Ashlynn

“Roll up, roll up, to see the spectacular traveling Rainbow Magic Troupe!” Such refrains may be commonly heard during one of the many stampedes for ticket sales whenever the traveling group—originally from Lasir—announces a forthcoming arrival. The troupe has earned quite a name for itself throughout Aurelica chiefly for their extraordinary “portal mirror” traveling trick and the charming showmanship of Mr. Rech’s chief assistant – the kindly-looking, beautiful magician assistant Ashlynn.

Ashlynn is a lady of many talents. As well as the troupe’s promoter-in-chief, main emcee, and assistant for Mr. Rech, she is also a consummate magician capable of several (admittedly less complicated) tricks. There is no denying Ashlynn possesses “the gift”—although obviously not to Mr. Rech’s level, as audiences are liable to find whenever she produces a hamster from under her hat instead of a rabbit.

But it is not just Ashlynn’s magical skills or abilities as an assistant that draws crowds to the Rainbow Magic Troupe night after night. She also performs the role of an alluring seductress on the stage to a tee—enticing many a deluded nobleman to pay top dollar for front-row tickets just for the promise of exchanging a few words with the glamorous lady. Although charming, Ashlynn can also be unpleasant when the situation calls for it and has been known to eject rude attendees with such speed, efficiency, and ruthlessness as to elicit audible gasps. Strangely enough, this is often interpreted as just another of her attractive qualities for the many wealthy admirers she seems to collect in every city. Front row prices have grown exorbitant indeed.

As is often the case among the extremely gifted magic users or performers in these lands, Ashlynn has another much more secretive identity behind her “magician’s assistant” title. Ashlynn is also one of the highest-ranking leaders of the mysterious Council of the Free Cities, a somewhat informal organization ever trying to keep a lid on the disorderly bastion of freedom for which it is named, and which is always threatening to boil over. Ashlynn, Mr. Rech, and the other members of the Rainbow Magic Troupe may appear to be no more than mere performers, but by night rest assured that they take their responsibilities to uphold the territorial integrity of the Free Cities and its Council very seriously. And this is Ashlynn’s real position—Overseer of the Rainbow Magic Troupe as an intelligence-gathering arm of the Free Cities. And the Free Cities certainly has a lot to worry about. The neighboring Duchy of Lasir and the Holy Light Empire threaten to redefine the Free Cities’ territory on a daily basis. Yet even that is still not the Council or Ashlynn’s top priority—for that is the Dark seeping into the Cities from parts unknown. And it is this quest to discover the source of this Dark intrusion that has motivated Ashlynn to take her traveling Rainbow Magic Troupe on yet another tour across Aurelica…