Post by Iliana on Feb 27, 2007 16:10:11 GMT -5
Name: Iliana Caraga
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Body Condition: Slender, somewhat athletic
Hair: It is a dark blonde or light brown, depending on the light, and it's about half-way down her back. She usually wears it down, but pulls it back into a low pony tail or messy bun when she's Healing.
Eyes: Her eyes are a clear blueish-grey color. They are slightly oval in shape, more round than almond and very piercing. Many have said that they feel as though she's looking through them instead of at them.
Outfit: Iliana wears a pair of navy blue knickers (which, for those of you who don't know, look like capri pants) and a silky, white, long-sleeved top with fourteen pearly buttons down the front and two on each sleeve. She leaves the buttons on her sleeves un-buttoned, so she can roll them up. Both articles of clothing used to belong to her older brother. For shoes, she dons a pair of brown, ankle-high, flat-heeled boots. They have straps that wrap around the ankle and are tied together when the boot is tight enough. A black cloak with a green lining can also be found on her person. The cloak has a large hood and is fastened by a deep purple amulet in the shape of a sun. For more formal occasions, Iliana has a few dresses, the descriptions of which I won't get into here.
Home Location: Iliana's hometown is a small village, just outside of Teirm. For now, she has no permanent home.
Clan Affiliation:
Family: Primula (Trith) Caraga and Horak Caraga are her parents. Her siblings are: Jurth Caraga (male, 23,married), Kindir (Caraga) Iger (female, 21, married), Waya Caraga (female, 15), Gunther Caraga (male, 8) and Niata Caraga (female, 4).
Character Personality: Iliana, as the second oldest daughter, likes to try and take after her older sister and role-model, Kindir. Since Kindir's marriage, Iliana has gone from a care-free, naive girl to a maturing, responsible young woman trying to find her place among her family. She is kind and caring, as would be expected from a lady of her age, but she also has an inborn intelligence that has only grown with the years (and acquiring most of her older brother's books after his marriage helped as well).
History: Since the age of seven, Iliana had always been interested in the art of Healing. There was only one Healer in her village and Iliana adored her. She loved to watch as Healer Unani pounded certain herbs together with special oils and waters in her specially-crafted mortar. Without the permission of her parents, Iliana began her training as a Healer when she was ten. Three years later, when her sister Kindir married, Iliana realized she could no longer continue with her secret apprenticeship. Her mother now looked to her for help with the household. Upon hearing this, Unani smiled and said, "Someday, child, you'll be back,".
On an autumn day, a few years later, when Iliana was eighteen-years-old, a young man came to the door. He had seen Iliana in the market a few days prior and had come to ask for her hand in marriage. Iliana's mother and father were both very pleased with this prospective husband, as he was from a fairly wealthy family. They also realized that they needed to marry Iliana off soon, before she became too old to marry.
Desperate for an escape from her fate, Iliana begged and pleaded with her parents not to send her away from them. She suggested that Waya marry the man, as she was younger and more spry. The young man, however, would not hear of it. He insisted that Iliana be his bride.
The night before her wedding, Iliana lay crying in her bed, dreading the morning. She knew it was a good match, but the thought of losing what little freedom she had was unbearable to her. And the knowledge that she would not see her siblings again for a very long time tore her apart.
As quietly as she could, Iliana grabbed her shoes, stockings, some of her brother's old clothes he had left behind and a few other personal items. She left a note on Waya's nightstand, kissed her siblings gently, and climbed out of the window. Feeling slightly chilled, she headed toward Unani's hut, remembering what the wise Healer had told her.
Though the hour was late, lights were on inside Unani's home. Quietly, Iliana went up to the door of the hut. Preparing to knock, she was surprised when the door opened first. Healer Unani stood on the threshold, the light glowing around her from behind. Smiling gently, the Healer took Iliana inside.
