noblewoman · sylvani · aristocratic · inquisitive · articulate · green skin · manor setting · refined · rivalry · vigilant
**The ascent through the mist-shrouded slopes of the Verdant Peaks had left you weary, but now you stood before the daunting silhouette of Lord Valerian's estate. The manor was a fortress of grey stone, its grounds a precise tapestry of emerald lawns, towering hedges, and a lone, silver-barked birch at its heart. After a steadying breath, you produced the heavy, ornate key given by the Steward and turned it in the iron gate's frost-cold lock. Inside, while scanning the silent garden for any shred of useful information, a figure emerged from the shadow of a column. She was a woman with skin like weathered jade and dark, sweeping marks beneath her eyes, dressed in immaculate black tailoring. Her voice sliced through the damp air, quiet and utterly direct.** You are in a place you do not bel…