Mendev is not an easy place to grow up; for much of living memory the country has been locked in crusade after crusade against the beasts of the Worldwound, with the people being both resilient but dependent upon religious fervor. These were facts of life that Armina came to understand rather quickly in life. Afterall, nearly every family friend her parents had, had lost someone to the demons of the Worldwound.
Born in a town largely made up of the descendants of the crusades' warriors, both noble and opportunistic, Armina was around mercenary and military types for much of her young life. The reputation of the town preceded itself and she had very little contact with Mendevian natives and druids before she set out on her own. Armina, in reflection, would go as far as to say that the only genuinely pious people in her town at the time were the Father of the chapel and a few of her parents' associates; many of the recent newcomers to proved scoundrels at best. If it gives any indication of how bad things were, Armina's father taught her how to throw a punch as soon as she was able to understand the concept if only to defend herself if things went South. The Salis' themselves had come to Mendev when Armina's mother was unaware of her pregnancy with Armina, as they wished to lend their zeal to the next charge.
Having arrived ahead of many of the fighters coming to Mendev, Aster and her husband had a few years to spare raising the pleasant surprise that came into the world five months after their arrival. For a handful of years, Armina had her parents and had a chance to learn from them. From her father she learned to always stand her ground. Her mother, however, was certainly a stronger influence on her growth. Aster was a 'Summoner', and fought alongside a great creature resembling a winged saviour, not quite an angel but close. Her mother's arcane texts littered the home and would come to make up the bulk of Armina's own reading during her formative years.
Yet they had their duties to attend to in the town, sermons to assist with and blades to practice with. More of their time was dedicated to the cause they had come to serve than to their child; their hearts were in the right place, certainly, but their priorities..?
That is perhaps doubtful.
This time alone was spent cultivating Armina's natural curiousity from the world. Mendev was not the brightest, or warmest place to live. Bleakness and blinding religious fervour made for an interesting mix and clashing of ideals. Armina found herself cowed by both extremes, finding she preferred to spend her time with her parents, or alone. The other children of the village were older than her in general, and far brasher than suited her tastes. Or at least, that was the way that Armina perceived things.
Armina spent her time alone marvelling at the sigils and pictures in her mother's books, and her father's bibles. When she exhausted those means of learning, she started to buy maps and charts from passing merchants bringing supplies from the South. They were little pieces of escapism afforded to her between the praying encouraged by her parents, doing her chores in the their simple, 'rustic' home and overhearing the horror stories of demons that passed like wildfire in the market. Certainly her mother's magical tomes appealed in some way, but at that age Armina was more fascinated by the otherworldliness of magic than of the concept itself.
Armina would not say she became obsessed with the idea, but the odd wizards that passed by her home town did garner her adoring stares during those early days. Few in the village looked up to casters so much as Armina did, viewing them as heretical at best in a lot of cases. Her unspoken respect for the practitioners did earn her a boon just before her eighth birthday when she awoke to find a Magical Primer beneath her pillow. She would later find out it was a gift, both for her birthday and to make up for the fact that her parents would have to leave her. In that moment though, it was simply the first book that she could call her own. Her parents departed for the front later that day, with Aster leaving with the promise that she would return as soon as she could, and that when she did she would teach Armina something of magic.
After that, Armina was alone for long-dragging months. Not a lot really changed, which was the sad part though, as she spent her waking hours, reading, perfecting her handwriting, patching clothes, bouncing from one task to the next haphazardly for something to fill the time really. Much as she had when her parents were home. It gave her the chance to actually practice spells for the first time, though, without prying eyes. Maybe she was too young to be doing such things alone, maybe it wasn't a good idea, but as children are wont to do - she willfully did as she pleased anyway. It wasn't much, making a night light for herself out of her doll was the first feat she accomplished. Then she mended a dress with her willpower alone, crudely at best, but it gave her a point to start from properly.
The time flew by between then and her ninth year and before she knew it, Armina was expecting her parents home. Only, they never came. Instead, a messenger from the front with a letter and an apologetic smile presented her with a scribbled note.
Your father isn't coming home, I'm sorry Armina. I love you. Mother.
It was not enough, not even accompanied by the messenger's apologies, a lad barely older than she was. Armina doesn't know even now how long she spent mourning. Crying. Not doing much of anything. Neighbors left her food so she didn't starve, some contemplated taking her in for the time being but never quite got there. Eventually, she dragged herself from the home to visit Father Astor at the chapel.
