure time. Proper care and maintenance on them is an endeavor of love for the knight and she is always excited to study other craftsman work. Gáyle is also capable of crafting arrows of high quality, their flight true, and their construction sturdy with impeccable attention to detail.

*~*Gáyle the Fletcher*~*

Finding the right wood:
   The first thing that needs to be done when Gáyle crafts an arrow is the selection of the wood that she would like to use for the shaft. The most common woods used by the elf are Birch and Cedar. Birch is a durable, sturdy wood that is superior to use for making hunting arrows, while Cedar is a soft but generally straighter wood and is better for target arrows.

Gáyle enjoys the process of making arrows from scratch, crafting the shafts from saplings that she cuts down. When selecting the saplings the straightest ones are chosen and if these can not be found, she endeavors to find ones that are fairly thick so that there is more to work with. Seasoning must be done when using saplings. This process is done by drying and prepping, which can take from one to six months depending on the wood and its moistness.

Drying the shafts:
   The next thing the archer does is bundle all her saplings together and let them dry in a humid environment, permitting the wood to dehydrate without splitting. Shrinking of the wood usually occurs as they dry, but Gáyle compensates for this shrinkage by using water soaked twine that tightens hard while it dries. After a few weeks she will undo her bundle and peel any bark that remains, then rebind them and let them set until they are ready. Then they can be worked down to the desired size. The elf always leaves a few extra nailsbreadths in length so that she has some room for error. Most of the hunter’s arrows are two fores, nine nailsbreadths and nine grains in length, to compensate for the hunter's extended draw.

Straightening the shafts:
   Once Gáyle’s shafts are chosen, dried, and shaped they are then ready to be straightened. A good straight arrow is very important, especially when discussing a target arrow. When it comes to hunting arrows, she has a little more leeway. Since the elf is usually taking aim at a moving target any flaws in the arrow will usually equal out any inaccuracies involved in the shot itself.

There are a couple of techniques that she uses to straighten her shafts. The first method is straightening them by hand and is referred to as the green method because it is used on saplings or any wood that is fresh and still moist. Basically the elf straightens the shafts as they dry. As soon as the bark is removed Gáyle takes them and bends the shaft until they look straight. This bending process is rather time-consuming and gradual. If the wood does not bend the way she would like or if the knight thinks it’s going to break, then the next method is chosen.

This is the method that is used on shafts that are already dried out, and is done by using heat to soften the wood to make it more flexible and easier to bend. The tools Gáyle utilizes for these methods are a candle, nonflammable grease, and an arrow wrench. The arrow wrench is a simple, strong piece of wood that has a hole at one end, which is slightly bigger than the diameter of the arrow shaft. First thing she does is apply grease to the area of the shaft that needs to be straightened. The grease keeps the wood from burning and scorching. Next the huntress takes the candle and warms the area until it becomes flexible. The elfess is always careful not to overheat, because this can cause the wood to become brittle and fragile.

If it is a long gradual bend she straightens it using her hands or maybe bends it over a knee. For smaller bends the elf has found that the arrow wrench is easier to use. Once Gáyle thinks that all the shafts are straight, the maiden lets the arrow rest for two weeks. If bends still appear the hunter may repeat the heating procedure and attempt to straighten them again.

Nocking:
   Once they are all straight it is time for the elf to cut nocks on one end of the shaft. The nock is the cut that the string of the hunter's bow will fit into when shooting the arrow. This cut is usually less than three grains deep and is poised at a right angle to the run of the wood’s fibers or grain. This cutting is done with a sawtooth flint flake. Gáyle reinforces the nocks of arrows made with softer woods by applying an inlay of hardwood. The nocks are then buffed until they are clean and smooth.

