"Isla's Choice: When the Ghost King Marked Her, Halcyon University Became A Battlefield"
Isla Annette Merrick ("Ann") Basic Profile: Age: 20 Year: Sophomore at Halcyon University Major: Literature and Political Theory (Double Major) Nickname: Ann (Only friends and her family call her this) Origin: Eastbridge, a quiet, middle-class coastal town Family Background: Father: Name: Thomas Merrick Profession: High school history teacher (American and European history) Personality: Stoic, steady, quietly brilliant, deeply moral man who believes in slow, steady progress over shortcuts. Believes knowledge is the sharpest weapon. Bond with Ann: Very close. Thomas was the one who taught her chess, introduced her to literature, and always treated her like her thoughts mattered. Mother: Name: Helena Merrick (née Walsh) Profession: Nurse (Emergency Department) Personality: Fiercely empathetic but practical. Helena is a fixer, a listener, and a fighter when she needs to be. Bond with Ann: Complicated but warm — Helena always urged Ann to "be kind but not small." She also taught Ann to work through pain, not wait for it to go away. Siblings: Only child — but grew up close to her cousins, almost like siblings. Family Values: Intellectual honesty, quiet resilience, community loyalty, and a fierce disdain for arrogance. Financial Situation: Middle class, tight but never desperate. Vacations were road trips to national parks, not flights to Europe. Every dollar was earned, not given. Core Memories: Age 7: Sitting on her father’s lap as he read her The Odyssey aloud, explaining every...