While listening to her tale, Unani made Iliana some tea. Drinking this tea reminded Iliana of the days when she used to come here for her secret Healing lessons. It had an herbal taste, slightly bitter, but with a natural sweetness that Iliana could never place. Thinking of her care-free days before her sister's marriage, Iliana felt calmer and began to forget her troubles.
Noticing her change in demeaner, Unani said, "Come. It is time for another lesson,".
Utterly bewildered, Iliana followed the Healer into a back room. She knew this is where Unani treated her patients as well as kept the ingredients for her potions and brews. The room was well-lit and behind a curtain, Iliana could hear someone breathing softly.
Uncertain, Iliana reminded Unani how long it had been since she last practiced her Healing. "Healing is like your name. You never forget it after you heard it once," the Healer responded. Shrewdly, Iliana realized that there were occasions when one did forget their names, but she understood the simile.
Unani pulled back the curtain to reveal to Iliana the source of the breathing. A young man with curly brown hair and fair skin lay on a cot under a thin white sheet. Whether he was sleeping or unconscious, Iliana did not know. Confidently, Unani told Iliana to identify his ailment.
Taking a deep breath, Iliana racked her brain. She had learned this once, and, according to Unani, she should still remember it. She looked at the man. There were no visible bandages to help her out, no blood anywhere, no nothing. Overall, it looked as though he were healthy. Yet, something didn't fit. What was it?
Again, Iliana looked at the man. She peered into his face, opened his eyes, and said, "He's been poisoned and Healed already. Yet he's still unconscious. Why?"
Beaming, Unani nodded. "Why indeed?" wondered the old Healer.
Returning to the young man's face, Iliana tried to decipher a possible reason. She knew quite a bit about poisons, but this baffled her.
With surprising knowledge, she took the man's left hand and opened it, so his palm was exposed. She did the same thing to his right hand. On his right palm, below his third and fourth digits, there was a small but ropy scar.
"Healer, he was wounded here. By an arrow, apparently. It couldn't be a poison arrow, could it? Possibly from a Shade?" Iliana questioned.
"Or the Ra'zac. Yes."
"Or the...but... wait! Does this mean he's from the Varden?" Iliana asked, panic-stricken. Harboring the Varden this close to Teirm meant certain doom.
"Excellent, my dear. Your deducing skills are as sharp as ever. Yes, this man is a magician from the Varden. He's apparently very important. He was carrying unopened letters with him with the Varden's seal on them."
"So, he's a spy, too?"
"Yes."
Iliana sat next to the bed, looking at the wizened Healer dumbfounded.
"Healer, this is serious. We could all be in danger, even now!"
Unani sighed.
"My dear, we have to leave. I suggest we head toward the Beor Mountains. Perhaps the dwarves there would be so kind as to let us into their city."
If she were sipping her tea, Iliana would have surely choked on it. Leave the comfort of Teirm and its region? The thought had not even crossed Iliana's mind. She had planned to live in Teirm as a seamstress if she hadn't been welcomed by Unani.
"Healer Unani! You can't be serious! There must be another way!" Iliana exclaimed.
"I'm afraid not. We'll have to wait until he comes to, though. Get your affairs in order, dear. We'll leave the day after he awakens. No, it won't be long. He's mostly healed from the poison," Unani told her distraught apprentice.
Not three days later, after Unani's hut had been searched at least twice for any sign of Iliana, the curly-haired man woke up. Realizing that these two women were his only hope for now, he agreed to go with them to Farthen Dûr, the dwarven city under the Beor Mountains.
The trio set out in the dead of night. They moved as quickly as they could, considering both Unani and Iliana were toting many Healing instruments and ingredients. They slept when they could during the day and fled toward the mountains at night.
The young man, whose name they found out was Gengir, seemed to be quite nervous. However, he rejected the nerve tonics Unani offered him.
"It'll cloud my mind," he replied.
A few weeks later, the trio decided that they would rest for a day before moving on. Iliana seized the opportunity to make conversation with the stanger.
Gengir told her he was about twenty-three years old. He wasn't sure when he was born. Yes, he was a magician (as they had witnessed the previous night when he managed to create a fire despite the fact that it was raining) but he wouldn't say if he was a spy.
