Aengellania was born to a minor family of nobility in Hysh, Zaitrec, to Lord Telthanic Robes-of-Words and Lady Helendrya Xiphyr, their third child. Her initial life was unassuming, marked only by a habit to avoid her lessons with her tutors, and a stutter that she’d eventually learn to control but never fully banish as it reappeared in times of stress. Most that knew Aengellania deemed that she wouldn’t amount to much in life. However, even then she exhibited a kindness that would only grow and develop throughout her life. She didn’t have many friends save Fingondil, who she’d come to love as a brother.
It was this kindness that drew the eye of Tyriana Bladebroken, a travelling Cathallar. Though she had come to the role through her own trauma, in Aengellania Tyriana saw the makings of a kind and compassionate Cathallar, one that would always reach out a helping hand to others.
Tyriana convinced Aengellania’s parents to let her take the young aelf on as an apprentice and get some use out of her. Though Telthanic and Helendrya did love Aengellania, they despaired for her future and so accepted, hoping that she’d make something of herself as a Cathallar.
Together, Aengellania and Tyriana would travel to Cathartia. It was then that Aengellania’s talents began to truly bloom. Under Tyriana’s tutelage, her natural talent as magic given to her by her Zaitrec heritage became disciplined, able to wield the magic of Hysh in actual spells rather than random bursts. She also began to learn more of the world around her, curiosity previously stifled by dusty tomes now running rampant as she explored the world around her. She sat in rapt attention as Tyriana prepared her for her duties as a Cathallar, and for the first time in her life felt like she was heading in the right direction.
When they reached Cathartia, Aengellania would be put under joint-tutelage between Tyriana and another ageing Cathallar, Caleya the Vigilant. Caleya was a severe teacher, who taught her the practical knowledge and disciplines of a Cathallar; handling spent aetherquartz, manipulating it, and wielding Light magic in utility, defence and offence. Aengellania studied hard under Caleya’s watch, and coupled with Tyriana’s guidance she went on to become an accomplished Cathallar in her own right, earning her first title: Heartmender.
Still new to the position, she was still lodged in Cathartia preparing to leave when a message from Teclis was recieved; Sigmar needed talented individuals, representatives of the Realms outside of Azyr to serve the Pantheon as its agents. Teclis had chosen Aengellania Heartmender to serve. Though Aengellania was deeply honoured and joyful at the time, in later centuries she would admit to herself that Teclis had likely only chosen her because she was an aelf he could spare, not for any talent she actually possessed.
So, after bidding tearful farewells to Tyriana and Caleya, Aengellania left Cathartia and journeyed to Azyr.
Arriving in Azyr was an experience she would never forget. It was the first time she had left Hysh for another Realm, and she was stunned by the alien beauty she had sometimes glimpsed at but never properly experienced. It only ignited her curiosity further, and her escort had to fetch her numerous times from conversations that had stretched into hour-long discussions and sight-seeing.
Finally she reached Azyrheim and was Soulbound by the Pantheon, one of the last actions they took all together. Her fellow Soulbound were Cargan Cook, a hunter from Ghur; Myloc of Shimmerdeep, Amethyst mage and scholar of Shyish; Blodaen Snow-Woven, a Rune Father that had abdicated his position to his one of his sons to become Soulbound, after he felt that he could no longer continue his role in his old age; and Ylthe, a Branchwych, cantankerous and grumpy but with a heartwood of gold. Soon after, a skink named Tichi-Huichi attached herself to the Binding for her own, inscrutable purpose, though she’d eventually be considered family just like the others.
The five would grow close together in their shared duties. Though primarily serving Sigmar, they would sometimes work for the other gods upon their request.
They helped Gorkamorka track down a Godbeast in Ghur for him to hunt, saving a nearby city (though from the Godbeast or Gorkamorka, Aengellania remains uncertain).
They investigated disappearances in a city under Morathi’s directive, finding a trail of murders that lead to a nearby Khainite temple and the Hag Queen planning to use those murders to frame ambitious Daughters of Khaine. It was there where Aengellania met Vhaskara for the first time, then just a Witch Aelf. The Khainite lightly flirted with the Cathallar, though it all flew over her head at the time.
The Binding would serve Alarielle in helping duardin and Sylvaneth coexist in Ghyran. The mission itself was unassuming, but the effect Alarielle’s presence had on Aengellania was life-changing. Long-dormant homoromantic feelings were brought out in a cascade, paralysing Aengellania as she was overwhelmed by the aura of love and kindness that Alarielle carried with her during the Age of Myth, and by Ylthe’s own connection with the Life Goddess. She would recover, but after that moment she would once again see the world, and those around her, with new eyes.
This all came to a head in Ghur. There, the Binding were investigating strange happenings near a settlement when Cargan found a trail. With Tichi-Huichi nowhere to be found, they set off without her, and followed the tracks to find a Beastkin Shaman in a boneyard that wished to speak with them. She managed to convince Blodaen to spare their life long enough for her to speak with them. The attempt at dialogue ended in tragedy, as Tichi-Huich (knowing that the shaman was trying to trick the Binding into trusting them, so they could sacrifice them to the Chaos Gods later) shot the Shaman with a blowdart.
