Amara Briarwood (Art by rlinarts)
Amara Briarwood was a powerful mage, necromancer, and the wife of Sylas Briarwood. She and her husband were one of the deadliest adversaries of the Dark Swordsman Party and were in the service of Dormammu.
Appearance[]
Amara was a beautiful woman with dark auburn hair, pulled up into a tight braided bun. She wore a blue and black gown that had a long, billowing skirt which tapered up to be form-fitting at the waist and bodice, with a neckline that wrapped nearly to her jaw. She also wore gloves on her hands and only removed them when performing a powerful dark spell.
Overview[]
Amara and her husband were among the noble elites within the Nilfgaardian Empire though it is unknown which vassal state of Nilfgaard they lorded over. Nevertheless, the Briarwoods were known for their connections and power over the lands. Amara had studied briefly at Gweison Haul in Vicovaro as part of her training as a mage. She was one of the more talented students at the academy and showed great potential to where was appointed the Archmage of Antiquity on the Cerberus Assembly.
At some point during Amara's time on the Cerberus Assembly, Sylas became sick from the Catriona plague, a disease that no one could seem to cure. Amara, therefore, set out to find something or someone who could help her husband. Though she found a cure on her quest, she returned too late and found that Sylas had already passed. Amara was devastated by Sylas's death and became obsessed with pursuing means, through magic and meditation, that could perhaps bring him back. One day, she was screaming her frustration outside in the swamp of Vizima when a voice whispered back: "I can help you." Amara would later learn this voice belonged to Andariel.
She was given whispered directions by Andariel, which she followed unquestioningly in her grief. These directions eventually led her to one of Drath Mephruhn's old laboratories. There, on condition of her service to Dormammu, she was given information about the necromantic rites of vampirism. This allowed her to bring Sylas back as a vampire, but the rite also bound his existence to Dormammu, bringing the couple both into service to the Lord of Chaos. Now bound to Dormammu's service, the Briarwoods would begin harnessing hundreds of souls to feed Drath Mephruhn's phylacteries in order to reconstitute his body and continue the arcane ritual which would bring Dormammu unto Earth.
Personality[]
Amara is incredibly cunning and intelligent as well as ruthless, cold, and willful. She is strategically minded, clearly being the mastermind behind the Briarwoods' plans in Whitestone. Despite this ruthless nature, she is genuinely loving and devoted to her husband, willing to do anything to preserve their life together.