Micah’s frame is of average height, and she stands as straight and tall as her body allows. She walks with her head up and shoulders back, and carries herself with a forceful dignity. The woman’s curves are light but healthy, her face is sharp and angular with a small pointed nose and chin, her lips are delicate and slightly flush, and her cheek bones are high on her slim face. Her silvery-blue hair cascades gently down to about shoulder length, where it billows in the breeze unless pulled back and restrained by some form of tie. Her eyes are a piercing blue, with irises that sparkle like diamonds in the sun, and despite their cold color are a thin mask for the fiery spirit beneath.
The often-hidden tattoos from Micah’s past are gone, revealing pale smooth skin where once was dark ink. Her forearms, however, bear new markings: Crawling from her elbows up to her wrists is an intricate and interweaving dance of arcane fire swirling up onto the backs of her hands as though the tattoos themselves wished to spring forth from her fingertips. Micah often displays these markings openly, and when she moves her arms in the motions of spell-weaving the flames appear to undulate and snake about one another through her motions, creating a hypnotic illusion as she calls forth power from the Vortex.
Micah's appearance belies her age. Despite being over 100 years old, Micah looks no more than 40. She does not discuss the events that caused this to be so, but often makes light of her extended lifespan, citing that Andrinor is keeping her around and healthy just long enough to blow her up in a cataclysmic explosion of her own creation.
History and Traits
Micah is a fiery, moody magus of substantial power. She began her career as an Ebony (where she eventually rose to Archmage) under the direct tuteledge of the Archmage Damar Ogdem, before the formation of the Gold Order. Under him, she developed the skills and knowledge to become a master of the Art. Micah's research interests have long revolved around the schools of Enchantment and Illusion, both of which Micah has thoroughly mastered. Her foci were originally Dream and Shadow magic, with specific interests in the flexibility of using the Dreamscape to manipulate minds and in using Shadow Magic to twist nearly any spell from shadowstuff. Under Damar's teachings, Micah also developed a long-running interest in divinations, and has become quite accomplished in that as well (although not nearly to the extent of her other schools). After her apprenticeship to Damar, Micah learned the fineries of the Art of Steelcasting from its progenator Crunk Steelcaster as well as certain aspect of the Assassination Arts from the notorious Ebony archmage Sand. During her time in Red, Micah took an interest in Wild Magic, especially in the wide variety of effects that are observed when the Vortex is unstable and in the causes of these strange magical phenomenon. She sees these random effects as strongly correlated to the flexibility of the Shadow Magic, and is curious to further explore the area.
Micah has traditionally been aloof, tempermental, and condescending. Until recently, she was like this to just about everybody, with only a handful of individuals close enough to her for her to drop the charade and present a more cynical and relaxed demeanor. Since her return from Red Gate, the wittier and relaxed side of her personality is more pronounced in public. Her greatest respect is for intelligence, and she gives no regard to men-at-arms or stealthy-sorts unless it suits her temperment to do so. Micah's fits of rage are often inspiringly chaotic and deadly - her temper generally results in the offender being petrified or killed outright. On occassion, she simply lights those who anger her on fire while lecturing them on what she considers to be proper etiquette.
Teaching
During Micah's time in the Ebony, she fostered two apprentices. The first, Simon Hytheria was an unmotivated student who met his demise after commenting inappropriately on his Master's anatomy. After Dagath returned him to the cycle, he was expelled from Micah's tuteledge and devoted himself to Kevlos. The second, Fade Redweth, was a significantly more motivated student who managed not to get herself killed. Unfortunately for Fade, her spellbook filled quicker than her completeness in knowledge of the Art. Micah considers Fade a continual work in progress, despite Fade's difference in Order and age well beyond that of a reasonable apprenticeship. To Micah, a Master's work is never finished, and so she continues to provide insight and teaching so long as her students show motivation to improve.
During her time in the Red, she fostered one additional apprentice - a drangonari named Amand'uil Xilo'rulithii. Amand sought Micah's instruction long after he was a mature mage. Against her better judgement, Micah accepted his petition. Expectedly, teaching a mage who has an established set of enemies was difficult, and the Red Witch often found herself cleaning up his messes. Amand periodically impressed his teacher with his talent, and even watched him rise to archmage of Ebony, but she was always disappointed her with his restraint. Anybody who knows Micah's bouts of firey rage appreciated the irony, but most mages recognize that it is better to do what the master says, and not what the master does. Aman'duil died during a sentencing in Visimontium. Micah speaks ill of him to this day.
For Micah, teaching is as much about personal reputation as it is about training young magi. She has high demands and exacting specifications for her students, and is often very harsh in her teachings. Much like her former Master, Micah is extremely thorough, and instructs her students in all aspects of the Art, as well as guides them in proper decision making during and after their time with her.
Companions
Micah has travelled with many different adventurers over the years, but a handful have set themselves apart as being her most frequent and closest companions. Oorayv'levena, the Ebony Magus to whom Micah left the Ebony Order, is quite possibly her closest and most well travelled companion. Miette Hartley, the feisty Arch-sorceress of the Blue Order, is close second if not equal. Karrek Asen of the Violet Order has also been an extremely close companion of Micah's, and Damar remains a colleague and mentor to her even after her many years as an archmage. Micah is rumored to be in contact with The Master - the elusive and powerful ruler of the Violet Order. The extent of this contact is unknown, but they have been spotted in Visimontium and Ka Kimon on several occassions. Micah enjoys being around mages who like to learn and debate, and so she has often spent time with the likes of Fergus Goodmane, Vintrinia Carnen, and the wild and brilliant gentlemen of the Red Order of the Flames (Gubblebub Fizzywhiz, Kassha Fireheart, Bedlam Dender, Archibald Thel, Flenken Jolliemausch, and more). She has also been a long time friend of Arania Moonshadow, one of the few people remaining who remembers Micah from her early youth.