The young Cathallar was badly traumatised by the sudden and violent death, prompting Ylthe to come to her aid. The Branchwych managed to calm her down, and bring her back to the safety of the town they’d been staying at.There, the two were gently, slowly made aware that they’re feelings for one another weren’t purely platonic.
The Soulfire that linked them making further words unnecessary, the two kissed, for the first time.
It was Aengellania’s first true romantic relationship, and she had fallen head-over-heels in love with Ylthe. Not only did she love Ylthe, but she felt Ylthe’s love down to her very soul. And for the longest time, it seemed like this love would last forever to the young aelf. The Pantheon was united, the Age of Myth was becoming overall a peaceful and prosperous time, and they were both immortal. They visited a Ghyramere Dragon’s pool of Aqua Ghyranis together, basking in the beauty of both their surroundings and the wise and noble dragon that lived there. Ylthe even took the ashes of her lamentiri, destroyed by the Soulbinding ritual, and put them into a locket to give to Aengellania, so that a small part of would always physically be with the aelf, just as a small part of her soul would be.
However, this dream began to fray. Alongside the other signs heralding the end of the Age of Myth, Tichi-Huichi had left for Ahramentia following the Slaan’s directives. It felt like losing a sister to Aengellania, though she comforted herself that she’d see the Skink again one day.
Then, Archaon invaded the Realms.
The Binding were caught in Azyr when it happened, and watched on in horror as Sigmar lost the war against Chaos. The God-King approached them when he signalled the retreat to Azyr, needing one last service from them; to close a Realmgate in Ghyran to Azyr. Knowing that they were a non-combatant Binding with only Blodaen actually having fought a war, he only looked for them to volunteer, giving them room to refuse if they wished.
None refused, knowing that it would mean that they’d be marooned outside of Azyr. Even to this day, remembering their bravery brings tears to Aengellania’s eyes.
First to die was Cargan Cook, hacked apart by a Blightking’s cleaver before Aengellania. Myloc fell next, turning a Nurglite sorcerer into ash with him in a last-ditch Amethyst spell. Ylthe had to take over the ritual to close the Realmgate from him.
Aengellania, already feeling like her soul had been mutilated by the death of her brothers in soul, then lost Blodaen, a duardin who she’d come to see like a second father. He had been run through with so many weapons that it seemed impossible that he could remain standing, but he managed a last few words to express his pride that he had managed to keep her alive.
Then, Ylthe’s ritual to close the Realmgate backfired under the strain of her wounds, causing it to explode and knock Aengellania unconscious.
When she awoke, it was to Ylthe holding her. But the joy that Ylthe might have survived faded as the Branchwych spoke of her needing strength for ‘afterwards’, and evaporated as the Sylvaneth collapsed in her arms. With a last whispered wish for Aengellania to find new love after her death, and a proclamation of her love, Ylthe passed away in Aengellania’s arms, leaving the aelf alone in body and soul. Except for the beginnings of a deep-seated anger…
Fighting the emotional pain that threatened to destroy her, Aengellania forced herself to travel on, briefly joining a resistance group still operating in Ghyran against the Maggotkin. This was destroyed soon after her arrival, and she was forced to wander again.
She arrived in Ulgu, and while pursued by Hedonites stumbled upon that same temple of Khaine that she had investigated so long ago. Her life was saved by Vhaskara, now a Hag-Queen, and she was given refuge at the temple for however long she needed to recover.
Though her trauma remained fresh, Aengellania was able to heal enough mentally to engage with the world again. She spent a great deal of time at the temple, learning the customs of the Daughters of Khaine and how to wield the magic of Ulgu. Her relationship with Vhaskara developed into a friendship, until the Hag Queen proposed to take her as a lover and give her a permanent place at the temple. Though the attraction was genuine, Vhaskara also knew that placing the Soulbound Cathallar under her thumb would give her a powerful tool, completely detached from the power structures of the Daughters of Khaine, something that would be invaluable to her.
To Vhaskara’s surprise Aengellania burst into tears, the pain of Ylthe’s passing returning to her with a vengeance. Uncharacteristically of the Hag Queen, the sight provoked pity in Vhaskara, and guilt that she had tried to manipulate the aelf. Rather than continue her plot, she abandoned it and did what she could to hasten Aengellania’s recovery, urging her to leave for her own good. Aengellania eventually left the temple, narrowly escaping assassination by the Scáthborn when they had learned of Vhaskara’s plan. Aengellania never learned of her friend’s ultimate fate, but she holds no hope that the Hag Queen had survived.
Later on, in Ulgu she would come across a string of disappearances in villages, leading her to a lake that disquieted her as soon as she had laid eyes upon it. While studying it, celaphopic limbs and horrific creatures of the deeps exploded out of the water and dragged her down into it, seemingly drowning her. She later woke up in a prison cell, breathing not quite air or water but something in between.
Using her newly acquired Ulgu magic, she managed to gather information about her captors; aelves, strangely souled, arguing what to do with her. They feared she was an agent of Teclis hunting for them, their first proof her soul being protected against their attempts to harvest it without destroying it. Their second proof was that this was the third time she had come to the lake despite efforts taken to wipe her memory.
