Niris Ference
Artwork by Athena
Name: Niris Ference
(NEAR-iss )
AKA: Niris Hazan
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Class: Priest
Role: Healer/Damage
Professions: herbalism, alchemy
Homeland: Westfall
Player: inkie
badge_race_human_female.pngbadge_class_priest.pngbadge_role_healer-damage.pngbadge_profession_herbalism.pngbadge_profession_alchemy.png

RP Hooks

RP Hooks:

You might know Niris (or know of her) if:

- You lived in southern Westfall between thirty and forty years ago;
- You served anywhere near Northshire Abbey during the First War;
- You stayed in the south after the First War, on the run from the orcs, rather than seeking refuge in the north;
- You've studied at Northshire Abbey at any point in the last twenty years;
- You are an avid reader of the Letters to the Editor sections of botanical or alchemical journals, or you are an avid reader of Elanor Steelbloom romance novels.

Appearance

Niris is a tall, handsome woman just on the far side of middle age. Her short-cropped black hair shows an early frost of silver, and though her expression is generally mild, her striking amber eyes are offset by deeply-etched laugh lines.

She carries herself with calm composure, if an occasionally distracted or absent air. Despite her lack of effusion, there is a maternal kindness to her. Her smiles are fleeting but warm and genuine.

Niris's three indulgences are black coffee, good whiskey, and fashionable dresses. The latter tend to be lower-cut than one might expect from a middle-aged priestess, but they flatter her lean, long-legged figure. All of her dresses have pockets; they may be custom-tailored.

Beneath the fashionable dresses, one can glimpse the toes of some practical, clunky boots.

She wears no perfume but those in close proximity to her might catch a fresh, green, herbal scent.

Personality

Niris responds to crisis with focus and efficiency, but her patience for foolishness is thin and she has a strong personal aversion to Fuss. She is forthright, generally unflappable, and dry-witted, and is unabashed about saying the quiet part out loud. She is an excellent listener, a brisk and pragmatic nurturer, and not any kind of sharer: Niris herself is none of your business. Beware of her Eyebrows.

One of the highest compliments she can pay someone is to say they are Sensible.

She is an herbalist/alchemist and midwife, very much an All-Sorts-of-Healer.

Her secret identity is Elanor Steelbloom, Bestselling Romance Novelist.

This character is unavailable for romance.

History

Niris was born on a farm in Westfall, the youngest child (and only daughter) of Arin and Naira Hazan. Her mother died in childbirth, leaving Niris a household of angry and frequently abusive men. She ran away from home at age 15, making her way to Northshire Abbey in Elwynn Forest with a vague notion of church sanctuary and her tattered notebooks of folk remedies and herb lore. She cut off all contact with her family.

At the Abbey she pursued her passion as an herbalist and healer, eventually mastering the Holy Light and becoming a fully-fledged priestess. She fell in love with and was betrothed to the captain of a company of mercenary scouts, a man named Ruari Keane. Ruari was killed by orcs in the early days of what would come to be known as the First War.

After Stormwind's fall to the orcish hordes, Niris remained in the south, constantly in hiding and on the run with fellow refugees, ministering to them as a healer. She returned to Northshire Abbey and aided in its rebuilding when Stormwind was retaken by the Alliance, and remained there in service as a midwife and healer in the years that followed.

(She also began writing torrid romance novels under the pseudonym Elanor Steelbloom, her real identity a closely-guarded secret.)

When her old friend Lord Elohad Ference contacted her at the start of the year 25 to ask her to join his new mercenary group, Cobalt Company, she went reluctantly to the first meeting chiefly to see Elohad again, and to decline in person. She found herself charmed by his motley band of recruits, however, and immediately stepped in to a self-appointed role as the no-nonsense mother of the little group.

After Cobalt Company's triumph over Edwin Van Cleef and his Defias in Westfall, Niris began receiving letters from her only living relative, her oldest brother's son Bennarin. She returned them unread, still rejecting her biological family ties; Ben eventually contacted Elohad directly, and Elohad intervened to reunite the two. Niris was reluctantly won over. Reluctance warmed to genuine affection and then love, and late in the year, when Niris married Elohad after a twenty-five year friendship, the pair adopted Ben.

