Name: Iridiel Taileflaith Caomhánach (Kavanagh)

Species & Ethnicity: Highlander Éireannach

Gender: Female

Age: 32

Physical Appearance:

Iridiel stands at about 5' 11" (180.3 cm). Uncommon amongst Highlanders, she has a fairly slim build unlike the stockier, heavier-built Highlanders - a common joke made at her expense is that she must have Forestfolk blood in her family. Her long auburn hair falls to around her mid-back - she often has two braids of hair hanging over her face: a common feature amongst Éireannach women of the Highlands. Her eyes are elliptical in shape as one may expect from a race that has not had to deal with dust or sand, and they are coloured a shade of greyish-green, which is again uncommon amongst Highlanders. Her skin is pale, almost white, as befits a member of the Highland ethnicity of the Éireannach, as they evolved in colder and cloudier areas of the world: the Contaetha are a wild, wet and windy region. Though Éireannach have a similar circulatory system to humans and some other races of Reniam, their main metalloprotein is instead copper-based: haemocyanin. This leads to a rather odd trait of theirs - Eireannach tend to have a blue-ish tone to their colouration, as their blood is blue when oxygenated, and this is most notable in their lips, which are visibly blue as opposed to the usual red for mammalian creatures.

Her preferred clothing is warm and comfortable, as needed for long treks over cold, snow-covered ground and the higher altitudes of the hills of the Highlands. She has a wolfskin cloak made from the skin of a grey wolf that she had killed whilst hunting with her father and brothers, whilst underneath she often sports a thick leather coat and green woollen shirt. She also wears thick brown leather and woollen leggings to protect her legs from the cold and biting winds, as well as thick leather boots, which are reddish-brown in colour. Even in warmer climes, Iridiel seldom ventures out without her wolfskin cloak and leather overcoat - the former protects her from the cold and the rain, whilst the latter has been able to stop a fang or a claw. Of course, this means that Iridiel is ill-suited for tropical or desert climates, but she has never had to deal with either due to her heritage. In times of conflict or strife, Iridiel also has a coat of bronze mail that protects her torso and her upper legs.

Magic:
Iridiel worships the Éireannach goddess Sulis, who is the goddess of nature and of healing. When she was a baby, Iridiel had a birthmark on the small of her back in the shape of a small Celtic cross - as a result of this, she is considered to be a Marked of Sulis - in effect, chosen by the goddess as one of her faithful servants on the mortal plane. As she has grown, the birthmark has grown also - it now covers almost her entire back and shoulders, and is dark brown in colour. Éireannach deities operate on a three-tier system: the normal clergy, the Marked of the deity, and the Druids of the deity. Druids are simply Marked clergy, and their range of powers is as varied as it is deadly or beneficial. The normal clergy do not benefit from many god-given powers; for example, clergy of Sulis usually have basic healing abilities.

Iridiel's powers:

• Iridiel is able to heal injuries of her comrades, almost up to mortal injuries. This is the primary power granted to Iridiel by Sulis.[/*]
• Iridiel is able to create lightning bolts from energies granted to her by the goddess, though she cannot overuse this power, for it drains Sulis' presence in the mortal realm and this takes time to recover.[/*]

Equipment:
Twin Pistol-grip Crossbows - A relatively new invention by the Éireannach, the pistol crossbow is a strange combination between what modern people would call a gun and a crossbow. The pistol crossbow is used by Éireannach hunters who want a higher rate-of-fire than normal crossbows or who prefer to shoot one-handed, for whatever reason. Iridiel uses twin crossbows due to her fighting style, which almost mirrors that of perhaps a gunslinger if guns had been invented.

Longsword - Iridiel's preferred weapon for close combat. The sword is 36 inches of hammered and quenched bronze, which Iridiel can wield if her foes close the distance. It is a fallback weapon, and not Iridiel's preferred method of fighting. Steel swords are expensive in the Contaetha, and as a result, Iridiel could simply not afford a steel sword, whereas the Éireannach are primarily bronzeworkers and thusly bronze weapons are cheap, reliable and well-made.

Dagger - a simple bronze blade that Iridiel uses to skin animals she hunts and cut meat for food. In a pinch, she can fight with it if her sword and handaxe are both broken.

Handaxe - A bronze axe-head mounted to an oak shaft, designed for cutting firewood and flesh with equal efficiency. Iridiel mostly uses her handaxe for the former, though if necessary she will use it to fight off wild animals.

Other miscellaneous items, including a small amount of money (various currencies, mostly Rodorian, however), flint and tinder, a thin matted roll, flask of water and bowl. These are all simple but essential tools to get by from day to day as a nomad. Iridiel also has two small parcels of soap that she brought with her from her home town - to the Èireannach, the sopaia, or soap-maker, was a very important member of the community for the cleanliness of the settlement.

Notes:
- Iridiel has been exiled from her home in the Contaetha for killing an official who was supposed to take her in after she was discovered to be able to use magical powers. Magic in the Contaetha is strictly regulated and controlled, and all mages are either put to work in industry or are used in the military. Iridiel, wanting neither lifestyle, attacked and killed the wizard who was assigned to bring her to the academy in Ath Cliath, and was arrested and faced either execution or exile. The Meara of her home town, Loch Garman, preferred to exile rather than execute Iridiel, as although capital punishment occurs, the Éireannach prefer to exile as they believe it allows the person to become a better member of society once they return after having served their sentence, unless it is a lifetime exile with no pardon. Iridiel's exile is for 50 years.
- She is travelling with a male Albhain Forestfolk Èireannach companion, Domhnall.
- She has a tamed hunting wolf as an animal companion named Murchad, which she tamed a year or so ago.
- She can speak basic Rodorian, but she finds it hard to express herself in that language.
- Iridiel is on her way to Zerul City and I'm aiming for her to join Aemoten's group (if it still exists by the time she gets there)
- Backstory is something I would rather play out ICly, if that's OK.