| Erilihn Autumnsong
"The Eventide" | |
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 Erilihn by noirsnow | |
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Race |
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Born |
Windrunner Village, Quel'Thalas |
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Positions |
Premier of the Thalassian Accord |
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Alias(es) |
"the Eventide"; "Iris" |
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Faction
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Residence |
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Status |
Alive |
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Pronouns |
They/she |
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Family |
Avenue Duskseeker (spouse) |
| “ | The heart of our people is what keeps blood flowing through the veins of Quel’Thalas. Blood which the Horde and the Alliance both would see us spill with our very hands under war banners that are not our own. Blood which we cannot spare. | ” |
–Erilihn Autumnsong | ||
Erilihn Autumnsong is a sin'dorei woman of common descent. They are a Farstrider ranger, formerly the leader of the Rising Wing division of the Dominion of the Sun, now the Premier of the Thalassian Accord. Erilihn is a practical woman who often comes across as cold and stiff; it is rare to evoke a visceral emotion from them, though they can on occasion be provoked to fury. This is not recommended.
A practiced wildbow, Erilihn can shoot down an enemy from afar with deadly precision, as well as handle nature magic with lethal potency. The two skill sets, when combined, are not to be underestimated. Both erudite and resourceful, Erilihn maintains a true balance of scholar and ranger. She has devoted herself to studying nature, not only as a scientific interest but also as a source of magic. Her efforts to explore her people's roots have paid off, and in recent years she has made steady and significant progress in her practice of druidism.
Appearance[]
Erilihn by erumiryll
Erilihn stands at an average height and weight for one of her people. Her skin is of a pale hue—the result of a life spent beneath the canopies—and her high cheekbones are lined with copious freckles, adding life to her pallid color. Always alert and calculating, their natural green eyes bear no hint of past fel use aside from the occasional glimmer within the depths of the iris—a cosmetic side effect of her life as a Farstrider. Their wavy silver-white hair is cropped short and left to gently curl around their jaw; it is well kept, and the luminous strands closest to her face are sometimes pulled into a small braid at the back of her head.
Their ears are pierced and often adorned with either a simple set of silver leaf-shaped studs or a pair of unassuming but dainty golden crescents that dangle from slim chains attached at the lobe. She has other earring holes that she keeps open, but she only ever uses them for formal occasions. She has little time for such frivolities on an everyday basis. The same goes for makeup, which they only put effort into for special occasions.
When it comes to scars, she has countless, but many of them are almost entirely faded away or too small to be worthy of any note. The most prominent injuries visible on her person are the missing tip of her left ear, the lingering jagged marks of an old wolf bite and scratches on her upper right bicep, a faint burn mark around her throat, and lashes upon her back.
History[]
Erilihn was born to a commoner family in Windrunner Village, and from a young age she was raised to highly value the legacy of the Windrunner rangers. They were her role models growing up, and her ability with a bow stemmed from her burning desire to follow in the footsteps of these elven heroes.
Erilihn by lemongrace
As soon as she was old enough to learn how to shoot an arrow, it was all she devoted her free time to. They found great comfort in the natural world around them, and they wanted nothing more than to join the Farstriders and surround themself with that world.
It was soon discovered by her parents, however, that she seemed to have an innate aptitude for the arcane. There was no excess of money in her household, but her parents managed to scrape together enough funds to send her to school in Silvermoon City, so that she could become a proper arcanist. This did not last very long, as Erilihn had sensory issues with the feeling of arcane magic use. Not wanting to devote their life to the path of the mage, but also not wanting to waste their education, Erilihn decided to follow their dream of becoming a ranger while also incorporating their skills with magic—thus becoming a spellbow. However, they chose to use runic magic, thereby making their weapons the primary conduits of power rather than their own body. As a result of her refusal to rely bodily upon the arcane and her preference for living off of nature above all, her addiction to magic was greatly lessened, as was the case with most of her Farstrider brethren. Consequently, her fel consumption was basically non-existent following the Third War, as it felt unnatural and disturbing, and her withdrawal symptoms were mercifully negligible. It did not take long for her to stop consuming even the smallest amount of fel, as it disgusted her too much.
Erilihn and Avenue wedding portrait by artLordM
For many years, she served as a Farstrider stationed in Quel'Thalas, though there was a brief period when she requested permission to leave Thalassian land in order to assume a more forward role in the defense of Azeroth. Many years ago, they returned and resumed their service of Quel'Thalas—this time, as a soldier of the Dominion of the Sun—in defense of their homeland and its people. She has spent several years now practicing druidism, as communion with nature has always been her passion. They no longer consider themself a spellbow; they prefer the term "wildbow," as it feels more accurate to their particular strain of magic.
They have retired from their position as Knight-Eminence of the Dominion, and they now run a non-profit organization known as the Thalassian Accord, aimed at promoting and facilitating reunification of Thalassian elves. The summer before the Fall of Dalaran, they were wedded to Avenue Duskseeker, a quel'dorei of the Silver Covenant. This marriage, as a unification of quel'dorei and sin'dorei, serves as a symbolic representation of the Accord's goals, and therefore Erilihn's goals, as a whole.
