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Player's Name: Leah
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AIM: catchingspirit
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sevillana
Character: Princess Eilonwy of Llyr
Canon: The Chronicles of Prydain
Version: books
Canon Point: while she is staying with the royal family of Mona, after events of The Castle of Llyr (Book 3), during Taran Wanderer (Book 4).
Age: ~14
Gender: female
History:
Wikipedia: Princess Eilonwy
Prydain Wiki: Princess Eilonwy
Personality:
Brash: Eilonwy means well, but often says the wrong thing without thinking. She's very forthright, and it can come off as rude though she doesn't intend for it to be rude at all, and often apologizes quickly if the words give offense. Really, she's just very open and forward, which unfortunately can also be annoying, since she tends to be quite talkative. Her manners can be a bit rougher than expected as a result; she has no patience with many of the formalities, such as a long-winded proper introduction including the names of her ancestors (she breaks off halfway through).
Tomboy: She is a complete tomboy, with 'skinned knees, torn robe, and unshod feet'. She's bored by more typical ladylike pursuits such as embroidery, she's been known to wear men's clothes to fight and take part in the middle of battle, and even when she dresses more properly, it doesn't take long for the dress to match the worn and torn state of her other clothes.
Rough and Tough: She complains about feather beds and luxury, and she's relieved when she can sleep on 'comfortable' rocks and ground again. She seems to actually prefer rough accomodations. She also does not give up, even in nearly hopeless situations; she simply says they have to keep going anyway and if they keep pretending they can do it, maybe they'll finish the task afterall in the meanwhile.
Adventurous: She's entertained the young ladies of the castle (and frightened the old ones) by telling stories of swordfights and adventure she's experienced firsthand (and is disappointed not a single one of them seems to have ever even held a sword). Eilonwy is also quickly reprimanded for telling these stories of hacking at people with swords with such enthusiasm. She greatly resents being left out of any adventure. When it happens, she is jealous of those involved and begs to at least hear great stories of it. In the same way, she is mischievous, liking nothing better than putting one over on her captor as yet another adventure.
Princess: This is definitely not your storybook princess. In fact, she refuses to be shoved into that mold so much that her new friends honestly have no idea she is a princess until told by someone else. Her companions do urge her to take the role of a lady, but they pay tribute to her courage and seem to consider her 'ladylike' training to be in addition to her adventurous side rather than an attempt to curtail her. They've given up on that as impossible. (In fact, she counts on them for this acceptance and is very upset once when they don't seem to understand.)
Confinement: As might be imagined, this means she absolutely hates being confined, whether physically in a prison or castle or bonds, or metaphorically by a role chosen for her by anyone else. She has been known to bite and scratch and kick, quite literally, when abducted. This may be a sort of psychological response to her early experiences, when she was abducted by an enchantress who raised her as a kinswoman (Eilonwy was fairly sure this story was a lie, and was right.)
Unprejudiced: Eilonwy has heard all the assumptions of her heritage and class; that is, she has been raised hearing that nobles are superior and lowborn servants are inferior. However, she is immediately ready to throw these ideas out. She is quick to say she knows of absolutely no reason why anyone of any station at all can't be mannered, polite, and noble. And she is equally ready to see that the highborn can be petty, flawed, and even evil. She accepts her friends and all their foibles, and her closest companions include some of the highest and lowest of society. What matters most, whether prince or commoner, is doing one's best.
Compassionate: She accepts her enemies, too. When her former captor is defeated and permitted to live a quiet life, Eilonwy is understandably nervous to be around her still. After all, this is the person who kidnapped her as a very young child, and hoped to control Eilonwy to have her powerful enchantress heritage fall into her hands. Yet when this person is injured in battle, Eilonwy is the one to work to treat her wounds and heal her. Her reasonable concerns and caution don't hold her back from kindness.
Loyal: There is no question that Eilonwy is deeply loyal to her friends and loved ones. Aside from sharing all their battles and struggles, she absolutely refuses to be parted from them. When her enchantress heritage means she must leave and journey to the Summer Country because magic is leaving the world of Prydain, she is immediately willing to give it up completely to stay with them. (This has not happened yet, but her priorities would be the same.) She is loyal to her goals and quests, as well.
