Ala

Overview

Ala is a young suur of the Concent of Saunt Edhar noted for brisk, practical leadership—especially around bell work and crowded moments near the Mynster. She chose the New Circle at Eliger, helped set up a discreet pinhole projection of the sun with close peers, and was later named during Voco.

Appearance and Traits

Forthright, brisk, and decisive. Small and bony, with a round head, large eyes, a delicate sharp nose, and a wide mouth; she keeps her hair cropped short. Her manner shifts easily from command to collaboration when a practical path is clear.

Roles and Actions

• Bell work and mentoring: organizes and rehearses ringers, spends time in the Mynster’s lower works maintaining mechanisms and practicing unfamiliar changes, and passes techniques to younger girls.
• Discreet observation: with Suur Tulia, darkened a maintenance room beneath the carillon to project the sun safely. Together with Fraa Erasmas, marked brief blue-white "sparks" on the projected disk for later analysis.
• Night‑sky observation (recalled): Erasmas later remarks that he and Ala saw bright flashes overhead, which he interprets as nuclear drive bursts associated with a change in the orbit of the visitors’ icosahedral craft; this interpretation is his.
• Evocation: during Voco her name was called and she departed under the authority of the Saecular Power.

Relationships

• Suur Tulia: Long‑standing working partner in chores, bell work, and quiet study; Tulia is traveling with intent to find Ala at Saunt Tredegarh, which should be treated as intent rather than confirmation of Ala’s presence there.
• Fraa Erasmas: Collaborator on the pinhole observation. The two agreed to declare an Etrevanean liaison that was not entered before later events. He composes and mails a brief letter to Ala, addressed care of the Concent of Saunt Tredegarh. While later traveling across the north, he drifts into a daydream of a celebratory supper there where fraas and suurs raise glasses to them for their pinhole camera observations; this is presented as his imagination rather than a report of her whereabouts. During a shipboard Kelx service, Erasmas mentions Ala as an example while reflecting on the faith’s serialized storytelling; no direct contact occurs in that scene. Later, when a contingent from the Ringing Vale (Math) reaches the north, he entrusts a longer letter for Ala to them to carry toward Tredegarh; Fraa Osa agrees to bear it with other notes for friends at the Convox.

Current Status

Evoked during Voco and departed Saunt Edhar; subsequent whereabouts are not confirmed from within the community. Tulia travels toward Saunt Tredegarh hoping to find her. A letter has been mailed to Ala care of the Concent of Saunt Tredegarh; per Discipline, such mail may be held until her next Apert. Delivery or reply has not been shown. In addition, a longer letter has been entrusted to Ringing Vale avout for carriage toward Tredegarh; actual delivery has not been shown.