Fletching:
   The elf’s subsequent step is the most intricate and perhaps the most important part of the arrow. It is fletching the arrows or applying feathers to them. The hunter’s most common feathers used for arrow creation are those from a Corbie. Cock feathers are preferred over the hens, because they are heavier and last longer. The feathers of each wing curve a different way. The feathers from the right wing are termed “right” and the ones from the left wing are termed “left”. Both are used as long as all “right” or all “left” feathers match on each arrow and Gáyle uses pretty much the same area of the feather for each. Nothing says amateur like using both “left” and “right” feathers on the same arrow, which results in poor flight and can be dangerous.

Preparing the Feathers:
  Once the hunter has the proper feathers selected it is time to prepare the vanes. Preparation of the vanes is basically the separation of the vane from the quill. Gáyle uses two ways of performing this separation. The first one is called stripping; it has taken the elf extensive practice to get this down. Stripping is done by holding the feather vertical with its quill in her left hand and using the right hand to hold the vane as close to the huntress’s left hand as possible. She then separates the two at the very tip, continuing by pulling down with her right hand. This pulling action allows the vane to split from the quill with precision accuracy.

The other method she uses is called paring. This technique is more time consuming and can be more difficult than stripping, but the archer considers this method to have better results. Paring is done by the use of an extremely sharp knife to cut the vane away from the quill. Gáyle needs to start at the bulky part of the feather and work her way down. Carefully, she takes her time when doing this, because she needs to cut it as close as feasible to the web without actually cutting into it. Once they are split the feather is then neatly trimmed and prepared to attach to the shaft. These finished feathers are usually one palmspan, two nailsbreadths and three grains in length.

Positioning:
After the feathers are prepared it is time for her to position them on the shaft. There are three feathers that are applied and they are evenly spaced 120 degrees from each other. The cock feather, which is the feather that faces towards the elf while shooting, is placed at a ninety degree angle from the nock and is commonly a different color from the other two. Gáyle prefers a quick drying glue so that as soon as she gets it in place it sets, usually a resin extracted from trees, since these tend to be water-resistant. Once the feathers are set its time for the archer to trim them down to the size and shape that is needed for that particular arrow. The size and weight of the arrowhead being used will determine the size she wants her feathers to be. The lighter the head the smaller the feathers can be trimmed down.

Arrowheads:
   Now that the fletching is done Gáyle moves onto the head or pile. A very common head for practice arrows is the bullet jacket. All that needs to be done is buff the tip down, apply some resin and slide the metallic jacket on. Certain broad-heads and other hunting heads are attached the same way, but most of them are attached by making a slot or hole in the head of the shaft that she slides the head’s base into and secures with resin. The huntress prefers to wrap sinew behind the head to secure it even more-so.

Cresting:
   The only thing left for her to do is to crest the arrows. This tends to be an enjoyable and light-hearted task that brings an end to the hard work that the elf has done previously. Cresting is a way of giving the arrow an archer’s personal signature. It is done to add to the over all beauty of the arrow. Cresting is also a way she sets up her system that helps Gáyle distinguish between certain arrows. The elf’s humming arrows are painted completely white, whilst her hunting arrows are decorated white along the top and nor'sidian on the bottom. This easily distinguishes them from those designed to be used against armored targets, which are painted in polar opposition to those used in hunting.

*~*Weaknesses*~*

Fear of Crowded Places: Having spent centuries in the wild, mostly in small groups, Gáyle has become accustomed to these surroundings. Areas that have a high density of populations bring on severe feelings of anxiety. Sometimes this leads the elf into harsh bouts of fretfulness, in the extreme, shortness of breath and panic. Even simple interactions held in inns and marketplaces, cause Gáyle to hastily seek less populated districts.

Ethical Fanatic: Gáyle has been trained to follow a stringent set of ethics and expects everyone around her to observe the same. Although the maiden’s values might be proper, in her own mind, it is a rarity to find others of similar beliefs. This has and continues to cause minor conflicts amongst the knight and traveling companions. The hunter’s protests can range anywhere from a conceited rebuttal up to open conflict, if she deems the offense to be severe enough.

