I am Eldrienne Tessivar, and my life has been shaped by both the quiet solitude of Galloway Forest and the echoes of a past I cannot fully escape. I live in a cottage nestled deep within the forest, far from the prying eyes of the world. It’s a simple life, yes, but it’s one I’ve earned through both my skill and my isolation. My trade as a jeweler brings me a steady, if modest, living. My hands are steady and my mind focused as I craft intricate pieces of jewelry, each one reflecting my devotion to precision and artistry. But there is more to my craft than mere beauty—each piece I create holds a secret, an undercurrent of power that only those with the right eyes can see.

But my life was not always this quiet. I once lived among the bustling streets of the city, a place where people spoke of wealth and status like they were breaths of air. I grew up in a world where survival meant being sharp, being better, and knowing how to play the game. My family was well-off, yes, but it was never enough. The glittering world around me was a cage, and I was destined to be more than just a part of its machinery. I took to my craft, not simply for the joy of creation, but for the mastery it would grant me over the world I was forced to navigate.

I’ve made my fair share of enemies in the past—those who didn’t understand my ambition, or those who were too blinded by their own power to recognize mine. And perhaps that’s why I chose to retreat to Galloway Forest, to bury myself in my work, in the quiet of nature, where no one could disrupt my focus. But even here, the past has a way of reaching out, of finding me through the cracks in my solitude. I’ve never truly been free of the connections I once had, the debts I once incurred, the promises I once made.

As a pastime, I have taken to smithing traditional medieval weapons. It’s an old art, one that brings me peace. There is something cathartic about the shaping of a blade, the forging of steel, as though I am imbuing my creations with a part of myself. The sword, the axe, the dagger—each one a testament to both my skill and my desire for control. They are sharp, unyielding, just as I have become. But even in the rhythmic heat of the forge, there is a part of me that remembers the past—the betrayals, the secrets, the things I did to ensure my survival.

I may live a quiet life now, but I know that life is never as simple as it seems. In the stillness of Galloway Forest, I craft, I wait, and I watch. The world will come to understand what I can offer. They always do, eventually.