Playing into their paranoia, she offered them a deal; if they released her, and promised not to abduct anymore innocents, she would not tell anyone of where they could be found. They agreed, and released her to the surface. It was only centuries later when the Idoneth were revealed to the Realms did Aengellania finally know who had kept her prisoner. That nautical encounter left her with a thalassophobia that lingers to this day.
Eventually Aengellaina would fashion a purpose out of her random wanderings; to find a way back home to Hysh. This desire was ignited when she came across a Realmgate in Ulgu that glowed with a golden light. She almost crossed the threshold into it, but was stopped as her Cathallar instincts warned against that action. She would later learn that the Realmgate lead to the devastated city of Cathartia, and likely a fate worse than death. But that encounter gave her the longing to return home, and she vowed that through the hazards of the Realms and the armies of the Chaos Gods she would find a way.
Next she entered Shyish. Though it was entirely random that that would be the next Realm she would enter, over time her previous purpose became slowly replaced by a craving for the company of her dead Soulbound, despite knowing their souls had been utterly shattered. She searched Shyish for them, or scoured it for lore or arcana that could bring them back, but ultimately her efforts proved wasted. When she looks back at this period of her time, it is with shame, but not a little sympathy that the young Aengellania could delude herself so. The quest to resurrect her fallen lover and friends would continue on for centuries.
But her time in Shyish was not entirely fruitless, as she made a number of contacts and even friends among the Undead in that Realm, notably travelling with Black Knights for great stretches of her journey, or taking shelter in refuges protected by Grave Guard. It gave her an appreciation of the Undead and an insight into their nature, one she’d benefit from greatly.
On and on Aengellania wandered the Realms, continuously travelling. From picking up the deceptively rich practices of pipe-smoking from Duardin in Chamon, to travelling above the clouds upon the Bataari’s Floating Market, Aengellania journeyed through the Realms, and learnt from the people she encountered along her way, until she eventually arrived in Ghur.
First she encountered a tribe of Twinform Wolfwalkers, werewolves who freely changed between human and anthropomorphic wolf in their youth and settled into one form as their age progressed. There spent perhaps the greatest amount of time in one place, learning of their history fighting Chaos and worship of Gorkamorka, and of how they related gender expression to their lycanthropy. Her closest friend during that time was Falkiva Howlhunter, a priestess of Gorkamorka who rarely left her wolf form. Falkiva even gave Aengellania shelter in her family’s tent, alongside her mate and her child.
To Aengellania’s dismay, Falkiva was mortally wounded in a battle against Blades of Khorne. She was by her friend’s side when she passed away, and heard Falkiva’s last request of her; to stay and help her mate raise her child, until Aengellania was no longer needed. After only a heartbeat’s pause, Aengellania agreed, trying to cool the fury in her heart with a mission born of love.
For decades she stayed with the Twinform tribe, raising Falkiva’s child Jakvar not only as a werewolf, but also as a Lumineth; both loyal and free-thinking, cunning and learned, ferocious when needed but empathetic and forgiving when he could afford to be.
Aengellania outlasted Falkiva’s mate, then eventually even Jakvar. On his death bed, Jakvar made her swear another oath; to keep searching for a way back to Hysh and find her true people again. Heartbroken by more loss, Aengellania left the day after Jakvar finally passed away. Never before had the immortality of the Soulbound weighed so heavily on her shoulders.
Unbeknownst to Aengellania, she’d leave a legacy that would outlast Jakvar. His own daughter would become a unifying leader of the tribe that lead it to prosperity, and her ancestors would become canonised as spirits still guiding them to this day. Aengellania was counted among those ancestors, and to this day her ‘descendants’ have a reputation of being calm and open-minded towards others.
Sometime along her travels, Aengellania was attacked by a Prizehunter Dragon. He descended from the clouds without provocation and threw himself at her with claws and teeth. She barely survived the first attack with a burst of blinding light and a cloak of shadow magic, and what ensued was a cat-and-mouse game that lasted for hours. Finally, Aengellania was cornered by the dragon, and prepared herself for death.
Instead, the Prizehunter stared down at her quizzically, his curiosity piqued by the seeming difficulty he had in killing her. They talked for a while, until eventually the dragon offered to give her a ride to the nearest settlement. She accepted, hoping he would bring her to safety.
Instead, he brought her directly to an Ironjaw encampment.
Without any other option, Aengellania approached them, already nervous seeing orruks of a size and belligerence she had never thought possible before. And there her story might have ended, had Nuklib not been there.
The weirdnob shaman recognised her as Soulbound, just like him, and forced the other orruks to give her a place in the clan. One that he didn’t make much effort to make comfortable for her; most of her nights were spent magically healing her body from the toil of travelling by holding on to a charging grunta for dear life, or from the abuses of the Ironjaws’ very physical language. But her body toughened up even more, and after a while she began enjoying her time with the Ironjaws.
Nuklib in particular she grew close to as they talked about Ironjaw culture and beliefs, culminating in him giving her a taste of the WAAAGH!!! and an offer to lose herself in it and abandon her fears. Though she was tempted to give in to the energy overwhelming her, Aengellania kept her mind above it enough to refuse, drawing on her need to get back to Hysh and Tyriana especially.
