Spotlight: Aelflaed Caltrains nee Larsdottir

The Wildfire Riders – Aelflaed by *JRinaldi on deviantART

Welcome to another installment of Spotlight! Given that Aely made a decent man out of Arrens last night, it follos that today’s spotlight has to be about Aelflaed. Excuse the heavy handed set-up…

Brother Sarno stands at the entrance to the Cathedral, greeting each person that passes the threshold. Balding, and with a middle-age pudge, the priest does not look like an SI:7 asset. Still, your contact assured you that Sarno knew much more than your average priest in the Cathedral. He starts to greet you as you approach. He stops halfway through as he notices the gestures–the cant–that make it quite clear you are not here for prayer. He pulls you to a dark corner and waits for your question.

“He sent you? Fine. But next time, wait until I’m not working. You want to know about who? Light forfend if he figured…no, not the one who sent you. Nevermind. Aelflaed, right?” He continues…

Aelflaed Lasrdottir–no, Caltrains, she just married –doesn’t seem to be a proper fit for the Wildfire Riders. She’s pious and devout, a truly good person. She even answered the call to serve with the 7th Legion. She’s not had any trouble with the law and she doesn’t spout off on want to cause a revolution. She doesn’t even seem to care about making profits. On the surface, then, she’s a terrible fit for Tarquin’s crew. And that’s what most of Shaw’s men said.

She’s a Northwoman. A number of us “Southrons” simply do not get what that means. Lordaeroners have always been a proud people. When Arthas destroyed the Old North, he did not just create the Scourge. He took away identity, traditions. He even stripped them of their language and their Faith. Losing everything has not made them humble. It’s made some of then infuritaitng. Not Aelflaed…

I digress. She was raised in a mining town, now known as Terrordale, just outside of Stratholme. Her friends, her family and her land were taken by Arthas and the Scourge. I know she stayed North for a long time–I don’t know why,but I have a guess–but there’s no record of where she stayed or who she stayed with. But that doesn’t matter, really. She went south, like they always do, went straight to the part of Stormwind where all good Northfolk go: The Pig and Whistle.

Tarquin hired her as a healer, but she’s not afraid of the front line either. At the Wrathgate, she was tending the wounded, pulling Legionnaires behind the lines. She was there when Putress dropped the plague that destroyed our advance… She survived that somehow. That just makes it clear. Someone is looking out for her.

She was close to Jolstraer Taborwynn, close enough that the old bastard gave her his leek farm. When she felt Bittertongue was disrespecting his memory, she decked him. So she’s watched over by something and has absoultely no fear. Is it any wonder Tarquin hired her?

Aelflaed’s wedding was just the other night to Headmaster Arrens Caltrains, from Stormwind University. She was going to marry another Northman, Phileas, but he just disappeared. Arrens won’t do that. He’s too old fashioned to abandon her, and while she’s too headstrong to stop working, he’ll be there to back her up.

I get the interest, I truly do. But tread lightly with her. She has a mean right hook and she is more than willing to use it. And if her punch doesn’t drop you, I’m sure someone from the University–or Light forbid, the Riders–will follow up.

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