Crying Spells: After leaving her homeland Gáyle has become prone to fits of despair. Quite frequently when alone the knight breaks down and weeps for the life she left behind. She has sworn to return home one day, but has no clue of when or how. The maiden regrets leaving, although she realizes her goals and ideals are sound, yet this does not deaden the sense of loss and anguish that overcome her. These fits of depression regularly leave the elf physically drained and emotionally worn out.

Moon-Cycle Crisis: Gáyle’s moon-cycles are frequent and extensively random. The headaches and cramps she garners from them seem to be an ever-present aspect of her life. The knight rarely does not suffer from this ailment; migraine headaches and back pain plague the elf at every turn. The interludes of respite from them are always a welcome aspect of her existence, although markedly scarce. Even after such an extensive life they have not become regular and remain very much out of control, with no sign of getting better.

Willow Tree Addict: After coming to the Sarvonian continent the elf has become addicted to Willow Tree tea and tablets. Gáyle uses them to relieve the consistent aches and pains from her moon-cycles. Although this drug has carried out its work very well, the knight’s consumption of it has been steadily increasing. This leaves the elf on a constant search for a balanced supply, as she travels from town to town.

Disheveled: With a lifetime spent in the wilds of her homeland, the elf is fairly unconcerned with her appearance and upkeep. It is obvious that she rarely brushes her semi-lengthy locks and usually appears as if the maiden had just crawled out of bed. The palpable aroma that radiates from Gáyle is reminiscent of a recently stacked pile of fallen leaves. It is not unknown for this to put off some would be acquaintances and has caused a few to look down on the rugged knight.

Voracious: As Warden has grown into adulthood, the feline continues to require a vast amount of fresh meat to sustain him. This keeps the duo constantly on the move, trying to keep the Fujin properly fed. Gayle has even been required to buy cattle and horses at various times to feed her companion. The cat’s ravenous appetite keeps them frequently far from civilized areas, following large herds during their migrations. Usually this requires the elf to pass areas on the Sarvonian continent that she would enjoy visiting.

*~*Fighting Style*~*

At long range the huntress employs a hornbow with precision accuracy. She is quite competent with releasing arrows within a few blinks of one another. The knight can create a razor sharp stream of them, arriving within moments of each other, to shower down upon remote opponents. This feat can demoralize even the most steadfast of would be attackers. If given time to prepare, set out her missiles, her tempo of fire increases. This onslaught causes those attempting to cover the breadth between the archer and themselves to face even greater peril.

As an enemy closes the distance the knight becomes no less intimidating. Instead she changes up to her second weapon of choice, a sturdy spear. The shaft is well worn from utilization on Chyrakisth and Coór'hém in her homeland. The elf’s extensive range can be deceiving with this versatile weapon. Few enemies are accustomed to facing an opponent utilizing a one-handed weapon, which can cover a distance of some short polearms. With swift, accurate piercing strikes the armored elf can create a tumultuous storm of impaling punishment. The weapons ability to be grasped at various points permits the elfess to fool enemies with the range at which they can be assailed. The knight is an enemy that could inspire fear in all but the most battle hardened.

*~*History*~*

Born in 1286 A.S., on the 14th day of Maáh'valannía, Gáyle is the only child of Pher’yl and Diz’na Faèwynd. Their homeland was a small settlement just south of the Dolion Meriath, a very sylvan area surrounded by lush forests and rolling hills. Like all Kaýrrhem her parents have filled a multitude of roles over the elfess’s life, but at her birth her father was a hunter/gatherer, whilst the elf’s mother was a seamstress. The first couple decades of her childhood was spent much like any of the other children, wandering, playing and learning the basics of life from the community.

At the age of twenty her father started to take her on excursions to forage for food. Gáyle learned to use the spear for fishing in large streams and the bow for bigger game, such as venison and boar. Needless to say, she was a poor hunter in the beginning, yet her father never faltered in his lessons. By the age of thirty the maiden was learning to follow the signs of prey across mountainous terrain, supple forest glades and picking up tracks after crossing streams. For her tender age the huntress was starting to show impressive signs of becoming a grand tracker. Even her fishing techniques were starting to improve, she wasn’t falling down in the water quite as often.