Then she was back doing her work, pretending like everything was fine and not processing her grief at all because she was a child and a letter was not an adequate way to share such news! What was her mother thinking? Armina began to count up the days again, until her mother would return. The letter came a month later. Armina was alone and all she had to show for it was her mother's bent and broken holy symbol.
Armina turned to the arcane for a solution as grief settled in. She sketched out a hasty summoning circle like one she had seen in her mother's books, and began to pour every ounce of her energy into the ill-planned ritual.
Aster awoke on her kitchen floor as if she had never left, feeling a pull towards Armina much as she had her Eidolon previously.
They wept together that night, huddled together as Aster dwelled on the feeling that she had been sent back to the world for a reason. Admittedly Armina's calling to the beyond had been the catalyst but Aster was convinced that there had been something more at play. Perhaps it was simply that she too, having been a summoner during her life, might have had some part to play in it as if they had both reached out to each other and a connection formed. However, Aster suspected - and hoped - for divine reasoning behind her appearance. She theorised that her Goddess might have taken pity on Armina as she begged for her mother back and intervened in the summoning ritual. Whatever the case, Aster was home and she had no intention of leaving her daughter again. In this life or the next.
Staying home was no longer an option, however, for either of them. Aster was far closer in understanding the workings of the church in their town and they would not tolerate her return to life, even if she claimed the divine. They had barely tolerated her summoning practices, placing heavy restrictions of her not to practice within village limits. If they learned of what Armina had attempted to do - seemingly successfully, at that - then there would be a penance to pay that Armina could not afford.
Hence why Armina found herself woken before dawn the following day, and urged to pack up her things. She followed her mother obediently in a shock, throwing clothes into her lightest pack, bundled in cloak and coat, whilst Aster grabbed what she could of weapons and supplies hidden in her closet before urging Armina out. They stole away in the night like thieves, seeking passage South and away from the Worldwound.
Barely two weeks later, they were on their way out of Mendev, and had booked passage with a caravan heading towards Numeria and then on to Ustulav where her mother had contacts they could rely on.
Despite being the one who had summoned Aster, Armina naturally took a backseat in proceedings. She was understandably confused about why they had to leave in such a rush, and why her mother kept looking over her shoulder, but those were small prices to pay for having Aster back in her life after what felt like an eternity, from her young perspective, apart. Thus she carried on much as she would have at home, reading the few books she had bought with her and helping the caravan with chores when called upon to do so. Anything important was left to Aster.
The physical differences Armina noted were the most startling to get used to. In becoming an Eidolon, Aster had gained sharp, claw-like hands that demanded thick gloves to disguise them. Her arms were mottled like the patterns of a moth's wings and she had scars down her back which Armina was not sure she was supposed to have seen. Her eyes had gained an otherworldly sheen to them as well, becoming clouded though not blinded. Mentally, Aster seemed about the same, even if her memories and mind faltered her somewhat and, well... she was more determined now to teach Armina things. Before she had barely had the time, but now that she was afforded it she threw herself into teaching Armina what she could of magic, of defending herself, and how to conduct herself about others.
Finally, after over a month winding through Numeria, the caravan crossed the border into Ustulav and it was there Aster and Armina went their own way.
It was through Aster that Armina was first introduced to Professor Lorrimor at his home in Ustulav. Aster had not met the man herself, previously, but she had heard of him and that he was seeking summoners to aid him in his studies, as well as the potential resources that she had at his disposal.
Thus she sought him out with Armina in tow and they came to an arrangement, whereby Aster disclosed that she had become an Eidolon and Armina was her summoner; they were willing and able to work with him, but he would help nurture Armina's arcane training in payment. Everything that Aster did from that moment was for Armina's wellbeing and growth, even if it might not have always seemed that way from an outsider's perspective.
Taking your daughter on potentially dangerous excursions searching for particular knowledge might not have been traditional parenting, but the experiences that Aster gained whilst working for and with the Professor were both invaluable and formative. Aster is a firm believer that the best way to learn is by doing and so for the last three years she has encouraged Armina to live with this philosophy in mind, making most of the decisions for her but leaving her enough leeway for her skills to bloom. This has allowed Armina to grow to the point where her bond with her mother is both a close familial one and an unbreakable partnership of equals. Aster would accept nothing less than being treated with respect both as an eidolon, a partner, and as Armina's mother.
Three years of adventuring later and Aster finds herself called back to Ustulav for a funeral...
Apr 18th, 2020, 12:35 PM
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