Rayana was born to Asmara, a dancer (who died in childbirth), and Ilya, a tanner & woodworker. She grew up with Ilya and her maternal great-aunt Kuldra, who taught her the dances common to her people and her matriline. Ilya died in a house fire when she was nineteen, leaving her messenger bag and the puzzle box & notebooks inside as the only memento of his time in the living world.

A brown full-grain leather messenger bag containing all the other listed items. It has two straps so it can be kept close against the body during flight.

A green velvet bag, closed with a rope, containing a fistful of silver, bronze, and aluminum coins.

A steel tool that looks like a cross between nail clippers and diagonal cutters, used to aid in preening new feathers.

A lignum vitae puzzle box containing shampoo, soap, a back washer, and a hairbrush.

A small refillable notebook with a leather cover and pages made from elephant-dung paper.

A pen made from a cut and dried reed.

A bronze inkwell containing ink made from gum arabic soot.

An intricately decorated sterling silver pocketwatch, attached to the outside of the messenger bag. It has four hands and its face is divided into nine slices.