Ilyra of the Folded Sky
A librarian who speaks like prophecy and walks like silence.
Character Overview
Character Type: NPC
Build Type: Roleplay Focused
Build Role: Loregiver, Secret-Keeper, Puzzle Anchor
Mike’s Personal Thoughts
Don’t ask her what time it is. She’ll tell ya the answer five days from now and then act like you’re the one who’s late.
I’ve seen her once. Just once. Wrapped in that shimmercloak stitched with stars and shadows. Her feet never made a sound, but her words — her words clanged around in my skull like a forge bell after a cave-in. She don’t lie. She don’t guess. She just knows. And not because she’s clever, lad — because she’s already been through this before.
Or maybe she hasn’t yet. That’s the problem.
She don’t age. Don’t eat. Doesn’t blink unless yer asking a question you shouldn’t. If you meet her, don’t ask for the truth. Ask for the shape of it. That’s the only thing she’ll give you that won’t break something inside yer head.
Ilyra’s Role in the Conclave
Ilyra tends to the Scriptorium Vault, where books read you back and shelves rearrange themselves based on what you’ve forgotten. She doesn’t catalog — she remembers. Every scroll, rune, whisper, and footnote that’s passed through the Conclave since the star fell… she’s tucked it somewhere behind those soft eyes and that stitched-lip smile.
She speaks in what sounds like riddles, but isn’t. Her words are prophecy fragments, truth echoes, time-loop residue. No matter what the party asks, her answers will sound frustratingly vague — until three sessions later, when it clicks.
Use her:
To foreshadow future events
To provide true but useless information ("The wolf will fall where the mirror bends.")
To provoke hard choices by never answering plainly
The Scholar with a Star in Her Skull
👉 Ilyra is a perfect roleplay anchor for groups that love story-rich sessions. She can warn, prod, mislead (gently), or offer vision-like insights — without ever stealing the spotlight. Make her unnerving. Make her unforgettable. Make her barely real.
Physical Appearance & Presence
Hair: Long, black, always gently drifting — even without wind
Eyes: Pale grey-blue, like overcast daylight — flecked with motes of silver
Skin: Slightly too smooth. No pores. No blemishes. Not even scars.
Clothing: Starwoven scholar robes that change with the phases of the moon. Sometimes she has extra sleeves. Sometimes… fewer.
She walks in absolute silence. If she’s behind you, you don’t know until she speaks. And when she speaks — every sound in the room mutes, just slightly, as if the world’s waiting to hear what she says next.
Personality Quirks
Speaks mostly in statements, not conversation.
Blinks rarely. Smiles softly — but never laughs.
Answers yes/no questions with:
“Not always.”
“You already know.”
“Ask again after the choice.”
Carries a book she never opens — and never lets anyone else touch.
Narrative Use & Mechanics
Lore Function:
Ilyra is less a person and more a memory echo wearing skin. She may have once been mortal — a scholar of the star, or a caretaker of the vault — but proximity to the Conclave’s truth broke her into something else. Something that remembers in both directions.
She exists to:
Drop vague truths (that become clear much later)
Offer cryptic warnings without solutions
Softly steer the party toward the Trial Rooms… or away from danger
“The Harmonic Seat will chime only once. You’ll miss it, but the echo will answer your question.”
Optional Magical Effect (for GMs who want more mechanics):
Once per session, if a player asks Ilyra a meaningful question, she can respond by casting a “Glimpse Beyond” effect (no spell slot needed):
Glimpse Beyond (Homebrew Cantrip-like effect)
Target sees a flash of a possible future, 6 seconds long.
Grants advantage on one roll of the GM’s choosing within the next hour — but only if they follow the vision.
Failure to act in line with the vision causes brief confusion (disadvantage on next Wisdom check).
This lets her create tension: “I saw you run, not fight.”
Speak With Her, Not At Her
👉 Don’t treat Ilyra like an exposition dump — she’s a living narrative thread. Use her sparingly, with weight. Players should feel like talking to her is like stepping onto a ledge: enlightening, but dangerous.
Enter the Shrine of the Thirteenth Sign
Discover Berenzaar the Archivist
How to Use Ilyra Mid-Campaign
Before each Trial Room, Ilyra leaves a whispered clue scratched into a player’s journal or pack (in her handwriting).
During downtime, she appears, says one sentence, and walks away. No explanation.
If harmed, she does not defend herself. Instead, the stars overhead dim slightly. Her blood glows, evaporates, and vanishes into the stone.
“This pain has already been paid, dear one.”
FAQ
Q: Is Ilyra omniscient?
A: No. She just remembers more than one version of the timeline.
Q: Can she join the party?
A: Never. Her purpose is fixed to the Conclave. Remove her — and she fades like starlight at dawn.
Q: Can she give players a quest?
A: Yes — but it should never sound like a quest. More like:
“He waits where the echoes fold. Don’t knock.”
If Truth Had a Librarian’s Voice…
👉 Ilyra isn’t a guide. She’s a test of patience. A reminder that prophecy never rhymes, and destiny doesn't come with footnotes. Use her to deepen immersion, twist expectations, and feed your party a slow-burn mystery they won’t even recognize until they’re halfway through it.
About Mike’s Tavern
Contact
Explore the Scriptorium Vault
Related Lore Across the Conclave
The Voice Beyond the Star – It has not spoken aloud. Not yet. But it’s been listening since before the sky cracked.
The Scriptorium Vault – Her home. Her prison. Her mind.
Shrine of the Thirteenth Sign – She won’t speak of it — but she always looks east.
Berenzaar the Archivist – They used to debate constantly. Now he just screams.
Naelo of the Prism Pact – She calls him “the shard of joy that chose to stay.”
Coin of the Lost Patron – She offered it once, but changed her mind before the trade was made.
Wanderer's Rest – Ilyra visits it in her sleep.
About Mike’s Tavern – Some say Mike saw her once, and never stopped drinking after.
Contact – She doesn’t send messages. But sometimes, they arrive anyway.
