| Ysra Bale | |
|---|---|
 "I will do all I can, to restore you." | |
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Position: |
Sister |
|
Affiliation(s): |
The Church of Lordaeron |
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Residency: |
Starkholme, the Myrwood |
|
Race: |
Ren'dorei |
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Date of Birth: |
December 19th, 280 B.P. |
|
Relatives: |
Obarius Bale, Husband |
|
Status: |
Alive |
Formerly known as Altherien Blacksun, Mother Ysra Bale is a practiced and well educated Necrolyte and member of the Daughters of the Night chapter in the Church of Lordaeron.
Appearance[]
The woman known as Ysra Bale was a grim and severe reminder of the trails history had lead the Elven people down as a whole, a stifly poised and yet cold woman- she was enveloped by the coalescing touches of shadow magic that burned her eyes and scarred the skin in small spider webs around them. Although pale still her skin seemed to be discolored in shades of gray and blue with hints of purple as if touched by the void itself and patches of freckles painted themselves lightly on her razor sharp cheekbones and just across the aquiline nose.
Often she wore touches of a pale blush on her oval shaped face and her full, plump lips were painted a near black lipstick and the almond shaped, heavily lidded eyes were lined with dark kohl and the thick eyelashes gaze her stare a natural smolder. It was of course the inky black sclera that shocked most- the burning blue and green of her eyes speckled with purple and silver. Her loosely curled; but mostly wavy hair fell around the edges of her face and down her back just passed her shoulders, softening the sharpness of her cheeks and lightly squared jaw only so much. The rich blue color was so dark it may have appeared black and in the right light one might've noticed the fluctuations of energies that shimmered and sparkled through the strands. Her lengthy and pointed ears split the sea of hair and on their edges existed a series of small silver studs decorated with singular sapphires, amethysts, and opals- and at the lobe were simply two enlarged hoops that sometimes shone through.
While she wore no facial piercings her neck was wrapped nearly six times in small braided silver necklaces and a single chain dipped low to her chest with a crystal pendant that resembled an oil spill given life. From there one might've caught sight of her sloping shoulders and the visible collarbones and taken note of the spattered freckles on them as well as parts of upper back. Her chest seemed expansive and she did little to hide it, and rather she wore stylized gown to show off her form and body- clothing that pinched in her waist and gave a dramatic effect as her wide, waspish hips flared out and her thick thighs and legs supported her absolutely.
Yet she was not without flaw and Ysra bore reminders of her chosen path, on the underside of her arms a series of white scars seemed to exist in webs, self inflicted knife wounds, and her palms were left with burn tissue from with may've been the mishandling of fire or boiling liquid. Her clawlike nails were painted absolutely black and the skin at her finger tips seemed stained slightly- a symbol burned into her right wrist had been tattooed to make it clearer and to anyone who saw it, they may've realized it was an ancient arcane rune... a make once possesed by the Twilight's Hammer Cultists.
History[]
Captivity[]
Having been born outside of Quel'thalas she was not a citizen of the Thalassian Nation naturally and instead belonged to the residencies of Brill just outside the the palace of Lordaeron in Tirisfal Glades. Her mother, however, was a runaway from the House Embervale whom conceived out of wedlock with her lover an Elven merchant, Capheus vyn'Solis. When the Dowager-Matriarch of House Embervale sought to have her heir back the Mageseekers found her abed and dying in Brill from blood loss and birth related trauma. Rather than bring the frail woman back she was executed out of mercy and her daughter, Keriae, secreted back to the nation of Quel'thalas where she was presented to the Kamarile Embervale and sent to be raised with the servants, as she was bastard born and thus couldn't inherit the mantle of the House.
Throughout her life Kamarile inflicted numerous abuses and cruelties, doing everything in her power to undermine the girls successes and strip her of any joy she might've had. Furious at the loss of her heir, Alenae, and a marriage that would've united the House Embervale with the politically more powerful House Bloodsong- she viewed it entirely as the fault and sin of the girl Keriae. Thus us it was when she reached adulthood that Kamarile exposed her full plans and outraged nearly the entire House and it's relatives: Keriae was marked and sold to their enemy, House Manareaver and it's notoriously grim leader Elandis. Subjugated with magic and forced into essential slavery she would forever be reminded of her past and it's sins, and the horrors that she endured under her masters... until of course the Scourge seized the Sunwell and nearly razed all of Quel'thalas.
