Anna

Anna is an avatar of Llif, the god of the River Severin. She is known all along the river for her miraculous healing powers, and is often called upon when injury or illness cannot be cured by any other means. She treats all people alike—it makes no difference to her whether the patient is a penniless riverman or the King of Rheged, and in her decade upon the river she has tended to both. Anna lives alone on a small island between Rheged and Bernicia, and does not readily welcome company, claiming that the river is companion enough for her.

Early Life

Anna first came to live on her island over a decade ago, when she was only thirteen years old - give or take a year, as she is not certain of her exact age. By then she was already an avatar of Llif, who carried her to the island on his currents. She rarely speaks of her life before entering the river, and never in detail. Her accent marks her as a native of Deira, and occasional remarks have led people to believe she cast herself into the Severin to escape some terrible fate. Those familiar with the nobles of Deira have no difficulty imagining circumstances dire enough to drive a young woman to such lengths.

If Anna has any living family, she does not speak of them or seek them out. Attempts to press her for her story are met with firm resistance: she has expelled unwanted visitors from her island, and on occasion abandoned it altogether to escape persistent questions. One particularly obnoxious boatman she reportedly picked up and threw into the river. While Llif does not grant his Avatars superhuman strength, Anna sustains herself through hard physical work, and her build is more than equal to the task.

The River's Healer

The River Severin is the great artery of Ynys, and it was not long before the riverfolk noticed a young girl living alone on a small island. Anna rebuffed more than one well-meaning attempt to adopt her, and those with darker intentions Llif never allowed to land. People soon understood that she was the river's chosen, and they began to bring her packets of food as offerings to Llif - for no one who sailed the Severin would ignore a chance to gain the god's favor.

After she had lived on the island a few months, Anna hailed a passing boat and asked to be taken ashore. She explained that she had been watching the river, and that Llif had written a message in the currents directing her to a certain place. The riverfolk, bemused but not foolish, ferried her there. They found a young man desperately trying to revive a child he feared drowned. Anna stepped to the child's side, laid her hands upon the small body, and whispered a few words. Those present swore they felt the miracle as it happened - moments later, the child stirred and sat up, whole and healthy. Anna simply dusted off her skirts and asked for a ride back to the island.

Word spread quickly that Llif's new avatar had the power to heal, and soon patients began to arrive. Sometimes Anna went to them, often setting out before they were even injured, following the signs she read in the river's flow. At other times, she arrived too late, for while she could heal almost any wound or illness, death lay beyond her reach. Each healing also took its toll - leaving her drained, hungry, and unable to perform another miracle until she had rested. Over the years her strength has grown, but never without limit: the most she has ever done is heal ten people in a single hour, after which she slept for a week.

Not a Prophet

As Anna’s reputation grew, many sought her out for insight into Llif's Prophecy - the cryptic declaration that Ynys would one day be united under a single crown. Such visitors are invariably sent away empty-handed, if she chooses to meet them at all. Anna has always insisted she is not a prophet, and that Llif grants her only the most immediate and practical glimpses of what lies ahead. Still, they persist, pressing her for answers she does not give. These days, such seekers often find that Anna is "out fishing" when they arrive, and those who wait for her return are not welcomed with warmth or hospitality.

The Future Awaits

Gods do not make Avatars to remain in one place, nestled safely within the heart of their power. They create them to act as agents in the world, carrying divine intentions beyond the anchors that bind all Numina. For more than a decade, Llif has sheltered Anna upon her island, giving her the space to grow and to heal. But both she and her god know that this season is drawing to a close. Soon, Anna will be sent out into the wider world - far beyond the reach of Llif's currents - to fulfill his will in distant places. What Llif intends for his young Avatar remains a mystery, but many are watching to see what she will become.