Nuklib took the rejection gracefully, and even told her of a nearby settlement called Titanflint-Upon-Ghur that knew of a Realmgate to Hysh. With his help, Aengellania was able to convince the Ironjaws not to attack Titanflint, and even brokered a treaty between them were the orruks would protect the town from attackers. Then, bidding farewell to the orruks who had fondly called her ‘Anjy’, Aengellania left them behind and travelled to the Realmgate that would lead her home.
She’d find it in the crater of an extinct volcano. With her goal so close, after centuries of travelling Aengellania couldn’t help but break into a run down into the volcano, not caring if she tripped up. Shadows seemed to assail her, but she had mastered the magic of shadows and brushed them aside before throwing herself through the Realmgate.
On the other side she found a surprised Lumineth wearing a strange ox-headed helmet, and she could help but laugh at the absurdity of that image. Then she collapsed and laughed because she had finally done it.
She had gotten back home.
But that joy was short lived. When the Lumineth (who she’d later find out were Alarith) told her of the Spirefall, initially she didn’t believe them. It took them showing her the crater outside where a city had once been to make her believe.
Her family was gone, her sister killed during the Spirefall and her brother driven insane by the horror he had witnessed. Her parents had passed away grieving for their lost children, believing Aengellania dead.
Her childhood friend Fingondil, who had risen high in the ranks of the Vanari, had grown to resent her absence, and when she finally visited him was overcome with loathing for her. She hadn’t been there for the Lumineth during their greatest tragedy; she hadn’t been there for him. He spat on their friendship and renounced it, an action she would not reciprocate. Aengellania would cling on to the desperate hope that she could repair their relationship.
Slowly, she journeyed back to Cathartia, the destruction the Spirefall had unleashed unfolding before her. When she finally reached Cathartia she saw the hole that had replaced the city, and openly wept when she found out that Tyriana had ventured into it looking for survivors, and never returned.
There was some small glimmer of happiness in the tragedy; Caleya had survived the Spirefall and the loss of her friend Tyriana. She welcomed Aengellania into the reformed order of Scinari Cathallars, and made it her mission to support her ex-student in every way. Thanks to her Aengellania managed to reintegrate into the Cathallars, learn the more combative techniques created in response to Chaos’ invasion, and would even begin to teach young Cathallars herself.
When Caleya passed away, walking into Cathartia willingly in her decrepit old age, Aengellania honoured her last wishes and made a grave for her outside Cathartia, alongside Tyriana’s. She’d visit the two regularly to clean and maintain the graves, and hope that perhaps the two would return. After the first century, she gave up that hope.
The next few centuries of the Age of Chaos passed by in a blur for Aengellania. She supported her brother as best she could until he passed away, and with him went the last of her meaningful relationship with the Lumineth. She had students that respected her, but she could not connect with the younger generations brought up in an era of war. Fingondil’s influence in the Lumineth had spread a general mistrust of her; one that was disproved when she spent time with individual aelves, but remained pervasive.
And the decades of war took their toll on Aengellania’s sanity. Though there still had been conflict during the Age of Myth, peace had been the norm for her. She tried to support her fellow Lumineth in war, but inflicting death and pain upon their enemies was something she could never come to terms with.
After a time, she began contemplating walking into Cathartia, just as Tyriana and Caleya had. She abandoned her first name of Heartmender and took up a new one that fitted her better, Tearworn.
This low point of her life was broken in a storm.
While visiting Caleya’s grave, a lightning bolt struck the ground near Aengellania, and black-armoured forms stepped out of it. Initially she thought they were Chaos Warriors, but when the largest of them, taller than an Ogor, began laughing she began to hope that maybe, somehow, her prayers for relief from Azyr had been answered.
And they had, in the form of the Stormcast Malliana.
Malliana brought with her Sigmar’s offer; rejoin him in Azyr and serve him once more, if she were willing. And without a second thought, she accepted.
She travelled with Malliana back to Azyr, and felt a friendship grow between them. She liked the Stormcast’s selflessness and heroism, and let herself be swept up in Malliana’s optimism that the Realms could be liberated from Chaos. But underneath it all she sensed a deep kindness in the Stormcast, and that was what truly endeared her to Malliana. The two would often cross paths, especially when Malliana would become an Errant-Questor and reclaimed the name of Améline, and there was no one else in all the Realms that Aengellania felt a greater love for, platonic or romantic. She grieved when Reforging took the Stormcast’s humanity bit by bit, and did everything in her power to support her friend, no matter how meagre. And Améline would support her in kind. Looking back, Aengellania would wonder if she would even have survived as long as she had without Améline.
Through Améline, Aengellania would be confronted by the affects of Reforging that plagued the Stormcast. As she always did, she gave her services to helping shore up their battered minds and souls, and would lend her efforts and knowledge to the Sacrosanct Chambers in finding a cure.
Even beyond Reforging, she would counsel them on more “mundane” troubles, from the toll of centuries of war to living with immortality, to even the most minor of matters. Among most Stormcast that knew of her, Aengellania became a well-loved figure, a rare outsider that they could rely upon and confide with. Some, however, saw her kindness as a weakness, such as the Knights Excelsior who suspected her of harbouring spmpathies for their enemies. They were right, Aengellania would privately admit. But that never stopped her from fighting for Order, and giving those doubting Stormcast the same patience and gentleness she gave everyone.
