Physical Traits
Hair: Medium brown; Meredith’s hair is long, reaching to the end of her back, and several curly. She has no bangs, but she does keep two strands in front of her ears that she straightens. She tends to put her hair in half styles, mostly to show off her curls.
Eyes: Light orange
Complexion: Dark; more of a light almond color than Caucasian
Height: 5’6”
Build: Average, although extremely thin and tiny looking. She has no muscle on her anywhere, and she looks frailer than one would think.
Distinguishing Features: One hole in each ear, plus two cartilage rings in each;, an eyebrow ring in her left eyebrow; countless freckles on her face.

Mental Statistics
Strengths: Meredith is very determined to become all she can be, and do anything it takes to get to that level. However, she does have a firm set of morals that sometimes conflicts with those actions, and she goes with her gut than what she is told in those cases. She is a bit over friendly at times, wanting to be liked an accepted by people around her, but she does know when not to overstep boundaries. She is patient and understanding, ready to do just about anything for those she deems worthy.
Weaknesses: Meredith is still a bit too inexperienced at life to fully understand it’s complexities. She has a hard time understanding people and why they do certain things, and is sometimes a bit too gullible for her own good. It is very easy to convince her to do something for you. She can also be a bit hardheaded at times, thinking her way is best. She is slowly learning to listen to others with more experience and better ideas, but it is a trait that takes time to dispose of.
Fears: Mostly, she fears being rejected in life. She also fears failure, and having her whole life turn out to be meaningless. More physically, she fears anything that crawls on more than four legs, or no legs, as well as rats and fish.
Favorites:
   Food: strawberries
   Color: pale green
   Music: Classical music (anything by a piano or violin)
   In General: being around people, hearing a good song, reading
Least Favorites:
   Food: carrots
   Color: brown
   Music: rap or anything harsh with a bad tone
   In General: people talking too loud, interruptions, failing a spell
Hobbies: reading new spells, learning new spells, reading
Talents: fire magic, piano, ice skating

Personality: Meredith, in general, is an innocent girl who’s still learning about the world around her. Her curiosity knows no bounds, and she finds herself in trouble a lot of times because of it. Fiercely loyal, she seeks to make as many friends as she can, although there are very few she considers true friends. She’ll do just about anything for those she deems worthy. She can switch from serious to informal and back in a matter of seconds at times, but she does know when to be each. In all, Meredith is a fun loving girl who’s a bit laid back and friendly, eager to listen and help out where she can.

Family Statistics
Mother: Gaines Iria Lapsley (nee Argyris): Born September 14, 1955 in Exustio, Adria; died July 14, 1996. Gaines was a kind woman in her youth, seeking to help others in any way she could. Seven children later, she had become hardened, seeking only time for herself in anyway she could. She had stopped caring about others, even as far as to ignore her children, and took to alcohol most of the time to ease her pains.
Father: Alden Garrison Lapsley: Born March 14, 1950 in Aduro, Ignis. Alden is a quick witted man who looks for his advantage wherever he can. While he knows his station in life will never change, he still seeks out the best of it, and finds joy in the smallest things. His greatest joy is his family, and he wants nothing more than their happiness.
Sibling(s): Burle Elliot Lapsley: Born July 9, 1973 in Aduro, Ignis; died February 17, 1997 . Burle, despite his station, quickly found himself rising above all others, both in the eyes of his parents and his Master. He could do no wrong, and he created this vision of himself that was far beyond what he is. As such, he has a high and mighty attitude, and expects things to be done his way. At the time of his death, he was married with one child, but both his son and wife died before him.

Kaelyn Gardenia Clark (nee Lapsley): Born July 18, 1977 in Aduro, Ignis died November 16, 1996. Being the first born daughter, it is Kaelyn’s expectation to become the perfect lady, to do everything she is told without hesitation. As such, she has become rebellious, refusing to do anything unless where is a ‘please’ attached to it. She’s taken it upon herself to become higher in life, and has married the Lord of a neighboring village, much to her family’s surprise. Unfortunately, even that didn’t stop the illness that claimed her life, as well as her husband’s.

Ida Lillian Lapsley: Born May 8, 1979 in Aduro, Ignis; died September 8, 1996. Ida, being the third child, was the first to witness the lax parenting of her mother. While she was certainly a mother’s girl, and her mother did take care of her, it was her father she saw more often. Still, she mimicked her mother, preferring to let others do hard labor for her. She was a constant source of worry within her family, fearing she would die an old maid. However, she succumbed to her illness as she was planning her wedding.

Darrel Hanley Lapsley: Born August 14, 1983 in Aduro, Ignis; died September 28, 1996. Darrel was the fourth child, but the second son, and he was given the attention of a first born. His mother praised everything he did, and could find no fault in her son. However, Darrel wasn’t a bright boy, having mental problems that everyone could see. He was given only the simplest of tasks, growing less and less complicated as he grew older. However, he was a friendly boy, willing to do anything asked of him, and his family was greatly disappointed he didn’t live longer.

Macon Bradley Lapsely: Born July 19, 1986 in Aduro, Ignis. Macon turned out to be the black sheep of the family, being bright and witty like his father, and able to outsmart his master most of the time. He finished his duties quickly so he could hide away in the library to read and learn, teaching himself to read at an early age. Of all the siblings, he and his younger sister get along the best, acting more like the siblings they are, unlike the rest of them.

