*General universe info found here. Read this first: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15763132/

NAME: Mephala
TITLE: The Aspect of Shadows
-Also represents: witchcraft, Moon Walkers
SPECIES: Moon Walker
SIGIL: A raven in flight with a belladonna flower in its beak.


HISTORY: Had the circumstances of her life been even a fraction kinder, Mephala would have never agreed to serve Saetan by becoming an Aspect. The Telmarines call her people Moon Walkers, but in truth they are Fae. Fae that were cast out of their society because they became too “impure”, and were falsely believed able to infect others with their impurities. The Fae Queen Leihelana, one of the first to be cast aside, gathered these lost souls to her, promising to do everything in her power to find them a new and safe home. This search led her to Stormhold, but it also led her directly into Saetan’s grasp. But Leihelana knew she had no choice. Stormhold was far enough away from their once homelands that her people would be forever safe from their once family and friends’ scorn and fear, and there was plenty of untouched territory where they could live in safety. So Leihelana pleaded with Saetan to grant them mercy. He granted her request, on the condition that she sacrifice herself for her people, to cast aside her Fae nature and submit to his will. Leihelana agreed. Her people rebuilt their lives as best they could, and became figures of whispered legend among the Telmarines. And Leihelana took the name Mephala, succumbing to Saetan’s darkness.

Mephala has served for hundreds of years. Not only does she keep a close guard over her people, she has also taken under her wing the free practitioners of magic, the witches and wizards and sorcerers who hold no association with the Stormhold Academy of Mages. She has learned peace of mind by serving as a guardian and guide, though deep in her heart she still mourns the life she lost. And though she will never be as devoted to Saetan as some of the Aspects, she has learned to respect him, and is grateful to him for keeping his word.

PERSONALITY: At first glance, Mephala seems aloof and humorless, bearing a public expression of stony calm. But it is well known that she is one of the most approachable of all the Aspects. Those who pray to her and follow her teachings do so out of genuine respect, and any interactions with her can be done with the confidence that she does not have any second agendas. She is capable of being quite friendly once she is familiar with someone. Among the other Aspects, she stands tall, and to the general population of Stormhold she is viewed as one of the leaders, capable of guiding and persuading the other Aspects to take her side in any debate. The only Aspect she truly does not get along with is Merishka. She is known to be a very good friend of Sheogorath, even if she does not always find what he considers to be grand entertainment amusing.

But Mephala has a dark side. Although Moon Walkers are generally considered myths, in the illegal slave market they are extremely valuable as novelties. When Mephala catches a slave-trader with a captured Moon Walker, she shows no mercy. The sword she carries is stained with the blood of those she has butchered. When her ire is turned, there is usually little recognizable left of her victims.


POWERS: Mephala's power is not specific. It is simply the natural magic of Moon Walkers magnified thricefold. She can control animals and plants, particularly birds and trees, and has an intimate knowledge of almost all of the magical and medical properties of herbs. And when she flies she can summon in her wake a gale-force wind. She can also transform herself into a raven when she sees fit to remain unnoticed.


ARTIST'S COMMENTS: Recognize the design? Yeah. This character actually predates the project, but ever since her creation I always had a general idea to give her horns and wings. So when the movie Maleficent came out, I was like...woah. So if you want to picture what this character looks like, just picture Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and you've got her right on the dot. Her name is, obviously, taken from the Elder Scrolls, but that is only her Aspect name. Her Moon Walker name is Leihelana. When drawing this, I was terrified to attempt her face, so I decided just to draw her from behind and focus on the wings. I think it makes her seem younger than she actually is, like a child reaching for something, but I have little skill in drawing age. You'll see that with the next Aspect I'm uploading. I love how the wings came out, and the hilt of the sword. I just wish I had saved enough space on the paper to draw a full raven, rather than just the feather.