Emery Keriell (Halian Civil War)

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Lady Emery Keriell is a noblewoman hailing from the Midlands of Halicourt and the last surviving child of the Keriell family.

At the beginning of the Halian Civil War, Emery has returned home to visit her father, who is not long for this world.

Early Life
The Keriells are a family from the lower nobility, holding land to the west of the Marshall estate. At one time they were a very powerful and influential noble family, rivaling the power of the Baronial House of Griffith. However, due to a series of unfortunate events, their power has been greatly diminshed; leaving Emery the tentative heir of a house in severe decline.

Emery was born into a very protective family, as two siblings before her had passed not long after they reached the age of five. As the only surviving female, her parents planned on using her to secure an alliance with a more powerful house in order to rebuild the family fortune. However, the planned marriage into the Baronial Griffith family failed during Emery's eighth year, when her family discovered that she could light candles and warm her drinks without actually requiring a fire. It was decided that since the family could not afford to hire a tutor or even send her off to Aturia, that they would keep her confined to the estate in order to avoid the stigma that was attached to mages in Halicourt.

Without being allowed to leave the estate under any circumstances and her brother training as a squire, Emery mostly grew up in the company of books; some were magically oriented, however, most were not. Books detailing foreign countries were her favorite. The natural beauty of Abythia, with its massive crater lake. The majestic ocean that only Cantaras bordered upon. The sun baked sands of the Matrijs Desert in Lysos. Above all else, perhaps, was the magical realm of Aturia. It was said that magic was a part of the land there, and everyone had magical talent. Mages were the heads of households, and people would lower their heads at the passing of the most talented. In Halicourt, however, noble families with children who were magic marked were shamed, for they could never be trusted to fight in honorable combat.

However, not everything was so terrible. There were always squires at the Keriell estate, and every once and awhile they would be allowed to converse; provided they were escorted, of course. She would learn about the state of the realm and the other noble families from the Midlands. According to her mother, however, there was only one of real note; the Marshall boy, Aric, for without the originator of his house the Keriells would be extinct. However, she was not to get too friendly with him, her mother told her, for his family had only been noble for five generations.

Then there were the times when her brother would come back from the Baron's estate for holiday, and they could catch up on everything they had missed. Gilles would tell her about how he finally managed to score a hit on the master-at-arms, or how Lady Belinda Griffith was cheating on her husband with the Arl of Bredon. In turn, she would tell him about all the books she had read, and share with him her desire to finally leave for Aturia or the Cantaras college of mages.

The year Emery turned 16, her brother finally came back to stay, and for the first time in years things were above tolerable. Of course, as with everything in the Kerriel family, it didn't last. Gilles left with a contingent of the Kerriel Carrant to put down a peasant revolt, as he had done at least a dozen times. This time, however, he didn't come back. Instead, what arrived was Aric Marshall leading a handful of Keriell men. Behind them trailed a lone horse pulling a small wagon.

Hearing the knight's account was just too much, and Emery's control snapped. A fire erupted in the wheat fields of the estate, leaving everyone scrambling with buckets of water and her standing there dumbstruck. The mutterings of her being a witch erupted among the superstitious peasantry. With Emery (and the remaining members of the family) possibly being in danger, her parents decided to sell off more of the estate in order to send her to Aturia.

In Aturia
After arriving at the Aturian College of Mages, it became apparant that Emery was an outsider. Because she was female and a Halian, she must enjoy cooking, cleaning, and raising as many children as possible. Due to the constant harrassing by some of the Aturian apprentices, she naturally fell in with the few Halians that were attending the college. Emery quickly decided that she would focus mainly in healing, as her brother might still live if she had known the art previously. Forced into choosing an offensive element, the girl chose ice, for ice cannot turn a field of wheat into ash.

Physical Appearance
Standing at 5'5" and of slender build, Emery would have made a terrible warrior. Due to her sheltered upbringing, the girl is terribly pale, however, she will slightly tan if exposed to the sun enough. Freckles adorn Emery's nose, which is straight and of rather average length, and the areas surrounding it. The mage has shoulder length mousy brown hair which is usually worn loose, however, she commonly wears a hairkerchief in order to keep it out of her face; in contrast to her hair, Emery's eyes are a pale grey color which have been labled as "off putting" by more than one peasant.

The woman's robes are of typical Aturian design. The half sleeved garment is white from the waist up, becoming a royal blue skirt before stopping around her ankles. A mantle of the same color as her skirt graces the woman's shoulders, trimmed in white fur. The woman's black ankle boots are of simple design and possess a small heel. Each boot is secured by two buckles, one over the forefoot and one at the ankle. During Largess and Forosta, Emery will wear light grey woolen leggings and an undershirt of the same color, in addition to a hooded royal blue cloak.

However, during the initial stages of the story she will wear her family's armor. Of newer make than Aric's, it is rounder in appearance and does not feature any strengthening ridges. The left pauldron is reinforced to a larger extent than the right. House Keriell chose to adopt the close helm instead of the sallet, a design originating in Cantaras. The piece fits the skull closely, and features a small "beak." The visor is removeable, and a metal plate that reinforces the throat and lower face can be added for more protection. In later stages, she will incorporate pieces of her armor into her mage attire.