Characters – Last Hope Larp

Kló

PLAYED BY: Talon Wyclyf Olsen

CHARACTER NAME: Kló

GENDER: Woman

PRONOUN(S): She/her

CLASS: Cleric

AGE: 40

RACE: Ulven, Path of Gaia

HAIR: Dark brown, almost black, and nearly shoulder length.

EYES: Gray, appearing green or blue based on the lighting. (or if I find out I can wear color contacts ulven approved green, need to see an eye doctor to find out if I can).

OCCUPATION: Escort.

KNOWN SKILLS:

Can swing a sword but is not battle tested.
Can sing pasably well.
Gives excellent massages.
“That thing you like”.
Wit.

BIRTHPLACE: Grimward land near watchwolf territory.

APPEARANCE: Large for a woman but not unusual for Ulven, long legs, strong build. The kind of woman they call “a handsome woman”.

NOTABLE TRAITS: Often has complex runes marked on her face, they clearly have meaning but only to her.

RELATIONSHIPS:

A few family friends in Spiritclaw, Wetfinger territory.
Her family in Grimward, 3 sisters, 6 brothers, 9 cousins, her parents and their pack of aunts and uncles Pack Screaming Hawk, all dead to her now, and likely furious if they knew how she felt, and to see her with colonists.

RUMORS:

A very skilled professional.
Gives sound advice, but will just listen if you need to talk.
A woman of negotiable affections.
A Grimward outcast, taken in by Spiritclaw.
She’s clanless, not actually a member of Spiritclaw, and has renounced her clan Grimward.
Does “that thing you like”.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: Kló was 14 in 250 when the colonists first arrived, being on eastern Grimward territory isolated her from them for a time. She only first heard of them around age 27 the end of 261 as her family’s homestead was in the path of Grimward advance and too close to Watchwolf for comfort.

The family had also received word of a sudden illness causing a death of a family friend, who’s labor was heavily relied upon by her elderly widow.

At the funeral Kló met Gráinne and her wife Freydis, they all became fast friends and stuck close to each other the rest of the evening.

After the funeral rites had been seen to Kló’s family leader told her to stay and help care for the farm with my younger siblings. Her family left them their to go join Grimward as warriors. She stayed and worked the farm, teaching her younger siblings how. When the elderly matriarch of the house passed she felt too saddened by the place to stay, leaving her siblings the farm she headed for Aylin’s Reach.

Aylin’s Reach became her home, she was captivated by the cultures she saw and, she made friends with many people, coming to find joy in their art and the differences in cultures. She began working as an escort providing succor to those interested and in need of relaxation. She liked helping people feel better.

She has lived there ever since, feeling that she cannot go back to Grimward, as she feels unity is everyone’s only chance of survival with the threats posed against everyone from the undead, the penitent and the Mordok, and now Grimward and Stonetooth.

She is now 40 in 276 and this next event may see her make friends with some people that make her want to act to help change things for the better.

Lysandra Zealranger

PLAYED BY: Cerise Pipson

CHARACTER NAME: Lysandra Zealranger

GENDER: Female

PRONOUN(S): she/her

CLASS: Cleric

AGE: 30 years

RACE: Human

HAIR: Blonde

EYES: Blue

OCCUPATION: An ordained Sister of the Order of Arnath

KNOWN SKILLS: Archery, first aid, basic divine magic

BIRTHPLACE: Aldoria

APPEARANCE: 5’5” chick wearing red and black with a bow and a sword

NOTABLE TRAITS: nothing out of the ordinary

RELATIONSHIPS: fellow members of the order

RUMORS: none…for now

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: Born in Aldoria in the year 245, Lysandra was like many a surrendered child of the war against the undead. Her parents, who were members of an Aldorian based chapter of the Order of Arnath, were sent on a mission to defend a monastery from the undead when she was just 5 years old. With her parents gone and unlikely to come back to raise her, she was given into the care of the Order as many people of generations before her had been. Upon being transferred to the care of the Order of Arnath’s Fist, she was brought to the fledgling fortress of Starkhaven. She grew up to work as a tenant of the city; learning and laboring as all colonists to the new world had to in order to survive. Though she lived her life in

the care of the Order, she had not yet considered becoming a cleric of the Fist. Her youth as a ward of the Order left her with conflicted emotions about what service in a martial order means and who ends up paying the price.

