Muhja al-Ward

Muhja bint Yusur al-Ward / Taaran Coldheart, of High Oasis Dragonspine

”Joy is found not only in what one can create, but what one can learn while teaching others.”

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Biography

She started her involvement with Amtgard at the Winter Crown Quals of 2012. She walked onto the A&S field of battle ready to take no prisoners. This was not only her first event, but would set the tone for her future plans within Amtgard as a whole. She took that A&S Event, it came down to a 3 way tie for 1st, she won by 1/10th of a point higher than the others. For that she was made A&S Champion for the 2012-2013 Winter Reign.

She continued to lend support and being an active member of her group, with visits to another Shire (Obsidian Gate) to help and to show support. She was made a Lady-at-Arms to Barron Hazard Havaar. In December of that Reign there was need for a new Regent, wanting to help her group she put forth her offer to fill in the position.

Her love of A&S is what drives her to want to help, because as much as A&S is about what one makes. It is also about what one can do to help others achieve their goals in creating their dreams.

Her favorite quote is, "Joy is found not only in what one can create, but what one can learn while teaching others."

Truth be told there is another something else she is more proud of, though she may to shy to admit it. She meet a member who had recently return home to his roofs of Amtgard after many, many moons being gone. They met through a mutual friend's Facebook. Caspin Tree (Matthew Passmore) noticed her as one of Gidget's newest friends and decided to Friend her and say, "Hi." After chatting for a while they decided to start dating.

You may know his big brother Gilos Dawnhope (Ben Passmore) 1st King of the Burning Lands. Caspin Tree has been a long time player of Amtgard who is enjoying sharing his passion for the game with someone whom he hope to spend many years to come with.

Muhja has made a persona change to Taraan Coldheart. So, all future references from here on out will be by this name... :)

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Persona wise she is still trying to find her way in the would. Though, she loved her first persona, it was to be short lived.

Character Story

Muhja bint Yusur al-Ward literally translates to Heart's blood; Soul daughter of Joseph of house/family Ward. She is the only daughter of Joseph bastard son of a Norman Noble, he joined the crusades after his father bought his spurs, as well as his way into the Knights Templar. He was sent to Temple Mount, Jerusalem. Where he made his way through his many years of service and was granted title/land. During a siege of a Pasha's palace, he came across a female slave that was locked away in a gilded room. He saw her beauty and took her for his prize. For he thought that if she was locked in a gilded room, she must be worth more than just her beauty.

Well, that thought was correct, turns out that she was no common Harem girl or wife of the Pasha. She was the Pasha's own child by his first wife. The reason that she was locked away was because it was rumored that her mother had been taken by a Jin and she was the progeny of this capture. So, it is natural to fear a Jin, even a half Jin. Thus she was locked away for fear that she would draw evil to the Pasha and his sons.

Time passes and he comes to love her. He sets her free only to make her his wife. Fetah was a good and loyal wife with a temper as fearsome as her love for her family. Out of this love comes Muhja, but also the sad loss of her mother Fetah. Muhja is raised with stories of her brave father's battles and her beloved mother's courage. As the years pass she is given all the best her father could afford to give her. Tudors to teach her, language, art, mathematics, herbs, and what ever else she wanted to learn. With the rare bit of sword play with her father, so she would know how to defend herself.

Year upon year passed till she came of an age to be married and leave her father's house. Though, try as he might he could not find a proper husband for her due to the rumors of her mother's Jin bloodlines. So, he accepts his daughters wish to stay an see to his house. Eventually time wastes us all away, as it did come to pass for Joseph. With his death Muhja was left without a protector, but far from helpless. She sold everything she could, set the slaves free with enough coin to help them make a new start for themselves.

She remembered her father telling her of where he was from and what is was like for him as he grew up. Muhja bought passage for her and those in her household that wished to go with her to the land of her father, a cold harsh place called Wales...

Weeks pass as they move from port to port, slowly sailing ever west. One day a great storm blew all around the ship. With each gust of wind and breaking of the waves over the sides of the ship, the ship took on more water till the point that it started to sink. As the ship was tossed and the people on board began to panic, a large part of the ships mast broke away and hit Muhja on the head knocking her out and over the side of the ship....

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Rise of Taraan Coldheart

Wind blowing against the tightly shuttered windows and the hiss of rain hitting the fire as it came down the chimney or what passes as one. She tried to moved her arm to block out out the meager light assaulting her eyes and making her head hurt worse. Letting out a moan as she made the effort to move her all to heavy limbs.

