Kyle (Em) - Half Elf, Paladin, female
Orias (Adam) - Human, Rogue, male
Illythan (Andrew) - Sylph, Sorcerer, male
llythan never knew his father, but his mother, Jamilla, would tell him stories while he grew up with her on the streets of Katheer. She would talk about the days of when she was arranged to be married to Haqim al-Azrad, a 47 year-old trader. Jamilla described him as a very handsome man who had two other wives and several children already, but when Illythan was born she could swear that Haqim's eyes beamed with joy. However, he cast Jamilla and Illythan out, forever cut off from his family. The two survived the best they could on the streets, Illythan quickly learning how to snag money pouches, but when he was twelve his mother decided to sell him off as a slave to a ship's captain.
Elric Goldmane, an Ulfen from Halgren, kept Illythan as a cabin boy for five years and then decided to teach him the ways of the sea. Illythan quickly began to treat Elric as his surrogate father and eventually became his first mate. It was at sea that Illythan discovered that he was attracted to men. Most of his shipmates were definitely not interested in him, but there were a couple who enjoyed his company. Elric continued to get older and more frail as Illythan seemed to never age. When Elric reached the age of 67, he decided to retire from the sea and settle down in Riddleport. Illythan stayed with his surrogate father to take care of him while his final days were upon him.
As Elric was on his death bed and Illythan grew to the age of 52, a courier arrived with a letter for Illythan. The letter read as follows:
"My son: I know that I have not been the best father, but I feel that I need to tell you a few things.
"One, while I did throw you and your mother out on the street, I never wanted to. I was pressured by my two others wives to get rid of you. They felt that you threatened their sons' right to the inheritance for when I die. Technically, they never had to worry since you are much younger than my other sons. Even now my eldest son, Rafiq, has taken over most of my business while my other sons have taken over some of the smaller businesses.
"Two, this letter is probably going to take months to find you, so I am most likely dead by now. I have been sick for many months and my days are growing short. I mainly wanted to let you know that I really did love you since you are my only true son. You are my true heir, but no one will ever allow it or even accept this fact. That leads me to my next point.
"Three, my wives never knew this, but I am just like you: a sylph. I was originally an adventurer, a bard, and I collected a vast treasure. When I decided to retire, I used some of the tricks I had learned, namely the spell alter self, to disguise myself as a Keleshite and became a trading mogul in Katheer. My other children are byproducts of a weakening bloodline, but you are a lucky one. Apparently, your mother had a small amount of sylph lineage in her and when we consummated our union you were the result.
"Your father, haqim al-Azrad."
After discovering that his true father had been an adventurer, Illythan thought of beginning his own adventure. He had grown quite old and had been discovering his magical knacks so he felt that it was time to make his own way in the world. He did odd jobs in Riddleport for many years until he met up with Orias, a rogue who worked for the temple of Calistria.
Eorin (Kelsey) - Half Elf, Priest, male
The circumstances surrounding Eorin’s birth are entirely unknown to him. He was left at the entrance to a monastery to Pharasma as an infant with nothing by which to identify his parentage. His features did little to help in this matter. Violet eyes could denote Varisian blood, or could be a byproduct of his elven parentage. Dark hair and a tanned complexion could come from several human ethnicities, and the elvin influence muddled any clear regional markers in his bone structure. With no means to identify him, Eorin was raised amongst the priests and other orphaned children. As Pharasma was the goddess of childbirth as well as death, orphaned infants were often brought to the monastery to be fostered until they were old enough to seek apprenticeships in nearby villages.
Most of the other children Eorin grew up with were human, and had ethnic features distinct enough that they found some cultural identity to cling to in lieu of family. The monks encouraged this, hoping these orphaned children would find comfort in learning about the homeland of their parents. Often, bards and travelers from distant lands were brought in as instructors for a time to assist the children in learning ‘foreign’ language and history. Eorin latched onto these travelers and took advantage of his slow aging to learn as much as he could from them, hoping to find some clue as to who he was or where he came from. Perhaps a visiting monk from Qadira would recognise the shape of his jaw and determine him Keleshite, a merchant from distant Vudra noting the Vudrani nature of his complexion, or a troupe of Virisian bards claiming him as one of their own.
