Aswin

 is a half-elf girl living in Jorenn Village.

Appearance
Around 807 PD, at the age of six, Aswin was described as a tiny half-elven girl with bushy brown hair (similar to her mother's), large emerald-green eyes, a round face, and pointed ears.

The morning after meeting Vex'ahlia, Aswin wore her hair in two braids, with "what looked like a child's version of the Shadewatch tunic", a gray skirt, and stockings. Several days later, she wore a dark blue dress.

Personality
As a six-year-old, Aswin was quite self-assured and wanted to be brave. She became immediately enamoured with Trinket, and hoped she might be able to have her own bear. She had frequent night terrors about the ash walkers, to the point of waking up screaming, and was anxious about them while awake as well. She liked to draw and give pictures to others, including Vex'ahlia, Derowen, and possibly Culwen. She was not fond of her lessons with Wick and frequently tried to avoid them by hiding in other parts of the Shade Hall. She was also a fan of Beryl's dolls.

Background
Aswin was brought to Jorenn Village as a baby by her mother Derowen and her mother's friend Wick. Her biological father was an elven merchant who abandoned Derowen. He is aware of Aswin's existence but is not involved in her life. Aswin's uncle Culwen often brought her gifts. She often had night terrors about the ash walkers.

Kith & Kin
Around 807 PD, at the age of six, Aswin met Vex'ahlia and Trinket during an ash walker attack on Jorenn Village. She was resting in the guard post while her mother was on the palisades, but was woken by Vex'ahlia and Wick's conversation. She immediately became enamoured with Trinket, and Vex'ahlia left him with Aswin and Wick while she went to join the archers. Derowen later collected Aswin, and the two of them invited Vex'ahlia and Trinket to stay with them at the Shade Hall.

The next morning, Aswin went into Vex'ahlia's room to see Trinket again, while trying to avoid Wick and her lessons. She fed Trinket some of the fruit someone had put out for Vex'ahlia. Vex'ahlia left Trinket and Aswin in each others' care while she went to speak with Derowen.

Over the next few days, Vex'ahlia joined Aswin and Derowen for dinner at the Shade Hall. Aswin gave her a drawing of Vex'ahlia with Trinket, and Vax'ildan with an ash walker.

One night, Aswin had a night terror about the ash walkers and screamed, alerting Derowen, Vex'ahlia, and Trinket in Derowen's study nearby. Vex'ahlia and Trinket stayed with her while Derowen went to fetch her some water and a cloth, and Vex'ahlia told her a sanitized version of the story of how she met Trinket. The story put Aswin to sleep, and Trinket stayed with her for some time.

A few days later, Derowen and Vex'ahlia returned from the mines with Vax'ildan; Trinket stayed at the Shade Hall with Aswin. Aswin was excited to see her mother again and ran to see her in her office. Aswin was disinterested in meeting Vax'ildan, and had to be reminded to introduce herself properly by her mother. Later that day, while Vax'ildan was looking around Derowen's office, Aswin came to the closed door, looking for her mother to take her to Beryl's shop. After a moment, she gave up and returned to her rooms. By the next day, Vex'ahlia had noticed a change in Aswin's demeanour: she was more frightened and convinced the ash walkers would return.

The following day, Derowen and Vex'ahlia had a tense conversation in an antechamber, where Thorn was held prisoner. Outside the room, where the Shadewatch were milling about, Aswin approached Culwen and tried to get his attention. She then went into the antechamber, looking for her mother. The two women leapt to protect Aswin from the sight of Thorn, who had just been stabbed by Derowen. Aswin was excited to see Vex'ahlia and Trinket, but then saw Thorn, and became concerned that he was sick. Vex'ahlia asked Trinket to take Aswin back to Wick's care, and he led her out of the room. The guards cheerfully greeted her as she passed by. Aswin went to the room Vex'ahlia's weapons and bags had been, took her bow and quiver, and made her way outside, as ash walkers descended upon the town. She wanted to join the fight and be brave like Vex'ahlia. Trinket tried to pull her away by her shirt to protect her. Vex'ahlia put Aswin on Trinket's back and sent them inside. Aswin gave her back her weapons. Wick assigned Kela and Yorn to watch over Aswin, as well. Derowen was killed in the battle by Culwen, and when Vex'ahlia went to find Aswin in the sitting room, she seemed to already know what had happened. Vex'ahlia was able to reassure her that she didn't have to be brave all the time, and gave her the copper bear necklace Vax'ildan had recently given her. After her mother's death, Wick became Aswin's guardian.

Derowen
Derowen raised Aswin as a single mother, and the two were very close. Because Aswin often had night terrors about the ash walkers, Derowen let her stay in the guard post during the attacks, under Wick's care. According to Wick, Derowen spoiled Aswin. Derowen was fiercely protective of her daughter and told Vex'ahlia that she would kill to protect her. She did not expect or wish for Aswin to follow in her footsteps as Shademaster, but hoped that she would grow to be a brave woman, who is "able to recognize a losing battle before she jumps right into it." Aswin was deeply affected by her mother's death.

Vex'ahlia and Trinket
Aswin was infatuated with Trinket from the moment they met. Throughout her stay in Jorenn Village, Vex'ahlia frequently entrusted Aswin and Trinket to each others' care, something her brother Vax'ildan had never seen her do before. Aswin also became attached to Vex'ahlia and admired her bravery, to the point of putting herself in danger to try and be brave like Vex. Trinket thankfully protected her, and Vex'ahlia sent them back indoors. After Derowen's death, Vex'ahlia explained to Aswin that sometimes monsters did win, but she didn't have to be brave all the time, and she didn't have to be brave alone.

Wick
Wick was Derowen's closest friend, regarding himself as her and Aswin's protector. Part of his job was to protect Aswin during the ash walker attacks, and he was also her tutor. Wick became Aswin's guardian after Derowen's death.

Notable items

 * Copper bear figurine on a necklace (gift from Vex'ahlia)
 * Doll (mended by Beryl)
 * Wooden sword

Quotations

 * (to Vex'ahlia) "I wanted to be brave like you, so I went to find your weapons. I wanted to do like you said. If you keep fighting, no matter how scary they are, the monsters can never win. And I don't want them to win."