"I'd really like those letters back," Gengir called to Unani.
"I'd really like to be rich," Unani replied cheerfully.
"She'll give you the letters back once we reach Farthen Dûr," Iliana assured him.
Gengir wasn't listening. He was staring at a rock by his feet. After some prodding, he told Iliana about his worries for their trip.
"The closer we get to Farthen Dûr, the more enemies we will encounter. My magic is strong, but I'm not nearly powerful enough to take on Galbatorix's army, especially in this condition." He stopped and fell silent for a few minutes.
"I... well, I used to know how to use a bow. Perhaps I could help somehow," Iliana offered. She didn't think she could remember how to shoot an arrow (her brother had taught her how to hunt when they were younger) , but she was willing to try.
Gengir looked at her.
"Okay. I'll make you a deal. I'll train you in archery if you get the letters from that old kook."
Iliana raised an eyebrow.
"No? Alright, I'll also give you a sword and teach you how to be a swordswoman and I'll train you in archery. Deal?"
Iliana was tempted. However, she shook her head.
"I can't. It wouldn't be right of me. Thank you for the offers."
Iliana stood up to go.
"Fine. I'll train you to be an archer and a swordswoman for free."
She stopped and turned around.
"What? Why? What's the catch?"
"No catch. I'll even bring you straight to the dwarf city."
"Why?"
"Because I'm in a good mood," Gengir replied curtly.
"Because you won't be able to keep the letters anyway if we're caught, " Iliana said shrewdly.
Smirking slightly, Gengir nodded.
"Alright. You've got a deal."
As the weeks past, they got closer to Farthen Dûr. Night after night, they crept along at what seemed to be a turtle's pace. By day, after a few hours rest, Gengir kept his promise. He gave Iliana his spare sword (he had three) and sparred with her. He taught her how to track their enemies, how to aim and shoot an arrow, even while running. To everyone's amazement, she took to this battlemaiden lifestyle very quickly, rapidly mastering every technique Gengir taught her.
Finally, many months since Iliana's flight from her home, they came upon the Beor Mountains. True to his word, Gengir led them straight to the city of Farthen Dûr, where he was welcomed back and Iliana and Unani were put on probation.
"They really can't take too many chances," Gengir explained, taking his letters from Unani.
A month or so later, Iliana was summoned to the chamber of the head of the Varden. His warriors had found a bottle in a nearby river. Upon reading the contents, they promptly gave the letter to the dwarf king, who had given it to the Varden head.
"I believe this letter is for you," he said sternly.
Curious, Iliana took the letter. To her astonishment, it was from her younger sister, Waya. She had written the letter a week after Iliana was found missing.
"Everyone believes you are dead, but I know better. Thank you for the note you left," it read.
In it, Waya also thanked Iliana. The suitor who had wanted to marry Iliana had settled for Waya when Iliana was found missing.
"I wish you had been at our wedding. It was a beautiful autumn wedding, you know. I think he is starting to like me. I certainly like him," Waya wrote.
A sadness filled Iliana as she read the letter, knowing she may never see her family again. And the knowledge that she had left Waya to such a fate hurt her so much.
Returning to her quarters, she gave the letter to Unani and asked her to keep it for her.
It is now a year and a half since Iliana ran from her wedding. She and Unani are still being watched by the Varden, but they have been given permission to set up a Healing clinic within Farthen Dûr. They have also been granted permission to leave and return, if they so wish to do so.
Occupation: She is a freelancer Healer.
Skills/Powers: Iliana is now an accomlished archer and swordswoman.
Likes: Healing others, learing more about Healing, caring for young children, and reading when she can. She also has taken a liking to hunting and tracking down enemies of the Varden.
Dislikes: Hurting others for the sake of hurting.
Dreams (& reasons): Someday, Iliana would like to return to her village and see her family again. She misses them, of course. She wants to marry like her older sister, falling in love first before being forced into marriage.The idea of an arranged marriage, however common it is, apalls her.
