Matron Helena Greystoke

Matron Helena Greystoke is the Head Healer and Medical Director of Founders Academy. She trained at the prestigious Temple of Sacred Knowledge in Al-Nur, rising to chief healer before age 40. However, she voluntarily left this prestigious position to teach at Founders Academy, believing that healing is incomplete without teaching others to heal.

Early Life and Training

Helena is the daughter of a village herbalist, learning traditional medicine before formal training. This dual education—practical herbalism and formal medical training—gave her a unique perspective on healing that combines the best of both worlds.

The Decision to Teach

Despite her success at the Temple, Helena found that her prestigious position felt hollow compared to shaping future healers and teaching self-sufficiency. She believes that every student should know basic field medicine—magic can fail, but knowledge never does.

Matron Helena oversees the Academy infirmary in the West Wing, Ground Floor. The facility includes 14 beds (expandable to 20 in emergencies) and an extensive herb garden that supplies 80% of needed medicines. Student assistants rotate through for education, and the infirmary has emergency protocols for magical mishaps, creature injuries, and combat training accidents.

She supervises three assistant healers: Brother Aldous Gentlehands, Rowena Nightshade, and Marcus Goldleaf. Together, they provide comprehensive medical care to the Academy community.

Matron Helena presents a stern but deeply caring exterior. She brooks no nonsense about "minor" injuries or faked illnesses, believing that character development is as important as physical health. She teaches healing techniques to interested students, even non-healers, but has zero patience for students who waste healing resources.

Notable Ability

Matron Helena has a sixth sense for when students fake illness to skip exams. She has never been wrong in 15 years. This ability comes from years of experience and an intuitive understanding of genuine versus feigned symptoms.

Teaching Philosophy

Her famous quote encapsulates her approach: "Magic can mend bones in seconds, but character takes years. Now drink your willowbark tea and stop complaining." She believes that every student should know basic field medicine because magic can fail, but knowledge never does.

As Head Healer, Matron Helena combines her expertise in non-magical healing, herbalism, emergency medicine, and psychological first aid. She treats not just physical injuries but also the emotional and psychological needs of students and staff.

She's known for treating staff members with trauma, such as Tobias Ironfoot (the student storekeeper with PTSD from a shipwreck) with specially-blended calming teas and counseling. Her approach is holistic, recognizing that healing requires addressing the whole person, not just symptoms.

• Trained at prestigious Temple of Sacred Knowledge in Al-Nur
• Rose to chief healer before age 40
• Voluntarily left prestigious position to teach at Founders Academy
• Daughter of village herbalist, combines traditional and formal medicine
• Believes healing is incomplete without teaching others
• Has sixth sense for detecting faked illnesses (never wrong in 15 years)
• Teaches healing techniques to interested students, even non-healers
• Zero patience for wasted healing resources
• Oversees infirmary with 14 beds and extensive herb garden
• Supervises three assistant healers
• Famous quote: "Magic can mend bones in seconds, but character takes years."