Korressa

Korressa n’tel Parven
Information
Title(s)	Priestess of Hira
Archetype	The Tower
Hair Colour	White blonde
Eye Colour	Purple-ringed blue
Height	5ft. 11in.
Build	Tall and lean
Notable Features	Extreme pallor
Born	winter 187 AR of unknown origin
Profession	Former hermit

Description

Korressa is tall and thin, with broad hips and shoulders. Her actual mass is frequently disguised by voluminous layers of cloth, but tightly laced boots and vambraces reveal that lean limbs likely hide beneath her attire. Likewise, Korressa has hands that are long and slim, with the nails kept short, clean, and unadorned. Hers is an angular face that makes it difficult to gauge her age, and a penchant for dark apparel contrasts sharply with skin that is pale and prone to sunburn. She has hair that is nearly as light in colour as her skin, and it is hard to tell without careful study, but some of the fine hair has gone prematurely silver at the temples. She maintains the long, pin-straight hair with a complex arrangement of braids, secured with silver findings and rings. She frequently pulls the entire mass high off her nape with a leather thong.

Her eyes are a bright blue, ringed with a dark, seemingly purple limbal ring. They are rimmed with pale, almost white eyelashes, and eyebrows that barely show against her skin.

At all times, she wears a hammered silver pendant approximately two inches across. This pendant is a slightly convex circle, pierced at the top with an equally simple bail, and strung on a thick chain. On rare occasions, she carries a glaive with a narrow, curved blade. This is both a practical and ceremonial weapon. When not in use, the blade is covered with a leather sheath, embossed with the head of a raven on one side, and the head of a wolf on the other.

While she is not overtly magical, in dim lighting, she has been mistaken for elven and (more ominously) vampiric, but is neither of these.

Cold Weather Apparel

Korressa is more comfortable with winter weather, being fond of the snow and the cold. She spends much of her time outdoors, and dons layers of wool and fur to shield against winter's wrath. All of her clothes are in varying states of disrepair and age. The blacks frequently do not match, and any patchwork or mending is readily visible, as Korressa is far from a deft seamstress.

From the inside-out, these layers include:

• Cotton smallclothes and a long-sleeved chemise; woolen socks or hose in colder weather
• A wide-sleeved, black woolen shirt that closes with ties and a short "scarf" that wraps the throat before tucking into its own layers
  • This garment has ties at the wrist and is covered with leather vambraces from the back of each hand to the elbow
• Wide-legged, woolen black trousers that tuck into water proofed boots
• Two to three layered wool vests of purple and black that fit close to the body, closed with a broad sash as a "belt". These vests create a V-neck over the blouse and flatten her torso.
• A wide, black leather belt outfitted with four dagger sheaths at the small of her back. Two of the blades are the length of her forearm, the other two are the length of her hand, and are angled to sit comfortably against her body without being readily visible under the many layers of cloth.
• Two layers of long, dark purple; these sleeveless robes that close in front with ties, but hang loose over the body. Each vest has a high slit in back for ease of movement and riding on horseback, a deep V-neck, and arm scythes that nearly reach the waist. These garments each have a deep hood, with one layered inside the other.
• A wide-sleeved black coat, with a similar slit in back to the sleeveless robes, and an equally deep, fur-lined hood.
• Various scarves, furs, and gloves.

Her scarves or robes are typically adorned with two wolf's head brooches, used to clasp layers together at each shoulder against harsh winds.

Warm Weather Apparel

Even in the height of summer, Korressa buries herself under layers of cloth. Unlike the wool of winter, spring and summer give way to linen and cotton. The garments are nearly identical in cut and style, but she wears only one vest, one sleeveless robe that reaches the knees, and a waist-length cloak if it rains.

From the inside-out, these layers include:

• Cotton smallclothes and a sleeveless chemise; light woolen socks.
• A wide-sleeved, black cotton shirt that closes with ties and a short "scarf" that wraps the throat before tucking into its own layers.
  • This garment has ties at the wrist and is covered with leather vambraces from the back of each hand to the elbow.
• Wide-legged, woolen black trousers that tuck into water proofed boots.
• One twill vest of purple and black that fits close to the body, closed with a broad sash as a "belt".
• A wide, black leather belt outfitted with four dagger sheaths at the small of her back. Two of the blades are the length of her forearm, the other two are the length of her hand, and are angled to sit comfortably against her body without being readily visible under the many layers of cloth.
• A single, knee-length, sleeveless robe; this sleeveless robe closes in front with ties, but hang loose over the body. It has a high slit in back for ease of movement and riding on horseback, a deep V-neck, and arm scythes that nearly reach the waist. This garment has a deep hood that she often allows to hang down her back.

On warmer days, she has been known to roll up her sleeves and remove her bracers, but never goes fully bare-armed.

Dayva

Korressa rides a blue roan draft mare of undisclosed breed, and considers the horse to be her close companion.

Dayva stands a bit over 17 hands high, with white feathered socks and a blaze that covers the left half of her face. The eye covered by this blaze is a bright blue, while her other eye is ordinary brown.

Korressa received the mare from a farmer wishing to make a sacrifice; he believed that the filly had the evil eye, and would ruin his crops were he to raise her to draw a plow. Korressa took the filly in and raised her instead to be a fine mount. As a result, all of the mare's tack has been made in accordance to the priestess's specifications, including a special stirrup that allows her to carry her glaive easily while on horseback.

The horse is of even temperament, and remarkably placid, with a fondness for apples.

Background

Origins

Little has been revealed of Korressa's origins, except that she comes from a snowy land to the north, and that her people greatly fear dragons. Where she comes from, she has explained, dragons are the terrible messengers of an important goddess, and have long been tyrants controlling the lives of their subjects.

Korressa has voiced distaste for dragons on more than one occasion as a result.

The Broken Dagger

Korressa first entered Myrken Wood at the beginning of spring in 215 AR. The reason for her arrival is as yet unclear, but is a part of some "search".

Her first night at the Broken Dagger tavern was one she would not quickly forget, as she saw a fight break out on the Inn's lawn. At its centre were Mekarie and Catch. The confrontation ended when the giant transformed int a unicorn-like beast and fled into the woods with Ailova on his back. A few night later, she encountered Mekarie again, this time under assault by Serrus Belcaw. No other significant incidents have occurred in her time at the tavern.

The Present

Korressa left for a short time in the summer to continue her search, riding with her mare Dayva through the surrounding countryside for several weeks without success. Her return to the Dagger saw her greeted by Ailova, Derwyn and Perilat in the Inn's stables. She now resides temporarily at the Inn proper.

Due to unsettling nightmares, she has taken to avoiding sleep around the days and nights of the full moon. During these periods, she can be find wandering the area around the tavern, trying to keep busy. Dayva puts up with extra attention and grooming on these days.

Plots

Season of Dreams / The Golden City

White Moth (finished/closed thread)

Pathways and Anchors (active thread)