Freedom[]
During the chaos and battles Keriae managed to free herself from the small cell she'd been confined in- gathering what little strength she could have and fleeing ultimately to the southern region of the Blackened Woods (now the Ghostlands) and soon enough into the grounds of the House Blacksun where she was found and fed, recovered and treated with the full kindness she'd been deprived of her entire life. Miriene Blacksun, a woman long incapable of producing children, took her in and gave her the name Altherien Blacksun- teaching her the ways of the Cult of the Shaded Veil and the Houses of the Eight Faces... both were off-shoots of an old Kaldorei and Highbourne Religion from long before the Sundering.
As capable healer she proved adaptive at usage of shadow magics and was named Miriene's heir, thus inheriting the woman's lands and claims when she passed.
Taking on the responsibility of the Blacksun lands and House was no easy task, made harder by the necessary tutoring and schooling to aid the lack of it she'd had in her childhood. While she struggled she proved stubborn and pulled through with only a few here and there bumps, and during this time she was given her bittersweet revenge.
House Embervale had fallen and it's lands left empty, Altherien used all the forces and favors she could before buying out and acquiring not only the land but significant claims of money left from the fall. House Manareaver opposed her and Elandis recognized her almost immediately, furious at the woman's survival and her freedom he tried to undermine her at every turn but failed to see the backing she had as a child of Miriene Blacksun (even if she was adopted) a massive contributor to the rebuilding of Quel'thalas. Elandis was arrested after it was discovered he'd been trading slaves to pirates and running numerous smuggling operations.
Altherien was quick to buy and claim Elandis' House and it's belongings, as he had no heirs to oppose her.
Exile[]
When time came Altherien left Quel'thalas and allied herself with the Sunreavers in Dalaran as a Dark Inscriber among them- her talents of course were put to use as she sent under to infiltrate not only the Cult of the Damned but the Twilight's Hammer as well. Proving resilient to the mental corruption and manipulation she was given extensive orders to pursue exploration into Ulduar and Icecrown, secretly she learned and adapted magic from these dark enterprises and soon enough began studying under a Forsaken Necrolyte to bolster herself and what all she knew.
Alas the Twilight Hammer condemned and doomed her, swayed by the influences of the Old Gods she took on the role as double agent and began reporting on the Sunreavers and Dalaran as a whole. When finally Ulduar was sieged and Yogg-Saron slain she was relinquished of her duties and put on forced retirement from her life as an explorer and scout. Still serving the whispers in her head she began meeting with others for a number of years- it was never known for how long only that eventually she achieved the role of Forgemaster and took on her own contingent of Cultists, who would pose as servants of House Blacksun and come and go supposedly on order or duty.
During these years she conceived a child, Icarion Voltain-Blacksun, and felt the grasp of the Old Ones loosened by the sudden overwhelming urges to defend her son. With the aid of her child's father, a Templar, she was freed of the bonds and killed her entire entourage of Cultists in an act of defiance of the Hammer. Realizing she'd once again been subjugated and imprisoned she vowed revenge on the Hammer and began a dark hunt to find and kill any of them she could.
Years passed and she like many others survived the Purge of Dalaran with a few scars, both mental and physical- still not swayed from her faction neutrality she was absent from the revolution in Orgrimmar and the Horde, and instead remained away from the action having conceived a second time; but this child was a Half Elf and a daughter: Taelise Blacksun.
Shortly after Taelise's birth she withdrew and became the Head once again for House Blacksun in full, loyalties to Quel'thalas reinstated as well. Yet the former Sunreavers presence in Silvermoon was cause for concern as a bitter rival, Melinoe Embervale, arose and used documentation from her previous life as a scout to prove she'd had Cult backing. The Magistrate took immediate action and dissolved her estate and finances, her property liquidated and children stripped (who were given to their god-mother, Sanarissa and her husband Khaeris).
Altherien was sentenced to exile, and the Sunreavers as an organization denied all missions and tasks they'd given her... as she was a splinter asset to them.