"Ah, your awake now. I had begun to wonder if you were ever going to," came a voice from just beyond the dim light of the fire. She could not tell if it was male or female. She was certain she had not made it up in her head, because it hurt to much to be making up voices out of no where.

"What is your name gel, I would like to know who I saved. Your not from one of those slave ships?... Course your not. You are dressed to fine to be a slave, a fancy slave maybe, but I think not. So what do they call you," on she rambled to herself. Paying no mind weather she got answers or not. The voice being much more clearly female, and very old.

Rubbing at the bandage on her head, she tried to think clearer. 'Why does what she says sound so strange and yet obviously she understood the old crone.' again a pain in her head made her cringe as the old woman fumbled around with what sounded like wooden bowls and heavy pots. Then came the sounds of crockery being moved around on shelves, all the while mumbling to herself about this and that.

With a start she jumped as the crone came nose to nose with her, "I asked you more times than I am old, what is your name? I know you can understand me. You understood when I told you I was going to make you better and I did. Now drink this!" Taking the cup as the old woman helped her to sit up. Sniffing the contents of the cup, she made a face. Sniffing at it again she tried to figure out the foul brews makings. She could make out the hints of this and that, but the very strong aroma of Mugwort. Why or how should she be sure it was the smell of Mugwort.

"It won't taste any better cold and won't work half as well. So, drink it down or I will force it down the hard way. Did not raise three sons and not learned a thing or two about getting my brews down. That's right," She moved with a limp back to the corner she had come from to rummage up another brew.

Her head still foggy and hurting, she drank down the brew. Making a face and a yacking sound she tossed the wooden cup in the direction of the crone. With a cackle she side-steps the cup as it hit the wall with a thud.

"Now what is your name or am I to call you gel all the time?"

Trying to think of her own name, it just would not come to her. She could not remember who she was or where she was, "I know not..."

"What you say gel? I do not think your speech is right."

She tried again this time picking the right words that matched the crones speech, "I said, 'I know not.' I can not remember anything, and what I think I do remember is all jumbled or a blur or sound and images. I wish I had a name to give you, but I do not."

No, matter. You took a nasty bump to the head, so that may be the cause of you not remembering and all. You do need a name though. What shall we call you. Now as I did not think you would live and your skin was as cold as ice when I found you, but you have a strong willed heart. Coldheart would be a good start to a new life. Says, you are not weak willed. Now for a proper name," She limped to the fire and poked it with a stick to stir the embers and placed a log on the hearth to catch. "I always wanted a daughter named Taaran, had me my three sons, but no daughter. Yes, we will call you Taaran. Fits you to. Taaran it is."

Trying out the name in her head and then mouthing it to get a feel for the words. She tries to put herself into the name as much as tries to see if it fit her. Though, it sounded odd to her ears and strange on her tongue, she felt that it was not a bad name to have if one could not remember her own. "So, Taaran Coldheart it is then. Just until I can remember my own that is. Thank you for the gift of your daughter's name."

Waving her bony handy in the air, "It is just a name. It is of no use to a old crone like myself. What use do I have for it."

"True enough, but would you have not wanted one of your sons to name their daughter Taaran?"

"That is the beauty of a name it can be used over and over, but I will have no granddaughters or grandsons to name. None of my sons breath still. They died long ago, so you need not show me the pity, that clearly is forming on your face. I grieved for them once and will no more."

"What is your name or am I to call you, 'Old Crone?'"

With a laugh that resembled more of a cackle then a laugh she said, "Meta, the use to call me Meta. Though, now I am called many things and among them is Old Crone. I live at the edge of the sea for a reason gel, and yet they still come. Not welcome to live among them, but yet they still come. For brews to heal their coughs, potions to clear their boils. Despite the names, they come and they will too. Till they burn me or I am as cold as the ground at mid-winter, they will come."

Affiliated Groups

ZEN (Recruit)

Belted Family

Sir Jinx Mercates,

   -Squire Hazard Havaar, 
       ~WAA Taaran Coldheart 

Notable Accomplishments

Winter 2012 A&S Champion - Given by Baron Hazard & Regent Kylara - HO, October 2012

Additional Images

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More Information

• Personal Website
• Company Website

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• ORK