Description[]
Handle: claireducky
Name:' Gianna Riatin
Age:' 16
Nationality: Cairhien
Appearance: 5'8" tall, dark chestnut hair that falls in waves to her shoulders, blue eyes so dark they are almost indigo. Has a recent cut on her upper right cheek stretching to her eyebrow, just beginning to heal over properly.
Special Skills: Enhanced knowledge of the world through her upbringing in a noble house.
Knowledge Weakness: "Street smarts" or practical applicational knowledge is not Gianna's strong suit.
Physical Weakness: She is self conscious of her scar.
Personality weakness: She has the tendency to be stuck up and haughty.
Character History[]
History before Entering the WT:[]
Gianna packed clothes angrily into chests, wrapped trinkets in canvas bundles. By all rights, a servant should be performing this task for her, but times had recently changed. Times had changed, indeed.
- Two Weeks Prior **
Gianna was reading in her sitting room, a book on the Ancient Kingdoms of old. As early evening deepened to dusk, a knock came at her door. Her father entered, and she rose to greet him.
"Are you ready for your grand entrance, Gianna?" He asked. "Only if you are ready for me to show you up, father." She replied playfully. Her father Sevile was known for extravagance and eloquence at his dinner parties, but Gianna was hosting this event. It was her formal public presentment. Recently 16, Gianna was now old enough to marry and produce an heir to the house Riatin. Light knew that her greying Aunt never would.
Gianna and Sevile exited the room and walked arm in arm to the curving staircase that descended to the foyer below. The arrayed guests below burst into a wave of applause at the first sight of them at the top of the stair case. Gianna flashed a smile at them and then her father as they began to slowly descend.
When the planning had been done for this party, Gianna had made it clear that she wanted it to be over the top. She meant to leave an impression on Cairhien. A servant had overheard her and humbly suggested that Illuminators be contracted for the event. The servant said that the Illuminators had recently perfected the art of indoor displays, and that they were quite safe. Gianna was intrigued, and sent the servant to set up the event with the Illuminators.
So now as Gianna and Sevile descended the stairs, two small displays were prepared to be triggered below. Long fuses ran to each, cut the exact length that the displays would go off when Gianna and her father reached the bottom of the staircase.
Coming out of her reverie, Gianna realized with a start that they were almost to the bottom step. She willed herself not to look for the displays concealed at the bottom of the stairs. Just hours ago the ornate rugs had been removed from the polished stone floor, to ensure that no accidents occured tonight.
As Gianna and her father reached the bottom step, the thunderous applause of the arrayed crowd almost drowned out the sound of a large pop to Gianna's left. As she turned her head towards her father and the sound, she felt a hard push from behind and a flash of light blinded her. Falling forward, Gianna's head struck the stone floor, dazing her. She sat for awhile, staring nowhere in particular, before she blacked out.
- Present Time **
Now two weeks later, Gianna played the event over and over in her mind. She still doesn't know what went wrong, but she has an idea or two. The display was to be placed at the edge of the bottom stair, so that the shower of fire and sparks would arc over she and her father, bracketing them in light. It seemed that instead, the displays had been placed near the center of the bottom step. The display under her father's path had gone off first, the force knocking her forward and away from the flames. Blinded by the flashes of light, she did not see as her father's clothing and hair caught aflame, burning him to char as she stared into nothing. By time a servant came running with water, Sevile was long dead and Gianna was unconscious. She stayed that way for 2 days.
When Gianna had awoke, she found things much changed. Not only was her father dead, she was being pushed out of House Riatin by her uncle Toram. Nobody had known of the Illumination except Gianna, her father, and the servant and Illuminator. Now her father was dead, the servant was missing, and the "Illuminator" had never been heard of by the local Guild. Her uncle seized upon the opportunity. He put forth that Gianna had channeled unknowingly, touching the source for the first time.
"After all," he had said, "Gianna is the right age to touch the source for the first time, and she remembers nothing of the incident. The fact that she was also unconscious for two days following is very consistent with stories of girls channeling for the first time." "It is obvious," he concluded, "that Gianna must go to the White Tower to be trained, for the safety of herself and of those around her."
Gianna had known that her uncle Toram had ill will towards she and her father. However she did not believe that he would have gone to such lengths to remove them from the line of succession to the High Seat of House Riatin. Gianna concluded that he must be a darkfriend to do such a thing. The lies that he had spread about her channelling incensed her beyond belief.
Done with her packing, Gianna sent for a servant to remove the chests and bundles to the stables below. At least she did not have to do THAT herself. Her escort to the Tower was to leave this very day. The armed guard sent by Toram was to "ensure her safety", but Gianna knew the real purpose was to make sure she got to the Tower and stayed there. Well, he was in for a surprise.
Gianna would go to the White Tower, oh yes. But once she was tested and the Aes Sedai confirmed that she could not channel, that would be all the proof that Gianna would need. Nobody questioned the word of an Aes Sedai, and Gianna would be able to drag down Toram to the dust beneath her feet.
Gianna WOULD rule House Riatin one day, of that there was no question. Now all she had to do was bring down that darkfriend of an uncle she had, bring him down to grovel before her. She would make him atone for his wrong doing. The scar on her face would never let her forget that day two weeks ago.
She put a determined look on her face, and descended to the stables. It was time for the journey to begin...It was time for her destiny to begin.
History since arriving at the WT:[]
Gianna does not want to channel, it was obvious it is not born in her. She is journeying to the tower to be tested so that she can bring down her uncle. However when she gets to the tower, the Mistress of Novices informs her that she can indeed be taught to channel, even though she is not a wilder as her uncle suggests. Gia is distraught by this, obviously. She isnt required to stay at the tower since she will never touch the power on her own without training, but after telling her story to the Mistress of Novices, the Mistress convinces her to stay and become Aes Sedai, as that will give her power to bring Toram to justice down the road.
Gianna experienced much difficulty in her time as a novice. She began by almost being asked to leave the tower by the Mistress of Novices within 6 months of her arrival. Her major attitude problem had her acting like royalty even to Aes Sedai. Upon realizing that her attitude could cost her the chance for revenge upon her uncle Toram, she changed her ways.
Although she is not a wilder, she had a major problem embracing the source, despite the best efforts of MANY teachers. Finally, a breakthrough was reached during a marathon teaching session with Green Aes Sedai Cemarillinin. After that, Gianna progressed more or less in pace with her classmates. She has shown interest in the Blue Ajah, and took a class on the Ajah to learn more about it. She also completed a class on the relationship between the White Tower and the rest of the World.
After 3 years in Novice white, Gianna was summoned to the test for Accepted. Unfortunately, she was unable to steel herself, and had to refuse. A blue sister was present at her refusal, and Gianna is sure that the Blue Ajah will not want anything to do with her now. She is biding her time until she is summoned again, and this time she is determined she will NOT fail.