Adalia Treesong
Adalia Treesong was born in the coastal city of Alcyonacia in Epaulette. A beautiful city for an artistic soul. Bleached coral decorated the homes, long stretches of white sand beaches, crystalline blue skies, and the sea was a brilliant turquoise. Shortly after birth, her mother took her away to a more secluded town, in a forest outside the city. The sea called to her day by day, night by night, and eventually she found her way to its arms.
Her father was a human trader who was shipwrecked on the coast and rescued by her elven mother. While her parents didn't stay together, she always felt like the sea brought them to each other and gave her life. She and her father aren't close, although when she was younger he and his family did try to include her. Her elf blood and slower aging was too much for them, they tried to put her on a pedestal, and their relationship suffered. She gets along with humans, but when they stare at her in awe or emphasize her elven blood, she is very uncomfortable and quietly recedes from the relationship.
Unfortunately, in Alyconacia, this is a common problem. As the only port allowed to do direct trade with the West FIngerling Isles and Glass Spire, the high elf capital, there is a reverence for elves and half-elves that is woven into the city's unspoken caste system.
Adalia's mother was a widow for many years when Adalia was conceived. Though her father was well-respected, Adalia took her mother's last name, Treesong. Her mother's voice is said to carry the ancient songs of the Elf Woods, it is a haunting vibrato mezzo soprano that afforded her iconic celebrity status. Coming from the line of a celebrated singer and entertainer, Adalia wanted for nothing. They have a wonderful, loving relationship, but her half-siblings, who are older, full-blooded elves are fairly distant and rarely have time for her. They are all either nobility by marriage or high ranking political figures for the kingdom. This isolation led to her being at the mercy of more judgmental and discriminating elves than her immediate family. In the eyes of her fellow elves, she was essentially bastard-born, though no one would dare say that to her mother's face (or her siblings, who, though distant, did feel their family duty to protect their young sister). To protect her, her mother moved away to a smaller town in the forest.
Adalia learned from time spent with her father's people, mostly avoiding bullies or convincing others not to revere her.
Though her childhood wasn't a particularly happy one, Adalia recognizes that others with split parentages have faced worse. This also allowed her to develop an independence and sense of freedom to forge her own path and decide what she would like to do.
The biggest lesson she learned as a half-elf growing up in elven society is to wait and listen. Adalia isn't going to explode in a fit of temper or voice her offense if someone insults her. She's learned that the best way to handle things is to listen to those around her and use that information to her advantage. Adalia can absolutely be passionate, and run into danger if she believes it's the right thing, but with others (especially other elves) she will hold her tongue. She could be a spy, though she hasn't gone down that path yet.
Adalia learned how to fight in both elven and human styles from a variety of teachers. She can hold her own fighting hand-to-hand, and she's talented with throwing knives and with her bow. She first picked up a bow when she was barely old enough to lift it, and her mother encouraged her half-human daughter in this very elven pursuit with lessons and the best teachers. The hand-to-hand and knife-fighting Adalia learned from time spent with her father's people, mostly avoiding bullies or convincing others not to revere her.
Though her childhood wasn't a particularly happy one, Adalia recognizes that others with split parentages have faced worse. This also allowed her to develop an independence and sense of freedom to forge her own path and decide what she would like to do.
Adalia was raised in the forest and rarely experienced bodies of water bigger than a pond, but she always felt called by the sea. When she came of age, she made a journey to the port of Alcyonacia. She was completely entranced by the sea, and couldn't help coming to the shore right when she arrived, far after midnight. She stumbled upon a ceremony other, typically reclusive, shamans were performing on the beach. As the ceremony neared an end, Adalia slipped, hitting her face against a rock on the edge of the beach. This resulted in a mild concussion and a major laceration on her cheek. The gathered shamans cared for her without hesitation, speaking to her the whole time considerately and explaining their callings. As dawn approached Adalia asked them to baptize her in the sea. They left her a map, telling her that if she ever needed help, all she would need to do was whisper to the map, and it would lead her to a teacher. She has been learning to be a shaman ever since, travelling all over to meeting different shamans to refine her skills, growing more powerful in leaps and bounds. She refused to see a healer for her face, and as such Adalia has a long, thin scar on her face from the corner of her left eye almost down to the corner of her mouth. She kept it as a reminder for the moment she found her people and her purpose.
Since reaching adulthood, Adalia has mostly been a loner, travelling all over to learn from different shamans and furthering her connection to the sea. She may have only recently come into her full power, but she is indeed powerful and very in tune with her spirit. As such, many of her friends are wanderers or travellers who she only sees every couple of years. She met Furus, Galia, and the Sorchanna family in Alcyonacia during a festival. Galia was so open and kind that they immediately hit it off, not to mention the bond that their two leopards formed. Aquilla, a water spirit leopard, and Juniper, a fey-touched snow leopard found great playmates in each other, especially as they both are not traditional animals, and sometimes their "other" essence can scare off "normal" animals.
She doesn't have enemies (Adalia is still rather young for an elf) but she does have those she has met along the roads that she has ticked off by either not being easy prey, or by stepping in when they're causing trouble for other travellers. They have no well wishes for Adalia and would make trouble if they could, but there isn't anyone who would actively hunt her down.
Adalia likes to be of use, but she dislikes leading. She can be a leader, but she dislikes it and would prefer someone else take the reins so she can do what she does best and utilize her connection with the waves spirit. Being a spy or informant would work well for Adalia, though she hasn't tried before. However, she is incredibly light on her feat, very observant, and has many contacts from those she's met on her travels.
She's very shy and reserved to begin with; she's faced too much betrayal at the hands of elves and humans alike to be anything else. Though Adalia prefers to sit back and watch and listen, she won't hesitate to speak up if something morally wrong is about to occur. (Something of a moral compass, but maybe not the main one.) As she becomes more comfortable with people, she will speak up and be forthcoming.
Adalia is cunning, nimble, and occasionally lacks a sense of self-preservation. She oftentimes puts the needs of others above her own, especially the innocent or the ones she cares about. She is intelligent and well-read, and counts solving riddles as one of her favorite hobbies.
She is kind and compassionate, but quietly so, and incredibly loyal once she names you a friend.
Adalia prefers leather protection over metal armor because she feels restricted and loud in regular armor. She has learned that the worst thing to be is noticed, especially by those of importance.
She has a dark purple, almost black, tattoo just below the outer corner of her right eye. No one knows why she has it, and she doesn't talk about it.
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