Alva
Alva
“Alva. She was...she was one of my guildmates. Garm used to rest his head in her lap. She followed me because she thought I was our people's savior. They all did. Now I'll never get to make it right.
— Braham Eirsson in Silence
Alva was one of Braham Eirsson's guildmates in the Destiny's Edge norn guild. She was killed during the massacre at Jora's Keep, staged by her other guildmates, Olar and Torrin, who had defected to the Sons of Svanir. Garm liked her and used to rest his head in her lap.
Biography[edit]
Living World Season 3[edit]
In 1329 AE, Braham Eirsson fulfilled the norn prophecy by cracking the Fang of the Serpent with his mother Eir Stegalkin's longbow which had been enchanted with the fire magic of an ancient jotun scroll. Following his success, he made plans to rally the norn who celebrated him and take the fight to the Elder Dragon Jormag. During this time, he formed his own guild and named it Destiny's Edge to honor Eir's memory. Braham's charr friend Rox followed him to Hoelbrak and managed to convince him to instead take a scouting party north to assess the situation first before mobilizing a larger force.[1]
Braham and his guild—consisting of himself, Rox, the dire wolf Garm and the norn Alva, Olar and Torrin—headed north and fought Icebrood and Sons of Svanir along the way. Garm liked Alva and often rested his head in her lap. The guild eventually tracked down and surrounded Jormag, only to witness the Elder Dragon suddenly roaring in anguish and returning to the ice much to their confusion. Braham suspected that the Pact Commander had something to do with this turn of events and wrote a letter to their asuran friend Taimi inquiring about the matter. The norn put Braham under pressure to kill Jormag, and he felt he had to live up to Eir's legend and could no longer back down.[2]
Realizing they were unable to reach Jormag in its current state, the guild returned south. Angry and ashamed of his failure, Braham left the disappointed Alva, Olar and Torrin at Jora's Keep in Bjora Marches while heading back to Hoelbrak with Rox and Garm to think of a way to reach Jormag and finish the mission.[3][4][5] News of Braham's failure spread, and eventually the norn in the region, including Vigil members, began calling him Braham Vowbreaker for abandoning his guild's mission and being unable to deliver on his vow to defeat Jormag.
The Icebrood Saga[edit]
After General Almorra Soulkeeper visited Jora's Keep to inform the soldiers there about the Elder Dragon Kralkatorrik's demise in 1332 AE, the Sons of Svanir became more active and conducted raids throughout Bjora Marches under the orders of the Fraenir of Jormag. Those staying in the region began hearing strange whispers in their head that both reminded them of their failings and offered them salvation and peace through accepting the voice's offers.
Olar, Torrin and several other male norn in the keep were influenced by the voices and eventually turned against Alva and the rest of the Vigil by opening the gates to let the Sons of Svanir in and killing Vigil soldiers in their sleep. Despite suffering many losses when the soldiers were alerted to their treachery, the Sons of Svanir and the traitors successfully killed Alva and most of the Vigil at the keep, taking Almorra and Warmaster Jhavi Jorasdottir captive.
Braham and the Pact Commander eventually discovered the bodies of Alva and the rest of the slain Vigil and Sons of Svanir in the keep. Braham lamented her death, revealing that Alva and the rest of the guild had viewed him as the savior of the norn, and how he could never make it right to them now that they were gone. Alva's death would weigh heavily on Braham and allow the whispering voices to make him regret that he had left the guild to their demise.
Story involvement[edit]
The Icebrood Saga[edit]
- Episode 1: Whisper in the Dark
References[edit]
- ^ A Meeting of Ministers
- <Character name>: I'm headed to Divinity's Reach to meet the Queen, but... Have you heard from Braham?
- Taimi: No, sorry. Rox got word through, though. Apparently she talked SOME sense into him. He formed an...exploratory committee, let's say.
- Taimi: They're making their way up to Jormag as we speak, to see what kind of damage they can do before mobilizing a larger force.
- Taimi: I'm worried about him, Commander. He's calling this group Destiny's Edge.
- ^ The Flow of Magic
- Taimi: You won't believe what just happened, Commander. Guess. No, never mind, can't wait. Braham sent me a letter.
- Taimi: Would you like me to read it? Of course you would. He says, "Taimi. What did the commander do to Jormag?"
- Taimi: "Destiny's Edge—my guild—had it surrounded, and then... Suddenly, an anguished roar, and it returned to the ice." [...]
- Taimi: But since Jormag's all snoozy, he doesn't have a chance of killing it now, does he?
- <Character name>: He better not. Talk to him. Maybe you can get him to see reason. It's never too late for him to do the right thing.
- Taimi: I don't know if he has a choice anymore. He's under a lot of pressure to live up to Eir's legend. And, he's so young.
- ^ The First City
- Braham Eirsson: Rox and I were in Hoelbrak trying to figure out how to get to Jormag, since you put him to sleep under a mountain of ice.
- ^ Revels & Rivals
- Braham Eirsson: —and then he was gone, sunk beneath the ice.
- Braham Eirsson: Just me. My guild. Wind howling in our ears. Thought the Spirits were laughing at me. I was so angry.
- Ryland Steelcatcher: Where are they now? Your guild?
- Braham Eirsson: Dunno. Hoelbrak. Shiverpeaks. Doesn't matter.
- Ryland Steelcatcher: They're your warband. It matters.
- Braham Eirsson: You wouldn't understand. Bet nobody's ever looked at you like you were a disappointment. Not in your damn life.
- ^ A Race to Arms
- Braham Eirsson: My guild and I...we tried to take back the norn homelands. Thought my bow would be able to take Jormag down, but I never got the chance. I failed them.
- <Character name>: Where's your guild now?
- Braham Eirsson: I left them back in the Shiverpeaks at the nearest Vigil camp. They weren't happy with me.
- <Character name>: We're headed up that way. Maybe your guild can help us track Bangar.
- Braham Eirsson: Maybe...
- <Character name>: I'm sure its not as bad as you're making it sound.