Her mind slowly began changing as a new divergence on the path of Arnath was revealed. The Order of Arnath’s Light, with their more progressive views, had a much more attractive temperament than the Fist and their rigid military focus. The catalyst that was to completely change her mind came from the civil conflict within Starkhaven. She was not on either side, but rather, was one of the citizens who survived the strife caused by the Order itself. Having seen the chaos firsthand and feeling helpless to stop it, she made the difficult decision that she would stand before she ever felt helpless again. She could not stand to see another tragic mistake caused by narrow-mindedness and fear. This realization cast a harsh light on her own thinking, showing her that fear and narrow-mindedness had kept her from recognizing the true merit of service above self because her parents had abandoned her for a similar cause at such a young age. Lysandra joined the Light shortly before the formation of the Arnathian March and the dissolution of the chapter system on Mardrun. She has since spent the better part of the last decade training to earn her place as an Eagle. Her zeal and perseverance through her struggle to find her way along Arnath’s path earned her the surname Zealranger. Her hard work and dedication to this new direction the Order has taken is paying off and she now looks to add her efforts in the service of a greater good.

Sigrun Stoneheart

PLAYER NAME: Cerise Pipson

CHARACTER NAME: Sigrun Stoneheart

RACE: Ulven

CLASS: Warrior

BIO:
Born into a family of middling standing within the caste system of Clan Whiteoak, Sigrun Stoneheart was your typical Whiteoak youth. Her people were a martial breed. The clans of the north had to be of stern stuff to survive the constant threat of the Mordok. That, and the until recently, endless feud with their neighbor Axehound, forged a young woman familiar with the hardships of life on Mardrun. As this new war rages to the west, Whiteoak struggles against the most ancient of foes. The Mordok, a ceaseless threat, and the outposts on The Shield in need of constant manpower and logistical support, her family have lived a quiet life doing their part. By farming and hunting for needed food supplies and acting as support for their chieftains warpack, they kept themselves busy and useful. But now sickness strikes their people and times grow hard.

With her clan’s usual methods to earn a living, Sigrun sought another way to support herself and her family. She found it in the form of a solitary traveler, an Ulven skjald, travelling packless and alone across Mardrun. Seeking glory or adventure, or some strange ambition, he was in need of a guard. In these times safety is in short supply and an extra set of eyes and a sharp blade are always helpful. Setting aside her comfortable routines and the only home she has ever known, Sigrun joined with this man, Einar. With the promise of payment for her service of protection, and a no nonsense attitude, she hopes to do what she can. Her goal is to keep them both safe from whatever the world throws their way. All so she can keep her family secure until these dark days pass and peace comes again.

Amrod

PLAYED BY: Tyler Dubey

CHARACTER NAME: Amrod

GENDER: Male

PREFFERED PRONOUN(S): He/Him

CLASS: Mage

AGE: 97

RACE: Syndar (Io’Larian, Shattered Tribes)

HAIR: Brown or none

EYES: Hazel

OCCUPATION: Retired Soldier of Lairthuduil, Now Farmer

BIRTHPLACE: Southern Border of Lairthuduil

APPEARANCE: Wears simple clothes, has a pack and a large wrapped bundle on his back if traveling.