In Sigmar’s service she would act as his agent, either alone or with other Soulbound.
Alone, she would often she would travel out into Chaos-controlled territory by herself, to contact communities of Chaos-worshippers or those they oppressed, save them from the domination of the Chaos Gods and bring them back to Sigmar’s growing empire as Reclaimed. This task she accomplished with great success, making sure the Reclaimed she brought back were properly integrated and visiting whenever she could to make sure they were treated well.
She would go beyond this mission to even approach champions of Chaos in trying to redeem them, and sometimes would even succeed. Those that accepted her help she used her inheritance and connections in Hysh to set them up with peaceful hideaways from the wider world, to engage in deep introspection and meditation with the spirits of the Realm. She makes sure to visit them regularly to support them, and nothing breaks her heart more than to approach one of their cottages and realise it’s lifeless.
But even when she failed to redeem the champions of Chaos and was forced to end their lives in self-defence, adding more ghosts weighing on her conscience, Aengellania never gave up fighting for their second chance at redemption. Even when it brought her into conflict with the other, more puritan elements of Order, she couldn’t bring herself to fully forsake even the worst evils that fouled the Realms. If she did anything else, she felt, then she simply wouldn’t be Aengellania.
It was not only those in the thrall of Chaos that Aengellania offered her mercy to. With her exposure to the Undead in Shyish, she grew to pity them and strive to help them. She rescued the Wight King Guiyaume de Levarret from his oath that had become a prison, and when she was kidnapped by Katakros to briefly serve as Soulbound for him, she took the time and effort to connect with the Undead that she had been Soulbound to and alleviate their suffering; the Flesheater Court Mordant Sir Hrantinel of the Valorous Heart and his undead Pegasus, Peggy; Karl Vimeric, city guard Wight brought back by his dedication to the law; and Favre, a Myrmourn Banshee tortured by Nagash’s curse for so long that she had forgotten what kindness was.
Ultimately she would be the only survivor of this Binding, but she’d never regret making the effort to alleviate Undeath’s curse upon them, only that she couldn’t do more for them. Even Eresh, the zealously loyal Ossiarch Mortisan assigned to oversee the Binding, parted with Aengellania if not a friend, then at least amicably, even though the Ossiarch knew that Aengellania had collected quite the repository of soul-lore trying to reform the shattered spirits of the Soulbound, lore that would interest Nagash greatly if he knew of it.
Among Soulbound, she would undertake their usual duties; investigation, opposing the forces of Chaos, fighting to preserve Sigmar’s Order. Though at first she took quiet joy in meaningfully serving Order again, that joy was eroded by the loss of Soulbound bound to her. Over time she began to blame herself for their deaths; she was an old Soulbound, they had depended on her. It was up to her to preserve them. The responsibility turned to shame, then to self-loathing. But that self-loathing wasn’t the first instance of hate in her heart that she tried to bury.
After some time Aengellania would visit Settler’s Gain, hoping to raise her spirits after a disastrous time spent at Excelsis, where her relationship with the Knights Excelsior there deteriorated so rapidly it resulted in Améline breaking a Lord-Celestant’s jaw, by visiting the city based on human and aelf coexistence. Instead, she was shocked to find that the humans did not enjoy accommodation with the Lumineth living there, forced to pass tests and standards Aengellania found unfair and monstrously discriminatory. In her mind the core principles of the Lumineth rested upon learning from others and humility; surely that had been the lesson taught to them by the aelementors? Why then would the Lumineth of Settler’s Gain go against Teclis and Celennar’s teachings?
As she dug deeper into Settler’s Gain she uncovered more truths of the city that horrified her, and left quickly after sending a message to Teclis himself. She convinced herself that these Lumineth were acting without sanction, and that the Mage God would quickly rectify their misdeeds. As the years slipped by and Settler’s Gain remained unchanged, this belief would become increasingly difficult to maintain.
Another development would exacerbate those thoughts.
Finally free of the depression she had fallen into by the beginning of the Age of Sigmar, if only temporarily, Aengellania decided to try and find love again. The first woman she considered dating was Dagna, a Kharadron aether-navigator she’d met while travelling. The two got along quite well, and when they reached the Skyport of their destination Dagna offered to take Aengellania to a tavern she knew.
At first Aengellania considered accepting, hoping that perhaps with Dagna she could start a new life. But something held her back, a hollowness she couldn’t easily define, and ultimately she declined and moved on, worrying about what had come over her.
Next came Frankesa. The Freeguild soldier had found Aengellania badly wounded in a ditch, and resolved to save her life. She carried the wounded aelf to an infirmary, and while the Cathallar was there did everything in her power to help her recover. In time, Frankesa would admit that her care had sprung from her boyfriend perishing recently. He might have died, but Frankesa refused to let Aengellania followed him.
Touched by Frankesa’s words, Aengellania let their relationship grow into friendship, then something a little more. Finally, just as Aengellania was about to be discharged from the infirmary, that last night Frankesa snuck in and asked Aengellania if they could share one last night together.
