Emilia Halford

''"You are not a monster." --Emilia, to Rikkert Velnaar''

Emilia Halford is a major supporting character in the Legends of Altmar campaign. She was a temporary party member and is one of the party's closest friends during the story. Emilia is a young Taran noblewoman, who later joins the party on their adventures and eventually rises to the throne of Strombran.

Biography
Emilia is the second daughter of Tarkin Halford, Count of Strombran. Growing up she always admired the Cagilan Empire for the social progress they had made, particularly with regards to slavery. She resented her father for keeping slaves toiling in the mines and for his overbearing nature. An empathetic girl at heart, she often secretly brought food and water to slaves behind her father's back, and often dreamed of escaping Strombran to live in the cosmopolitan Empire. When her sister married a Taran nobleman and left for Garad Estus, she felt alone and trapped within Strombran's iron walls. She had been courted by many nobles for political prospects including Oscar Heyvald before escaping Strombran with the party.

Threat From Beyond
Emilia first met Rikkert and Baravio in passing as they walked through the snowy streets of Strombran, and the rest of the party as they stayed overnight in Halford Manor. After quickly developing an attracting to Rikkert, she decided to sneak out of the city and follow them as they made their way to Fallharbour. Desiring a life of romance and adventure away from her overbearing father, she pleaded with the party to let her join them, which they reluctantly did. While in Fallharbour, Baravio helped outfit Emilia with proper adventuring equipment and Niavara attempted to teach her how to shoot a crossbow. She nervously hid behind Rikkert when Jon Goren confronted the party about the Earth Stone and became somewhat unsure of her new life when she learned about the demonic vanguard the party stopped in Ithilia, and when the party came into conflict with Fallharbour's Magicians.

Bad Tidings
Emilia teleported with the party to Heen, where she immediately vomited on the shoes of Heen's Mother, Anise. Her faith in the Empire was somewhat shaken after witnessing the destruction within Heen and the atrocities committed by the Marauding Captain. Her unease with adventuring life continues as the party enters Vice. She was appalled by the social stratification within the city and the deplorable conditions of Feldrin's Gate. She became frightened when the party began dealing with Vice's criminal underbelly, and broke down after the party took off after the corrupted Blackheart, realizing that she was not meant for adventuring. She abandoned the party and ran away, fleeing the city. Not long after her escape she was picked up by The Arsonists, a group of adventurers seeking the bounty for her safe return. After travelling with them towards Strombran against her will, she met Rikkert and Alia in Sendberg and ran off with them. She traveled with them along the Southern Means where she was captured alongside them by Reince who threatened her life. After she, Alia, Oscar, and Rikkert escaped she reached Garad Estus where she was reunited with her sister Caitlyn. While the party was adventuring in the mountains, she received news that Tarkin Halford was assassinated and the she was to be taken back to Strombran. Upon the advice of the rest of the party, Emilia returned to Strombran.

Personality
Emilia is an optimistic girl, though very naive. She has a good heart and hates to see suffering in the world. She has a very high opinion of the Cagilan Empire as she sees it as progressive, though this opinion has fallen after learning about some atrocities committed under the Empire's banner. She is nervous about her role as a leader but is determined to make the most of it. While she is clearly inexperienced and not cut out for the perils of adventuring, she has a strong heart.

Alia Ashfeld
Alia and Emilia have a very strong bond, and she sees Alia as a big-sister figure, where her own sister was absent after her marriage to Darren Lacewind. Emilia relies on Alia for guidance both practical and emotional, while Alia is determined to protect Emilia at all costs. She sees Alia as a role model and seeks to emulate the strength and charisma of the wayward knight.

Rikkert Velnaar
Emilia was immediately enamored with Rikkert as he appeared as a rugged handsome warrior. While her attraction was very quickly rebuffed, she still maintains feelings for him, though in a way she also sees him in a fatherly manner, considering her poor relationship with her real father, and his desire to protect and guide her. She also respects his level-headedness and prowess in combat. She feels a close bond with Rikkert and hangs on his every word, and considers him very dear to her.

Baravio Lanar
While Baravio is indifferent towards her, Emilia enjoys Baravio's company a great deal and finds him very funny and charming. His skill with magic interests her, though she does not care for the Magicians. Though his hatred of the empire and his indifference towards most of the sobering things she encountered in Vice disappoint her, she considers him her good friend.

Tarkin Halford
Emilia does not get along with her father as their values differ a great deal. She considers him lost in the past, and despises that he keeps slaves in their city and forces them to work. While she does love her father, his overbearing and overprotective nature suffocated her and lead her to run away from the city with the party.

Appearances

 * Threat From Beyond
 * Adventures in Strombran
 * Forbidden Knowledge
 * Bad Tidings
 * Revelations
 * Blackheart
 * Monsters Get Slain
 * The Wind Walker's Aerie
 * Bad Tidings

Trivia

 * Emilia has the most appearances of any NPC with 7
 * Emilia's class is rogue, though she did not gain this level until after Chapter 6.