Jahala
From FiranMUX
| Jahala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Priestess Delegate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Contents |
Overview
Family Life
Parents
Most people have two parents. Jahala however has had five, and none have exactly been a constant presence in her life.
- Sonjia was Jahala's mother by birth, a young Priestess of Eesha from the Griffon Clan who loved to dance, as the statue of hers in Eesha's Temple will testify. Sonjia was much beloved by her fellow Eeshans and lived in the servant quarters of the Estate of the Royal Griffon Family where she was found dead the night of April 27, in the year 18 A.U. Jahala was but a few months old at the time. The guards later concluded that she had been poisoned.
- Kee was Sonjia's husband and Jahala's first father. As a guard, Kee served his clan and the Republic well but this didn't help him when he was accused of murdering his own wife. He was arrested and subsequently beaten to death in jail by a prisoner he had captured and put there earlier.
- Isa was the High Priestess of Eesha at the time of Sonjia's death and she adopted Jahala when she was still an infant. Jahala always knew that she had two mothers however, which is why she referred to Isa as 'Mother Isa', rather than mother. Isa raised Jahala to become a priestess of Eesha like both her mothers had been. Seeing how mature Jahala was for her age, Isa let Jahala have her Ceremony of Souls when she was twelve and a half years old and set her some tasks to complete before she should become an initiate, even though by that time she was no longer High Priestess. Isa was executed soon after by Lord Viceroy Taleo as a delayed response to her involvement in the evends which lead to the death of her last husband, Pangaros.
- Thallo was Isa's first husband and Jahala's second father. A Sharanir and Priest of Firanos, Sir Thallo Delphinus was a man of great importance in the Cockatrice Clan. Jahala grew up knowing him as her father and she adored him, admiring him for all that he did. Thallo and Isa eventually divorced however and Jahala and her siblings remained with their mother. Thallo died in the year 24 A.U., executed for treason.
- Pangaros was Isa's second husband and Jahala's third father. Easily the most controversial of her father figures, Pangaros was known as the Old City Crime Lord, the man who controlled the Old City and who had managed to win nobility by marrying Lady Ibania Istabannos with a Festival Marriage Prize. By marrying Isa he made her noble, but her children remained commoners as far as Jahala can remember. They lived quite nicely however and he loved spoiling Jahala so she liked him a lot. Pangaros was eventually executed for treason as well.
Siblings
Although adopted, Jahala is perhaps closer to her siblings than many natural siblings are with theirs. Their bond has grown of course due to the stress of Isa's exile, after which the four were thrust together and had to rely upon one another in order to survive.
- Shana is three years younger than Jahala and a Priestess of Elik. Shana is romantic, bubbly, and always had desires to have a big family and it was therefore no surprise that she married soon after her Ceremony of Souls. Her husband Danel too is a priest of ELik and together they have four children. After her marriage, Shana joined the Mondarik family but remained Cockatrice, and every second child of the match will be Cockatrice and Pelista. The two sister priestesses often join together for Temple events and during times of trouble, Shana and her children often move to the Cockatrice Manor or Elik's Temple.
- Firnik was originally named Firanik but he had difficulty pronouncing this so eventually everyone started calling him Firnik. He is very young for his age, and very slow mentally, but he is neither insane nor stupid. Like his father Thallo, Firnik wishes to become a Priest of Firanos and currently serves as an initiate in His temple. His first marriage ended disastrously when his wife Danae revealed herself to be a slaver after selling their son Zartos into slavery. This devastated the family and Firnik is determined to go to Ellish and find his son. He has since married to a woman more alike him, Anorna, who takes good care of his daughter Ysanne and who since has given him two more sons.
- Anik is the youngest of the bunch and Isa's son from her marriage to Pangaros. He has been mostly raised by Jahala and Shana but considers himself the protector of the family, having concluded that Jahala is the leader, Shana the caretaker, and Firnik the provider. Jahala finds this rather touching since he's 8 years younger, but it has to be said that he's not only a good warrior but a lot shrewder than any of his siblings. Anik took the disappearance of his nephew quite hard and has kept quiet about his activities since then.