She agreed, and let Frankesa lay next to her and hold her tight. But this contact felt empty to Aengellania, and it was all she could do to stop herself from crying. Aengellania left the next day, after giving Frankesa her best wishes that she’d find someone that’d love her as she deserved to be loved.
Finally, there was Gwydain. She met the giant Witch Aelf in Brightspear, and attraction immediately grew between them. Not even a day had passed before the two had started dating. Initially their relationship involved fighting alongside Améline clearing the undead resurrected by the Necroquake, but after Aengellania was wounded Améline insisted that she take time to recover with Gwydain. A few days later, Aengellania went on her first proper date with Gwydain to a reputable tavern, later ending up in a few nightclubs dancing and listening to music, and finally being carried up to the roofs of Brightspear by Gwydain where the two cuddled up together and watched Azyr’s stars in Aqshy’s skies.
Gwydain gave Aengellania the pet name of Snugglemuffin. If the Witch Aelf ever wanted to give Aengellania a blush that went all the way to her ears, she just had to call her that name in public. It always worked.
There their relationship truly took off. Aengellania and Gwydain fell deeply in love with one another. They spent much more free time together; painting, dancing, or quiet time alone in a house Aengellania rented for the two of them. Even when Améline left Brightspear, urged on by her visions, Aengellania felt that she hadn’t been this happy in centuries. It seemed like she had finally fulfilled Ylthe’s dying wish.
But it wasn’t to be. Though initially Aengellania had been swept up in the romance of her love with Gwydain, there was something off about it. Something incomplete. Though she never doubted that she loved Gwydain, sometimes, when Gwydain kissed her, or told Aengellania that she loved her… There was a feeling of disconnection, of strangeness that marred their love.
The more Aengellania tried to ignore that feeling, the worse it became. Sometimes she’d look into Gwydain’s eyes and see a stranger looking back, or wake up in bed and panic as she feels arms wrapped around her before realising they’re Gwydain’s. The stress these feelings caused sent her into a spiral of depression; she should be deeply in love with Gwydain. It should have been the end of a century-long search for peace with a companion. Why weren’t the Realms letting her have her happiness?
Then, she realised what was happening. Her first love with Ylthe, that pure connection resonating deep within their very souls was missing with Gwydain. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t rekindle that connection with Gwydain. The Witch Aelf noticed her distress, but her reluctance to push Aengellania too deeply on her pain for fear of hurting her further, and the Cathallar’s own paralysis in communicating with Gwydain only twisted the knife further.
In the end, it became too much for Aengellania. She broke off her relationship with Gwydain, and the two went their separate ways. Aengellania would never try to contact Gwydain ever again, the pain of their parting too much for her and leaving her feeling utterly unworthy of Gwydain’s love, even friendship.
Aengellania forsook any further attempts to connect romantically with others. More than just avoiding pain, the work needed to unpack her trauma yawning wide before her was too much. It was a task that she didn’t know how to begin by herself, nor did she want to burden others with it. So, instead, she minimised it with her Cathallar training, and when it threatened to overwhelm her aetherquartz itself.
Aengellania resigned herself to burning herself out in defence of the Realms. Though she had failed to live up to Ylthe’s deathbed wish, ultimately Aengellania believed that she could still do good until her end. Weighted against the uncounted lives of those that depended on her, she felt that it was a small price to pay.
Some time later, she would travel with another Binding at Alarielle’s behest, to Anvilgard to combat the Blackscale Coil there alongside Akrizeon Reaper’s Bane, Knight-Azyros Celestial Vindicator made from an Ossiarch Parrha; Ayrantha Dawnseed, Branchwych of the Ironbark Glade; Captain Klevi, Kharadron Overlord pirate sentenced to being Soulbound to make up for his crimes against Order; and Echtelion Erandiel, son of Fingondil and dear nephew to her in all but blood whom she’d helped raise. She’d briefly meet Améline in Anvilgard too, and drew great comfort from her presence.
Finally, from these Soulbound too she’d part ways. Her duty would take her back to Brightspear, to serve Lord-Arcanum Salonia Gravenwing in rooting out Arcanite cults in the city. In her free time she’d go to a local tavern, the Gatewatch Inn, to quiet the rising pain in her. During that time, she’d meet and make a number of friends, from a Witch Aelf named Fearalia Shadowbleed, a Namarti beastmaster Meer Stillezee, a Corsair Maïthaen from another universe entirely, Samantha Obergraf an Ironweld Engineer from Greywater Fastness, Phrane Da’Nix merchant in Realmstone, the hunter Armand, and so many others that would become very dear to her. While not completely happy, it was a rare moment of peace and mental recuperation for Aengellania in between her duties and travelling the Realms by herself, away from Améline.
Of note, however, are two visitors to Brightspear that would change the course of her life forever.
Aesma of Bataar, a travelling merchant and her demigryph mount Hooktalon. They first met when Aesma stumbled into the Gatewatch Inn and dropped papers from her arms, prompting Aengellania to step in to help collect them. Aengellania took a liking to the young Bataari almost immediately, and like many young people she felt needed support quietly gave it to her, even if it was just friendly chatting. It was Aesma who brought Aengellania news that Anvilgard had ceased communications with the outside world, and when Aengellania fretted for Améline’s safety there volunteered to travel to the city and check on it.
