Alliya Macanester

Honored Mother Alliya Macanester, also known as the Old Lady of Corm Orp, was a halfling priestess of Sheela Peryroyl and the leader of the clergy at the Ladyhouse, a temple in the Sunset Vale near Corm Orp. She was the ruler of Corm Orp in all but name as of the mid-to-late 14 century DR.

Personality
Alliya was extraordinarily wise and insightful in all topics agricultural, and had an unrivaled familiarity and knowledge of the nature and climate of the Sunset Vale. She was said to be able to predict the weather, to tell if a seed would grow simply by looking at it, and to be able to recommend the exact best place, time, and manner in which to plant crops. Some even claimed that she could revive withered plants with just a touch.

She was known for her diligence and wisdom as a leader. She could commanded obedience, and was known to be fierce in the face of her enemies, in some cases willing to violate the tenants of her goddess to deal with threats.

Relationships
She was much loved among the halflings of Corm Orp, and as a result, she was the de facto ruler of the village, and the actual lord obeyed her commands. Likewise, her temple became the de facto center of the village's religious, agricultural, and social activities.

She was a sworn enemy of the Zhentarim and their designs in the Sunset Vale. In the course of trying to defeat their plans, she had resorted to various violent acts, including using poison and hiring adventurers to deal with them.

History
Alliya earned the trust of the farmers and folk of Corm Orp after she saved the local crops by accurately predicting both a drought in the, and the "Great Frost" in the. She also made sure that Corm Orp was prepared for attacks from starving monsters which accompanied both of these famines.

By the mid-to-late 14 century DR, she was so beloved and influential among the local halfings around Corm Orp that the village's ruler, Lord Dundast Hulrel, obeyed her completely. Around this same time, some halflings began discussing the formation of a halfling kingdom in the region, which was to be called Sheeland and would be ruled by Alliya as its first queen. Alliya herself would dismiss such suggestions with a laugh and a reminder that petty kingdoms always ended tragically, but it was rumored that she had considered wielding more direct power if the threat from the Zhentarim continued to grow.