![[Iliana, in the rather dignified feathers!]](pics/iliana.jpg)
Name: Iliana of the Brotherhood; Silversong
Sex: Female
Age: 48
Rank: Red Circle
Appearance: Iliana is a tall, stately, dignified woman with a severe and serious look about her. Her feathers are grey, her waist-length hair is silver-white, and her eyes are blue. She carries her age well, and is still considered quite attractive. She is also in excellent shape and can easily hold her own against a younger opponent. Her appearance is always scrupulously maintained - if Iliana is dishevelled, something is very wrong.
Attire: She wears a long sleeved black bodysuit with a smoky blue overdress. The overdress is sleeveless and V-necked. The shoulders are made of a stiff material, giving a somewhat military appearance; the split-side skirt comes to her knees. She wears her sabre on a wide black belt around her waist. She wears a silver necklace with a ruby on it, her way of displaying her rank as a member of the Red Circle.
Weaponary: She caries a silver saber with blue highlights, but prefers to use words and, of all things, music, as her most dangerous weapons.
Accent: She has a Puckworld American accent, and a very clipped and precise way of speaking.
Personality: Childless, Iliana has a very nurturing personality and vents it on the younger members of the Brotherhood who are still trying to fit in. Even a hot-headed Blade Brother will occasionally find themselves in the depths of the Archive room, seeking comfort, refuge, and, in some cases, aid. Iliana has been known to intervene on behalf of a younger member who has gotten in over his or her head. Only, however, when she believes the offending party is truly sorry, and that it was an honest mistake. Older members also respect her for her knowledge and sound advice.
History: When asked about her past, Iliana’s only response is that it doesn’t exist anymore. When asked her name, she responds merely "Iliana of the Brotherhood," refusing to give a last name of any kind. Younger members are sometimes annoyed by this, those who have been around long enough to know her know how serious Iliana’s refusal to acknowledge any past other than the Brotherhood is. As the Loremaster and unofficial bard of the Brotherhood, Iliana is known for her devotion to keeping memories of the past alive. By forsaking her own, she made an ultimate commitment of loyalty to the Brotherhood of the Blade. Her late mentor may have known some of what she was before the Brotherhood, but if so, he is the only one. Iliana has been a member of the Brotherhood since she was twelve, training under the previous Loremaster and replacing him after his death. She takes the traditions of the Brotherhood very seriously, and makes sure they are not ignored.
Iliana joined the Brotherhood for its wealth of history and unique culture, intrigued by the organisation itself. She accepted thievery as a necessity in the Brotherhood, and used it to climb the ranks until she found somewhere she was comfortable. Iliana, however, was never one to proclaim herself, preferring to let her actions speak for themselves. Rather than bragging about a heist, she would often simply show up at the mess hall the next day, wearing whatever piece of jewelry the front page for the day advertised as being priceless and missing. After the morning meal, the piece would never be seen in her possession again, locked away in the Brotherhood vaults until the Council decided to sell or catalogue it. Her biggest heists, however, consisted of ancient books and texts, which sastify her thirst for knowledge as well as her designation as a thief. Even in the early days, Iliana prefered to fade into the background. One of her favourite sayings remains, "An enemy cannot feel threatened by or defend against a skill he does not know you possess. By advertising yourself, you give him the advantage." She is often, as she intends, underestimated. She has a slow temper, but will hold a grudge until DuCaine returns.
Iliana was offered a seat on the Council, but chose to remain out of the political manoeuvring and hidden agendas that always permeate bodies of that kind. She feels that it is important that the Leader have access to an impartial source of Brotherhood tradition and knowledge. She has been Loremaster for nearly twenty-five years, keeping the Brotherhood library and writer of legend. Her voice is her greatest treasure, and she often rewrites legends into a poetic form, and puts them to music. She originally entered the Brotherhood under the name Silversong, intending to complete the severing of ties to her past with the name change, but later decided it was best to keep some reminder of her identity so that the mistakes - whatever they may be - of her past would not be forgotten. The name has not been lost over the years, however, and is often used now as an affectionate nickname. Iliana also used Silversong as her alias during the invasion, identifying herself in the process only to those members of the Brotherhood who had been active before the invasion. She escaped when the Saurians infiltrated the Brotherhood base, taking with her the most precious volumes in her library. She drifted, avoiding hunter drones and trying to recover what records had been lost, stolen, or destroyed by the Saurians. She returned to the Brotherhood when it was reformed under Leila deSilver, and spends a lot of time trying to restore her beloved Archive.