Melenora
Melenora is a major supporting character in The Metalwood Saga. She is the Artisan Mentor on the Council of the Eldrim village of Sylrantheas, the wife of Council Leader Silanar, and the mother of Arra (adoptive) and Elanil (biological).
Remembered as the "very picture of elegance," Melenora balances her refined exterior with her critical role as the village's master of spies. She is the most gifted leafrunner in Sylrantheas and serves as a moral anchor for her husband. She ultimately sacrifices her life to become a Prime Tree to save the planet from the Cothellon, leading to her soul's tragic, final death in the dimension of Ambarhal.
Appearance and Personality
Melenora is consistently described by those around her as "gorgeous" and "radiant". She possesses "long, dark hair cascading down her back" and is typically seen wearing long, flowing blue dresses that accentuate her graceful movements. Even when flying through the devastating winds of a typhoon with her "wet brown hair streaming behind her," she maintains an effortless, striking beauty.
Personality-wise, Melenora projects a sweet, innocent demeanor, but she is highly intelligent and fiercely protective of her family. As the Artisan Mentor, she values beauty, creation, and art, which often puts her at odds with the strict, practical nature of her mother-in-law, Myriani. She is not afraid to challenge Silanar's ruthless pragmatism, serving as his conscience when he contemplates horrific acts like the Sundering. Despite the immense pressure placed on her family, she is a deeply loving mother who tries her best to bridge the divide between her magic-less adopted daughter, Arra, and her highly Talented biological daughter, Elanil.
Biography
Early Life and the Typhoon
Melenora was an exceptionally gifted mage, having Manifested her leafrunning Talent at the unprecedented age of three. She married Silanar, and the two shared a deep, enduring bond, boasting of a marriage that lasted well over three hundred and seventy-two years.
During the days immediately preceding the Sundering, Melenora was caught in San Francisco when the record-breaking Typhoon Velma struck. Attempting to leap across the city via leafrunning in the gale-force winds, she crashed into the Stevenson Place building just as its floors began to collapse, and she was crushed beneath a massive slab of concrete. Silanar utilized his strengthshaping magic to heave the concrete off of her, and the young soulsoother Keya performed an unprecedented magical feat to instantly heal Melenora's shattered legs and severe burns. Grateful for her survival, Melenora personally awarded Keya the Eldrim's highest honor, the Rian Maranwe (Crown of Destiny).
Shortly after, Melenora vehemently argued with Silanar about his possession of the Book of Souls and his horrific plan to annihilate humanity, begging him to rethink the genocide.
The Remnant War and Kidnapping
Centuries after the Sundering, Melenora lived in the rebuilt village of Sylrantheas with Silanar and her daughters. As the village's master of spies, she used her leafrunning to gather intelligence on the outside world.
Her life was upended when she was kidnapped while taking a walk in the woods. Held captive in a dilapidated shack at the Remnant outpost of Presenub, she was eventually rescued by Arra, who violently killed her human guards. Upon her rescue, Melenora revealed a shocking truth: it was not the Remnant who had orchestrated her kidnapping, but her own mother-in-law, Myriani (who was secretly the ancient Prime Mage Cariel).
Sacrifice for the Prime Forest
Following the destruction of Sylrantheas and the revelation that the Cothellon were initiating the apocalyptic Conjunction, the Eldrim realized their only hope was to grow a new forest of Prime Trees. This required the willing sacrifice of fourteen mages.
When the call for volunteers was made, Melenora stood up and offered her life. Silanar desperately begged her to step down, weeping and pleading that he could not lose her. Refusing to be swayed, Melenora took his hands and insisted that they all had to do their part so the planet could survive. She died alongside thirteen others, her blood and life force transforming a normal sapling into a towering Prime Tree.
True Death in Ambarhal
Because of her sacrifice, Melenora's soul was transported to the violet-skied dimension of Ambarhal to serve as the magical conduit for her Prime Tree.
When Elanil was temporarily killed and sent to Ambarhal, she stumbled upon her mother. Melenora was trapped, being slowly and agonizingly absorbed into the trunk of a monstrous Tree. Desperate, Elanil clawed at the bark and tried to rip her mother free, but Melenora peacefully accepted her fate. Weeping, she ordered Elanil to leave her behind, to survive, and to "live to destroy the bastards that did this to me". Melenora was then entirely swallowed by the Tree, suffering a final, true death and leaving Elanil devastated.
Powers and Abilities
- Leafrunning (Light Elm/Fir): Melenora is the most naturally gifted leafrunner in Sylrantheas. Having unlocked her magic at only three years old, she possesses an effortless mastery over the Way of Movement, allowing her to leap impossible distances, effortlessly crest above gale-force winds, and move with total silence.
- Espionage: Utilizing her immense speed and mobility, she acts as the village's primary spymaster, coordinating scouts and keeping tabs on both the Remnant and the Cothellon forces.
- Artisan Mentor: As a master of the Way of the Creator, she uses her magic to paint and craft beautiful objects. She personally designed and tailored the exquisite, waterproof brown leather hunting outfit Arra wore to her Waychoice ceremony.
Key Relationships
- Silanar: Her husband of nearly four centuries. Though she frequently serves as his moral compass and challenges his dark political decisions, they share a profound and passionate love. He is utterly shattered by her choice to sacrifice herself.
- Elanil: Her biological daughter, who inherited her curly dark hair and her prodigal leafrunning abilities. Elanil's heart is permanently broken after witnessing Melenora's soul being consumed in Ambarhal.
- Arra: Her adoptive daughter. Melenora tries hard to make Arra feel loved and included, defending her against the strict expectations of the village and her father. Arra successfully rescues her from the Remnant guards in Presenub.
- Kythaela (Myriani/Cariel): Her mother-in-law. They harbor a deep, mutual resentment. Myriani despises Melenora for being an "wishy-washy" Artisan rather than a Builder, and Melenora distrusts Myriani's manipulative, creepy nature. Myriani eventually kidnaps her to spark a war.
- Keya: The elven soulsoother who brought Melenora back from the brink of death during Typhoon Velma. Melenora honors her with the Crown of Destiny in gratitude.