An extremely unexpected late-life pregnancy caused Niris to step down recently from her active role as a Cobalt Company lieutenant, and it was Ben who stepped into her place.

Relationships

 Ben Hazan
Ben is the only son of Niris's eldest brother Byron; Niris was long and bitterly estranged from her biological family and wasn't acquainted with Ben until he came north in search of her after his mother's death. She warmed from reluctant acceptance to a deep familial affection, and after her marriage to Elohad, adopted Ben as her son.
Lord Elohad Ference
Niris first met Elohad during the First War, in the wake of a devastating personal loss. Their friendship endured for over twenty years, through Elo's own tremendous losses, and a few months after the founding of Cobalt Company, they became romantically involved. Now in their mid-forties, the couple was recently wed.
Bargrimm Flintspark
Niris's oldest living friend, Bargrimm served with the northern mercenary outfit Fox Company just prior to the outbreak of the First War, under the leadership of Niris's then-fiance, Ruari Keane. Ruari did not survive; Niris's friendship with Bargrimm did.

Mounts

Thistle Thistle
A placid and somewhat overstuffed black mare. Her full name is Swiftthistle. It's aspirational.
Brewer Brewer
A sturdy and surefooted Ironforge ram. His saddlebags are usually stuffed with herbs and papers, some of which he can be found eating when Niris isn't paying attention. (Niris is frequently not paying attention.)

Writings

Title Summary
(2024-02-26) A Midwife's Retirement A draenei "midwife" bids her patients a fond semi-farewell. Sent to everyone Vaaria helped with pregnancy and/or childbirth.
(2023-12-24) 'Twas the Day Before Winter Veil Mysterious Greatfather Winter strikes again, this time for Yveris and Alysson.
(2023-12-24) Ace sends a winter veil gift Ace picked a name for the winter veil gift exchange and promptly sought perfection. Art is never finished; only abandoned.
(2023-07-30) Warlock News A newspaper article circulated throughout Stormwind City at the end of July Year 27 concerning Stormwind's warlocks.
(2023-01-31) Meet the Ferences As promised, Mayellen takes Jonas to meet his presumed kin, Elohad and Niris Ference (nee Hazan). It… goes.
(2023-01-10) From the Tower's Shadow Elohad returns home late to Niris, following Cobalt Company's expedition to Karazhan and its emotional aftermath.
(2023-01-09) A Strained Silence Ben goes to the Ference house the morning after Karazhan, to check on Elohad. He does not find Elohad.
(2023-01-08) A Letter to Niris A carefully penned letter stamped from Shattrath.
(2022-12-09) The Big Book of Responsibility Sandy receives a gift from his Mysterious Greatfather Winter. Who is Niris. To be clear.
(2022-09-15) An Unexpected Letter: Niris and Ben Niris receives an unexpected letter.
(2022-08-31) A Flurry of Letters A series of brief letters in response to the letter Elohad receives from Sir Sevastyn Black of the Argent Dawn on August 31, Year 26 ADP
(2022-01-28) A Note to Miss Callis Niris leaves a note.
(2022-01-22) Water for the Journey Colson approaches Niris for advice on keeping Ralaea stocked with holy water on the far side of the Dark Portal.
(2021-12-24) A Flower for Jocoza Niris sends Jocoza a Mysterious Greatfather gift.
(2021-10-03) A Parcel for Miss Callis Lady Niris Ference sends Ismene Callis a letter, and a gift.
(2021-09-24) A Card for Miss Callis An invitation.
(2021-08-08) The Curse Growing up Hazan
(2021-08-04) At Home with the Hazans Niris invites Miss Callis over for tea, so that she can get to know her better, and definitely not for any ulterior motive involving her nephew.
(2021-03-07) Oranna and the Priestess of the Light Oranna Stormbreaker and Niris Hazan have a chat in Stormwind.
(2021-02-26) Niris's War Niris remembers the First War.
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