NSW WT - Red Ajah Head - Phaedra si Artema Dematre -- CC'd by Admin

[Kathleen]

Name: Phaedra si Artema Dematre (NSW)
(pronounced FAY-dra)

Age: 200
Origin: Saldaea, just outside Maradon
Appearance: Phaedra has the typical Saldaean high cheekbones and hooked nose, with red hair and steely gray-blue, tilted eyes. She is 5'6 in height and is attractive in a regal way. She often wears Saldaean-cut dresses with red as the main or accented color and refuses to wear any greens or blues.

History:
Phaedra is from Saldaea, born into a minor noble family, the middle of four children. Her father sometimes accompanied the merchant of their town into the city, as they were friends, and Phaedra began tagging along on these trips when she was old enough, getting a taste of the capitol, Maradon.

She had an older and younger sister she got along with, and a brother with a temper with whom she did not get on too kindly. She often struck out on her own or with her sisters exploring the forested lands nearby on horses or on foot. While Phaedra was growing up, she read often and observed people as an onlooker. She also had an affection for horses and any animals around herself. It was her affection for animals that lead to a life-changing incident. Her father was scheduled to go to the city that day with their merchant friend, yet right before they were to leave, Zekyl, her father, heard a commotion, and spotted Phaedra chasing a boy, already bloodied, through alleyways and cobbled roads. After catching her with his friend's help, Phaedra announced her intent to kill the boy (they were both around fifteen years of age) upon witnessing him torturing a cat. Zekyl told his guards to fetch the boy and hold him until they returned, and he brought his daughter into Maradon.

While conducting business in Maradon, word came to Zekyl of an Aes Sedai in an inn nearby. He learned from listening to the locals that girls were apparently being tested to go to the White Tower. Knowing his fiery daughter was not content in their town, it was he who encouraged her to get tested, and they ate lunch at the inn while awaiting her turn. But the testing had been taking so long the sister almost called it off before she finally felt the ability within the girl. Phaedra was more than ready to pack her bags and leave upon hearing this. The Aes Sedai informed her she had three days. Phaedra spent them with her family and few friends, mostly preparing for the journey and her life ahead.
It was not easy for Phaedra after arriving. She was not used to being around so many people she did not know, for one, and secondly she was very stubborn about taking orders from those people. But she was quickly reminded that she was representing her family here and that her parents would not be proud of such stubbornness. While this helped in her lessons, it did not help her with getting along with her fellow novices. She made few friends, mostly kept to herself, and wouldn't run from a fight. She was a fair learner in her lessons, and this helped her to attain the rank of Accepted after six years.

Phaedra learned the life of living in the Tower in that time, of course, and the rhythm of it helped her to have a better experience as Accepted than she had as a novice. For one, she did not trust anyone, as was her nature, but still made an effort to get to know them to a needed extent, and left it at that. That way if she needed favors or she needed to talk to anyone with certain skills, she would know whom to go to. She spent a lot of her Accepted time reading books and taking as many lessons and responsibilities as she could handle. Yet Phaedra knew how to have fun, too; while she held a general distrust of men, she was not above watching them train in the Warder yard. She even secretly wanted to date a man during those years. However, when it came time to commit, she chose her studies. It did not take him long to hook up with another, a newly raised Green, and thereby justified her choice. From that day forward, she would put the Tower first. 

When it came time to become Aes Sedai, there was no hesitation; she was ready to prove herself and was confident in her skills, and more than that, her loyalty to the White Tower was stronger than anything she had ever experienced in Saldaea or with her family. Phaedra's personality had always had her veering toward the life of an independent woman who had no desire for marriage, children or anything resembling a traditional life. She wanted to be known for great accomplishments, and she knew the White Tower could make it so. Phaedra also wanted one of those accomplishments to be keeping the world safe... by taking down one male channeler at a time. Phaedra keeps her distance from most men and, if she did partake in their attentions as a sister, it was with utmost secrecy.

Phaedra has spent a lot of her time as an Aes Sedai traveling all over the world, visiting as many major cities as possible in all the countries except Amadicia. She had made herself known to high noble families and even a few small towns on her journeys. She has helpd to capture men who could channel, binrging them to the Tower to be gentled. It was on one of these trips that she first mused warders would indeed be useful, but mentioning this inside the Tower to the then Red Sitters earned her a penance. It was not mentioned again, but Phaedra did higher men (carefully chosen, of course) to help as escorts in some of her travels.

With the change of Asha'man coming into the world, being accepted (to the extent that they aren't gentled and little more) and finally with the move of bonding them, Phaedra has taken more of an open interest in the men who now share, or will share the Red Quarters. If there is any semblance of controlling them, after all, they must be kept close. What's more is she recognizes and acknowledges their importance as allies in the Last Battle. Phaedra also believes they truly need the guidance of Aes Sedai and to alienate them would be a big mistake. Lastly, those with even the most rudimentary understanding of Aes Sedai history know that the greatest accomplishments of the Age of Legends were with men and women working together, and Phaedra knows she will go down in history as the strongest leader of the Red Ajah if she can secure their male counterparts as allies, not enemies, and if they discover new weaves together, her name can be attached to that, too.

For her hobbies, she loves horses, riding, spoiling and watching them. She also has been helping to feed the stray animals in Tar Valon (sometimes indirectly, as her time and station dictates, but she still tries her best). She enjoys drawing and painting as a relaxing hobby, mostly of animals. Lastly, she does enjoy dancing and loves attending parties. She does know how to dance sa'sara style buy of course does not do so in public. Phaedra can also play a harp, a minor hobby she picked up after attaining the shawl. 

[Taymist]

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