Her time at home was not spent completely in leisure; Diz’na kept the maiden’s mind full with religious teachings, tempered with an abundant amount of oral history. Initially Gáyle considered much of these to be fairy-tales for passing time. Still, as the decades passed, she quickly learned that what her mother spoke of was to be taken with conviction and memorized for future generations. These ideals became reinforced in the elf’s mind as she would watch her mother teaching other youngsters these exact same stories. Many of them contained moral points and were meant to enlighten the listeners to not commit mistakes made in the past.

Around her fortieth year she was introduced to using her foraging weapons as utensils of combat. The elf’s bows skills were impressive compared to most her age, having been honed on small game that did not standstill, like targets. She was also introduced to the shield during this time, considering her weapon of choice was a spear, which lacked defensive adeptness. Little did the elfess know that stabbing tiny fish in a stream had also taught her to be precise with strikes from the weapon. Indeed, the shimmering water had also tempered her ability to determine range and the power with which to strike. She was learning and had nearly two decades of practical use under her belt.

By her seventieth summer the huntress had been taught how to make bows by her father. Not surprising he had also started teaching her to create missiles for these weapons, idiosyncrasies such how to create draw weight, how to cure the wood to be used, what sinew made the finest strings and how to determine which trees produced premium stock for arrows. It was easy to tell that Gáyle took an earnest love for the task, spending days at a time hunting the forests for such resources and gathering them for her father. Each new lesson was absorbed by the elfess with a passion.

Spring came upon the elf’s seventy-third year and so did an amazing sight. It was early morning when they came, the sun rising at their backs. An assemblage of mounted warriors, decked in chain-mail and plate, each displayed scars from head to toe. Many of them held their shields abreast, clearly showing their allegiance to Ývan. The maiden simply watched as the group was greeted with open arms by some of the village. A few of them treated like long lost sons and daughters, Gáyle was reminded of the stories her mother had uttered regarding wars long since forgotten. Who were these knights?

It didn’t take long for the young elf to learn the answers to a few of her questions. Indeed some of these riders were friends and family of her tribal members. Over the couple of weeks they remained, the huntress grew more and more enamored with them. These people would visit the weapon training of the younger elves, Gáyle included, frequently inserting their own points of wisdom regarding various weapons. They would also attend religious readings by the elders and spread their own words of wisdom as needed. The huntress was lucky enough to forage with a few of them, showing that these ragtag warriors knew the forest nearly as well as her father.

The elfess approached her father and asked if joining them would be appropriate. The elves told such fantastic stories of beautiful places and glorious battles, things the young elf had only dreamed of. Although reluctant her father conceded to speak with them and see if they deemed his daughter ready. Unbeknownst to Gáyle, that conversation never took place even though Pher’yl let-on that such a request was denied. Her father never told the young lass that no request was ever denied by the group and he began to prepare for the future. The huntress watched sadly as the group departed just as they had come, early morning with tears welling in people’s eyes.

The next few months the huntress bean to notice a subtle change overcoming her father. He had even started to travel away from home, sometimes weeks at a time, arriving home under the cover of night. When the elfess would inquire the answers were vague and quite frequently deflected with a subject change. Although odd, Gáyle found the time alone in the forest to be enjoyable and spent large amounts of time fashioning a strong bow, whilst keeping her quiver full. About a year after the knights had departed Pher’yl disappeared for near six moons.

Pher’yl returned as he always did, late at night with no inclination to enlighten his daughter to where he had been. Over the next seven years life went on as usual, her father had seemed to have lost his wandering bug and remained home. The elder never offered an explanation for his absence nor did it seem that Gáyle’s mother had even noticed it. So the elf continued to train, study and forage enjoying the life her goddess had given her. The huntress’s mind frequently wandered back to the passing knights and the peculiar behavior of her father. But with the hasty dismissal her prodding brought, the subjects lingered only in her mind.