Power: Eilonwy never did attend to her lessons in enchantment very well, and more than once wishes she had so that it would come in handy on her journeys. She sees it as potentially useful and attractive. However, later on, while she feels regret at giving up her heritage and power, it definitely comes second to her feelings for her friends and companions. It has no undue hold on Eilonwy, in marked contrast to another character who loses their power and falls into a very marked despair.
Serious Side: While she tends to stay cheerful, and often prattles on, she can become silent and thoughtful when tragedy strikes, such as the deaths of several of her friends in battle. She doesn't ever lose her thirst for adventure, but she has certainly learned it often comes with a heavy price.
Wisdom: Eilonwy is sometimes referred to as 'wise princess', and occasionally she has moments where it's very, very true. It is Eilonwy who reminds Taran that a deal to give up a memento of a friend is not giving up a part of himself, as giving up 'a summer's day' (the other option) would have been. It is also Eilonwy who helps to show her friend that his deeds and choices, not his birth, make him; and that the important thing is to do one's best within one's own circumstances and capabilities, rather than measuring oneself against others.
Feminist: The tomboy princess may be a bit over the top, but anyone suggesting there's something she couldn't or shouldn't do because she's a girl will earn the rough edge of her tongue. After all, 'this girl' has gotten them out of plenty of scrapes, thank you very much.
Fears:
Fearless: In general, Eilonwy is pretty fearless. For her young childhood, she lived in a creepy castle inhabited by an evil enchantress who used to rule the darkest kingdom of their world. This means even a place like the house in Portes isn't likely to scare her in and of itself. She is also eager for adventure and far more angry at being left out of one than scared of its potential dangers, so the threat of possible harm doesn't impact her much, either. She doesn't want to be hurt, of course, but it also doesn't frighten her.
Confinement: She does have some nervousness towards the woman who kidnapped her as a child. This is very understandable. It also may be part of what began her dislike of confinement, and why she lashes out so hard when abducted later in the series. It may also relate to her dislike of being mewed up in castles; aside from her more open and active nature, her young childhood was spent essentially as a captive in a castle.
Self-Determination: Eilonwy also refuses to accept any label or future someone else tries to give her. She is adamant that no one is going to decide how she lives her life, make her settle down, or certainly choose her husband (or anything else) for her. She is afraid of that type of settled and decided future and of being essentially restricted to a claustrophobic life.
[Mild Trigger Warning]: There is one point when she is captured, and it is implied the leader would be willing to allow his men to rape her. Eilonwy is worldly enough to realize what he means, and it is the first and only time she is specifically said to be afraid. This probably also relates to more general fears of being out of control of what happens to her.
Weaknesses:
Adventure: This is definitely a weakness with her. She gets so caught up in it that she really becomes reckless. While fully aware of the danger, she has been known to run right into it anyway because she still wanted to know what plot their enemy was up to. This also ended in her capture, at the hands of the same woman who abucted her as a child. So this has undeniably gotten her hurt and likely will again. (It should be noted this is tempered by common sense. When she carries a sword she realizes is powerful, she also has the wit not to try to draw it or allow anyone else to do so until she finds the rightful bearer.)
Spell Book: Eilonwy is the only remaining daughter of the House of Llyr, powerful enchantresses. As such, she is the only one who can read the pages of a certain spellbook that looks like blank pages to others, outside of the light of a magical artifact she possesses. This book should be a great strength and advantage. However, someone once attempted to control her to gain the power of those spells for themselves. Eilonwy regretfully but willingly destroyed the book when she realized this and sensed her friends wanted her to. This means the book's great power is lost. (However, it is specifically said that this alone does not remove her potential for powerful magic.)
Enchantment: Similarly, since her lessons were incomplete, Eilonwy's actual command of her potential power is very dampened. She has pulled off some minor spells, but she has also failed her attempts at some, and she has lamented not paying more attention to ones that would have been useful.
Domestic: She often fails at the typical feminine pursuits even when she tries. The banner she tries to make for her friend is hopelessly lopsided, even with her effort put into it since it was for someone important to her. More practice could probably help, but she's not very likely to do that willingly.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities:
Head for Directions: Eilonwy is used to dank castles, where she promptly learns every in and out and secret passage and trapdoor. So she's learned to be good at exploring and finding her way.
