Liolesa Galare

Liolesa Sketch

Empress of the Eldritch Empire. Head of the Galare, the imperial House.

Physical Description

Has tawny/light brownish-amber eyes.

Biography

Liolesa was born before the Pelted were even engineered on Earth, and she was heir when see Maraesa made the treaty with them. She became the heir during a winter vigil/investiture, and her vigil gatekeepers were her confessor from childhood, Elder Tasisaressa, who had been high priestess of the church of Jesa's provincial capital before she was elected to the more prestigious role of abbess of the Convent of Saint Wilthelmissa; and Hirianthial, who joined the Swords when Liolesa was selected by Maraesa as her heir. At the time, her chief concern was the growing class divide in the Eldritch population, between those who labored and those who ruled them... but during her vigil, she had a vision of a future that would ask far more of her than the oversight of the Eldritch's society. It was also during that vigil that her nascent talent for Pattern-sensing bloomed.

After she became heir, Maraesa sent her on several missions to the Alliance.

She also took multiple 'illicit' trips off-planet. Her cover for these trips was meditation retreats to the Convent of Saint Wilthelmissa, over a period of two centuries. Hirianthial didn't know about these trips off-world. These were the trips where she had her love affair with Pieter (a human geneticist).

Liolesa is over 600 years old and is of an age with Hirianthial. He thinks that her gift for patterns transformed "her from a mercurial child into a planner of great effectiveness."

The moment she saw Fasianyl enter her throneroom with Sellelvi at her side, she'd known that her people would one day include more than the Eldritch.

She escorted Fassiana off-world to find her help conceiving Lili. (And also when she discovered she was infertile herself.)

Six years prior to the events of Earthrise Liolesa decided to act as a mysterious benefactor to human trader Reese Eddings, sending her an encrypted message and enough money to get Reese out of debt.

Family

• Liolesa’s parents: Rylaniel Jesa, Jerisa’s daughter, and Toltheniv Delen.
• Maraesa was Rylaniel’s sister. Rylaniel’s brother, Theval Jesa, married Niriel Sarel Jisiensire, and these were Hirianthial and Baniel’s parents.
• Liolesa’s other cousins, Maraesa’s two children, were Besinir Jesa (m) and Anariel Jesa (f)—the latter is the one who produced Bethsaida’s father.

Powers

Touching anyone, even briefly, makes her see how they fit into the Pattern, which makes her uncomfortable; she doesn't touch because (as often as not), she prefers not to start deciding where to slot people so they will best serve the Pattern.

Quotes

"If we wait to act until we're certain, we will never act."

Trivia

• During the Solstice Vigil, Liolesa received toys from Bryer, Irine, Sascha, and Kis'eh't - a ball of goo that always bounced back to shape, no matter how hard it was thrown, smashed, or torn; a sliding metal puzzle; a bead that projected a starfield; a pocket sized board that could be used to play four different games; and a palm sized palomino horse plush. From Hirianthial, she received a Book of Hours from the Convent of Saint Wilthemissa and from Reese, a pouch hammock of pastel cords with a matching blanket of pale yellow and pillows of white and cloud blue.
• likes almond liqueur
• does not admit people to her private morning time until she likes them, and doesn't stand on formality during that period
• has a health scan "every century or so"

Body Language

• is capable of ridiculous feats of bodily self-control (to the point of her pupils not changing size). Lets her guard down around people she knows and likes, though.