And then there was Marley.
Marley, who looked like he was barely old enough to drink to Aenge, walked into the Gatewatch Inn. At first they simply talked pleasantly with one another, but over time Marley’s insight and willingness to push Aengellania on subjects others would have thought impolite got her to open up more to him; about the weight of her responsibilities; the strain she had been put under; her difficulty finding a place in the war-torn Realms; and her alienation from the Lumineth. Aengellania found herself warming up to the warrior, and despite herself gradually shared her burdens with Marley.
Here was the true relief that had eluded her for so long, even if it was only a little, and so slow. But beyond that his company genuinely delighted her, being funny, curious and easy-going. Furthermore, she was touched by his quest to free his wife’s soul from his axe, an endeavour she privately committed herself to giving aid to. She knew the pain of lost love quite keenly.
In turn, her intuition allowed her to perceive that Marley was no simple warrior. From his manners and references to a bloody past and mindset, to his weapon that bore a fel appearance. Eventually she was able to discern his hidden nature and get him to admit it; by the brand of his tongue, Marley was god-touched by Khorne.
Aengellania found herself at a crossroads. Strictly speaking, it was her duty to report Marley to the Stormcast of Brightspear, or oppose him in some way. But she saw that he had been entirely honest with his intentions to stay in Brightspear briefly without causing any harm. And could she have accomplished as much good in the Realms as she had by shutting out people like Marley, good despite their worship of Chaos?
It was really not much of a choice at all for her. So she smiled at him and reaffirmed their friendship, and when the Stormcast did come to arrest him defended Marley as best she could. Unwittingly, she had set herself on a path she never could have predicted.
The next time they met was less warm, Marley coming across Aengellania as she tried to comfort a Fearalia despairing of her place in her Binding. Marley had been forcibly parted with his axe-wife, and had to be calmed down by Aesma when his blunt honesty towards Fearalia was replied to with coldness from Aengellania. They’d later argue over their treatment of Fearalia, Marley believing that Aengellania had been too coddling while she argued that he had been too harsh. In the end however it would not break their friendship.
It would only be strengthened when Aengellania immediately committed herself to securing the release of Marley’s wife upon hearing of her detainment. So close had they become in such short a space of time that when Aengellania shared with Marley her anxieties of Améline’s disappearance alongside Anvilgard, he better than her perceived that this worry was something more than just care for a friend. Though he didn’t press her on this issue too overtly, Aengellania could see that he was taking joy in the knowledge that she might have found someone to look after her.
Then, Aesma returned back to Brightspear with news of Anvilgard’s fall to Morathi, alongside Améline’s capture.
This devastated Aengellania. She had lived through the events leading up to the Age of Chaos, of the Pantheon’s dissolution and internal conflict. That Morathi would so openly betray Sigmar her ally felt like a repeat of those dark times, and Aengellania feared that it would lead to a catastrophe of equal magnitude.
And, Améline… Her friend, more than a friend even. One of the kindest people she’d ever known, ever willing to lay down her life for others, who had done so much to keep Aengellania alive, lost to Anvilgard. She knew that the Stormcast’s life was always in danger of being cut short, but she’d never known that the imminent threat of it would hurt this much.
Thanks to the bonds she had made in the Gatewatch Inn, her breakdown was short lived. She was given hope again that this wasn’t the end of Améline or Order as a whole by friends like Fearalia, Maïthaen and Meer. With Fearalia’s kiss still visible on her forehead and Meer’s Deepmare companion Aigéan wrapped around her, Aengellania turned her thoughts away from despair, and instead planned.
She would go to Har Kuron.
Knowing that time was of the essence and that she couldn’t rely on the sanction of Lord-Arcanum Salonia Gravenwing, Aengellania rapidly packed what she thought would be needed and bartered travel to the Kindling Forest, to meet up with a Corsair crew in their hideout and be smuggled by them into Har Kuron. She bumped into Samantha during a shopping trip, and the two exchanged farewells with Samantha gifting Aengellania a Mist-Monocle. When they parted, neither would know that their shared wishes to survive the perils ahead of them would be tested.
Aengellania worked with haste to leave Brightspear, and to her regret didn’t have the time to make farewells, nor could she count on all her friends to keep her intentions hidden from Salonia. First she traveled to the Kindling Forest and trekked through its burning forests, coming across Marley’s tribe of origin. She spent some time with them, and left simultaneously heartened that they hadn’t seemed to be wholly corrupted by Chaos, and saddened to see its traces still there. There would be work to be done, if she ever survived Har Kuron.
Aengellania arrived at a smuggler’s cove in the Kindling Forest, and from there used her old contacts to clandestinely enter Har Kuron. The horrors the city she had bled for had gone through shocked her, and though she tried to keep control over her heart, even she couldn’t deny her rising feelings anymore. She hurried on, through hook and crook finding where Améline was held captive and how to get to her. She made herself a Khainite disguise, and infiltrated the Sorceress’ mansion.
Her heart plummeted when she saw the state Améline was in. Though the Stormcast was still defiant and able to move, she had been held captive by the Darkling Sorceress for a very long time. Her body had the scars to prove it. Aengellania moved quickly, freeing Améline of her bonds and bringing her to an Anvilgard resistance cell. She hoped that if they escaped quickly, all involved could avoid the consequences of her actions.
