Level 5 Duskblade, Tahlira Nightbreeze
Anyone who doesn't care about my character backstory, or is in the campaign and doesn't want to have pre-knowledge, can totally skip this post.
Shalyndre Nightbreeze was considered uncommonly pretty by elvish standards. She had a great many admirers (including the settlement's respected Keeper of Lore, Throlian), who were all highly disappointed when she left to participate in a citizen exchange. A year later, the community was surprised, though not unhappily, by Shalyndre's unannounced return, and her obvious pregnancy. Even more surprising was her apparent unwillingness to reveal the father, and that he had not accompanied her. After her return, Throlian was the only admirer who continued to call on her in that capacity. A few weeks after the birth of Shalyndre's child, Throlian paid the lady a visit, only to immediately flee her home, sobbing, infant in his arms. Upon her arrival, the Captain of the Watch found a mess of blood, and the mother's body. The Captain ascertained that the woman was killed by a blade, and a bloody footprint could be seen on the floor, obviously a man's, and much larger than Throlian's foot.
Shalyndre's mysterious death was mourned, and Throlian continued to care for the infant Tahlira. Many rumored it was out of shame that he could not protect the child's mother, while the less kind rumored that he was the murderer, and kept the child out of guilt or delusion that he was the father. Everyone was confused, however, when the child's abnormally fast growth made it clear she was not fully elvish, and that she had not inherited her mother's beauty.
Throlian taught Tahlira much about the history of magic, and as his luck would have it, Tahlira became highly conscious of her lack of a mother at about the same age that the other Elvish children began to learn and brag about the meanings of their child-names. As he was unwilling to lie to her, Throlian tried to gently tell her as much as he could about her mother's death, and also explained that her mother had given her a name that meant roughly, "Blade of Dusk." Having a quick memory, Tahlira thought of the ancient Duskblades, whose history Throlian had related a year prior, and vowed from that moment to follow in their ways. She started spending much of her time with the Master of Arms, and had Throlian teach her what he could of the arcane. When she came of age, Tahlira entered a citizen exchange with the same settlement her mother had, hoping someone there would remember Shalyndre and know who Tahlira's father had been. To honor her mother, Tahlira never stopped using her child-name, though she knew taking a human adult-name might place her in less danger in human settlements, where her search would likely lead her. She's vowed not to take an adult name until she has found her father and ascertained whether he is her mother's killer.
Shalyndre Nightbreeze was considered uncommonly pretty by elvish standards. She had a great many admirers (including the settlement's respected Keeper of Lore, Throlian), who were all highly disappointed when she left to participate in a citizen exchange. A year later, the community was surprised, though not unhappily, by Shalyndre's unannounced return, and her obvious pregnancy. Even more surprising was her apparent unwillingness to reveal the father, and that he had not accompanied her. After her return, Throlian was the only admirer who continued to call on her in that capacity. A few weeks after the birth of Shalyndre's child, Throlian paid the lady a visit, only to immediately flee her home, sobbing, infant in his arms. Upon her arrival, the Captain of the Watch found a mess of blood, and the mother's body. The Captain ascertained that the woman was killed by a blade, and a bloody footprint could be seen on the floor, obviously a man's, and much larger than Throlian's foot.
Shalyndre's mysterious death was mourned, and Throlian continued to care for the infant Tahlira. Many rumored it was out of shame that he could not protect the child's mother, while the less kind rumored that he was the murderer, and kept the child out of guilt or delusion that he was the father. Everyone was confused, however, when the child's abnormally fast growth made it clear she was not fully elvish, and that she had not inherited her mother's beauty.
Throlian taught Tahlira much about the history of magic, and as his luck would have it, Tahlira became highly conscious of her lack of a mother at about the same age that the other Elvish children began to learn and brag about the meanings of their child-names. As he was unwilling to lie to her, Throlian tried to gently tell her as much as he could about her mother's death, and also explained that her mother had given her a name that meant roughly, "Blade of Dusk." Having a quick memory, Tahlira thought of the ancient Duskblades, whose history Throlian had related a year prior, and vowed from that moment to follow in their ways. She started spending much of her time with the Master of Arms, and had Throlian teach her what he could of the arcane. When she came of age, Tahlira entered a citizen exchange with the same settlement her mother had, hoping someone there would remember Shalyndre and know who Tahlira's father had been. To honor her mother, Tahlira never stopped using her child-name, though she knew taking a human adult-name might place her in less danger in human settlements, where her search would likely lead her. She's vowed not to take an adult name until she has found her father and ascertained whether he is her mother's killer.