Politics[]
Thrust into the political spotlight as a target of social injustice, Erilihn took the stage a few years ago as something of an unofficial civic leader. Their position at the head of the Reformer party has cemented them as an outspoken elven rights activist, and their political opinions have become common knowledge to those who keep up with the news.
Banner of the Reformer party (art by Honorem)
Her main goals are as follows:
- To transfer power away from Lor'themar Theron and instead spread that power throughout a committee of governing individuals, hearkening back to the Convocation of Silvermoon.
- To welcome quel'dorei and ren'dorei back into Quel'Thalas.
- To allow the practice of illegal magics in Silvermoon, but ensure that it is regulated.
- To turn Quel'Thalas into a neutral nation.
Erilihn's study by nozomi-m
The last point in particular has earned her many accusations of disloyalty from supporters of the Horde, as well as accusations of Alliance sympathy. However, she makes it abundantly clear that she dislikes the Alliance and has no desire to join its ranks. Rather, Erilihn has a great deal of respect and appreciation for the Horde and its members, and she would side with them over the Alliance any day, but she believes that the sin'dorei have paid their debts to the Horde with the lives of their brethren many times over. It would be in the nation's best interest, she insists, to maintain a friendly relationship with the Horde, but to disavow involvement in its wars. She is openly skeptical about the safety of her people, should another war start and the Alliance push north with little resistance after having left Lordaeron in such a state of (further) ruin. Erilihn was arrested and tortured for treasonous rhetoric encouraging Thalassian neutrality at the height of the Reformer party's rise. It was a source of much public outrage, and it sparked the beginnings of a movement that culminated in a protest-turned-riot in the Royal Exchange. This riot was unsuccessful, and those who participated were not charged with treason simply because they had helped defend the city during a dangerous attack from an outside foe. Anyone who recalls these weeks of political turmoil in Silvermoon City would be familiar with Erilihn, as her likeness was plastered on protest posters all over the city for some time.
Erilihn tortured while a prisoner of war during the "Shadows of Ashenvale" battle of the Fourth War.
Nevertheless, as the Fourth War raged across the map, Erilihn stood by their vow to serve their people on the field of battle. They may have disagreed with sending blood elven troops into war against the Alliance, but it is her sworn duty to fight where her people need her to fight, and so she did. They kept these misgivings private, however, so as not to discourage the soldiers fighting under their command. While she never did believe in the moral or ethical validity of this war, she knows that the difference between hope and doubt can be the difference between life and death. Therefore, she masked her true opinions on the matter from the general public, and instead took to sharing her thoughts behind the scenes in Silvermoon's political circles. For now, that is what she continues to do, as this is how she believes she can make the most difference.
Her service as a commander of the Horde allowed her to repair some of her damaged reputation, reestablishing herself as a loyal soldier, and therefore helping her words to carry more weight with those in power. Trust, she has realized, is necessary for enacting change; and if she must secure that trust by continuing to serve the Horde dutifully, then so be it. Such has been her mindset for the better part of a decade, since the days of the Fourth War.
Erilihn, upon being promoted to Knight-Eminence of the Dominion of the Sun, was given land and title. She is commonborn, and therefore her "nobility" is merely a result of the formality that all members of the Eminent Council receive lordship. Many do not recognize her title, especially given her questionable past, so some Silvermoon nobles may know her simply on account of her position being a point of contention and sometimes disdain.
Icon of the Thalassian Accord (art by OkayHeyoAllfia)
Several years following the Fourth War, Erilihn acquired tentative support from Silvermoon to form the Thalassian Accord, a grant-funded non-profit which aims to facilitate the repatriation of all elves of Quel’Thalas through diplomatic means. The Accord's goals are as follows:
- Foster unity among elves across faction lines
- Face external threats that endanger the people of Quel’Thalas—and, when relevant, Azeroth as whole
- Operate as a middleman, arranging and mediating talks between leaders of quel’dorei, ren’dorei, and sin’dorei organizations
Weaponry[]
Annalah'mindu[]
Annalah'mindu (by AnnettaSassi)
Erilihn's prized possession, Annalah'mindu—"Will of the Wilds"—is an intricately carved bow, imbued with ancient magic. Druidic runes riddle the bow's length, and the flowers and vines running along it seem to have a life of their own. It can change shape and appearance at Erilihn's instruction—for instance, it can take the form of a staff, or its flora can change color to camouflage with the local environment.
Arrows[]
Erilihn's quiver is full of expertly carved arrows, with more runes covering the length of each shaft. Because of the effort that goes into crafting them, Erilihn often will spend the few minutes following a battle collecting some of their used arrows and recycling them if possible.
Swords[]
Twin blue swords typically rest at her hips; they are curved and decorated with faint Thalassian engravings. A gentle aura of nature magic emanates from them, and they seem to glow from within like a light underwater.
Concealed Arsenal[]
Beneath their cloak and strapped to their person are various small blades, poisons, and other tools commonly used by members of the Rising Wing.
