Birthplace:  Forest Arden

 Age:  Ivy's apparent age is mid-twenties, but she is really 112 Amber years

 Physical Description:  Ivy is a strong woman.  By no means is she
 muscle-bound, but she has none of the wispy lines that seem to be in fashion
 in much of the shadow realms.  She is built with the lean muscle mass of a
 gymnast,  which is the result of many hours spent in Julian's ranger
 training, and later under Benedict's tutelage.  She carries herself like the
 skilled swordswoman she is.  She is however of average height, standing only
 5'6", a fact which rankles her because it limits her reach with the sword.
      Ivy's hair is perhaps the reason she for her name, for her aubern locks
 constantly escape their usual braid and creep about seemingly with a life of
 their own.  Even her eyes seem to be connected with the place of her birth,
 they are a deep brown/black that would seem more appropriate on a doe.
      It has been said that Ivy resembles Dierdre, but it is unknown whether
 this is where she got her appearance from, and it is a secret that only
 Ivy's father Julian can answer.

 Parentage:  Father - Julian
             Mother - ???

      Ivy was born in Forest Arden, or at least that's what Julian says.  He
 came riding out of the forest just over a century from our present time (in
 Amber) with a newborn infant cradled in his arms.  This was the first time
 that Amber encountered Ivy, and was the cause of some concern.  Who was her
 mother?  Julian refused to answer the question then, and he has continued to
 over the decades, BUT he does insist that he is her father.  Ivy has given
 up asking her father about her mother's identity, but the question is the
 cause of some (extreme) friction between the two.  In the last twenty or so
 years she has begun to believe that it doesn't matter who her mother is, but
 she continues to hold the issue as a lever to use against Julian when the
 time comes.

 Siblings:  ??? - Because of the questions about her parentage Ivy doesn't
 know if she                   has any half-brothers or sisters.

 Background:
      After Ivy's introduction to the nobility of Amber her afther Julian
 left her at the castle in order to return to his duties in Arden.  He did
 not return for two years.  In his absence Ivy passed through the hands of
 many of the lesser nobles before she was finally foisted off on a nanny.
 And another nanny, and another...
      At the age of two and a half Julian returned to Castle Amber to collect
 his daughter.  Apparently overcome by guilt for abandoning her at the castle
 for so long Julian vowed that he would never leave her again until she knew
 what she would make of herself.
      At times periodic reports would come in from the forest about Ivy.  She
 had started ranger's training (at five), and was learning weaponcraft.
 Julian explained that he wanted to start training her as early as possible
 so that she would excel as a ranger and one day succeed him as guardian of
 Arden.  In her thirteenth birthday he announced that she had completed her
 training and presented her with one of Morgensturns foals.  Ivy, ever
 gracious, thanked her father by promptly saddling her new mount, Felis,
 vaulting into the saddle, and riding into the heart of the Forest.  Julian
 had no time to respond, and by the time he had Morgensturn beneath him Ivy
 had contacted her father to let him know that he was no longer bound by his
 oath to her.  The court of Amber reacted with usual aclarity, by sending
 Julian off on a mission that would keep him (and his well known fits of
 moodiness) out of their hair for a few months.
      Between the time of this incident and her eighteenth birthday Ivy made
 sporadic trips to Castle Amber, each time being greeted with the sort of
 reserve one leaves for a wild stallion, and each time leaving in a huff.
 But then at the age of eighteen he demeanor promptly changed; she returned
 from a trip into shadow and conducted herself with courtly manner enough to
 do any of the Nobles shame.  She also moved into the Castle, saying that she
 "was tired of not having a home, and wanted to try it out for a while".  She
 has since resided in the Castle, occasionally getting involved in some
 intrigue but mostly keeping to herself, and as far away from her father as
 duty permits.  She is known to disappear for months at a time, either to the
 Forest or to shadow.  Each trip is for the same reason... War.

 Personality:  Ivy a reputation for being calculating.  She has a vicious
 temper, and more than one has found them at the wrong end of her sword.
 However, she must be pushed to such extremes, as she would rather listen to
 what goes on around her and then choose the best course of, and moment for
 action.  She has no true friends among the nobility of Amber (with the
 possible exception of Benedict) , but everyone agrees that she doesn't have
 any (overt) enemies either.  She prefers to keep the company of her cousins
 or other warriors, and can often be found at Bloody Bob's enjoying an ale or
 glass of wine.  Most find her to be charmin company with a good sense of
 humour, but they also find her distant, which in Amber can mean dangerous.
      Because of her training Ivy moves with the grace that all warriors
 possess, along with a certain haughtiness that only those who know that they
 are masters of their craft can wear competently.
      On the field of battle she has few peers, and those are only to be
 found in Amber.  She is a tireless opponent, and will do everything in her
 power to assure victory.
      Conversely, she has learned somewhere how to carry herself at court,
 and does her best to avoid the mistakes that can land someone in trouble.

 Interests:  War.  Wherever there is a conflict Ivy is usually somewhere to
 be found.  This isn't to say that she starts fights, she tries not to where
 it can be avoided, but she revels in the challenge that only conflict
 provides.  She practices daily with Caelric, her longsword, and Felis her
 horse, and if encoutered with either of these two on the field of battle you
 would probably be better off on her side.
      Once Ivy realized that she was not progressing in the art of conflict
 steadily anymore she sought out her uncle Benedict, and asked him to help
 fill the gaps in her education.  This has been an ongoing process and the
 two seem to enjoy one another's company.

 Allies:  With the possible exception of Benedict Ivy has no true friends at
 the court of Amber, but she has many "close aquaintances" (read drinking
 buddies).  Of the other Amberites she perhaps feels the most affinity with
 her cousin Julianna, and often seeks her out when she is in the need for a
 'quality' companion.

 About Felis:  Felis is one of Morgensturn's foals and as such possesses some
 of his sire's abilities.  He is resistant to most weapons and when he does
 take a wound (which is rare) it heals with remarkable speed.  In addition,
 his hooves and teeth are capable of piercing armour and he has tireless
 endurance.  Because of her training with Benedict Ivy has also trained Felis
 as a capable warhorse and in battle each one acts in concert with the other.
 

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