Name: Ravanna Al’mer
Age: 17
Nationality: Murandy
Height: 5’7
Weight: 202 pounds
Hair color/length: Short Brown Hair
Eye color: Brown
Personality: Ravanna is intelligent, but she has never been able to escape her grief and guilt over what she did to her father. Most people describe her personality as spontaneous.

Strengths-Intelligent
Thinks things through
Political mindset
Loves to amuse others
Usually a happy person

Weaknesses-Can be extremely deffensive
Selfish
Cannot deal with grief
Never manages to forget her guilt

One Power:

Current Strength: 22
Base Strength: 20
Age When Started to Channel: 15
Current Age: 17

Flow Affinity:
Water: 7
Air: 5
Earth: 3
Fire: 4
Spirit: 6

Block: Can only channel when she is angry.

Talents: Masking the Glow, Healing

History: Ravanna chewed on her fingernails thoughtfully as she regarded the steel-nibbed pen set on the tiny desk in front of her. Perhaps novices were not allowed to communicate with the outside world, but rules had never stopped her in the past. In fact, it was hilariously easy to find ink and parchment in the library, as well as a servant who was willing to deliver her letter for a price. Her father needed to know just as much as she had needed to come to the White Tower. Nibbling thoughtfully on her lower lip, she picked up her pen and hovered over the parchment, wary of observers.

Dear Father,

Please read this complete letter, father. I know it’s news will not please you and you will be tempted to burn this parchment, but in the name of the love you once had for me, please read it all.

This letter deals more with the past than it does the present. You know well that you secreted the knowledge of who my mother was from me for a time, and I understand perfectly why you did. As my mother abandoned both of us for the White Tower when I was only an infant, you have grown to hate Aes Sedai. Yet, I am at the very place that disgusts you, knowing well that I have done so against your wishes.

You raised me in the lap of luxury, only asking me to learn manners and politics and to marry for the good of the family. I am aware that by my actions that I am likely to be the last of the Al’mers, and for that I weep. However, the life you offered me has never suited me. I have never been content to be the perfect daughter, the one that stays at home and learns the Old Tongue because her father wishes it. I disliked my life with you, and I will admit it. I hate the feeling of being a caged bird, taken out at times to be shown off to prospective buyers. You allowed me to do nothing that I considered entertaining, but I prevailed and found the small selection of novels hidden away in the library. I read those in my free time when you were unable to find me or were away. The books provided me a sanctuary from the daily routine you scheduled for me. I did not enjoy my studies, father. Learning and looking pretty were the only options you gave me, and even though I love you, it was a form of exuisite torture to live under your roof.

Remember, father, when I was fifteen? You denied me the chance of learning how to ride. The construction of your new stable had just been completed, and I was eager to become a horsewoman. However, when I confronted you on the possibility of lessons, you sent me away after telling me it would be unlady –like of a woman of the Al’mer family. I think, perhaps, that I was furious because of this as so many of your friend’s daughters were allowed to ride. I did not grasp that you expected different things from me than their fathers expected of them.

I do not think I was a particularly willful child until that day. I threw a great tantrum, did I not? Yet, in between the screaming and vase-throwing, there were small flashes of light and little thunderclaps of noise. I believe that this was the first time I ever channeled the One Power.

Father, this was not the last time I used my mother’s gift while under your roof. I expect it rankles you to know that the act you most despise has been committed under your very nose.

The second time, I think, was when you were away from home. You had left me in the care of Mrs. Heran, the old woman that had lived a few miles away from us for most of my life. When I explained my daily routine to her while we strolled through the gardens, she reacted in a most undignified way. Mrs. Heran sputtered over how horribly you treated me, and how awful it was that you kept me ‘locked inside and at my studies every hour’.

To both our amazement, Mrs. Heran found the entire amount of water from a nearby fountain cascading down onto her. I still find it humorous to this day, and perhaps ironic, for I defended you with the very skill you hate.