Out of nowhere her father disappeared again, this time for only a few days, yet he returned under the same mysterious shroud. Gáyle made no inquiries as they would assuredly be met with the same distant vague remarks, garnering her nothing. Life went on per usual and nothing was said by either of her parents.

The eighty-third year of her life and fall had come and so had the riders once again. Their numbers had changed, although their heartfelt greeting remained the same. Gáyle’s enamored gaze had not changed as she watched them, with the same envy she had the first time they had come. Although their numbers had changed and they seemed a wee-bit more haggard, their leader had remained the same. The huntress came to a conclusion upon the second day they were in town. She would approach them herself and join the ragtag group, see the world, fight glorious battles and be welcomed home as they were.

Dawn of the next day the huntress rose earlier and set-out to speak with the members of the group. She found their leader already sitting about a breakfast fire chatting with some of his brethren. Steeling herself the maiden strode towards the small assemblage, standing proudly before and presented her inquiry. Many of them smiled at Gáyle as if she had told them a jest. Although what came next was even more shocking, their leader nodded in agreement and simply stated, “We leave in four days. Be ready at dawn.” The huntress was overcome by the simplistic answer and fled whilst thanking them. Never minding that she would be leaving in four days, she began to pack her things hastily. The sound of approaching footsteps caused the elfess to look over her shoulder, directly into her father’s eyes.

Slowly Pher’yl turned and shut the door behind him before turning towards his daughter with questioning eyes. The huntress quickly began to explain what she was doing, her words flowing around and over each other in haste. Gáyle’s father simply raised his hand to silence the excited lass, then started a measure utterance of his own. “I know you are going with them, a decade ago I knew this time would come. I am the one that decided that you could not go the first time.” A long pause fell before he continued. “You were not ready. I have something for you.” He motioned her to follow as they made their way through the home to her parent’s room.

The elder knelt down beside his bed and pulled a large wooden rate from beneath it. Unclasping the edge of the box he opened to reveal a gleaming suit of finely crafted armor. As he stood he simply stated “It is yours, take it with you when you leave. Never forget us and we shall always be here when you wish to come home.” So many questions flowed between the two; the answers enlightened the elfess to many obscure events. Evidently her father had been disappearing to consign a smith to construct such an elegant suit. Money and materials had drawn the elder away from home on those occasions. It had been a decade of love and financial struggle just to construct this suit for her safety.

The faithful morning came and the huntress wandered out of town alongside the others. Her first footsteps away from home, little did she know this pathway would be never-ending. For the next three hundred years she walked, fought, hunted, loved and traveled to every corner of her tribe’s homeland. About every ten years she would wander into her family’s settlement. Each passing time the weight of her life could be easily noticed on her delicate features. The sands of time flowed over her as each year scars began to decorate her silhouette. Although these wounds were visible to the outside world, it was the unseen ones the knightess would carry with her to the end of days.

Each day upon the roadways she struggled against creatures of darkness and vile intent. The elfess could recount having faced near one-hundred men in physical combat and near twice that number with a bow. Not a single one of those faces would ever leave her mind, even if she lived a thousand years they would be carried in her heart and soul. Life had become a constant struggle to keep Coor’s spawn from overcoming her people, her home and destroying their way of life. Just like her brethren she kept these demons to herself, the screams echoed forever in the elfess’s mind and these echoes contained the voices of those she had come to love.

Dawn rose as the ragtag band rode into Gáyle’s home settlement and the elfess thought to herself. It was a simple question she had asked so very long ago, “Who were those knights?” She had learned the answer. “They were her brothers, sisters, friends, lovers and the only people of the world that knew what she carried with her.” A hug about her bosom jolted the elfess from her inner thoughts; it was Diz’na with tears streaming down her wrinkled cheeks. The elderly elf took a single stride backwards and drank in the entirety of her daughter. The knightess could only imagine that she appeared like those riders had three centuries previous.

