Arienh

Arienh is a Seelie Sidhe Wilder of House Fiona in the Duchy of Appalachia and member of the High Castle Crafters Motley.

Overview[]

A rarity among the Kithain, the Baroness Arienh and her brother, Dillon, are twins... both as fae and in their Mortal seemings. As the elder, by all of twelve minutes, Dillon rules the freehold of Lion's Guard in the Kingdom of Apples, where both he and his sister lived after the death of their mortal parents.

A gifted singer and musician, Arienh spent much of her time studying bardic lore, acquiring a broad repertoire of folk ballads and courtly lays. She brought the legendary Fiona passion to her music, and her performances were the highlight of many freehold celebrations. Her delicate fingers, which could pluck sweet tunes from a lap harp, also enabled her to craft exquisite jewelry. Although many nobles throughout the Kingdom of Apples paid court to the fiery-haired maiden, Arienh reserved her emotions for her music and crafting, turning aside all suitors with a gentle smile. The coming of Cianán ap Liam changed all that. His gentle manner and soft-spoken words won her heart, and the two swore a secret oath of eternal love.

All this might have been fine but for the fact that Dillon objects to her love for a member of a house of oathbreakers. When the their affections for each other became known, Dillon banished the Liam knight from his freehold and forbade him any contact with his sister. Rather than lose her fated lover, Arienh fled south with Cianán to the Kingdom of Willows, hoping to find a refuge within the isolated mountains. There, they discovered a commoner motley composed of Lairdie, Harley, and Fletcher and, with their help, found and then reopened Lord Tamlin's High Castle freehold.

Arienh is saddened that she had to choose between her brother and her sworn love, but has found happiness in High Castle. Having thrown off the constraints placed upon her as a noble, she revels in the freedom to dance through the hallways, sing when she feels like it, and indulge her love of crafting. Best of all, she has learned that she can make a living with her singing and jewelry making. She is independent, bound only by the oaths she chose to swear, not by her brother's (or anyone else's) ideas of propriety. She hopes to someday turn High Castle into a great hall, welcoming any Kithain who fit in well with the motley and who respect the nunnehi. Though she has thrown off her noble status, Arienh's grace, passion, and charisma make her the group's natural leader and spokesperson.

Appearance[]

Arienh displays the classic features of House Fiona: flaming red hair, delicate features, and deep-green eyes. The outward fragility of her appearance belies an inner strength born of the fiery passion that rules her. Within the freehold of High Castle, Arienh sometimes adorns herself with fine clothing and jewelry (some of which she crafts herself). When traveling the craft fair circuit, she prefers long, split skirts, and peasant blouses, and braids her waist-length hair. Even when sitting still, she is always in motion, either working on some piece of jewelry, plucking the strings of her lap harp, or just tapping her feet in time to a tune only she can hear.

Personality[]

To be with her sworn love, she has abandoned hearth and home and turned her back on a brother who was closer to her than her own heartbeat. Her affection for her Dillon is second only to her overwhelming love for Cianán. Passion dictates everything she does, from her music to her craft. She is outgoing, talkative, active, and a natural leader. Her gaiety is as genuine and as explosive as her overwhelming sorrow. She never does anything by halves. She lives, loves, laughs, and cries as if each moment were her last.

Stats[]

Court: Seelie
Legacies: Crafter/Peacock
House: Fiona
Seeming: Wilder
Kith: Sidhe
Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 5
Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Dodge 1, Empathy 3, Kenning 2, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 1
Skills: Animal Ken 1, Crafts (jewelry) 4, Etiquette 3, Melee 1, Performance (music) 4
Knowledges: Enigmas 1, Linguistics 2, Mythlore 2, Politics 1
Arts: Sovereign 3, Wayfare 1
Realms: Actor 2, Fae 3, Props 2
Backgrounds: Dreamers 2, Gremayre 1, Holdings 1, Resources 1, Titles (renounced) 3
Glamour: 6
Willpower: 5
Banality: 3

References[]

CTD: Freeholds & Hidden Glens, p. 13, 15-16
CTD: Kingdom of Willows, p. 122