Smart: While not particularly academic (as if she'd sit still very often for lessons with a tutor), she remembers what she does learn. Lessons in customs and manners among the nobility, for example, help her to realize something is wrong at a castle the group visits, when the proper flags and banners aren't displayed.
Fighting: She is not a renowned warrior with great and legendary skill. However, Eilonwy is specifically mentioned as heading into the midst of the battle at one point and is reprimanded for telling gleeful tales of her exploits in fighting, 'back to back, sword in hand'. So it's safe to say she has some skill, enough to bring her through a melee safely.
Common Sense: This is a rarer quality than it might seem. It is often Eilonwy who realizes a use something might have, or thinks to bring along something the group might need later. She is decidedly practical, and it pays off.
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
Enchantment: Eilonwy is the heiress of a great house of noted enchantresses. Thanks to her lessons as such, she has been able to tell something is under an enchantment, and recognize magical markings. While she doesn't speak animal language, she once 'felt' exactly what a wolf was trying to tell her, and this is quickly followed by a reference to her enchantress heritage, suggesting it as the reason for her ability.
Intuition: She is highly intuitive: she was right about her abductor being no kinswoman of hers, and right when she thinks something is off about a castle the group is approaching. She claims to feel 'chills and creeps' at the castle. It's unclear whether she senses an actual enchantment on the place, or simply the impending danger. When she carries an enchanted sword she doesn't dare let anyone use, she also reports knowing who she was supposed to give it to 'as soon as I saw him'. All of this is again likely a sense she has from her enchantress background.
Supply List:
Crescent Pendant: A crescent pendant on a silver chain. Although it is the symbol of the House of Llyr, the noble house Eilonwy comes from, the necklace itself only holds that sentimental value.
Bauble: Eilonwy owns a glowing golden ball she simply calls her bauble. It seems like nothing more than a toy, but in reality it is the Golden Peladryn, an artifact with power that allows her to read a book of spells belonging to her noble house. Others have been able to make it produce light, but no more, and sometimes the attempt has failed. It has been noted it seems to give its strongest light when the user is thinking not of themselves, but of others. (It 'turns night to noon' when she is worried for her love interest, as the most significant example.) Eilonwy herself can light it at will and mentions that she can see things more clearly somehow in its light, which made her aware it wasn't just a toy early on.
Ring: A gold ring set with a Fair Folk jewel. Eilonwy is currently unaware that it can grant the deepest wish of her heart. (She will later use it to renounce her powers and become able to stay with her companions when magic leaves most of this world behind.) However, she values it as a gift from the Fair Folk she befriended during her journeys.
Dagger: Just a normal dagger, of good craftsmanship and make.
Sample RP post:
This was not where Eilonwy was a moment ago. In the first place, it smelled like a butcher's shop, which wasn't exactly bad, but it was definitely not the castle on the Isle of Mona, which tended to smell like fresh herbs from the great hall, or flowers in Queen Teleria's rooms. The escapee princess immediately felt a sense of pleasure and freedom. She'd been mewed up there, bored, for far too long not to appreciate the contrast.
So where was she? It was all very well to be happy she’d gotten out for a change, but that wasn't going to do her much good if she was lost! (which she wasn't, of course, she just didn't know where she was… yet.)
"At least they've left it clean," she reflected aloud. "I think it would be a lot worse if they didn't wash up after themselves.” Achren's castle was like that in some places; with similar stench and stains, that is, not always well-cleaned.
The moving shadows didn't bother the princess, above giving them a look, and glancing quickly to the side to try to catch whoever was making them. She would have investigated that more, but something told her this wasn't the sort of place to linger, and she decided to listen to the prickling of her neck and find a way out. Funny, that she couldn't quite remember what door she must have come in by… Or how she’d ended up here.
It might be dangerous. That was an exciting thought, but she’d better be prepared if it was. Eilonwy looked through the knives and cleavers, but in the end, she didn't find any she was more comfortable with than her own dagger, which luckily was with her. It was no enchanted blade like the sword she’d taken from Spiral Castle, but it was serviceable and strong. Its steady weight at her side was something familiar, at least.
She was ready. It'd be a great story to tell when she got back.