Much to his disappointment, this was never to occur, and while his childhood peers grew up and left to pursue trade skills, Eorin remained at the monastery finding a calling in aiding the monks who lived and worked there. He began traveling with them to perform last rites, or assist in particularly difficult childbirths. His stunted aging did not slow his mind, and he proved himself a quick study with a superior ability to retain knowledge. When at last he reached maturity, the monks decided Eorin should travel for a time to affirm his path and faith before taking his vows. After a year and a day, he may seek ordination if that truly is his calling, otherwise he is free to pursue another path.
Eorin is extremely naive and though he has extensive book knowledge, being raised in seclusion has left him with little to no street smarts. Eorin is a big nerd and will prattle on about a topic to no end. He loves paperwork.
Updates via adventuring:
It has recently come to light that Eorin is related to a famous circus family, the BinRomads. Eorin has also developed a troubling affinity for necromancy. It seems that undeath/necromancy is in his blood, via his great aunt, who is the vampiric founder of the Library of Ustalaav. Apparently, the Church of Pharasma has known about his vampiric bloodline for quite some time, and is convinced that his powers do not come from Pharasma. The priesthood is distrustful of Eorin because of this.
One of the results of his bloodline is that Eorin may return as undead upon his death. This is something he is working hard to find a cure for. Recently, he has been framed for the murder of a girl in Carrion Hill. It has come to light that the girl he supposedly killed via ghoul attack is really Orias' sister who died over half a decade ago. The Church of Pharasma has also given Eorin an ultimatum - he must either find a way to purge the undeath from his bloodline, or he must leave the priesthood.
Most of the other children Eorin grew up with were human, and had ethnic features distinct enough that they found some cultural identity to cling to in lieu of family. The monks encouraged this, hoping these orphaned children would find comfort in learning about the homeland of their parents. Often, bards and travelers from distant lands were brought in as instructors for a time to assist the children in learning ‘foreign’ language and history. Eorin latched onto these travelers and took advantage of his slow aging to learn as much as he could from them, hoping to find some clue as to who he was or where he came from. Perhaps a visiting monk from Qadira would recognise the shape of his jaw and determine him Keleshite, a merchant from distant Vudra noting the Vudrani nature of his complexion, or a troupe of Virisian bards claiming him as one of their own.
Much to his disappointment, this was never to occur, and while his childhood peers grew up and left to pursue trade skills, Eorin remained at the monastery finding a calling in aiding the monks who lived and worked there. He began traveling with them to perform last rites, or assist in particularly difficult childbirths. His stunted aging did not slow his mind, and he proved himself a quick study with a superior ability to retain knowledge. When at last he reached maturity, the monks decided Eorin should travel for a time to affirm his path and faith before taking his vows. After a year and a day, he may seek ordination if that truly is his calling, otherwise he is free to pursue another path.
Eorin is extremely naive and though he has extensive book knowledge, being raised in seclusion has left him with little to no street smarts. Eorin is a big nerd and will prattle on about a topic to no end. He loves paperwork.
Updates via adventuring:
It has recently come to light that Eorin is related to a famous circus family, the BinRomads. Eorin has also developed a troubling affinity for necromancy. It seems that undeath/necromancy is in his blood, via his great aunt, who is the vampiric founder of the Library of Ustalaav. Apparently, the Church of Pharasma has known about his vampiric bloodline for quite some time, and is convinced that his powers do not come from Pharasma. The priesthood is distrustful of Eorin because of this.
