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Yrsa was apprenticed to a elven wizard, who once served in the original Legion of Thunder. She was among a number of students, each assigned their own specialty. Yrsa's responsibility was to conduct research in dusty libraries amidst moldy pages and worn tomes, searching for cryptic clues to further the arcane abilities of the wizard, and by proxy, the group. This was certainly boring work.
A pivotal moment in Yrsa's life came when she was ordered to travel to an archaeological dig of an ancient ruin, where she was granted permission to browse the ruined books scattered throughout. Many tomes had irreparable damage and could no longer be read. But in a cracked vault, behind the remains of a rotted bookshelf, Yrsa found what appeared to be a small journal encased in petrified wood, bound by similarly-hardened vines as wiry as spun steel. She marveled at the book's construction and how it had survived the centuries, and she opened the pages eagerly. Yrsa's heart skipped; the script was ancient and unfamiliar except for a slight semblance to elvish.
She could barely make out any of the words, but the pages were readable. Yrsa spent hours in that vault, poring over the book's contents and struggling to reference commonalities in the script. Eventually she began to discern a vague understanding that this journal was of the ancient fey, a tabulation of possible rites and ceremonies designed to appease the Lords and Ladies.
Something else, though, poked at Yrsa's mind as she read. It was as if this revelation of knowledge transcended the pages themselves and had tapped the nascent blood flowing within her veins. Yrsa began to see writhing, dancing silhouettes at the very edge of reality. She started to smell the base, musky scent of primordial woodland. She heard the heady sighs and hot breath of distant laughter like faint chimes on a spring breeze. Her cheeks flushed red as an ancient power rose within her body.
Yrsa returned to her Master, but something inside her chose to lie about her discovery. The book became special and personal to her; the more she read, the more she began to understand. Whenever she could, she would steal glances at the book. She'd transcribe the text into a readable form at first, then later she began to develop a better comprehension of the Old Sylvan such that her notes became questions and reminders of further study.
Her master seemed to notice her lack of attention to her work. When the call came to reform the Legion, Yrsa's master decided it would be the perfect opportunity for her to regain her focus, and he sent her to Borma as a new recruit. Yrsa was annoyed by this change of direction, but she dutifully packed her belongings and joined the ranks, the ancient journal tucked safely within the folds of her robes.
Half-Elf Warlock, with The Archfey patron. The purpose of the book in this backstory is that (if I survive) I will choose the Pact of the Tome.