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Body Condition: Slender, somewhat athletic
Hair: It is a dark blonde or light brown, depending on the light, and it's about half-way down her back. She usually wears it down, but pulls it back into a low pony tail or messy bun when she's Healing.
Eyes: Her eyes are a clear blueish-grey color. They are slightly oval in shape, more round than almond and very piercing. Many have said that they feel as though she's looking through them instead of at them.
Outfit: Iliana wears a pair of navy blue knickers (which, for those of you who don't know, look like capri pants) and a silky, white, long-sleeved top with fourteen pearly buttons down the front and two on each sleeve. She leaves the buttons on her sleeves un-buttoned, so she can roll them up. Both articles of clothing used to belong to her older brother. For shoes, she dons a pair of brown, ankle-high, flat-heeled boots. They have straps that wrap around the ankle and are tied together when the boot is tight enough. A black cloak with a green lining can also be found on her person. The cloak has a large hood and is fastened by a deep purple amulet in the shape of a sun. For more formal occasions, Iliana has a few dresses, the descriptions of which I won't get into here.
Home Location: Iliana's hometown is a small village, just outside of Teirm. For now, she has no permanent home.
Clan Affiliation:
Family: Primula (Trith) Caraga and Horak Caraga are her parents. Her siblings are: Jurth Caraga (male, 23,married), Kindir (Caraga) Iger (female, 21, married), Waya Caraga (female, 15), Gunther Caraga (male, 8) and Niata Caraga (female, 4).
Character Personality: Iliana, as the second oldest daughter, likes to try and take after her older sister and role-model, Kindir. Since Kindir's marriage, Iliana has gone from a care-free, naive girl to a maturing, responsible young woman trying to find her place among her family. She is kind and caring, as would be expected from a lady of her age, but she also has an inborn intelligence that has only grown with the years (and acquiring most of her older brother's books after his marriage helped as well).
History: Since the age of seven, Iliana had always been interested in the art of Healing. There was only one Healer in her village and Iliana adored her. She loved to watch as Healer Unani pounded certain herbs together with special oils and waters in her specially-crafted mortar. Without the permission of her parents, Iliana began her training as a Healer when she was ten. Three years later, when her sister Kindir married, Iliana realized she could no longer continue with her secret apprenticeship. Her mother now looked to her for help with the household. Upon hearing this, Unani smiled and said, "Someday, child, you'll be back,".
On an autumn day, a few years later, when Iliana was eighteen-years-old, a young man came to the door. He had seen Iliana in the market a few days prior and had come to ask for her hand in marriage. Iliana's mother and father were both very pleased with this prospective husband, as he was from a fairly wealthy family. They also realized that they needed to marry Iliana off soon, before she became too old to marry.
Desperate for an escape from her fate, Iliana begged and pleaded with her parents not to send her away from them. She suggested that Waya marry the man, as she was younger and more spry. The young man, however, would not hear of it. He insisted that Iliana be his bride.
The night before her wedding, Iliana lay crying in her bed, dreading the morning. She knew it was a good match, but the thought of losing what little freedom she had was unbearable to her. And the knowledge that she would not see her siblings again for a very long time tore her apart.
As quietly as she could, Iliana grabbed her shoes, stockings, some of her brother's old clothes he had left behind and a few other personal items. She left a note on Waya's nightstand, kissed her siblings gently, and climbed out of the window. Feeling slightly chilled, she headed toward Unani's hut, remembering what the wise Healer had told her.
Though the hour was late, lights were on inside Unani's home. Quietly, Iliana went up to the door of the hut. Preparing to knock, she was surprised when the door opened first. Healer Unani stood on the threshold, the light glowing around her from behind. Smiling gently, the Healer took Iliana inside.
While listening to her tale, Unani made Iliana some tea. Drinking this tea reminded Iliana of the days when she used to come here for her secret Healing lessons. It had an herbal taste, slightly bitter, but with a natural sweetness that Iliana could never place. Thinking of her care-free days before her sister's marriage, Iliana felt calmer and began to forget her troubles.
