Name: Nymlaen
Aliases: Nym
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Race: Half-Elven
Height: 5'4"


Appearance:
If not for her natural grace, the elven part of Nymlaen's heritage can be hard to spot. The slightly elongated, pointy tips of her ears are usually hidden in a long mess of wavy hair, she inherited her father's dark chocolate hair and dark blue eyes, and while not excessively so, she's slightly on the shorter side. Yet her mother's wood-elven features shine through here and there as well, in her slender physique and elegant fingers, as well as the fine lines of her cheekbones and jaw.

Used to making herself even smaller, not all spot Nym's stoic beauty right away, and her constantly moving hands when communicating makes it easy to miss just how expressive she actually is. Not just quiet, the young woman is mute, and thus her hands are usually held in front of her rather than resting at her side. She wears simple clothes in earthen tones that she herself has decorated with embroidery. Only able to snatch a handful of items as she made her escape, her wardrobe is limited.

Out of sight, on the left side of her hips, an ominous snake tattoo shapes a five. Stare at it long enough, and it almost appears to be moving, slithering gently along her skin.


Personality:
Nymlaen has grown up sheltered, cautious, and unsure about many things, slightly terrified of the world in general. She has a lot of theoretical knowledge, but no idea how to apply it to her experiences. While granted education freely, much of it was twisted to make her less likely to kick up fusses and think of escaping, painting an even darker image of an already grim world. Thus, the most common first impression is a quiet, withdrawn young woman on constant guard.

She's shy around strangers, but people will quickly learn that there's a stubborn will beneath it. They'll also learn that Flow Fingers can have attitude and that Dot Code can be pinched. Once they get to know her a little, her emotions are easily read on her face. For all her wariness, however, she's also no great judge of character and a bit gullible, so it does not take long for those walls to come down.

In moments where she is completely at ease, one will find a kind, passionate woman brimming with wonder for all she has yet to see and experience, though this unbridled joy is often short-lived, worry and doubt dominating most of her disposition.


Skill Sets:
Alchemist: While she can brew some healing potions, Nym's expertise lies in destructive alchemy. Oils, powders, volatile liquids, as well as poisons and their respective antidotes. She can even assist in the making of Boar's Fire, but is unable to make it on her own.

Scholar: Outside furthering her skills and knowledge of alchemy, Nym has studied other alchemy-adjacent fields like anatomy, metalworking, herbology, and physics. Most of it, while deeply ingrained, remains purely theoretical knowledge that she has had little chance to apply in practice until now. To go with this, she has also studied a handful of languages, the more unusual ones being Traders' Tongue and Draconic to go with Elvish and Dwarvish, as well as her daily use of Flow Fingers, Dot Code, and Common. All of them are limited to writing, signage, and reading.

Seamstress: Before Nym could fully grow into her potential and be trusted around alchemical components, she was put to needlework to teach her precision and patience. She can repair tears and holes in most fabrics and was taught some embroidery, but not at the level needed to sell her skills. As she grew older, she kept up decorative stitching in her limited spare time, with it being her only hobby outside of reading.


Neutral Aspects:
Nutritionist: Nym's knowledge of plants, herbs, and animal-based materials has inspired an interest in healthy eating. Unfortunately, none of that knowledge translates to good taste, and finishing portions of her soups and stews can sometimes be a challenge for even the most hardened palettes. Slimy textures, overpowering bitterness, chunks of... who knows what, the surprises are neverending when Nym is on cooking duty. Those who manage to get (and keep) everything down, however, can't deny that her meals are both filling and envigorating, once they get past the possible nausea.

Easy to Read: It takes a little while, but once people get past her lack of words and means of communication, it becomes quite clear that Nym wears her thoughts and emotions on her sleeves. This makes her a terrible liar, but her wide-eyed wonder and rabbit-like caution often helps her garner sympathy.


Weaknesses:
Mute: Unable to speak, Nymlaen communicates primarily through Flow Fingers and Dot Code, as well as the written word. This can at times make communication hard, and outside of clanging items and making noise that way, she has no way of alerting others to trouble.

Physically Weak: Even had she not been confined to a few rooms of the estate, none of Nym's hobbies make for any source of exercise. She's not frail and sickly, but she tires easily, struggles to lift heavy objects, and the only thing she can do for a prolonged time is standing on her feet, usually bent over tomes and cauldrons.

