Laila Yardley

Destined from birth to serve, Laila has forever denied her fate. Born in Yen Su Ma to the judicial Yardley family of Sorona's Crest, Laila had no interest in an impartial life. She would frequently escape into the Sunwise Woods, connecting with nature. The creatures of the woods spoke to her, an experience she would reciprocate on a spiritual level. Only briefly did Laila consider trying to be the daughter her family wanted, before fleeing into the woods to start anew.   Laila lived peacefully among the animals, finding an elevated kinship with the birds. The longer she spent among the creatures of the forest the more secrets they shared with her. They whispered of dangers and threats that transcended the forest from beyond the veil. The warnings terrified Laila so she sought aid to confirm what her friends were saying. In her quest for answers, Laila found the Order of the Veil and a new home.   Among the Order Laila found her family, a group dedicated to serving Dromaria through nature and protection. When the Demon War began Laila changed once again, taking to battle with fervor. Asking the predators of the air for their aid, she protected Stonehome against the invasion. The embers named her “Songbird,” a voice that drew the birds to her side, an endless flock of perfect murmuration, swirling and swooping to her command.   During the battle of the Shifting Citadel, where the boundary of the world was thinnest, Laila held the outer walls against Lucca’s forces, driving them away in a chorus of feathers and talons. In the wake of her victory, Laila was tasked with guarding the Citadel, where she has remained since.   Located within the Thorn Territory, the Shifting Citadel is within the boundaries of the Odelian Order's control. The structure’s nature changes constantly and is among the highest threats currently active on Dromaria. Laila and the Order have been at odds since her appointment, and she refuses to give them access. While Thorn pushes politically for Laila’s ousting, she continues to hold her post, monitoring the skies with her avian allies.