Noticing her change in demeaner, Unani said, "Come. It is time for another lesson,".
Utterly bewildered, Iliana followed the Healer into a back room. She knew this is where Unani treated her patients as well as kept the ingredients for her potions and brews. The room was well-lit and behind a curtain, Iliana could hear someone breathing softly.
Uncertain, Iliana reminded Unani how long it had been since she last practiced her Healing. "Healing is like your name. You never forget it after you heard it once," the Healer responded. Shrewdly, Iliana realized that there were occasions when one did forget their names, but she understood the simile.
Unani pulled back the curtain to reveal to Iliana the source of the breathing. A young man with curly brown hair and fair skin lay on a cot under a thin white sheet. Whether he was sleeping or unconscious, Iliana did not know. Confidently, Unani told Iliana to identify his ailment.
Taking a deep breath, Iliana racked her brain. She had learned this once, and, according to Unani, she should still remember it. She looked at the man. There were no visible bandages to help her out, no blood anywhere, no nothing. Overall, it looked as though he were healthy. Yet, something didn't fit. What was it?
Again, Iliana looked at the man. She peered into his face, opened his eyes, and said, "He's been poisoned and Healed already. Yet he's still unconscious. Why?"
Beaming, Unani nodded. "Why indeed?" wondered the old Healer.
Returning to the young man's face, Iliana tried to decipher a possible reason. She knew quite a bit about poisons, but this baffled her.
With surprising knowledge, she took the man's left hand and opened it, so his palm was exposed. She did the same thing to his right hand. On his right palm, below his third and fourth digits, there was a small but ropy scar.
"Healer, he was wounded here. By an arrow, apparently. It couldn't be a poison arrow, could it? Possibly from a Shade?" Iliana questioned.
"Or the Ra'zac. Yes."
"Or the...but... wait! Does this mean he's from the Varden?" Iliana asked, panic-stricken. Harboring the Varden this close to Teirm meant certain doom.
"Excellent, my dear. Your deducing skills are as sharp as ever. Yes, this man is a magician from the Varden. He's apparently very important. He was carrying unopened letters with him with the Varden's seal on them."
"So, he's a spy, too?"
"Yes."
Iliana sat next to the bed, looking at the wizened Healer dumbfounded.
"Healer, this is serious. We could all be in danger, even now!"
Unani sighed.
"My dear, we have to leave. I suggest we head toward the Beor Mountains. Perhaps the dwarves there would be so kind as to let us into their city."
If she were sipping her tea, Iliana would have surely choked on it. Leave the comfort of Teirm and its region? The thought had not even crossed Iliana's mind. She had planned to live in Teirm as a seamstress if she hadn't been welcomed by Unani.
"Healer Unani! You can't be serious! There must be another way!" Iliana exclaimed.
"I'm afraid not. We'll have to wait until he comes to, though. Get your affairs in order, dear. We'll leave the day after he awakens. No, it won't be long. He's mostly healed from the poison," Unani told her distraught apprentice.
Not three days later, after Unani's hut had been searched at least twice for any sign of Iliana, the curly-haired man woke up. Realizing that these two women were his only hope for now, he agreed to go with them to Farthen Dûr, the dwarven city under the Beor Mountains.
The trio set out in the dead of night. They moved as quickly as they could, considering both Unani and Iliana were toting many Healing instruments and ingredients. They slept when they could during the day and fled toward the mountains at night.
The young man, whose name they found out was Gengir, seemed to be quite nervous. However, he rejected the nerve tonics Unani offered him.
"It'll cloud my mind," he replied.
A few weeks later, the trio decided that they would rest for a day before moving on. Iliana seized the opportunity to make conversation with the stanger.
Gengir told her he was about twenty-three years old. He wasn't sure when he was born. Yes, he was a magician (as they had witnessed the previous night when he managed to create a fire despite the fact that it was raining) but he wouldn't say if he was a spy.