Marriage
Jahala was married to Mer Simonik Dranieez on March 5, 34 A.U., in a traditional Cockatrice Wedding Ceremony. Although she had been living with the Dranieez family for some months by that time, Simonik had been living in the barracks and they had only met a few days before when he had thrown her into a barrel with fruit as part of a game he was playing with her brother and cousins. Jahala therefore included in her vows the solemn promise that she'd never do so again. Their marriage is generally a happy one and even after all these years, Jahala sometimes has difficulties to believe that this dashing handsome pilot, and Commander of the Clan's Airforce, is really her husband and that she likes being married to him. As a child, she often imagined herself to be married to a fellow intellectual whose body wouldn't be that impressive. As an Eesha, she quiet enjoys this turn of events however.
Children
Perhaps not surprisingly for a priestess of Eesha, Jahala has been blessed with many children by her Goddess. And even though she herself isn't Cockatrice, it amuses her that not only do so many of her children have red hair, but that it comes in such a variety of different shades.
- Born in December 25 A.U., Amadea was adopted by Simonik and Jahala when she was 10 years old and is therefore a good deal older than her siblings. She always strove to become the best healer in Aerval and with her studious and serious nature she fits in perfectly with the rest of the family. After her Ceremony of Souls, Amadea became an initiate of Unot and has since become a priestess like her mother. She was married out of the family and clan in a traditional Cockatrice marriage ceremony and is now married to Mer Aleem Emarinsari of the Chimera Clan, with whom she serves as caretakers for Hope's Home Orphanage. Amadea has auburn hair.
- Isonja was born January 5, in the year 35 A.U. The oldest of Jahala's children, Isonja has obviously been named after Jahala's birthmother Sonjia. She is a very insecure girl who feels lost without her parents. Consequently she often accompanies Jahala, not only to Eesha's Temple but to classes and law sessions as well. As a result Isonja has visited both Clan Leaders' home and the jail in her short life. Isonja has auburn hair and her mother's blue-green eyes.
- Kesim was born April 5, in the year 36 A.U. and has been named after both his grandfathers. Although physically weak, he's got an indomitable spirit and is always looking for something new: be it a game, friend, or adventure. With his pale hair and nearly translucent complexion, he would look only half-alive if it were not for his grandly animated gestures. Kesim has pale blond hair and his mother's blue-green eyes.
- Uffira is a few months younger than Kesim and is generally given a summer holiday by her parents. No one knows precisely when she was born for she was found abandoned in the forest to the north of Anarinuell by Hufimo as a baby, who immediately brought her to safety. Both he and Jahala felt that 'forest bird' would be the perfect name for this little creature and thus she was named such even before her adoption. A quiet girl, Uffira loves stories and is quiet shy, except when she forgets herself around her family. Uffira has raven black hair and pacific blue eyes.
- Zesha is not, as many assume, named after Eesha, but after her mother's uncle Zeshaddis, the last of the Neshoriks. Of all her children, Zesha takes after Jahala the most, with her quiet nature and extreme intelligence. The world is a puzzle for this little girl, and just about any problem can draw her attention away from interactions with fellow Firans. Zesha was born on July 14, 37 A.U. and has red hair and brown eyes.
- Xylia was born sometime in 38 A.U. and was adopted when she was 3 years old. She lived in Kamnestra's Orphanage for the first three years of her life and seems to have adjusted well to having a family, enjoying the multitude of sisters she has obtained. Xylia can be extremely stubborn and has a tendency to hold her breath until either tickled or given her way. Xylia has flame red hair and sky blue eyes.
- Aura was born May 2 in the year 39 A.U. and is the bubbliest of all of Jahala's children. But curious too, which seems to be a family trait. Aura loves to touch just about anything she can get her little hands on, to hold and coddle it. Even at her young age her talent for singing cannot be ignored, and Jahala plans to send her to Mes Clarissa Anivarin as soon as she's old enough for lessons. Aura has carroty red hair and pale blue eyes.
