MASTERHEALER IMIYA

Persona : Imiya
Writing Status : PC/Active
Age : 43
Gender : Female
Rank/Craft : Masterhealer, specializing in surgery and burns
Residence : Thread's End Weyr

Physical Description : Imiya stands slightly below average height for a Pernese woman, although age and the birth of a child have not softened her form as she is kept working hard through her strenuous schedule. Her black hair is cut into a bob with the edges softened so as not to create a harsh contrast with her pale skin, rosy cheeks and grey eyes. Imiya's beautiful oval eyes shine with youthful exuberance still despite the wrinkles that line their corners.

Imiya prefers to wear trousers to hide the mechanical leg that her friend, a Master Metalsmith, crafted for her after an accident caused her to lose her left leg from the knee down. Having coped with this injury for so many Turns, the only sign of the false limb is a limp and the sound of well-oiled metal joints.

Personality : Always seeming one step ahead of her staff, it is and will always be Imiya's goal to make sure that her infirmary runs like clockwork and most of the time she achieves this goal with only a few deviations every now and again. Imiya is a resourceful and quick thinking woman as is necessary for the woman who runs such an important area within the Weyr and often this part of the Master Healer's nature has saved the life of an unfortunate person. Imiya can in a fleeting moment go from being coolly efficient to a warm-hearted healer ready to listen to her patients' needs. It is the Master's firm belief that a friendly bedside manner can have as much of an effect upon a patient's recovery as any poultice or medicine.

While some people may have seen such an injury as Imiya has as the ending of their career, this woman decided that it was nothing more than another challenge in her already challenging lifestyle. To those who believe she is unable to fulfil her duties she says that nothing short of being staked out for Thread would take her away from her craft. Very few people have been left in doubt of the truth of such a statement.

Cheerful and the life of many social gatherings, when she is outside of the Infirmary she is a most amiable person indeed, although people never forget what a formidable person she can become. Over the turns she has had many suitors and while it is no secret that she has been fond of many men in her life, she has never settled down claiming that she learned her mistake at a young age and will rely only upon herself in future.

Life Story : Imiya was born on a hot summer's day to the wife of a caravan leader as her father's caravan trundled across Telgar territory. Had it not been for the skills of a healer travelling to Telgar Hold with the trader family it is likely that, because of complications, Imiya and her mother would have died that day. Yet, as both mother and daughter survived, Imiya's mother promised that as soon as she was old enough, Imiya would be sent to the Healer Hall so that in time she too could save lives.
Imiya seemed born for a life on the road, she always had a restlessness about her; a need to explore new places and to sleep under the stars. Imiya's mother watched this aspect of her daughter's nature with sadness knowing that she would not go back on her promise.

At first Imiya rebelled against the decision of her parents but in the end she accepted their decision and promised to learn as best as she could at the Healer Hall. While her trader background set her apart from the other pupils and made it difficult to make friends, Imiya found happiness at the Hall in achieving in her studies and eventually she did make a few close friends within her class. After a while, however, her restlessness set in and she began to dream of moving to a new place. Upon walking the tables she immediately asked to transfer to the Weyr in hopes of expanding her horizons.

Life at the Weyr was very different to both the lives of a crafter from the Healer Hall and a trader but it was at Fort Weyr that Imiya found herself most fulfilled in her craft – saving those who kept Pern safe from Thread. It was at the Weyr that the young healer came into her own, having chosen the two specialities of surgery and the treatment of burns - both skills being vitally important to the treatment of dragonriders returning from Threadfall with scoring.

Life at Fort Weyr did not only fulfil Imiya with regard to her career but also her heart. A brownrider called P'saf courted Imiya for four Turns before she finally gave into his advances and the two became weyrmates. They lived happily for another turn, until she announced she was pregnant with their child at which point their budding relationship gradually started to turn sour and P'saf was often absent from their weyr, on some form of Weyr business, or so he told her. While nagging doubt started to creep into her mind, Imiya decided to think the best of P'saf and went on about her daily business, refusing to give up her post even when her belly had become noticeably larger. Her expertise were so greatly needed that although she was advised to take things easy, the Weyr Healer grudgingly allowed Imiya to continue with her work.

She was six months into her pregnancy when an event happened that changed her life. A dragonrider had been brought into the Infirmary screaming incoherently and Imiya was the first healer to reach him. Tearing off his riding jacket, it was all too late that she noticed the piece of Thread that had somehow managed to survive the trip /between/ within the garment's folds. With barely time to scream, Imiya felt the Thread hit her left leg just above the knee. The pain of the organism searing through her flesh was too much for the pregnant woman's senses and she lost consciousness. When she came to, Imiya was told that while her baby was safe, the Master Healer had been forced to remove her leg to stop the Thread from killing her and her unborn child. Imiya lapsed into a silent depression, believing that her career was over, and she barely realised that P'saf had not bothered to visit her until one day he sauntered into the Infirmary. In no uncertain terms he told her that he would not be associated with a cripple who couldn't protect herself from Thread and that he never wanted to see her or their unborn child again.

Many other people might have lapsed further into melancholy at hearing such things said, but for Imiya this was just the wake-up call she needed. Vowing to attain her Mastery and to show her child all the love she could, Imiya was determined to prove P'saf wrong. Soon after the birth of her son, Iyanon, the healer asked a friend of hers, Master Metalsmith Kinen, to fashion a jointed false leg for her so that she could return to her duties with as little fuss as possible. With her mobility restored, Imiya decided to leave Fort Weyr for a while and returned to her parents' caravan to be surrounded by those who would never hurt her and who could offer the encouragement she needed. She travelled with them for a few Turns until her mother convinced her to return to Fort Weyr and work towards her Mastery. A Master she did indeed become and worked happily at Fort for many Turns, watching her only son follow her into the Healer craft. But recently, Imiya felt her feet start to itch again for adventure and a move further than just around Fort territory. The Master Healer's sights were set upon Thread's End and with a heart full of anticipation and a mind wondering at what new experiences the South would bring, she stepped aboard the Dolphin's Quest to be taken across the Southern Sea to Thread's End Weyr.

Pet Name : Splodge
Pet Species : Feline
Pet Color : Ginger

Pet Description : Splodge has been Imiya's constant companion for the past five Turns. The ginger feline was once nothing more than a scrawny stray until Imiya decided to adopt him and since then he has been thoroughly spoiled and grown considerably in size. Now Imiya affectionately calls him 'The Lump.' Splodge is affectionate and often people are suddenly accosted by a large, heavy feline settling himself on their laps. People who know about Splodge often prefer to stand rather than sit in the seat opposite from the Master Healer.

Last updated on 28-Aug-05.