That was not to be, as the cell was raided by Witch Aelves. Améline fell first, subdued trying to protect Aengellania. Some of the younger Daughters of Khaine taunted them for believing that they could escape.
Aengellania’s Cathallar magic exploded with the force of centuries of repressed rage and hate. By the time she realised what she had done, she was too late to stop herself; the witch aelves who had taunted them would have sleepless nights for a long time, and the sanity of the Hag Priestess who had led them was shattered. As the aetherquartz smoke dissipated, Aengellania let go of the Hag Priestess’ jaw and fell backwards, robbed of strength and convictions by her actions. Améline caught her just before she hit the ground and ushered her away, but couldn’t stop the tears that flowed freely.
Thanks to the Anvilgard resistance, they managed to escape Har Kuron. Améline carried Aengellania until the aelf felt well enough to walk by herself. But Aengellania couldn’t keep her thoughts straight. She had committed an unthinkable sin. She knew others wouldn’t judge her harshly for it; Améline herself reassured Aengellania of that fact all the way through the journey. But did that matter? They hadn’t broken principles that she’d kept to for centuries. They hadn’t misused powers she felt she needed to keep iron control over. She had. Could she even live with that?
Those thoughts still lingered when they reached the first safe village. So wrapped up in her guilt was Aengellania, she only murmured a half-hearted agreement to Améline’s proposal of splitting up. She wandered over to the inn to secure themselves lodging, but found herself seated on a stool and staring at the counter. In her fugue, only her finely-tuned senses for danger kept her alive when a knife was thrust at her back.
She span and summoned a mystic shield without thinking, turning aside the blade with ease. But staring into her attacker’s eyes struck a greater blow against her. Her attacker had been a human woman, ordinary in almost every respect. In this woman, Aengellania could see great depths of fear and hatred, for her.
Had she been in a more rational frame of mind, Aengellania would have recognised that this woman was a survivor of Anvilgard’s fall, drunkenly lashing out against what she thought was an aelf responsible for a great tragedy. But rather than percieve this truth, Aengellania’s shame conjoured an alternate reality, one where this woman had known what the Cathallar had wrought in Har Kuron. Aengellania stared silently down at the woman, her mind begging her lips to ask for forgiveness.
There was a gunshot, a pain in her back, cold in her legs. And then darkness.
The journey to Brightspear passed by in a haze for Aengellania. She was barely lucid throughout, the closest she came to full consciousness was when she felt Améline’s arms around her, and sometimes she thought she could hear the Stormcast’s voice, urging her to stay alive.
Her stay in Brightspear was only a little more coherent initially as she was nursed back to health by Améline. She was detained and interrogated by the Celestial Warbringers for her part in Marley’s rescue of Hil’dre. She told them the full truth. What was the point of hiding her involvement? The blood of those killed by Marley were on her hands. So she told Yesh’Tek, a Saurus changed by a Hyshian crystal embedded in her head, everything.
While the Celestial Warbringers debated how to deal with Aengellania, visitors came to see her. Friends she’d made in the Gatewatch Inn such as Samantha Obergraf, Meer, Maïthaen and Aesma came openly, while others such as Fearalia and her old friend Tichi-Huichi crept in the dark to see her. All of them in their own ways helped keep Aengellania from sinking beyond recovery into her depression.
Samantha promised to repair her spine and restore their functionality; Maïthaen kept her company and entrusted her with their deepest secrets; Meer entertained her alongside his companion Áigean; Fearalia coaxed out her difficulties with relationships and her reluctance to confess her love to Améline, giving her catharsis; Tichi-Huichi, a friend she’d thought long dead returned to her. And Aesma; though the Bataari at first frightened Aengellania by confessing to having a crush on the Cathallar, brought out Aengellania’s duty towards others. Aesma needed her guidance, if she wanted to become Soulbound. And Aengellania wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t give it.
But above them all, it was Marley and Hil’dre who truly kindled her fire for life again. Out of Har Kuron, through Brightspear’s guards, Marley braved great dangers to come see her.
He visited twice; the first time as one of the first friends by Aengellania’s side. He found an aelf letting herself waste away, unwilling to seize life. Through his consolation and an invitation for Aengellania to meet his wife in her dream-world, Marley left Aengellania an aelf who promised to live again. What was once friendship had become a deep platonic love for one another. They had given each other debts neither could feel they could repay, nor could collect.
The second time Marley visited, it was when Aengellania was distraught, feeling even more keenly that she had failed Ylthe’s promise to find love again. Not only did Marley help reaffirm her wish to live and love Améline, but he helped her do something she hadn’t done even over centuries; confront her anger, by taking on the Darkness of her Soul.
Together, they braved that trial. Together, they survived. Together, they could grow in strength now.
As they held each other, Marley gave his farewell in a way words could never capture for him; with a kiss, one that Aengellania returned when she sensed his intent.
It was farewell, but as friends who loved one another with unbreakable bonds.
Aengellania knows the day that she tells Améline she loves her is inevitable. The aelf could do nothing less. And when Améline returns from her mission to Cotha, that is exactly what she will do.