- Aestus was born July 1 in the year 40 A.U. as the long-awaited second son. Although he is much stronger than Kesim and shares his happy nature, it cannot be denied that Aestus is a far cry from the dashing young pilot his father expects him to be. It amuses Jahala immensely to see her baby boy play with his sister's dolls and not protesting when they dress him up. Aestus has his father's strawberry blond hair and soulful brown eyes.
Accomplishments
Cockatrice Minister of Education
Jahala was appointed the Cockatrice Clan's Minister of Education shortly before her 14th birthday. She has been serving in that capacity ever since, bringing the Clan's Literacy up to the second highest in the entire Republic.
Priestess of Eesha
In march 36 A.U., Jahala fulfilled her life's goal by becoming a Priestess of Eesha. She had lived in the Temple for most of her life and served as an initiate for several years, and even become a mother by this time. Since then, Jahala has been an active presence in Eesha's Temple, serving as a law priestess although she often enjoys officiating at wedding ceremonies. It was she who invented the Open Eesha Hours, which were times when all were invited to come to the temple in order to ask any questions about Eesha, or to engage in discussions with one another.
Delegate of the Republic
Jahala decided to run for Delegate when she had reached her twenties, believing she had by then enough knowledge of both law and people to qualify. She managed to gain so much success that she was elected in spite of the fact that the Cockatrice already had another delegate serving at the time: Mer Dinesh Jaffus.
Scandals
Guardian of Sren
Sren was banned from the Ticanee for endangering the life of one of the Oshta heirs when he was still a child. Jahala took pity on him and accepted him as her ward. In order to do so she also had to petition the Cockatrice leaders to letting him become a member of their clan so he would not be exiled from the Firan lands. Afterwards, Sren still managed to get into a number of problems and as his guardian, Jahala was held accountable.
Dangerously Distracted
During the Red Bloom Disease, Jahala was so distracted that she walked past the infected area twice, ignoring the guards thad had been posted there. Since no one knew that the disease wasn't contagious yet at that time, she was risking many lives by exposing not only herself but any others she came across. This is not what one expects of a delegate, lawyer, and priestess.
Enemies
Danae
This horrible woman was married to Jahala's brother Firnik and sold their one-year-old son into slavery. Jahala can't help but hate this woman with every fibre of her being and is glad that the Religious Council ruled that Soul Death was the appropriate action to take.
Allies
Chelona
Mother Chelona Dranieez is Jahala's Head of Family and the newly appointed High Priestess of Eesha. Jahala admires Chelona immensely, both for her beauty and he wisdom, and it was Chelona who gave Jahala and her siblings a home after Eesha's Temple had been hit by a Griffon.
Cyrilla
Dame Priestess Cyrilla Daedalus of the Bear Clan is a high-ranking priestess of Eesha and the two have often worked together on issues of law and adoption, since Jahala works as Kamnestra's temple lawyer. Because they both know so many people, they tend to seek each other's advice when they find need for a marriage to be arranged.
Naraki
Priestess Naraki Dilarik of the Bear Clan was Jahala's mentor when she was an initiate of Eesha and probably the closest thing she has to a mother figure she has these days.
Hufimo
Hufimo is not someone many people would expect Jahala to consider a friend, for he is the child who killed her brother-in-law Icarius by firing a ballista at the Dranieez home, injuring some of their children as well. But over the years Jahala and Hufimo have grown closer as she has realized that he never meant for this to happen and she remembered Eesha's Gift of Forgiveness.
Zinara
Mes Zinara Delphinus is Jahala's cousin and one of her closest friends. The younger woman looks up to her but also has a less naive insight into the Firan mindset than Jahala and therefore can provide some useful comments and advice before Jahala gets herself into too deep a problem every now and then.