One of the results of his bloodline is that Eorin may return as undead upon his death. This is something he is working hard to find a cure for. Recently, he has been framed for the murder of a girl in Carrion Hill. It has come to light that the girl he supposedly killed via ghoul attack is really Orias' sister who died over half a decade ago. The Church of Pharasma has also given Eorin an ultimatum - he must either find a way to purge the undeath from his bloodline, or he must leave the priesthood.
4 questions:
- What is your dream?
- To find his birth parents. He just really wants to know who he is, and why he was abandoned. He doesn’t need their love, he just needs the closure.
- What is your fear?
- Being raised as undead after he passes. The idea of his soul never being able to be judged by Pharasma and move on is terrifying to him.
- What is your limit?
- He will not, under any circumstances, kill innocent people. He will only kill in order to protect and preserve the lives of innocents.
- What is your goal?
- To become a priest of Pharasma. He wants to make the monks who raised him proud.
Zelara (Joe) - Human, Ranger, female
Zelara Esteti was born in Caliphas, and, although she has spent much of her life travelling, she has always found her way back home. More accurately, she finds her way back to her "new" home with her younger brother Marduzi and her parents. More than most in her extended family, especially after almost 900 years, Zelara is conscious of the atrocities inflicted by the Whispering Tyrant on her ancestral homeland of Virhol.
As a small child, well before she was old enough to remember, Zelara was almost killed by a wraith. The caravan guards realized she was missing, grabbed the gravelight lantern, and found her just in time. She was pale as a ghost and shivering uncontrollably between the tombstones where she had been playing with her dolls. They quickly performed the ritual of passage, made the sign to ward off evil and left warnings for future travelers, and then hurried on their way. The wizened old priest that was traveling with the caravan worked feverishly through the night. Her parents didn't tell her about it until she was 16, but she was never the same after that day. Her faintly red eyes occasionally flash and even glow brightly like embers, although the effect is almost imperceptible during the day. Zelara has often seen ghosts and spirits, though she stopped telling people when the other children started teasing her. She's superstitious to a fault, and she is known to tell the old tales around the campfire; ghost stories that would turn your hair white if you knew they were true. She loves the life on the road, climbing and hunting in the mountains and forests of Ustalav, and sleeping under the stars. However, most of all, she lives by her code and vows never to let the horrors perpetrated by Tar-Baphon take place again.
Updates via adventuring:
As Zelara has traveled with Eorin, Kyle, Ilythan and Orias she has seen many things that have shocked and surprised her – atrocities against nature; the result of shrewd and cruel manipulations by those who seek to control others and gain power for themselves. She has met friendly devils and deceitful clerics of her goddess. She’s been aided by necromancers and extraplanar beings. She even came face to face with the power of Tar Baphon himself, and it nearly broke her.
While Zelara loves to travel the road in a literal sense, she is also growing up and coming to recognize that life is a road to be traveled as well. She doesn't know what the ultimate destination will be, and her creed and beliefs have changed, but her fierce determination to succeed and improve is undeterred.
Code of the Esteti (revised after meeting with Tar Bahpon):
- All creatures, including monsters, regardless of alignment or affiliation, must be judged fairly and justly, and treated according to their actions.
- Promote individual rights and liberties, and the right of every being to exercise free will.
- All are accountable for the balance of their deeds; an eye for an eye, pay your debts in full, and grant favors only when warranted with the expectation they will be repaid.
- Do not let others’ laws or rules prevent you from doing what is right and just.
- Be brave in the face of danger, not foolish in the face of defeat.
- Seek to leave the world better than you found it.
4 questions:
- What is your dream?
- Find a way to defeat Tar-Baphon.
- What is your fear?
- Being too weak to win/succeed, particularly if the loss is to an undead creature.
- What is your limit?
- Sacrificing a friend or ally.
- What is your goal?
- Be a worthy leader of her companions in battle. Face her fears and defeat a powerful undead creature.
NPCs
Garil - Teifling, Bard, male
Aerodus - Human, Hell-knightling, male
Gansukh - Hobgoblin, male
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