Physical Features
- Height:
- 5'1
- Weight:
- 148
- Figure:
- Nalnis falls somewhere to be considered too tall to be a dwarf and too short to be a human. She does not carry the muscular bulk of her dwarven blood but does, however, carry broad shoulders and toned arms from a lifetime of hard work.
- Hair:
- Dark chestnut in hue, chopped roughly at her shoulders in uneven layers. She often wears a braid around the crown of her head, a nod to her dwarven ways.
- Eyes:
- Dark brown, nearly back. Dark circles mar her face enough that she does not notice them anymore.
- Ears:
- Of normal dwarven shape, if not a little large. There's evidence of having been pierced once before, but they have healed since.
- Voice:
- Her voice is melodic and soft. Deeper than what her demeanor may cause one to expect, but it holds warmth.
Other Features
The half-dwarf enjoys painting markings on her face as a type of 'war paint'. It feels like wearing a mask, a way to summon courage under a lie.
Social Interactions
- Romantic Orientation:
- Demiromantic
- Sexual Orientation:
- Bisexual
Relationships and Companions
Houfrid Gruden (Father)- The relationship between the two is strained. Although her father made sure to provide a warm bed and good food, he was a distant figure and remained at an arm's length. Still, she admires him. Houfrid is a dwarf that holds honour and traditional ways above all else.
Una Latharnach (Mother)- A sick and devious woman that fell in love with the wrong man. Ever since Nal was whisked away by Houfrid, not much is known about the human. Sometimes Nalnis daydreams about reuniting but knows it's best not to go beyond mere daydreams if she wishes to call the north home.
Personality
If Nalnis could cut off her right arm to become brave, she would. Her cowardice is something that seeps into her everyday life, making the poor thing a bundle of nerves on a good day. The dark, open fields, spiders, tall hooded figures, babies- you name it and it has the halfling quaking in her little boots. While some folks dream of grand adventures and bloody feats, Nalnis often longs for a cozy hole in the earth filled with shiny stones, a soft bed, and a hearth that's always burning.
Alas, it is (probably) due to her human blood that such a weakness was born. Oddly enough, however, it is not this cowardly heart that causes the halfling grief but the yearning to be anything but. Those back in Domrhask knew this and would often place bets on how far they can push the woman before she buckles. The half-dwarf, foolish as she is, can never refuse a challenge of bravery. Cross the rickety bridge? Pet a bear? Try this suspicious meal? Sure, no problem. It wouldn't be until she was half way a cross the bridge or getting within 10 feet of the bear that she would break down, crying, and beg for help.
Deeper than her phobias and nervous disposition, however, Nalnis is actually quite a sweet (if not gullible) woman. She tries to treat all fairly and will lend an ear to those that are in need of it. Those that call the woman a friend will find no one more loyal or supportive. Often times, to those that are called allies, the half-dwarf would give them small gifts as a way to express her gratitude for their company.
Religion
- Belief:
- Idolism
- Idols:
- Ahm'kela
History
Ahm'kela was a figure Nalnis clung to while growing up with dwarves. The idol was a half-breed, like her, yet held a strength that people admired. To be brave and loved while also being a half blood slowly became a dream Nalnis adopted.
Background
- Birthday:
- 19th day of the 10th month in 259 AoN
- Age:
- 30
- Origin:
- Domrhask
- Residence:
- Fellsgard
History
Nalnis was born from love, that she knows. Her father had meet her human mother in Fallsgard on a merchant run. Sparks flew, fun was had, and a consequence was made. At first, her father did not mind. He was in love and it was powerful enough for him to look beyond his partner being a human. His newborn daughter, too, was something so pure and precious that it confirmed that this love could not be wrong. It was not until Houfrid returned home from a business trip that he caught his partner using magic and then the world crumbled beneath his feet.
Magic was the one thing he abhorred- and to discover his partner had been lying to him about it? Such a thing was unforgiveable. In a fit of rage, Houfrid uprooted Nalnis from their home and returned to the snowy peaks of their people. They never spoke about the early years of Fellsgard since- the subject one too raw for the proud and traditional dwarf to bare.
The years after the falling out were as normal as they could be. Nalnis grew upon the outskirts of her people, never truly able to fit in. She could never be strong enough, brave enough, dwarven enough- the world was a constant reminder that she could never fit in. While her father never spoke it, her inability to be like everyone else was a mar on her success. It was such a plain and awful reminder that there was human blood running through her veins; that her mother could never been truly forgotten from his eyes.
The one redemption was that Nalnis took to mining like a fish to water. At first, she would joining her father in the excursions but soon enough she was able to lead her own small team. There was a comfort below ground that the city could not offer. It was calming, comfortable, and it was as if the knot that was constantly wound in the pit of her stomach could finally unwind.
So, the little halfling found her place in the world. She even dreamed of finding a family, of making her father proud. That was, of course, until an incident changed her life. It had been a normal run within the mines. It was Nalnis and a team of two that were uncovering a new vein of ore when a support pillar gave way. The ceiling collapsed, bringing the wrath of earth down upon their heads. There was a sense of panic that came over her and the last thing she heard was the pounding of her heart in her ears before the world went black. It took a day for the team to be unearthed with her father leading the rescue. Reports say that Nalnis was discovered with a wall of rock protecting her, as if cocooned carefully and with great care. As for her teammates? They had been crushed, making Nal the sole survivor.
It was not too long after the rescue that her father started to retreat. Small talk ran dry and it was difficult for Nalnis to catch his gaze. It troubled her. Sparks of the old man could be seen, however, when rumours of magic pricked his ear. He would roar and fight and returned home from a drunken brawl on more than one occasion due to someone daring to speak such filth. Yet, they never spoke of it in the house. Both were too scared to accept the truth.
Months had passed and the rumours had yet to cease. It boiled to a point that Nal was sent home from the mines. No one wanted to be trapped below ground with a magic being. Nevermind one that held the possibility to murder her peers. It was not too long after that when her father approached her with a pouch of coin, a ticket to Fallsgard, and a name written on parchment. In an attempt to keep her working, he explained, he was sending her to a friend down south. A man with a personal mine that could give her employment. Moved by the gift and not wanting to be be disobedient, Nalnis obliged.
Not too long after she departed to the foreign city of the south. From the first step off the airship, everything had become a series of unfortunate events:
At first, the address of her father's friend turned out to be wrong. Instead of belonging to a wealthy miner, it instead belonged to a family of five- none of them knowing of the man she was in search of. Secondly, she was pickpocketed of all her coin on her eighth day of being in the city. Thirdly, there was not a place that offered a job for her skills. This forced the halfling to take up odd jobs just to make ends meet.
Now poor, lost, and tired, Nalnis is just trying to make due of this new world. All the while, hoping to find the man her father sent her out to find.