"I'd really like those letters back," Gengir called to Unani.
"I'd really like to be rich," Unani replied cheerfully.
"She'll give you the letters back once we reach Farthen Dûr," Iliana assured him.
Gengir wasn't listening. He was staring at a rock by his feet. After some prodding, he told Iliana about his worries for their trip.
"The closer we get to Farthen Dûr, the more enemies we will encounter. My magic is strong, but I'm not nearly powerful enough to take on Galbatorix's army, especially in this condition." He stopped and fell silent for a few minutes.
"I... well, I used to know how to use a bow. Perhaps I could help somehow," Iliana offered. She didn't think she could remember how to shoot an arrow (her brother had taught her how to hunt when they were younger) , but she was willing to try.
Gengir looked at her.
"Okay. I'll make you a deal. I'll train you in archery if you get the letters from that old kook."
Iliana raised an eyebrow.
"No? Alright, I'll also give you a sword and teach you how to be a swordswoman and I'll train you in archery. Deal?"
Iliana was tempted. However, she shook her head.
"I can't. It wouldn't be right of me. Thank you for the offers."
Iliana stood up to go.
"Fine. I'll train you to be an archer and a swordswoman for free."
She stopped and turned around.
"What? Why? What's the catch?"
"No catch. I'll even bring you straight to the dwarf city."
"Why?"
"Because I'm in a good mood," Gengir replied curtly.
"Because you won't be able to keep the letters anyway if we're caught, " Iliana said shrewdly.
Smirking slightly, Gengir nodded.
"Alright. You've got a deal."
As the weeks past, they got closer to Farthen Dûr. Night after night, they crept along at what seemed to be a turtle's pace. By day, after a few hours rest, Gengir kept his promise. He gave Iliana his spare sword (he had three) and sparred with her. He taught her how to track their enemies, how to aim and shoot an arrow, even while running. To everyone's amazement, she took to this battlemaiden lifestyle very quickly, rapidly mastering every technique Gengir taught her.
Finally, many months since Iliana's flight from her home, they came upon the Beor Mountains. True to his word, Gengir led them straight to the city of Farthen Dûr, where he was welcomed back and Iliana and Unani were put on probation.
"They really can't take too many chances," Gengir explained, taking his letters from Unani.
A month or so later, Iliana was summoned to the chamber of the head of the Varden. His warriors had found a bottle in a nearby river. Upon reading the contents, they promptly gave the letter to the dwarf king, who had given it to the Varden head.
"I believe this letter is for you," he said sternly.
Curious, Iliana took the letter. To her astonishment, it was from her younger sister, Waya. She had written the letter a week after Iliana was found missing.
"Everyone believes you are dead, but I know better. Thank you for the note you left," it read.
In it, Waya also thanked Iliana. The suitor who had wanted to marry Iliana had settled for Waya when Iliana was found missing.
"I wish you had been at our wedding. It was a beautiful autumn wedding, you know. I think he is starting to like me. I certainly like him," Waya wrote.
A sadness filled Iliana as she read the letter, knowing she may never see her family again. And the knowledge that she had left Waya to such a fate hurt her so much.
Returning to her quarters, she gave the letter to Unani and asked her to keep it for her.
It is now a year and a half since Iliana ran from her wedding. She and Unani are still being watched by the Varden, but they have been given permission to set up a Healing clinic within Farthen Dûr. They have also been granted permission to leave and return, if they so wish to do so.
Occupation: She is a freelancer Healer.
Skills/Powers: Iliana is now an accomlished archer and swordswoman.
Likes: Healing others, learing more about Healing, caring for young children, and reading when she can. She also has taken a liking to hunting and tracking down enemies of the Varden.
Dislikes: Hurting others for the sake of hurting.
Dreams (& reasons): Someday, Iliana would like to return to her village and see her family again. She misses them, of course. She wants to marry like her older sister, falling in love first before being forced into marriage.The idea of an arranged marriage, however common it is, apalls her.