Contact info:
AIM: catchingspirit
plurk: waterfell
DW:
sevillanaCharacter: Princess Eilonwy of Llyr
Canon: The Chronicles of Prydain
Version: books
Canon Point: while she is staying with the royal family of Mona, after events of The Castle of Llyr (Book 3), during Taran Wanderer (Book 4).
Age: ~14
Gender: female
History:
Wikipedia: Princess Eilonwy
Prydain Wiki: Princess Eilonwy
Personality:
Brash: Eilonwy means well, but often says the wrong thing without thinking. She's very forthright, and it can come off as rude though she doesn't intend for it to be rude at all, and often apologizes quickly if the words give offense. Really, she's just very open and forward, which unfortunately can also be annoying, since she tends to be quite talkative. Her manners can be a bit rougher than expected as a result; she has no patience with many of the formalities, such as a long-winded proper introduction including the names of her ancestors (she breaks off halfway through).
Tomboy: She is a complete tomboy, with 'skinned knees, torn robe, and unshod feet'. She's bored by more typical ladylike pursuits such as embroidery, she's been known to wear men's clothes to fight and take part in the middle of battle, and even when she dresses more properly, it doesn't take long for the dress to match the worn and torn state of her other clothes.
Rough and Tough: She complains about feather beds and luxury, and she's relieved when she can sleep on 'comfortable' rocks and ground again. She seems to actually prefer rough accomodations. She also does not give up, even in nearly hopeless situations; she simply says they have to keep going anyway and if they keep pretending they can do it, maybe they'll finish the task afterall in the meanwhile.
Adventurous: She's entertained the young ladies of the castle (and frightened the old ones) by telling stories of swordfights and adventure she's experienced firsthand (and is disappointed not a single one of them seems to have ever even held a sword). Eilonwy is also quickly reprimanded for telling these stories of hacking at people with swords with such enthusiasm. She greatly resents being left out of any adventure. When it happens, she is jealous of those involved and begs to at least hear great stories of it. In the same way, she is mischievous, liking nothing better than putting one over on her captor as yet another adventure.
Princess: This is definitely not your storybook princess. In fact, she refuses to be shoved into that mold so much that her new friends honestly have no idea she is a princess until told by someone else. Her companions do urge her to take the role of a lady, but they pay tribute to her courage and seem to consider her 'ladylike' training to be in addition to her adventurous side rather than an attempt to curtail her. They've given up on that as impossible. (In fact, she counts on them for this acceptance and is very upset once when they don't seem to understand.)
Confinement: As might be imagined, this means she absolutely hates being confined, whether physically in a prison or castle or bonds, or metaphorically by a role chosen for her by anyone else. She has been known to bite and scratch and kick, quite literally, when abducted. This may be a sort of psychological response to her early experiences, when she was abducted by an enchantress who raised her as a kinswoman (Eilonwy was fairly sure this story was a lie, and was right.)
Unprejudiced: Eilonwy has heard all the assumptions of her heritage and class; that is, she has been raised hearing that nobles are superior and lowborn servants are inferior. However, she is immediately ready to throw these ideas out. She is quick to say she knows of absolutely no reason why anyone of any station at all can't be mannered, polite, and noble. And she is equally ready to see that the highborn can be petty, flawed, and even evil. She accepts her friends and all their foibles, and her closest companions include some of the highest and lowest of society. What matters most, whether prince or commoner, is doing one's best.
Compassionate: She accepts her enemies, too. When her former captor is defeated and permitted to live a quiet life, Eilonwy is understandably nervous to be around her still. After all, this is the person who kidnapped her as a very young child, and hoped to control Eilonwy to have her powerful enchantress heritage fall into her hands. Yet when this person is injured in battle, Eilonwy is the one to work to treat her wounds and heal her. Her reasonable concerns and caution don't hold her back from kindness.
Loyal: There is no question that Eilonwy is deeply loyal to her friends and loved ones. Aside from sharing all their battles and struggles, she absolutely refuses to be parted from them. When her enchantress heritage means she must leave and journey to the Summer Country because magic is leaving the world of Prydain, she is immediately willing to give it up completely to stay with them. (This has not happened yet, but her priorities would be the same.) She is loyal to her goals and quests, as well.