NOTABLE TRAITS: Beard, tired eyes, Scars across face, , gold and black lines

RUMORS: Served many years in the Grand Alliance, was on one of the few ships from Tielorrien. Prefers to be alone, does NOT like fighting if it can be avoided. Seems to be trying to atone for the sins of the past or move past the horrors of war.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: Amrod’s first memories are that of the peaceful lands of Lairthuduil, learning to farm from his parents in the small remote commune of the Goldenshade Tribe of Io’Larian’s. While the lowest in the caste at the time, their commune was known for their herbs and spices that they grew along the forest and mountain edges.
However, that life came to an end once the undead that invaded Richtcrag began to travel north through the pass. The Penitent began to push into the Kingdom of Lairthuduil with the undead by the time Amrod was just a young man, and decimated his tribe. Fleeing with the few members of his commune to Tielorrien, Amrod made a choice to be a foot soldier for what would eventually become the Grand Alliance.

The memories blur or become repressed. Bloody shield lines filled with the screams of the dying as friends and allies are torn apart by undead. The smell of decay and sick back at the camp as wounds infected with magical disease flood the air. Food with very little flavor, or just broth to keep them alive. This portion of Amrod’s life was an utter nightmare, much of which he wishes he could forget.

When news of a ship was sailing towards a new land and some rumored colonies that were set up by New Aldoria, Amrod has survived countless battles by luck, skill, and endurance. The small fleeting glimmer of hope in his almost emotionless soul sparked, and requested to be assigned to protect the Syndar that were to set sail. It took a few months of deliberation, however, they agreed that Amrod had served his fair share for the Grand Alliance, and allowed him to be discharged and go to Mardrun.

Once on the soil of Mardrun, Amrod was faced with another war. Taking up his glaive and armor, he went to battle against the Ulven. Thankfully the war ended quickly, but only for a brief moment till the Ulven Civil War came into action. Those that knew him back while he served the Grand Alliance, asked him to serve one last time. He said he would, however, require from them a small farm of his own, away from the rest of the people, and to never be asked to serve again once the war was done. The small group of Syndar Representatives from Newhope agreed, and facing the horrors of war again, donned his armor and glaive.

The Civil War finally ended at the Battle of Pyre Hills, and with it his volunteer service to Newhope. Before snow even hit the ground, Amrod demanded the representatives make true their promise. By the next spring, Amrod had a small cottage and small farm at the very edge of the colonies. Near a known commune of other Shatter Tribes members, it is here where Amrod now resides, and rests his weary battered soul. He travels in his off time, finding work with the soil and land as his ancestors did. However, memories seldom fade, and old habits die hard.

Talmore Kard

PLAYED BY: Elias Lambert

CHARACTER NAME: Talmore Kard

GENDER: male

PRONOUN(S): he/him

CLASS: Warrior

AGE: 17

RACE: human

HAIR: brown

EYES: hazel

OCCUPATION: Blade of Sol Specialist

KNOWN SKILLS: Combat, tactics and strategy, dabbles with hunting

BIRTHPLACE: near the docks of newhope

APPEARANCE: an armored and scruffy looking teen, carries a very recognizable shield

NOTABLE TRAITS: fought as a young kid in the Gladiator arenas of Newhope.

RELATIONSHIPS: The Blades of Sol member

RUMORS: why was he a gladiator, and if so why did he stop performing

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:
If you care to ask, my life was and is a case for serious speculation of the sanity of myself and the people around me. Pull up a chair, and a beer, and I’ll tell you my tale.

It all began 17 years ago when a small boy was born on the docks of Newhope. I’ve always loved to explore. As a lad, I would run down the docks of my home and greet the fisherman that returned with the daily catch. I remember quite vividly my boyhood daydreams of one day exploring beyond the edges of the maps and seeing what I might find there. But with age came the reality I couldn’t simply sail off into the horizon leaving my family and friends behind. I would have to settle for barely scraping by on money from working at my father’s smithy. I was just 15 when I saw my first show at the great gladiatorial arena of Newhope. By the end of the first fight, I knew this was the profession I truly wished to pursue. Later that day, I tracked down the proprietor and host of the arena, a surly old Syndar by the name of Yvan Ixil. At first he was not eager to hire a teenager to fight in his arena, but after a few pints of ale he agreed under one condition; he would decide the fights I was to partake in. And so it was, I would get out of bed, run to the arena, and train. I learned to fight with swords, axes, spears, shields, and many more. I would take breaks only to eat and sleep.