Rekindle[]
With only a few gold coins and a disgraced name she ventured without destination and unknowingly passed into the Grasp and strayed from the road into the woods and bog. Tracked by a Barghest and soon to be slain, Obarius Bale, found her and rescued her from this unfortunate fate. While she was not open about her past she felt a strange connection to the Reaper and proved to be more than capable of enhancing his combative potential and healing him without issue. Seeing usage in her she was taken into his charge and allowed to stay.
Her first action was admittedly not so glamorous as she joined the Champions of the Queen on a mission against a Troll Warlord (who was soon joined by his comrades and a pet dragon). During the mission she was rendered unconscious and injured by the Troll, forcing her to spend time recovering before she could actively join them again in a fight. Her second appearance was unfortunate as the upheaval and rioting of the peasants brought about her causing an untimely demise to the Lord Abernathy Gall during attempts to subdue the Lord, as ordered by the Duke Romel. This demise was short as Altherien promptly revived him and was forced to swallow her mistake and the zeal that'd overcome her in her actions.
Not bitter about the whispers and side-eyes she recieved when attending to matters at Obarius' side during an investigation into the Misma and the Lady Seriyan's Library,Altherien proved capable of possessing knowledge about the Serum Wells and the usage of Blood Magic. The Goliath that was ultimately fought in the end was defeated by the Queen's Champions and Altherien herself was again injured and put on rest for a time. During her time abed she managed to rekindle a spark within her, gathering herself up and vowing to continue to aid Obarius and the Champions under the banner of Edevyn Bayne and Baneridge, perhaps not to the Lady's liking.
She attended the Champion's mission to investigate the Miasma further when rumors of madness circulated. Heavily against the slaying of Ytta she dared not strike the girl and instead chose to heal those she could; but it was all for not, Ytta was reduced to the Miasma and defeated. While opposing several of the more prominent figures Altherien was ultimately silent for nothing she said would've changed the outcome at the time- returning back to Baneridge with Obarius she found herself tried and tired of the failures that'd begun visit her in passing thoughts. Determined to move onward she consulted with various persons to assist in better learning for her time: education on things like languages (schwara {old and new}, highpassian, bannerspeak, etc.), history of the marsh, political study on the current age.
Ultimately all of that proved useless when she attended a mission against the Silver Fist and saw her comrades slaughtered and brutalized by cannon fire. Her own troops were ultimately sacrificed and raised in some desperation to defeat Guntrem, a Commander, and failed... the kidnapping of several Nobles for ransom also fueling in her mind, the vision of another defeat. Obarius too was forced to withdraw for a period of time, both nursing severe wounds and taking time to reconsider actions and tactic.
In the period of weeks she spent secluded further educational progress was made and almost slowly she began to come out to talk to others she'd seen or met before, such as Balian Rothe a knight of House Willow and another Reaper by the name of Waldemar Mueller or Warrick.
After a number of weeks Altherien reappeared to Champion's affairs- the Magus Solanthiel's attempt to observe an anomaly in the Marsh. Having been fascinated with the Marsh and the Miasma she eagerly worked to assist champions (even when sucked into the singularity point) by methods of healing and fighting off opponents during the strange battle against Ghasts... and apparently hundreds of years back in time. Having witnessed and potentially changed the history of Lady Magdaleine (or Magda of the Dawn) and the Black Marsh, she felt a strange sensation of connection developing in her mind and took time to dwell on the potential that perhaps she'd found home indeed.
Still time passed and her healing exploits, while numerous, did little to soothe or create a sense of anything about her other than the fact that she was Obarius Bale's attache, and over time the Lady Bayne removed her from Baneridge... an idea that she may've long wanted; but was sparked by the Reaper's almost secret marriage to Altherien and the birth of their twin children Verena and Aedwys.
Brought to semi-nomadic wandering she traversed the Grasp, the Grave, and the Dread, and considered using the small fortune she had left to purchase a home in the Dawning Coast; but ultimately after an event in the Myrwood at the behest of Kalvive Marshall she opted to make a plea to the Keeper of Tulloch Hold, Lady Dryda, and sought refuge among the Spider Court. After a brief discussion between Kalvive, Dryda, and the Knight Urthys- Altherien was granted permission to stay and cease her roaming.
It is noted that upon officially joining the Church of Lordaeron's Daughters of the Endless Night sect she took the name Ysra and was married to Obarius Bale officially around the birth of Alayna, the last child the pair would have for a time due to what undoubtedly was a change in being: the transition she made into delving into the void.
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