For a short time the knight’s stay was no different than any other she had made over the centuries. The arrival of a messenger quickly changed this relatively normal stay into a life-changing time for Gáyle. The parchment the courier brought with him was a request for the elf, one that called for her departure for Santharia. A place of legend for the median aged huntress, yet there was also a vast list of instructions for her to follow. It contained the where to go and why, along with the base reason for the mission. She was to seek out the tribes on this foreign continent and report how each had grown since the sundering.

After arriving in the port city of Anpagan the elf purchased passage on a trade ship to the City Sates of Zhun. As instructed she searched the city for the Enkyklopadiecs, the building was not difficult to discover, it was a massive library with sprawling grounds. The elfess had been told to seek out the compendiums researcher named Decipher Ziron. Yet the man was not on the premises and the knight was instructed that he would be absent, upwards of a week. Since she was told that she would be performing guard duty for the scholar on his venture to the Sarvonian continent, she simply began to explore the entirety of the construct.

After five days of patient waiting and meandering about the semi-luxurious establishment, Decipher’s entourage appeared as if it were a traveling carnival, so numerous were the wagons and cages being hauled behind him. If all were owned by this man, Gáyle could only imagine that he was the most fortuitous individual she had ever met. Slow she stood, slightly open mouthed as the ensemble wandered pass finally taking on a stoic glare as the lordling made his way towards the front steps of the library. Without a noticeable glance the man spoke sternly as he hastened pass. “One hour my chambers.” Since the man was defined as her new employer by virtue of what he had to offer, the knightess bowed eloquently at the request.

With an hour to spare the elf wandered down to the wagons the man had returned with. Already there was a multitude of workers passing to and fro unpacking boxes and maneuvering the cages toward holding pens. Gáyle noted numerous packages labeled with names Deci, Mira and Coren seemed to prevail in numerical value, but the list was not easily kept up with. Soon the Kaýrrhem strolled over to the living cargo that Decipher had returned with, the plethora of wildlife the man had brought with him was astonishing, to say the least. From what appeared as a near invisible kitten to large birds with elaborate plumes.

As customary for Gáyle she arrived early at the entrance to Deci’s chambers, still fawning over the sights she had witnessed outside. Like clockwork she was asked to wait for the appointed time, left standing at the threshold of the entranceway. When the hour chimed she was led into Decipher’s chambers, the knight hastily noted the bizarre décor and piles of misaligned parchments scattered about on every surface. Though she paid miniscule heed to the obvious disheveled apartment, the man she met at last was far from what one would expect to find as the sole occupant of such a place. The elfess noticed that he spoke with a strange accent and held a vast repertoire of the Tharian language, each word carefully considered before being spoken with confidence.

Deci clearly defined what was expected of her and the schedule was a stringent one. She was to be at his side, prepared and watching for everything twelve hours a day. Evidently the man would be guarded against harm in her absence by a woman named Mila Metariel, whom the scholar held in high regard. In closing the man surprised the knight with a simple question. “Is there anything you desire before our departure?” To tell the truth there was nothing in life that Gáyle desired that had not been readily available in her daily existence. She answered without thinking, unbeknownst to her that the fanciful request would delay their voyage by days. “The Fujin kitten Milord.” And so the interrogation began.

In truth the knightess thought the scholar had nearly chuckled at her, yet only a single question followed. “Tell me what you know of Salus Pyrunai?” The man’s quill appeared in his hand before the final word had been uttered. She had not heard the name for many years and began blurting out smidgens of tales she had been told regarding that name. Decipher raised his hand and clearly stated he wanted the full tales, not simple excerpts. So the elfess started from the beginning of the stories she had been told when she was young. The recantation of the tales wandered into the late night, although the man’s quill hand never faltered as she ambled on over the hours.

This continued day and night for nigh two days, a constant retelling only interrupted by the scholar’s infrequent questions. The knight noticed the man speaking to himself throughout the time she was recalling every line of the tales. It seemed that Decipher was quoting dates to himself, which seemed odd to Gáyle. At the onset of the third day they set sail, the knightess with her newfound pet cradled in her arms and the zephyrs rustling her lengthy tresses. Still Deci continued his questioning of her when she was on guard duty, the man had become obsessed.

