Alamenta Fiore

Overview
Alamenta Fiore was an elvish slave who had worked as a handmaiden within Skyscour Castle, until her death at the hands of the Teris Empire's Black Wolf inquisitors.

She is the biological mother of Lyreff Mercatius Crowe, who was birthed from an affair with the Duke of Tharsis, Mercatius Cantorus Crowe.

History
The daughter of a long line of slaves in Tharsis, Fiore's bloodline can likely be traced back to the forced mass migrations of elven slaves into the fiefdom by Vensill Liantus Crowe, the first duke of Tharsis approximately 200 years ago.

The Fiore family had survived the bloody construction of Skyscour Castle, and worked primarily within the castle walls as handmaidens, butlers, and service staff. Alamenta herself was the handmaiden of Mercatius Cantorus Crowe, who had fallen in love with her in his teenage years. At first not reciprocating his feelings, Alamenta began to grow fond of the young duke as he matured gracefully. Both acting on their impulses, the handmaiden and the duke would begin to spend time with each other, although they were careful to proceed only with the utmost caution: if word of their affair slipped out, it would mean the chopping block for both of them.

Alamenta had eventually given birth to the half-elf Lyreff Mercatius Crowe in the year 601. The sudden appearance of a child made the lovers' secret that much harder to keep. For one, Alamenta would stay in the castle visibly pregnant, and the existence of an "elven" child who looked suspiciously like the duke began to raise some flags. However, due to the duke's progressive policies and his charismatic nature, the knights of the castle and the elven slaves had often chosen to turn the other cheek, allowing Alamenta's son to have a rather loving and normal childhood.

Because of the duke's political business, it was often up to Alamenta to take care of Lyreff on her own, taking him around with her as she completed her duties around the castle. When Lyreff was old enough to read, he was often left alone in one of Skyscour's many libraries, with several of Alamenta's elven coworkers sporadically "passing by" to check in on the child. Even several of the Tharsiscan Knights, acknowledging Lyreff's noble blood, began training the child in the ways of the sword. Within the castle walls, it looked as if they would remain a happy family together.

However, Alamenta's dream was shattered in February of 616. Word of the duke's affair had been let out, and Mercatius' official marriage with the archmage Silerah Tiamat Briarthorn placed the charges of treason and adultery on his head. A group of imperial Black Wolf inquisitors had led the prosecution against him, executing the duke on March 1st.

Before his death, however, Mercatius had arranged for Sir Walter Victus Dervaux to expedite Alamenta and Lyreff out of the fiefdom in an attempt to save their lives. Black Wolf inquisitors had ambushed Alamenta before Walter could escort the pair to safety, and she was forced to take Lyreff alone, attempting escape on the royal family's horse, Duskmare. The group was intercepted by inquisitors on their way into The Marsh, however, and Alamenta was forced to fling young Lyreff into the region's Basilisk' Tongue River. While Lyreff floated downstream, Alamenta stood her ground to buy her son more time, and was believed to be killed by the Black Wolves. Lyreff survived the encounter, but remains haunted by his mother's sacrifice.

Personality
A kind hearted but adventurous woman, Alamenta Fiore worked diligently as handmaiden but had always dreamed of a better place for her and her family. She took great pride in her elven features, believing that one day her people would be free from imperial prosecution. Working within Skyscour, it was her dream that she would one day be able to revolutionize the fiefdom from the inside out and liberate elfenkind.

Alamenta had fell in love not only with Mercatius' charisma but his promise of granting true citizenship to the elves in Tharsis. Her affection and care for young Lyreff was twofold; because of biological defects most half-elf fetuses are produced stillborn, or with crippling deficiencies. Lyreff, aside from a small blood abnormality, was considered amazingly healthy all things considered. Secondly, Lyreff represented the product of the two extremes in society: human noble and elvish slave. If anyone had a chance of reforming the fiefdom, it was Alamenta's son.

As she told Lyreff of their need to escape the fiefdom, Alamenta passed on her family's only memento, gifted to her from her own mother and so on and so forth. The Amulet of White Blood, made of precious Silverwood, was a symbol of freedom for the Fiore bloodline. Wiping away her child's tears as she strung the necklace over Lyreff's head, Alamenta told him to never lose hope, and that he would "return home when the time was right".

Ambushed by inquisitors, threw Lyreff into the Basilisk' Tongue River, staying behind to try and buy Lyreff some more time. By sacrificing herself, she had gave Lyreff the opportunity to escape the fiefdom entirely.

Trivia
Despite being a lowly handmaiden, Alamenta was rather adept in certain schools of magic. A casual practitioner of Restoration magic, Alamenta also knew some Alteration spells. This penchant for the arcane was passed down to her by her own parents, and she likely taught Lyreff a few smaller spells in his childhood.