Power: Eilonwy never did attend to her lessons in enchantment very well, and more than once wishes she had so that it would come in handy on her journeys. She sees it as potentially useful and attractive. However, later on, while she feels regret at giving up her heritage and power, it definitely comes second to her feelings for her friends and companions. It has no undue hold on Eilonwy, in marked contrast to another character who loses their power and falls into a very marked despair.
Serious Side: While she tends to stay cheerful, and often prattles on, she can become silent and thoughtful when tragedy strikes, such as the deaths of several of her friends in battle. She doesn't ever lose her thirst for adventure, but she has certainly learned it often comes with a heavy price.
Wisdom: Eilonwy is sometimes referred to as 'wise princess', and occasionally she has moments where it's very, very true. It is Eilonwy who reminds Taran that a deal to give up a memento of a friend is not giving up a part of himself, as giving up 'a summer's day' (the other option) would have been. It is also Eilonwy who helps to show her friend that his deeds and choices, not his birth, make him; and that the important thing is to do one's best within one's own circumstances and capabilities, rather than measuring oneself against others.
Feminist: The tomboy princess may be a bit over the top, but anyone suggesting there's something she couldn't or shouldn't do because she's a girl will earn the rough edge of her tongue. After all, 'this girl' has gotten them out of plenty of scrapes, thank you very much.
Fears:
Fearless: In general, Eilonwy is pretty fearless. For her young childhood, she lived in a creepy castle inhabited by an evil enchantress who used to rule the darkest kingdom of their world. This means even a place like the house in Portes isn't likely to scare her in and of itself. She is also eager for adventure and far more angry at being left out of one than scared of its potential dangers, so the threat of possible harm doesn't impact her much, either. She doesn't want to be hurt, of course, but it also doesn't frighten her.
Confinement: She does have some nervousness towards the woman who kidnapped her as a child. This is very understandable. It also may be part of what began her dislike of confinement, and why she lashes out so hard when abducted later in the series. It may also relate to her dislike of being mewed up in castles; aside from her more open and active nature, her young childhood was spent essentially as a captive in a castle.
Self-Determination: Eilonwy also refuses to accept any label or future someone else tries to give her. She is adamant that no one is going to decide how she lives her life, make her settle down, or certainly choose her husband (or anything else) for her. She is afraid of that type of settled and decided future and of being essentially restricted to a claustrophobic life.
[Mild Trigger Warning]: There is one point when she is captured, and it is implied the leader would be willing to allow his men to rape her. Eilonwy is worldly enough to realize what he means, and it is the first and only time she is specifically said to be afraid. This probably also relates to more general fears of being out of control of what happens to her.
Weaknesses:
Adventure: This is definitely a weakness with her. She gets so caught up in it that she really becomes reckless. While fully aware of the danger, she has been known to run right into it anyway because she still wanted to know what plot their enemy was up to. This also ended in her capture, at the hands of the same woman who abucted her as a child. So this has undeniably gotten her hurt and likely will again. (It should be noted this is tempered by common sense. When she carries a sword she realizes is powerful, she also has the wit not to try to draw it or allow anyone else to do so until she finds the rightful bearer.)
Spell Book: Eilonwy is the only remaining daughter of the House of Llyr, powerful enchantresses. As such, she is the only one who can read the pages of a certain spellbook that looks like blank pages to others, outside of the light of a magical artifact she possesses. This book should be a great strength and advantage. However, someone once attempted to control her to gain the power of those spells for themselves. Eilonwy regretfully but willingly destroyed the book when she realized this and sensed her friends wanted her to. This means the book's great power is lost. (However, it is specifically said that this alone does not remove her potential for powerful magic.)
Enchantment: Similarly, since her lessons were incomplete, Eilonwy's actual command of her potential power is very dampened. She has pulled off some minor spells, but she has also failed her attempts at some, and she has lamented not paying more attention to ones that would have been useful.
Domestic: She often fails at the typical feminine pursuits even when she tries. The banner she tries to make for her friend is hopelessly lopsided, even with her effort put into it since it was for someone important to her. More practice could probably help, but she's not very likely to do that willingly.
Mundane Strengths/Abilities:
Head for Directions: Eilonwy is used to dank castles, where she promptly learns every in and out and secret passage and trapdoor. So she's learned to be good at exploring and finding her way.
