Savil Ashkevron is a noted Herald-Mage during the reigns of Queen Elspeth and King Randale. She is the older sister of Lord Withen Ashkevron and aunt of Herald-Mage Vanyel Ashkevron and his siblings. Like her brother and niece, Lissa, Savil possesses the Ashkevron nose.
Early life[]
Little is known of Savil's life before she is introduced in Magic's Pawn. She once wanted to inherit her family's holding, but not being the eldest male prevented it. She ran away from home at fourteen years of age and made her way to Haven, where she was Chosen by the Companion Kellan upon arrival. Sometime between graduating to full Whites and Vanyel's being sent to Haven, she studied with and became wingsister to Starwind k'Treva,[1] bringing him a broken boy called Tallo who eventually became Moondance k'Treva and Starwind's lifebonded. She was the first non-Shin'a'in to earn this status in Clan k'Treva.[1]
At the time of Vanyel's arrival in Haven, she held a seat on the Council as the Speaker for Heralds with Trainees and was mentor to Tylendel Frelennye and the lifebonded pair Mardic and Donni. Savil is a strong female character and while she has not remained celibate (having had on-again off-again relationships with Healer Andrel and with Herald Jaysen), she never married nor had children of her own.
Magic[]
Savil is shown to be a strong MindSpeaker and an Adept level Mage. She works well with intricate spell work and wards, and is an expert at using Gifts in concert/meld. It is also likely she possesses Fetching and FarSight. She claims no Empathy, and bemoans this fact on occasion as she finds dealing with people to be difficult. By the time of Magic's Promise she has been made a Web-Guardian.
Savil also is able to use ley-lines and nodes like the Tayledras, this usage turning her hair white long before its time.
Death[]
After the seemingly accidental deaths of Web-Guardian Herald-Mages Kilchas and Lissandra, Savil strongly believes Heralds, and in particular Herald-Mages, are being targeted and murdered. In fear for her own life, she pleads with Vanyel to strengthen her wards, which he promises to do when he has a free moment. However, exhausted himself, Vanyel forgets -- leaving Savil open to attack that very night by a construct of the dark wizard Leareth. Her death sends Vanyel on a quest for vengeance, much like Tylendel's following the death of his brother Staven. Savil was around 80 years old at the time of her death.
After Death[]
It is said that most Heralds are given a choice after death: to return as another person destined to be Chosen, to return as a Companion, or to retire. It is likely that, at some point, Savil decided to return as Sayvil, Companion to Herald-Captain Kerowyn. Sayvil certainly possesses her wit, candor, and mage abilities. In the first chapter of Winds of Change, Gwena slips and almost refers to Savil as Sayvil, further confirming this supposition: "Vanyel and Sayv--Savil had too much on their minds..."
Companion[]
She was Chosen by the mare Kellan.
Gifts[]
Savil has Mindspeech, in addition to the Mage-Gift.
In the series[]
Savil appears in the following works:
- "Sword of Ice" by Mercedes Lackey and John Yezegulalian, Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar, Valdemar Anthology, volume 1
- Magic's Pawn, Last Herald-Mage, volume 1
- Magic's Promise
- Magic's Price, Last Herald-Mage, volume 3