History
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Past
In the town of Myrkrweald, it was only proper for a blossoming young lady to be taught how to cook, clean, and sew, among along duties for her future husband. A young Avery had always been a troublemaker, though. She was the sort of kid that poked dead things with sticks and started little fires where they weren’t supposed to be started. She was also more prone to playing rough with the boys, fashioning makeshift swords and spears from sticks they found on the ground. The boys didn’t welcome her efforts to join, thinking it wasn’t proper for a girl, and she was bullied in particular by one named Liam. Oftentimes he would hit her too hard on purpose just to make her cry, knowing her parents would do nothing as they’d long forbidden playing swords.
It was at the tender young age of twelve that Avery decided she had enough. She challenged Liam to a duel with real blades, ones they stole from their fathers, and when he refused she simply teased him for being afraid of losing to her until he finally relented. They all laughed when they saw she had shown up with nothing but a small dagger, but she went at Liam with a ferocity she didn’t even know she possessed, the lighter and faster weapon working to her advantage. The fight ended with the boy on the ground, near bleeding to death while everyone screamed for help.
After that, Avery’s parents reigned her in, and she was marked as the local crazy girl. She wasn’t allowed after dark, her playtime was supervised at all times, and her mother kept her in the house as much as possible, teaching her menial tasks. Her father berated and belittled her constantly, and as she grew from a child into a young woman, they both started to press her for marriage, hoping a man would set her in place.
Instead, she caroused with travellers that passed through the small town, propositioning and often staying the night in their camps. More rumours started that not only was she crazy, but she was a whore, and no one would want to marry her.
Eventually an evening came around where a rare traveller and his entourage passed through – an elf followed by three guards. Against her parents’ wishes, she visited with them at the tavern. The elf was a necromancer named Nadiran, and he quickly swept her off her feet with promises of a lavish life, grandeur, and magic. He required an apprentice, and offered her an escape from her cruel, small town life. She’d be a fool not to agree.
The offer had not come without a price, as early the next morning Nadiran forced her to kill her father in order to solidify her allegiance to him. ‘Cutting ties’, he said, as he’d then killed her mother himself.
She was taken to the city of Cauldheath, where for months after he carefully groomed the young woman to hang off his every word. He taught her how to read and write, gave her fancy clothes, and taught her magic. Eventually she fell deeply in love with him, and did whatever he asked without question, even kill.
After a time, she found the courage to climb into his bed, and then they were not simply teacher and mentor, but lovers.
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Present
Avery resides in Nadiran’s large mansion in Cauldheath. They travel often together for his business ventures and he showers her with whatever gifts and trinkets she likes to keep her happy. She spends a lot of time at local taverns, flirting and drinking. The locals call her Lady, but whisper behind their backs about the young, unwed woman who hangs off the elven lord’s arm. Little do they know what the two necromancer practice in their dungeon, and that Avery has a delightful penchant for arson and murder.
When she's not out socialising, she is trapped in her studies. Nadiran is an adamant and persistent teacher, and insists that he won't have a lazy, unskilled apprentice. It takes time, be eventually she learns the basics of magic, and once she breaks through to it she speeds through her lessons easily. With time, Nadiran is convinced she will make for an excellent necromancer, and they are often found travelling.
One of her close friends is Saevel, a snow elf from the mountains who runs a carefully knit network of information and assassins. He is business partners with Nadiran and is in town often. They spend time together sparring and drinking, though their relationship is nothing more than that.