It took the ship near a year to travel the expanse of the ocean, with infrequent stops for new supplies. The knight had only come to know her fellow guard at the dining table, the only time the two were present in cohorts on the vessel. They arrived in Southern Sarvonia in the early spring of 1663 A.S. and remained together until delivering Decipher to New Santhala. Since that time Gáyle has only seen the scholar twice, about every third year. Each time relating her own travels on this new continent and with explicit recants of her findings in regards to the elven empires she had visited.

*~*Weapons*~*

Hornbow: The elf’s primary weapon, the hornbow, is a bow relative in size to a longbow, which bends into two spirals resembling the horns of a ram. This exquisite weapon resides in an external sheath on the outside of her quiver, poised between Gáyle’s commanding shoulder blades.

Spears: The elfess also carries a pair of spears as her primary in-close weapons. A sheath to the rear of her left hip holds the lower third of them. Their Birch wood shafts spanning near two and a quarter ped ride along the span of her back, where they are individually snapped to the upper side of her quiver.

*~*Belongings*~*

~ A large quiver containing two score of arrows. Four of which are designed as ‘humming’ to emit a loud shriek as they glide through the air, for signals or to inspire fear in enemies. Sixteen are designed with serrated broad heads, inflicting maximum damage to bring down prey and enemies alike. Another full score are designed with a razor sharp point, for piercing armored targets with highest penetration.
~ A large backpack containing a waterskin and an abundant amount of dried jerky.
~ A change of clothing that includes deerskin breeches, violet blouse with flowing cuffs and knee high heeled boots.
~ A kite shield with the Kaýrrhem coat of arms emblazoned upon its surface.
~ A trio of pouches filled with Willow Tree tea, tablets and a reasonable sum of currency, respectively.
~ A small packet of Tooth Cabbage.
~ A dwindling bar of Icemilk soap.
~ A Hornbow (Described in the Appearance Section)
~ A duo of hunting spears (Described in the Appearance Section)
~ A complete suit of elven plate-mail.

*~*Pets*~*

Name: Warden
Age: 7
Species: Fujin, Riding Cat
Gender: Male
The large feline while seated is about two and a half peds at the shoulder, still a youngster, whilst his head rises another two fore. Warden will not reach full maturity until his tenth year. He weighs around nine pygge and seems to be truly filling out, at last. Since he was a kitten his canines have grown to near a palmspan in length, allowing the Fujin to bring down rather large prey with minimal effort. Overall the cat spans a distance of four and half peds from nose to the tip of his tail. Although a smidgeon away from his adult size the cat is a magnificent beast to behold.

With the natural camouflage of his kind, Warden could go relatively unnoticed by most at distances over two peds. His sense of smell is quite astonishing and grants the feline another potent tool to track and capture prey. Like all males of his species the cat can obtain great bursts of speed over short distances, effortlessly covering two dashes in about five blinks. Although these are amazing feats they pale in comparison to those exhibited by the females of the Fujin.

Warden has adopted Gáyle as his mother and treats the elf as he would another member of his brood. Displays of affection between the pair are frequent and never done without reciprocation. The feline is astonishingly docile towards the knight and can be quite forthcoming to those that extend friendship to either of them. One should be weary in his presence, as he can take the most mundane acts of aggression with great offense, especially if they are markedly towards his mother.

The cat has a bony plate that extends from just above the Fujin’s golden eyes to just below his expressive ears. This plate spans at its widest point around a half a ped, with a riding loop embedded into both ends. This permits the elfess to keep a powerful grip while riding the beast. The rings also serves as a steering device, to guide Warden with his mother’s wishes. The duo still has some miscommunications, but they are learning year by year. This anomalous bone structure is not the only idiosyncrasy these felines demonstrate. Unlike most predatory cats Warden’s species does not possess claws.