Sheltered and Dependent: Nymlaen might know of the world, but she doesn't know the world. Her survival skills are limited to knowing which plants are poisonous and which are edible, she does not know how to barter, and she is oblivious to most cultural differences and customs. She relies heavily on those around her to make decisions and can be somewhat of a burden when working toward any goal that isn't 'mix ten potions for Bouldercough treatments.'

Inexperienced in Combat: More likely to get in the way, Nym's combat prowess is non-existent. Loath though she is to waste materials, her only contribution is chucking vials of self-combusting liquids, luminescent liquids for easier targeting, potions that spread fog and limit visibility, and others, but her aim is poor.

Pessimist: She tends to believe the worst will come to pass and will often give up without even trying. She's certain she'll get caught, punished, killed, or hurt before ever tasting true freedom, and without any basis to do so, she likewise assumes everyone else's endeavors will inevitably fail as well and drag her feet on decisions requiring courage.

Unconnected and on the Run: While not technically alone-alone, Nym has no one she can seek out to get out of her current predicament. Out yet not free, she feels unmoored, anxious, and paranoid, believing everyone is out to get her.

Notable Equipment:

• A "travel kit" for alchemy, consisting of a small cauldron, mortar and pestle, scales, a few bowls and vials, scoops, and stirrers.
  
• A book of recipes.
  
• A component pouch containing some basic but vital alchemy ingredients.
  
• A small sewing kit.

Likes: Honesty, altruism, observing people and nature, reading, learning new things, using her knowledge for good, figuring out solutions to tricky alchemical mixtures and compounds.
Dislikes: Deceit, abuse of power, violence, destruction, enclosed spaces, overly crowded and loud spaces, her lack of independence, both being the focus of attention and being wilfully ignored.
Habits: Rubbing the bridge of her nose when deep in thought, gnawing on the tip of her thumb when worried, fiddling with her hair or clasping her hands in front of her to prevent herself from "speaking," assuming that everyone is as fluent as her and going too fast when using Flow Fingers and Dot Code.

History:
Born on the Darkest Day, Nymlaen's life as a Cursed Child has been both fraught with trials and dull in equal measures. Born to an elven herbalist and a human huntsman, her parents, at first, vowed to keep her birth a secret to protect her. They lived isolated in the woods, traveling to the nearest settlement only to trade wares they were unable to procure themselves, and they did well for the first couple of years.

Nym has no recollection of the 6~7 years she spent with her parents, but she remembers vividly the night her father tried to kill her. Influenced by a hard winter, drink, and rumors from the townsfolk, he rambled about 'correcting' her existence before the curse could kill them all. Saved by her mother, the girl soon found herself sold to a wealthy, influential merchant.

That was the last time it was revealed to anyone that she was born during the eclipse, and the last time she saw her family. Hoarded like a secret and to ensure a full return on his investment, Nymlaen's life was soon confined to a few small quarters, expanding only when she became old and proficient enough to handle her own alchemy lab.

Without ever learning the full picture of her master's dealings, she became an important cog in a business empire dealing in death. She was taught poisons, explosives, colorful powders, and long-burning oils, even the creation of the volatile Boar's Fire, all while being instilled with fear and doubt of the outside world. Even as she yearned for freedom and to one day reunite with her mother, she was too timid and terrified to try to oppose her owner and attempt escape. The option never entirely left her mind, however, and she would sometimes steal long glances at those of her brews that could aid in escaping.

There is no describing the complex feelings that warred when, one fateful night, the choice was made for her. Waking to clamor and the distance orange hues of flames against the night sky, Nym found herself freed from captivity by a mercenary tasked to whisk her away, and for one brief, glorious moment, she tasted hope and freedom.

Then he did something to the cursed mark she had borne on her hip since her arrival to the estate and that hope disappeared, like flash powder burning hot and bright, gone in an instant. She might have gotten to set foot outside the estate walls for the first time in decades, but her fate and destination were sealed, one master exchanged for another.

Or... so it was supposed to happen.

The mysterious employer of the mercenary never showed, and necessity forced the two on the run together. She tied to him through the same lethal mark that bound her to her master, he tied to her through a similarly dire need for her antidotes, the two are now on the road, trying to find a solution to each of their issues without letting the other doom their existence, distrustful and wary of each other.


Connections:

• Previous owner.
  
• Gareth.
  
• Mother and father (location and status unknown).