Rohese (prime)
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Rohese Bayvel Timsh’l is an elven High Priestess of Lumnis from Ta'Illistim. She is Chatelaine of both House Sylvanfair and Elanthian Elegance, a non-official Board Member of The Looking Glass, and Council member of the Order of Lorekeepers.
She is also a Master in the Order of Voln and a Grandmaster Alchemist in the Cleric Guild.
Appearance
You see High Lady Rohese Bayvel-Timsh'l Illistim the Patron of the Displaced.
She appears to be an Elf.
She is taller than average with a slender willowy form and appears to be youthful. She has silver-lashed misty grey eyes and silky smooth, fair skin. She has lustrous, hip-length pale silver hair with an elaborate chain of loosely knotted loops hanging down from each temple. She has naturally glossy, rose-pink tinted lips. Peeking through her hair are dainty upswept ears tapering to fine points which enhance her fey-like countenance. A pair of icy silver-blue wings sprout from her back. Glistening ice crystals cling to the dense, pale plumage.
She has a cascade of tiny silver stars tattooed over her right eyebrow that fades into her hairline, and an inking of a faint star constellation on her neck.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing a glass peacock eye pendant, a softened white suede satchel slung over her shoulder, a silver-rimed niveous brocade surcoat, some glacial white vaalin finger-armor, a platinum wedding ring, some flowing white silk robes with overly long drape sleeves edged in delicate silver beaded venise, a soft white leather gem pouch dangling from a delicate silver hip-chain, and some conjoined ring footflower sandals.
Constellation: Five tiny stars configured in the shape of a W have been discretely tattooed on the side of her neck with faintly shimmering silver ink, the pattern barely visible against her pale skin. One star however appears slightly brighter than the rest and cleverly conceals a small crescent-shaped scar on her throat.
Surcoat: Cut to flatter without constricting, the surcoat is made of the finest white brocade with deep side openings for a slender, hourglass silhouette. Ornate silverwork embroidery radiates downwards and out along the sweeping train in a dendritic pattern like hairline fractures through a sheet of ice. Intermittent flurries of snow within the fabric design are accented by the skillful couching of vaalin threads and swirls of glacial blue topaz beads, held snugly in place by the relucent metallic stitching.
Quote: The best things in life are those that are nearest: breath in your body, light in your eyes, love in your heart, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand and the path of right before you.
Background
Humble Beginnings
Rohese was born in Ta'Illistim in the spring of 5012; the second daughter to Lord Tymian and Lady Aenor Bayvel. Her father was a cleric by profession with an obsession for collecting holy relics and a love of fishing. Her mother was a gifted herbmistress. Rohese's only memory of her mother was her fragrance from the herbal potions she made and the flowers she cultivated in their modest garden in High Park. Ironically, despite her knowledge of alchemy and the healing arts, her mother was unable to stave off the debilitating illness that wracked her body for months and to which she eventually succumbed.
Theirs was a melancholy house thereafter. Rohese's formative years were spent studying with her sister, Poladra, and enjoying hours of quiet reflection with her father whenever possible: books were her constant companion and succour.
The relative peace and harmony of the household was shattered however, with the arrival of her half-sister, Cappyn; a rather unkempt and wayward child. Following the untimely death of Rohese's mother, her father had found solace in the arms of a gypsy whose fiery temper and passion for life was evident in their daughter. Despite the disruption she caused, with her constant defiance against studying and unruly behaviour, Cappyn restored laughter to their lives.
Blessings and Curses
In the year 5095, Rohese's life took a second tragic turn when Poladra was betrothed to the son of a notable dignitary. Uncomfortable in crowds, her fiance often sought solitude in the Library Aies and gardens where he and Rohese would share their love of books or walk the manicured lawns in silence. On the wedding day itself, he openly declared his love for Rohese and her sister's wrath was immeasurable. Rohese fled the Shining City under a terrible curse that left her mute and bereft of everything and everyone she cared about.
Rohese wandered aimlessly for months, numb to everything, until a gentle hand guided her to the fortress of Ta'Vaalor where she found respite and eventually love. With the support of friends, she accepted the calling to serve Lumnis and ended her pilgrimage. The arrival of Cappyn brought with it the sad tidings of her father's death but, reunited with her half-sister, she found the strength to return to her studies and resume a normal life, albeit a silent one.
With renewed faith in herself and the blessing of Lumnis, Rohese surrendered her own spirit to restore life to a handsome young Vaalorian elf. Finding herself dazed and weak on the altar in the Hall of the Arkati, she knew she had found a soul mate in Sighisoara but it was years before their paths would cross again.
Her endeavours took her over the Dragonspine Mountains to the seaport town of Solhaven where she set herself upon the Path to Enlightenment. She was enthralled by Vornavis, with its fragrant pine forests, the soothing sound of the ocean and the tranquility of her Lady's temple. But it was here that Lumnis interceded once more.
Choices and Consequences
In her wisdom, the Queen of Enlightenment offered Rohese a choice: the curse inhibited and her voice restored in return for her eternal devotion. Rohese willingly agreed and returned to her beloved home with the view to taking Holy Orders and joining the sisters of Moonstone Abbey. Whether it was Lumnis' will or the fickleness of fate, Rohese walked straight into the arms of Sighisoara and they were married on the 12th day of Eorgaen, in the year 5104.
They now reside happily in the Bayvel family home but Rohese still suffers from the lingering effects of the curse. From time-to-time she feels overwhelmed by a malevolent presence that she struggles to contend with; it leaves her feeling weak and vulnerable. Along with the gift of her voice however, Lumnis also bestowed a pair of icy silver-blue wings upon her. Enveloping herself in the ice-cold plumage keeps the curse at bay and allows Rohese to live a relatively normal life although she is unable to give Sighisoara a son and heir which haunts her to this day.
