Leila Brightwood

Name:

Leila Brightwood (Na’ruil)

Pronouns:

She/Her

Age:

50

Birthdate:

September 22nd

Race:

Human

Alignment:

Lawful Good

Height:

5’3

Personality

+

Empathetic, Hardworking, Thoughtful, Capable, Reliable

/

Casual, Moralistic, Outspoken

-

Assertive, Stubborn, Dogmatic, Quick-Tempered, Loquacious

History

Mother to Fey and wife to her late husband Veryan, Leila has had a difficult life. Tempered by her circumstances, she was born as a daughter to an impoverished farmer. Her early life consisted mainly of countless hours of difficult labor to help her family make ends meet. Every year was a new race against time, as they scrambled to complete their work and earn their pay before winter came to test the strength of their home.

As she aged, so too did her father - and as a result he sought to marry his only daughter to someone who could take care of her. However, stubborn spitfire that she is, Leila always found a way to thwart her father’s plans. This strained their relationship and caused a small rift between them.

On one autumn evening, after the day’s chores had been completed, the farmhand had decided to take a walk, enjoying the bright colors of the leaves in the fading light of day. Looking up at the canopy of color, she nearly took a tumble over an unconscious Veryan. A compassionate soul by nature, Leila carried him home and cared for him, nursing him back to health.

During his recovery time, they fell in love, and wed. Once Veryan had regained most of his former mobility, they packed up and travelled back to his noble elven home. Though this would not quite go according to plan, as his family threatened to disown him upon learning of their relationship. Their love was tested, and the strength of their bond triumphed. They left the very same evening, and Veryan vowed that he would never return to the estate for as long as he lived.

He kept his promise.

After his wife birthed Fey, they discovered her curse - a magic that could not be tamed - and worked with every healer and mystic they could find. Their home life was anxious, but the hardship they shared only strengthened their bonds. They loved one another more than words could ever describe. One cold winter night, in a ransom attempt gone wrong, a stagecoach with the former noble and his family went off the edge of a steep cliff after Fey’s curse manifested itself as her very first ‘Thunderwave’.

Now widowed with a young daughter - of whom was ailing from an illness that could never be cured, Leila’s strength was once again tested by her circumstance. Still grieving, the mother devised a plan to blackmail her husbands family into taking care of them until Fey grew old enough to take care of herself. It worked, and they were allowed to live on the estate - under strict rules and suffocating restriction.

If you asked Leila about regrets, the good natured woman would probably say instinctively that she has none - but if she truly had to say she has one regret, it would be that Fey was forced to have such a difficult life.

Appearance

Curly red hair like a wild, untamed flame, gray streaks framing a round, pleasant face. Short and stout, one could recognize Leila’s unique figure from afar. A hard worker, this spitfire can often be seen bustling about town, completing chores with record speed and meticulous precision. Her arms are thick and muscled beneath her many hand sewn blouses, of which she mends and creates herself.

A jack of all trades, Leila grew up in a home which trained her well in many household tasks. This single mother could have easily been a seamstress, a possibility that you can see in the ornate details that peek out on occasion from behind her worn apron. Then again, perhaps she could have been a chef - her culinary discipline evidenced by her rotund figure and rough, calloused hands. Even that’s not all; as Leila also shows potential as a farmer. With a background rich in agriculture, her green thumb can never quite be completely erased, and is oft betrayed by her muddied boots and the scent of flowers.

At a glance, Leila seems a well-to-do and capable figure, with a kind smile and warm hazel eyes.

Trivia

- Leila is skilled in many household trades, including sewing, gardening, and cooking.

- A kind, empathetic woman, she can become fearsome if someone from her family or a person who can’t defend themselves is in danger.

- Her favorite flowers are the Forget-me-not and Lavender, a flower which symbolizes devotion.

- Loyal until death and even after, she would never betray her family.

- Leila is not only the type to give to the homeless, but is also the type to invite them into her own home. Her house is often visited by strangers for a warm meal and a spare blanket - free of charge. This makes Fey worry for her mother, being alone all the time with strangers - but stubborn as she is, Leila will not concede to her point and continues to welcome all who come across her with open arms.

- Moral-bound, she isn’t afraid to speak out against corruption or injustice, and will be the first to call others out on immorality of any kind.

- Unlike her daughter’s drunken chanteys, Leila has a soulful singing voice. She often sings or hums to herself as she goes about her day.

- Leila had her child later on in life, at the age of 30, and the birth was a difficult one. If it had been anyone less stubborn than she, they might have died. Because of this, with her daughter now 20 years old, she wishes that Fey would start looking for someone - or at least consider the possibility.

- Secretly, it is one of her greatest wishes to meet her grandchild one day, and hold the small, precious soul in her arms, and rest assured that her family would live on long after she is gone.

- An avid card player, she often plays with her neighbors and is up to date on all the neighborhood news. They meet every Sunday.

(Mother to Feyaire the Free)