Fern

About Fern

Fern is Frieren's apprentice, a young mage raised by the priest Heiter after her parents died in the war. Serious, organised and far more mature than her teacher, she handles the cooking, the mornings and the scolding in their little party. Her talent for hiding her mana makes her a dangerous fighter, and her quiet bond with Frieren is the heart of the journey north.

Appearance

Fern is a young human mage with very long purple hair, usually worn loose with a small section tied back, and calm purple eyes that give her a serious, composed look. She dresses in practical travelling clothes, a white blouse, long skirt and boots, and carries a slender wooden staff. Since her sixteenth birthday she has worn a butterfly-shaped hair ornament given to her by Frieren. She moves and speaks with a neatness that contrasts with her teacher's carelessness, and although she is still in her late teens, strangers usually take her for the adult of the pair.

Personality

Fern is serious, diligent and quietly stubborn. Orphaned young and raised by an old priest, she grew up fast: she manages the party's mornings, money and meals, and sulks, politely but unmistakably, when Frieren wastes time or money on grimoires. She hides her feelings behind a flat expression, which makes her rare anger and rare smiles equally powerful. As a mage she is disciplined to an unusual degree, suppressing her mana so completely that even experts misjudge her. Her bond with Frieren is the heart of the journey: part daughter, part carer, part fellow professional.

Background & Story

Fern lost her parents in the war with the demons and was taken in as a small child by Heiter, the priest of the old hero party, who raised her in his village and taught her the basics of magic. Heiter knew he was dying, so when Frieren visited, he persuaded her to take Fern on as an apprentice, his quiet final gift to both of them. Fern trained under Frieren for years, mastering the discipline of hiding her mana, and after Heiter's death she set out with her teacher on the journey north. Practical, organised and far more mature than her master, Fern cooks, plans and scolds her way along the road while growing into a mage of rare talent.

Powers & Abilities

• Rapid-Fire Zoltraak: Fern casts basic offensive magic with extraordinary speed and efficiency, overwhelming enemies with a relentless barrage of Zoltraak bolts.
• Perfect Mana Concealment: Trained by Frieren, Fern can suppress her mana so completely that even great mages and demons cannot sense her true strength.
• Defensive Magic: Fern maintains strong magical barriers and is precise enough to defend and attack in the same motion.

Key Relationships

• Frieren: Her teacher in magic and the centre of her life; Fern scolds her constantly and would not leave her side for anything.
• Heiter: The priest who adopted and raised her, and who quietly arranged for Frieren to take her in before he died.
• Stark: Her fellow traveller, the two bicker like siblings and slowly grow close on the road north.

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