Friends and Family
Friends and family are everything to Rohese. She is very proud of her culture and lineage and will often disappear for days to work on her genealogical research. When she doesn't have her nose in a book, she enjoys spending time with close friends or honing her skills as an alchemist and artist.
Her dearest wish is to be reconciled with her sister, Poladra, and to see her half-sister, Cappyn, settled. In the meantime, she will continue to serve her Lady, be a loving and faithful wife, and carry out her many duties, both formal and voluntary. These include Chatelaine of House Sylvanfair and Elanthian Elegance, Lorekeeper of Silverwood Manor, Scrivener of Ta'Illistim, Board Member and Benefactor of The Looking Glass.
Recent Influences
In Eoantos 5116, Rohese was awarded the title of Patron of the Displaced for her support in helping exiled half-elves find comfort, shelter, food and protection in the Elven Nations. Rohese continues to seek ways to help those in need whenever she can and has recently undertaken an arduous journey around the Turamzzyrian Empire at the request of Ta'Illistim's Argent Mirror, with a view to extending further aid.
Her experiences have been documented in a journal entitled, A Difficult Journey.
Prior to leaving, Rohese agreed to an Interview with the TownCrier.
Treasured Possessions
Rohese is never without her grandmother's special book:
- a pavonated leather-bound book ~ A quire of creamy vellum has been neatly bound in faded blue leather and embossed with a stargazer lily on the front. Thin bookmarks and slips of annotated parchment protrude from the top of the well-thumbed pages, marking passages of significant relevance to the reader. The title, “Deportment and Decorum,” can still be made out on the distressed spine in gold leaf along with the name of the author, “Lady Sahese Bayvel Illistim.”
- a pair of icy silver-blue wings ~ Opalescent silver-blue pinions compose these beautiful wings. Each silky feather showcases coruscant hues reminiscent of a frozen tundra beneath a cold winter's sky with its shimmering silvers and iridescent blues, culminating in an amazing array of cool colors. A frosty coating of glimmering ice clings to the magnificent wings, never melting from the dense plumage despite the temperature. With the slightest movement, delicate ice crystals radiate forth from the feathers in a dazzling display.
She also wears her mother's pendant which has a loresong related to her background:
- a glass peacock eye pendant ~ Strung on tangled electrum threads, this large oval-shaped pendant is crafted from brilliant emerald green glass. A spherical dark-hued lapis lazuli stone flecked with gold has been fused in the center of the glass, creating the illusion of a peacock eye.
Loresong
Gold motes stir within the pendant's eye as your song evokes memories of an elven childhood. Beneath a cloudless lapis blue sky, two young girls chase each other around a cottonwood tree laden with fluffy white catkins. A gentle breeze ruffles their silvery blonde hair and sends a flurry of seeds around them as they laugh and play. Their glee is interrupted only by the entrance of an elegant woman, her glass pendant glinting in the sunlight. She extends her arms and both children rush into her embrace.
[Cappyn's eyes turn a dazzling lapis blue as she sings to her peacock eye pendant. A sudden warm breeze brings with it a flurry of fluffy white cottonwood seeds and the faint echo of children's laughter.]
Your song falters as the gold motes flicker and fade like a dying candle flame. Images of harmonious family life flood your mind until one scene lingers. Decades have passed and the joyous sounds of laughter have been replaced by a somber mood. Clad in black, an elven cleric stares dolefully out of a library window, his fingers locked around a glass pendant. With a mournful sigh, he settles his gaze on his two teary eyed daughters and hands the pendant to the eldest before walking away without a word.
[A solitary tear rolls down Cappyn's cheek as she struggles to sing to her peacock eye pendant. The coo of a nearby mourning dove adds a doleful counterpoint to her melody.]
The pendant's eye darkens with your new refrain but pulsates with a ghostly blue radiance. With each waning pulse, a velvety shroud of darkness shifts to reveal a towering glowbark tree. A willowy young elf is kneeling before her black-robed sister, who clutches a glass pendant tightly in her clawed hand. The elf lifts her head as if to accompany the eerie ballad of the nearby sirenflowers, but all she can manage is a grief-stricken silence. The incandescence fades and with it the heart wrenching image
[Cappyn's eyes cloud over with a ghostly blue haze as she continues to sing to her peacock eye pendant. For a brief moment, she is accompanied by the eerie whispering lilt of sirenflowers.]
At first it seems your song may fail, but your phrasing subtly transforms into a dirge and lifts the shroud again to reveal a mausoleum. A black-robed elf with ashen hair stands over a linden casket. Her expression shows no emotion as she places a glass pendant onto the lid and leaves. Moments later, a willowy elf steps from the shadows to retrieve it. Tucking it carefully it into her white robes, she replaces it with a purple mournbloom. A distant peacock's scream startles you back to present day.
[The peacock eye pendant in Cappyn's hand flashes with a sapphire blue radiance as her song subtly transforms into a dirge and ends abruptly with a distant peacock scream. An unexpected breeze brings with it the melancholy fragrance of mournblooms.]
Written Works
A collection of philosophical essays, books and publications written by members of the Bayvel family.
Deportment and Decorum: The Essential Etiquette Handbook by Lady Sahese Bayvel Illistim
A Brief History of Horology by Earion Bayvel Illistim III
An abstract of “The Palurin Fea: A spiritual alchemist’s perspective of the world’s soul” by Rohese Bayvel-Timsh’l
Effective Altruism: A discourse on our moral obligation to help others by Rohese Bayvel-Timsh’l
Elanthian Vogue ~ articles written and edited by Rohese Bayvel-Timsh'l