Smart: While not particularly academic (as if she'd sit still very often for lessons with a tutor), she remembers what she does learn. Lessons in customs and manners among the nobility, for example, help her to realize something is wrong at a castle the group visits, when the proper flags and banners aren't displayed.
Fighting: She is not a renowned warrior with great and legendary skill. However, Eilonwy is specifically mentioned as heading into the midst of the battle at one point and is reprimanded for telling gleeful tales of her exploits in fighting, 'back to back, sword in hand'. So it's safe to say she has some skill, enough to bring her through a melee safely.
Common Sense: This is a rarer quality than it might seem. It is often Eilonwy who realizes a use something might have, or thinks to bring along something the group might need later. She is decidedly practical, and it pays off.
Sensitivity/Magical Ability:
Enchantment: Eilonwy is the heiress of a great house of noted enchantresses. Thanks to her lessons as such, she has been able to tell something is under an enchantment, and recognize magical markings. While she doesn't speak animal language, she once 'felt' exactly what a wolf was trying to tell her, and this is quickly followed by a reference to her enchantress heritage, suggesting it as the reason for her ability.
Intuition: She is highly intuitive: she was right about her abductor being no kinswoman of hers, and right when she thinks something is off about a castle the group is approaching. She claims to feel 'chills and creeps' at the castle. It's unclear whether she senses an actual enchantment on the place, or simply the impending danger. When she carries an enchanted sword she doesn't dare let anyone use, she also reports knowing who she was supposed to give it to 'as soon as I saw him'. All of this is again likely a sense she has from her enchantress background.
Supply List:
Crescent Pendant: A crescent pendant on a silver chain. Although it is the symbol of the House of Llyr, the noble house Eilonwy comes from, the necklace itself only holds that sentimental value.
Bauble: Eilonwy owns a glowing golden ball she simply calls her bauble. It seems like nothing more than a toy, but in reality it is the Golden Peladryn, an artifact with power that allows her to read a book of spells belonging to her noble house. Others have been able to make it produce light, but no more, and sometimes the attempt has failed. It has been noted it seems to give its strongest light when the user is thinking not of themselves, but of others. (It 'turns night to noon' when she is worried for her love interest, as the most significant example.) Eilonwy herself can light it at will and mentions that she can see things more clearly somehow in its light, which made her aware it wasn't just a toy early on.
Ring: A gold ring set with a Fair Folk jewel. Eilonwy is currently unaware that it can grant the deepest wish of her heart. (She will later use it to renounce her powers and become able to stay with her companions when magic leaves most of this world behind.) However, she values it as a gift from the Fair Folk she befriended during her journeys.
Dagger: Just a normal dagger, of good craftsmanship and make.
Sample RP post:
This was not where Eilonwy was a moment ago. In the first place, it smelled like a butcher's shop, which wasn't exactly bad, but it was definitely not the castle on the Isle of Mona, which tended to smell like fresh herbs from the great hall, or flowers in Queen Teleria's rooms. The escapee princess immediately felt a sense of pleasure and freedom. She'd been mewed up there, bored, for far too long not to appreciate the contrast.
So where was she? It was all very well to be happy she’d gotten out for a change, but that wasn't going to do her much good if she was lost! (which she wasn't, of course, she just didn't know where she was… yet.)
"At least they've left it clean," she reflected aloud. "I think it would be a lot worse if they didn't wash up after themselves.” Achren's castle was like that in some places; with similar stench and stains, that is, not always well-cleaned.
The moving shadows didn't bother the princess, above giving them a look, and glancing quickly to the side to try to catch whoever was making them. She would have investigated that more, but something told her this wasn't the sort of place to linger, and she decided to listen to the prickling of her neck and find a way out. Funny, that she couldn't quite remember what door she must have come in by… Or how she’d ended up here.
It might be dangerous. That was an exciting thought, but she’d better be prepared if it was. Eilonwy looked through the knives and cleavers, but in the end, she didn't find any she was more comfortable with than her own dagger, which luckily was with her. It was no enchanted blade like the sword she’d taken from Spiral Castle, but it was serviceable and strong. Its steady weight at her side was something familiar, at least.
She was ready. It'd be a great story to tell when she got back.