Ella Loretta Lapsley: Born October 21, 1990 in Aduro, Ignis; died December 6, 1996. Ella, being the last child, was raised primarily by her older siblings. Kaelyn primarily had the care of the baby, since her mother deemed it time for her daughter to start learning how to raise children. As a result, Ella acted more like Kaelyn than what was expected of her. However, she didn’t get to experience life as much as her siblings, and, as such, didn’t have time to develop a concrete personality.
Uncle: Orion Adelais Argyris: Born November 15, 1951 in Exustio, Adria. Orion was born the oldest child of Master Mages, and was expected at a very young age to excel at magic. His family was shocked to learn he was a Fire Mage, and sent him off to train under the best. He has accomplished much in his life, married at an early age, and having six children. Currently, he plans on retirement, taking his parents former place at the Council of Elders.

Primary Home Language: Igni, which is very similar to Latin.
Nationality: Igni; born in Aduro, Ignis.

History

Meredith was born the sixth child and third daughter of Gaines and Alden Lapsley. They were members of the upper-middle class, since Alden was a mechanic in a highly exalted repair shop. However, with five other children in the house, Meredith had to do without more often than not. By the time she was born, her mother was tired of raising children, and her older siblings had to care for her most of the time.

The one who seemed most willing to help, besides her eleven year old sister, was her two year old brother, Macon. The two grew exceptionally close, since they were the youngest of the family. Macon understood how the family worked, and tired to help Meredith understand, despite her young age. Both proved to be exceptionally bright, and Alden, knowing his wife was slowing becoming a stranger to him, started taking more care of his youngest.

At the age of two, another member joined the family, another sister. Meredith had wanted to be like Macon and help take care of Ella, but Macon didn’t seem to care as much for his baby sister, and, as such, would pull his favorite sister away most of the time. At that point, Kaelyn started caring for Ella, and treated her baby sister like her own baby. Meredith felt better knowing that Ella would be well taken care of.

Meredith started to show signs of her magic at the age of four, which is actually later than most. Her uncle Orion, who had been away on business for most of her life, had finally returned and would look after the children when Alden could not. Orion was a Fire Mage, one of the most respected in his field. He was Gaines’ brother, but she didn’t show signs of magic, nor did any of her other children. He would play games with his nieces and nephew, and was quite taken back when Meredith was actually able to manipulate the flame back.

It was unusual to have one member of a family to be a Fire Mage, but to have two in such close generations was unheard of. Meredith was sent off to be tested, and she was accepted into the Aduro Academy of Mages the following year. While she developed later in life, it was clear that this didn’t effect her power, as she could set fire to thing without even touching them. Her power is hard to control sometimes, and even today, in uncontrolled emotional outbursts, she can still set fire to things.

Being such a young child, Meredith was able to remain at home, and thus, was there to experience Macon’s transformation. Alden had inadvertently angered a Mage when he refused service to him, and, as such, was punished by having his youngest son turned into a cat. The Mage told Alden that he would return to take the spell off when he felt Alden had suffered enough, but the family suspects that the Mage has long since died. The problem with that is that only the Mage who placed the spell can take it off.

To add insult to injury, not three months later, an outbreak of an incurable disease spread across Aduro. Not even the Mages were safe from it. Within six months, over half the town had been wiped out, include all but four of the Lapsley’s. Gaines succumbed first, then the two oldest still living at home around Meredith’s eighth birthday. Word came two months later that Kaelyn and her new family didn’t survive, and then the youngest Lapsley contracted the disease.

It was after the initial outbreak that word came that the oldest Lapsley had passed, although with his family, leaving only three of the nine member family. Meredith has no clue how their father survive, but she suspected that herself being a Fire Mage and her brother being a cat helped them survive. Her uncle Orion moved in to help their father, as his wife had passed on, and his children, the ones who survived, lived on their own.

Life went on, unfortunately, and Meredith’s studied grew increasingly difficult. When she was thirteen, she transferred to the main Academy in Exulto, Adria, far from her home. Her uncle once again occupied her, this time to take a teaching position. There, the students were given rein of the city, helping the older students and experienced Mages defend to town against unnatural things.

Meredith was fourteen when she first met the King of the Vampires, Kipling Korbin. Both were so startled by each other that neither attacked, unsure what to make of the other. Meredith’s experience with vampires up until that point involved the stereotypical vampire, the ones that just sought blood and to kill humans. Kipling, on the other hand, seemed almost human himself, which is why she couldn’t bring herself to attack him.

They encountered each other several times after that incident, but he has never tried to harm her. Meredith, however, started to try out a few of her fighting moves on him, such that they would actually meet after dark so he could help train her, since she was rather no good at it. She wasn’t quite sure how the hell she became friends with a vampire, but she has also learned to just go with what life hands her.

Macon, however, having also come to Exulto to be her familiar (their father moved to the city shortly after she transferred, since it was easier for both of them), is disgust with Kipling, and only his love for Meredith keeps him from saying anything. And the fact that she’s never been harmed. Meredith thinks her uncle suspects something, but doesn’t day anything in fear of being expelled.

Life still goes on for Meredith, who is close to graduating, and taking an apprenticeship under her uncle.

Magical Statistics
Magical Power: Fire Mage – ability to control fire without the use of spells
Weapon: None really, save for her fire.
Accessories or Anything Else: A heart-shaped locket, engraved with a fire on one side, and her name and birthday on the other. She refuses to let anyone see what she keeps inside it.

Other Notes

•   Travels with her brother, Macon, as her familiar. When she’s in a place that doesn’t know cats can talk sometimes, she calls him ‘Lord’ as a joke, as he is the ‘lord’ of the family, instead of the two brothers who died from illness.
•   Has feelings for the King of Vampires, Kipling Korbin, despite knowing he is the source of all evil in her world. And to make matters worse, it seems as though he goes out of his way to encounter her when she least expects it.