Isabel Blanding, also known as Idrisia, is a Seelie Troll Childling from New Haven, Connecticut.
Overview[]
Isabel Blanding's early childhood consisted of daily scoldings from her parents, who deplored their overly large, overly sluggish, seemingly dull daughter's lack of drive, ambition, or intelligence. From the time she took her first steps, Izzie constantly struggled to make her way in the world, almost as if she occupied more space than her physical body could account for. Slow to speak, slow to develop, apparently slow to think, she nevertheless demonstrated a fierceness of temper combined with a stubbornness of will that made her, at best, a difficult child.
At first, her parents attempted to handle their problem child on their own using a variety of techniques. Physical discipline such as spanking had no effect whatsoever on the girl. She simply shrugged off pain as if she didn't feel it. Locking her in her room had no effect; she battered the lock of her door so many times that her father finally gave up and removed the door entirely. The only punishment that seemed to have any effect consisted of verbal admonishments intended to shame the child into obedience or compliance. Appeals to her pride in herself, strangely enough, succeeded in allowing the Blandings to exert some control over their child.
By the time Isabel was ready for kindergarten, her parents realized that she could not attend a school with "normal" children. Their daughter was just too big, too clumsy, and too "plumb dumb" to ever get along on her own, and her lumbering antics might actually injure smaller children. At their wits end, they searched for an institution in which to place their child and found one at Coldfort Special Needs Academy just outside of New Haven, Connecticut.
The headmistress of Coldfort, Miss Agatha Deveraux, assured the Blandings that they need not worry about their daughter. Isabel would find a haven from the harsh outside world within the confines of Coldfort's campus. Moreover, Deveraux insisted that the residents of Coldfort often found their true identities among others of their kind, people set apart form the world by their special "gifts." The Blandings bid a tearful, though relieved, farewell to their daughter, content that they had done their best by Izzie and that the need not trouble themselves about her any longer.
Strangely enough, they were right.
Isabel felt utterly at home in Coldfort for the first time in her short life. Miss Deveraux assigned her a small attic room furnished with an oversized bed and told Isabel that she should consider herself a part of the family. That night, feeling safe an unexpectedly happy, she entered her Chrysalis. The flow of Glamour coming from her room attracted the Academy's other residents who, led my Agatha Deveraux, otherwise known as Baroness Agriana ni Fiona, welcomed the troll childling into the freehold of Coldfort. Idrisia had just turned eight.
For a year and a day, Idrisia lived the life she had always dreamed of. No longer scolded for her clumsiness, she reveled in her newfound awareness of her troll-sized body. The enchanted nature of the freehold enabled her to forget about her human form, and the childling discovered a natural, lethargic gracefulness and a powerful strength in her chunky shape. Baroness Agriana furthermore realized that the girl possessed a meticulously ordered mind. Far from being stupid, the childling demonstrated a remarkable, though methodically slow, intelligence. Idrisia developed a strong sense of loyalty to the baroness, whom she saw as the mother she should have had. Before her ninth birthday, she swore an oath of fealty to the protection of Coldfort and its ruler. Ignorant of politics or the growing unease brought about by the disappearance of High King David, Idrisia practiced her combat skills with the single-minded focus of most children at play.
When Coldfort became the target for an attack by Andros and his revolutionary troops, Idrisia gave no thought to her own safety. Though terrified at the sight of her fallen comrades, the childling rushed headlong into battle, striking with all her nine-year-old fierceness at whoever came toward her. Though she turned the tide of the battle and saved the lives of the residents of Coldfort, Idrisia almost lost an eye and most definitely lost her innocence. Never again would her world be a safe place of combat games and loving, supportive friends. Now she was a soldier, and her home had become the front lines of an ugly civil war.
Though she is not clumsy, Idrisia's primary physical characteristics are her kith-related strength and her incredible endurance. She conducts herself with poise and aplomb and shows the potential to be a natural leader, if she lives long enough. Her combat skills are highly developed for a childling. she can ride, swim, and climb with ease.
Image[]
At nine years of age, this female troll childling is still young enough to wear he waist-length, reddish-brown hair in a ponytail. Her face shows the strength she will grow into as a woman while retaining its childish softness. Idrisia's right eye now bears a short scar along its outer edge, evidence of the battle of Coldfort that nearly cost her her young life. She wears a tooled leather breastplate over less military court clothing and carries a battle-axe sized for her small stature. Idrisia's small horns give her face a fierce, determined look in keeping with the sobering fact that this chilling is, unfortunately, growing up all too fast.
Personal[]
Izzie speaks slowly and thinks about what she is going to say before she says it. She does not have a quick mind, but she has a sure and truthful one. She owes everything to the baroness, who took her from her bad parents and gave her a home where she could be a troll instead of a "big dumb girl." She would die for her if she had to, and she almost had to when the bad people attacked her home. Now her friends tell her that she is a hero, but she tells them she is a warrior. Heroes wear funny capes and fly. She wears armor and kills.
War in Concordia[]
This troll childling has become a symbol for commoners loyal to the High King and the idea of Concordia. As such, the enemies of noble rule have targeted her for abduction, Banalization, or assassination.
References[]
- CTD. War in Concordia: The Shattered Dream, pp. 87-89.