I believe, perhaps, I have disappointed you in more ways that this. I can remember many times where I refused to learn one thing or the other, deciding rather to hide behind the fountain in the gardens. Remember how I used to refuse your summons to your study? At that time, I had grown tired of you showing me off to prospective husbands. I hope you will understand both of our mistakes on how I was raised and grew up.

Enough of the past. I expect you were worried sick when you heard of how I had run away. Yes, father, I ran away to the White Tower. While I was in the library months ago, I found one of mother’s old books on the One Power and connected my little incidents with Saidar. I do believe that you know the time. It was when I threw a fit because you would not allow me to attempt to bake, and I hid out in the library. Just to spite you, I started to look for my mother's journals, because you had always told me that every important member on this household kept a journal that was stored in the library. I found her's under the name Ciena, as she was listed as your wife. Her journal started with stating all of the strange things that were happening around her when she was angry, such as flashes of light and thunderclaps. I was amazed at how like her descriptions were with my tantrums and read on. A few entries later, my mother showed fear and talked of a certain book on the One Power, specificly the chapter on Wilders. It was hours until I could find the book, but the chapter she mentioned spoke of such outbursts of saidar as the flashes and noises that I made. However, it also spoke of a fever that would perhaps kill the channeler. I knew then that I had inherited the gift of channeling, just as much as I knew that if I stayed with you, I would die. I know you will dislike me now, and hate the White Tower even more, as both the women in your life have run away to the place. However, father, I beg you to understand. Is it so strange that I would choose life over death?

However, I cannot help but love it here. For once, I am engaged in studies I truly enjoy and I am eager in my search to find my mother here.

I do not think you will wish to reply to this letter, and the truth is that you cannot. No communication is supposed to happen between novices and Accepted and the outside world, but I know it is my duty to tell you the truth.

I am sorry, father. I cannot live and stay with you, and yet I am not happy living and away from you. I dearly hope you understand my reasons for leaving. I will be filled with guilt through all of my time here at the White Tower, but at least I shall be alive. I was scared when I read my mother's book, and it seemed that running to the White Tower was my only option. I truly wish you will forgive me for that. I did not speak to you before I left, but only because I knew you would keep me from my quest for life and suggest alternative treatments that would probably not help. I am as sorry for leaving without a word to you as I am for leaving at all.

I am happy here, father, but I am sorry for the wrongs I have committed on you. Please find yourself to forgive me. Perhaps, if I gain the title of Aes Sedai, I will search for you and attempt to gain your forgiveness face to face.

Your Daughter,
Ravanna Al’mer

Ravanna set her pen aside, and carefully spread sand over the parchment to dry the ink. Her father would not be pleased by the news of her whereabouts, she knew, but Ravanna herself found that she could not have been happier to find herself at the White Tower. She would learn the ways of the Aes Sedai and find her mother, but Ravanna knew that she would never be able to shake off the guilt of leaving her father behind.

I really like that story, it's quite nice. :) I'm going to ask for you to flesh it out jsut a bit more in a few places, but it's a great basis. :) I would like to know more about her childhood, clearly she was a young Lady and didn't much like it, but I would like to know whether there was anything about that lifestyle that she particularly liked or loathed, or perhaps how she spent her free time. You mentioned that she's never been one to follow rules, I'd like to see a reference or two to that also, other than her running away. :)
I love that she found out about her channeling though a book that belonged to the mother she never knew, tell me more about this! How long did it take her to connect the dots? What made her pick up the book in the first place?
One last thing, I swear, I would like to know a little more about her running away. Did she ever talk to her father? What made her think that it would really be worth it, it's a scary thing after all, and is she upset that she has clearly hurt her father?

I know I'm being picky, but it's such a great story I want to make sure the character is fully fleshed out. :)

Sounds good! I'll edit the letter as soon as I can, then.

I think I got everything you mentioned, but if you can't find one of them, let me know!

That's great! Thanks so much, approved! :D

Thanks for your help with my bio! :boing-boing:

That was so very refreshing. What an original and well written bio. :D Approved!

Thank you! Amazingly enough, it was fun to write too. ^^

That's great, I'm so glad to hear that! The greatest characters are the ones with fun bios. *nod* :)