Syphile
From The Orthorbbae Library
Syphile was once a potential heir for Quain'tana. Impressed by Syphile's mother and father, who were two of the strongest members in the Sarghress, Quain'tana adopted the girl and charged her to become a summoner. Syphile spent her time studying at Orthorbbae to become a summoner, however a new headmistress was appointed during her time there. The new headmistress, Snadhya'runes Vel'Sharen, put in a new law that anyone who wanted to learn summoning must be tainted. When Syphile returned home and Quain'tana learned that her heir had become tainted she was furious considering Syphile's tainting to be a sign of weakness and a mark of Syphile's inability to lead a clan.
In order for Syphile to redeem herself, Quain'tana placed her in charge of Ariel's upbringing. Shortly thereafter Sillice Val'Sharen joined the Sarghress, becoming Syphile's "elder sister", a high noble, and was instructed to train Syphile in summoning. Syphile's only hope to redeem herself and regain her lost status now lay in her ability to teach Ariel to be a proper daughter. Syphile became a harsh teacher, often asking for the impossible and delivering threats and physical punishment when Ariel failed. Syphile's anger and bullying continued to increase as the time drew closer for Ariel to be presented to Quain'tana, and Ariel was unable to meet the tough expectations placed on her. A few days before the meeting with Quain'tana Syphile discovered Ariel's pet cat Fuzzy. The cat bit Syphile on the hand and in a fit of rage, Syphile broke the cat's head against the wall.
When Ariel was introduced to Quain'tana for the first time a few days later, Ariel was asked what her wish was and she stated that her one wish was to kill Syphile. Quain'tana told her to do so right there but Ariel felt she was too weak to accomplish it, which displeased Quain'tana. Syphile's chance at redemption had failed, Ariel was a weak child that could not hold the eye of her mother, was unmannered, and desired to kill her tutor. Syphile was forced to remain in the fortress but she didn't receive another chance to redeem herself as Ariel returned from Orthorbbae with one of her tormentors, Mir'kiin Vel'Vloz'ress, and killed him in front of her mother. Quain'tana rewarded Ariel by giving her Syphile's lands, which Syphile hadn't paid attention to and hadn't even learned the name of her steward who was in charge of managing those holdings.
A later encounter where Ariel captured Chrys'tel Vel'Sharen, brought Zala'ess Vel'Sharen, one of the heads of the Sharen clan, to the Sarghress home, and Quain'tana attempted to trick the Sharen leader by telling Zala'ess how Chrys'tel had betrayed the Sharen and joined the Sarghress. Zala'ess made a show of not believing it and was unwilling to continue talking with Quain'tana and went to the door to leave. Under Zala'ess's stare, Syphile opened the door for the rival clan, infuriating Quain'tana, as she felt her authority had been undermined in her own home. Syphile was warned not to fail again and was reduced to tears in the hallway where Ariel came across her. The two got in an argument about Quain'tana and her motives and in a fit of rage Syphile attacked Ariel with a Jaal'darya artifact. Ariel managed to absorb the artifact with her shape shifting abilities and Syphile fell back on her summoner training and tried to taint Ariel, to make Ariel suffer the same fate as her. Syphile was stopped by the sudden appearance of Mel, who subdued Syphile and shoved her down the stairs to lie at Quain'tana's feet as she was speaking with her officers. This proved to be the last straw and Syphile's title was taken from her and she was banished from the Sarghress.
Hoping to ingratiate herself to the Sharen clan, Syphile freed Chrys'tel and returned her to her clan for the promise of a position in the Sharen. When they arrived they were taken prisoner but Chrys'tel was able to reassure her mother that she was still loyal and was only able to escape with help from Syphile. Zala'ess was unimpressed with Syphile's actions, seeing it for the move of desperation that it was. Judging Syphile to be of weak character, Zala'ess would only offer Syphile a position as a servant in the clan, unwilling to give her any higher rank that could cause the Sharen embarrassment later on. Chrys'tel, feeling indebted to Syphile and wanting to provide an opportunity for Syphile to be her protector-twin, came up with a plan that would prove Syphile's usefulness. Syphile would be trained by the Sharen for a month and would then assassinate Quain'tana.
First Appearance: Moonless Age Chapter 1 pg 0
Appears in chapter(s): 1, 3, 5, 8-9
Other Appereances: Spider Born, Breach of Faith, Daydream Archive 1: Alternate Reality, Daydream Archive 2: Demon Love, Daydream Archive 2: Demon Love Returns, Slavemaster: Chapter 2, 5-7