Encyclopedia

Iriny


Description:
Character Profile created, owned, and updated by Arwen.

Iriny is a halfbreed gypsy woman who showed no pain or fear when she was about the burned by the Herder in Guanette for trying to heal a baby with herb lore (p3, 2007 Ashling). Her wagon and possessions, save those which the Herder kept for himself, had been burnt. She faints around the same time Elspeth claims to be her kin. With the help of Swallow, Zade and Matthew, Elspeth saves Iriny. She was taken to Obernewtyn, where Roland found she resisted his attempts to heal her, and that she has a natural mental barrier.

Maryon has a futuretelling concerning Iriny, that she must be returned to her people in Sutrium within a week for Obernewtyn and Elspeth’s sake (p40, 2007 Ashling). Throughout Ashling both Roland and Kella impose sleepseals on her to prevent her from dying and to help her heal.

She is about forty years of age, and “Her features were too strong for beauty, but she was handsome and her hair was … black” (p47, 2007 Ashling). She has mismatched eyes, one blue and the other mottled brown (p120, 2007 Ashling).

In order to prevent Iriny from dying, Elspeth enters her mind and finds that Iriny attempted to bury her memory of her bondmate Caldeko’s torture and death at the hands of the Herder, who was attempting to find out about Swallow. She feels guilty because Caldeko died as a result of her silence, even though he had already been tortured before he was brought in front of her. Iriny attempts to kill herself by diving towards the mindstream, pulling Elspeth with her. Elspeth pulls her away from the stream, saving her life, and Iriny fights her in an attempt to return to the stream.

The Council is searching for her and her rescuers. When she is woken by Kella so that Elspeth might find out where to take her, she is mistrustful. She pretends to not know anything about herself aside from being a gypsy.

Around her upper arm she wears a thick pot-metal band. This band tells anyone who wishes to know whether the wearer is bonded, promised or no (p191, 2007 Ashling).

Iriny is Swallow’s half-sister, as their father is the same. Their mothers are cousins, Iriny’s being halfbreed. Iriny calls Maire grandmother (p695, 2007 The Keeping Place). ‘Swallow’ is the pet name she gave Swallow as a child (p264, 2007 Ashling). She helps halfbreeds and Landfolk alike, and through her Swallow can help the halfbreeds. Swallow warned her of the danger in helping Landfolk, a warning she ignored. In Maire’s eyes Iriny ”is an angel” (p265, 2007 Ashling). A seer told Swallow of Iriny and Caldeko’s capture (p268, 2007 Ashling).

Iriny helps the Misfits after Malik’s treachery. When she next meets Elspeth she thanks her for saving her life, and says that while she will ever mourn Caldeko she has learned to love life again. She is glad to have seen the end of the Great Divide and Swallow become D’rekta (p695, 2007 TKP).

Iriny used a plast suit made by the Teknoguild to cross the Suggredoon in Swallow’s place, so that she might go to Stonehill where she met Elspeth again. When climbing out of the river she was seen by a soldierguard and killed him with her dagger to silence him, and weighed his body down in the water (p577, 2008 The Stone Key).

Before she left, Swallow told her that Elspeth was the one referred to in the ancient promises. She helps Elspeth by telling her about Evander and showing her his cairn. Also, she returns to Halfmoon Bay with Elspeth and helps her get Domick by attacking the Hedra escorting him (p690, 2008 TSK). The mask she chose to wear was yellow and gold and ”resembled the metal masks the soldierguards sometimes used to protect their faces during confrontations” (p600, 2008 TSK).

She is caught by the soldierguards because she was seen attacking the Hedra. The soldierguards and Hedra argue over custody (p616, 2008 TSK). Rolf used his connections to get her out of the Councilcourt cells. Merret met her while she was on her way back to the river to cross and give Swallow some important information (p691, 2008 TSK). She crossed the river safely and was sent by Swallow to Brydda, Rushton and Dardelan to tell them that she had seen Elspeth on the west coast and that Elspeth had travelled by ship fish (p744, 2008 TSK).

Age:
In her forties.
Position:
Halfbreed gypsy, Swallow’s half-sister.
Talents:
Herb lorist.
Notes:
'Iriny' possibly derived from the Greek 'Irini' or from the Russian/Bulgarian/Romanian 'Irina', both meaning 'peace'.
Details:
Info Monday 26 March 2007 - 18:09:37 by Min

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