Aiva Vernezar

Aiva Vernezar was the Ulisothala of Amalo, the head of the order of Ulis there.

Appearance
He was middle-aged in The Witness for the Dead.

Personality
He was ambitious and had his eye on the Archprelacy of the Ethuveraz, and political gains informed every move he made.

Life
Aiva notably bullied the other Witnesses for the Dead out of Amalo, and Orchenis Clunevar asked that Thara Celehar be appointed to Amalo to maneuver around Aiva, which was one reason Aiva disliked Thara. Aiva also disliked the lack of clarity in Thara's position, particularly since it potentially meant that Thara outranked all the Ulineise prelates in Amalo except Aiva. At the start of The Witness for the Dead, Thara and Anora Chanavar went to meet Aiva at a shrine of Ulis in the catacombs of Amalo at Aiva's request. Aiva wished to propose a compromise about Thara's position by offering Thara rank in the Ulistheileian, but Thara noted this would require Thara to concede Aiva's authority over himself. This annoyed Aiva, and infuriated Ediro Zanarin, a member of Aiva's staff there with him, and prompted Anora's interruption to imply that Thara wasn't properly honored, which led to arguing.

Aiva attended the conclusion of Thara's trial by ordeal. Aiva and Ediro later cornered Thara demanding to know why Thara hadn't consulted with Aiva before leaving the city on Prince Orchenis' orders. Aiva took Thara's refusal to bow down to the pressure as a signal that Thara refused Aiva's offer, and decreed that Thara was not a member of Aiva's hierarchy.

After Ediro's failed gambit to gain power during the investigation of the explosion at the Amal-Athamareise Ashenavo Trinciva, Aiva ordered Ediro “to spend a season in isolate devotion in the Chapel of Floods” in the spring, as retaliation for her going over his head on the matter. He explained this to Thara, and hoped that Thara would not report badly on Aiva to the Archprelate, as Aiva firmly believed Thara reported to the Archprelate regularly.

When Velhiro Tomasaran presented herself to Aiva in need of training as a Witness for the Dead, Aiva suggested she might be sent to Cetho for training, which would take her away from her family, and Velhiro begged not to be sent away from Amalo. When Thara learned the whole story, he reasoned this was a careful case of blackmail by Aiva to put more pawns in his pocket. Aiva later assigned her to Thara as an apprentice without the Amal'othala's approval. Aiva told Velhiro that Thara would teach her, and gave her no training in the ways of the prelacy to prepare her, which infuriated Thara. When the Amal'othala learned of the assignment, he was furious, and had Aiva fetched to his chambers. At some point Aiva arrived, and his discussion with the Amal'othala devolved into shouting. When Aiva saw Thara, he noted that the assignment of an apprentice seemed too trivial for the Amal'othala's involvement. The Amal'othala lectured Aiva, noting that he had no authority for such assignments, and Aiva had other intentions in the assignment. When Thara revealed he'd burned out and was no longer a Witness, Aiva was shocked, and asked what Thara would do next. The Amal'othala noted that was for the Archprelate to decide, and gave Aiva penance for his actions.

Anora Chanavar
Anora and Aiva knew each other relatively well, and seemed to dislike each other. Anora stood up to him on Thara's behalf.

Ediro Zanarin
Ediro was supportive of Aiva, but also on the lookout for her own gain, which Aiva ultimately didn't appreciate. It seems that Aiva feared her at least briefly due to her power in the city.

Orchenis Clunethar
Aiva and Orchenis were at odds with each other for years. Orchenis did not trust Aiva's capabilities.

Thara Celehar
Aiva did not like Thara, in part due to a belief that Thara was reporting to the Archprelate, and Orchenis' maneuvering around him to get a Witness in Amalo. Thara was wary of Aiva.

Quotations

 * To Thara about Aiva: “He cannot harm me,” Anora said. “If he takes my benefice away, he only makes a greater headache for himself, because then he has to find some other fool to give it to. Do thou watch. He’ll pretend I’m not even there.”
 * Thara to Aiva and Ediro: “But surely our comings and goings are of no interest to you, dach’othala . . . It has never been our impression that we are much in your thoughts.”
 * To Thara: “And we would hate to think that any such confusion should be misinterpreted as … as anger. Or hostility.”