I remember it was a sunny day in May when Yvan interrupted me during axe training. “You’re ready lad,” he said “tonight’s fight is very relaxed. There will be few spectators, and you will use the sword and shield as your weapons. The fighter you will be facing is Cillan Vox. He is known for underhanded tricks, so watch for those”.

When the time came, I walked through the training area and into the main fighting ground of the arena. Vox stood still on the other side of the arena, spear and net clutched in his hand. Without warning, he rushed forward. I met him in the center of the arena floor. He opened by throwing his net on my sword arm. I tried to shake it loose, but it seemed to be sticking to me in some way. I didn’t feel any pain until I looked at my arm. There were small metal barbs built into the net, and the more I struggled, the more it would cut. I took his follow up blow on the shield and tried to swing my sword at him. White hot pain stabbed through my arm, so I let it go limp at my side. I was driven back across the sand by a flurry of thrusts from his spear.

As I was being driven back, I devised a plan. Not the most sound plan, but it would do. As he thrust out again instead of blocking, I threw my shoulder against the shield and slammed it into the spear. It tumbled from his grip onto the ground, he immediately dropped to the ground to pick it up. Just as he righted himself, I slammed my shield into his head as hard as I could. Vox fell to the ground, unconscious. The scarce crowd cheered rather quietly for the arena, but for me, it seemed louder than any other sound I had ever heard. When I looked down, I saw the net drenched in blood. When I made it back to the training area, Yvan tended to my wounds, removing the net as well as cleaning and stitching my wounds. As he did, he prayed to Solar, the god of the sun, to preserve me.

After that, I fought almost every night at that arena. I became quite proficient in tactics and strategy, and for a year I was happy. Until the war came. I remember the day that a squad of armed soldiers arrived at the arena and began to train us as real soldiers.

Yvan knew I was not prepared for war, so one day he smuggled me a pouch of coins and a spare sword and shield, then he sent me on my way. I don’t hold it against him, but nevertheless those months of unemployment were among my hardest. My father had retired from the forge at almost the perfect time, so there was no job for me to fall back on. I did odd jobs around town for a while, but that began to bore me, and the pay was too inconsistent to live off of. Soon after my sixth rejection from a potential job opportunity, I realized if I wanted to find work that wasn’t mining or smithing I would need to seek it northward. So I packed my meager possessions and put every scrap of money I had into provisions, then I departed as promptly as I could. It wasn’t long until I crossed into Nightriver territory, stopping at towns looking for work on occasion. When none were found, I would continue on. I continued my trek and soon found myself on the border to Goldenfield, moved through Goldenfield and Spiritclaw, mostly staying on the shoreline until I crossed the border of Aylin’s Reach.

The first town I ran across, I had entered in need of provisions and supplies. I sat down at the bar, waved the bartender over, and asked if they knew of any work for a former gladiator of Newhope.

He leaned in and whispered conspiratorily “Not presently, but north of here is a place called Lumiria. The Night Owl tavern, in its basement, was an arena of sorts. If it’s fighting you like, that’s the place for you.”

I thanked the man and left the tavern. Finally, a new arena. A place to hone my skills to perfection. I almost ran the whole way to Lumiria. When I arrived five days later, I made it straight for the Night Owl tavern. I approached the innkeeper and asked about the arena.

“It’s less of an arena” he said, “and more of a… private combat club.” He then pointed me to the stairs.

The basement smelt of liquor and sweat. A crowd covering the walls stood on their raised benches, leaning towards the fenced off area in the pit of the basement. Within the fences were a pair of combatants, engaged in a fistfight.

“Not really what I was expecting, but good enough” I whispered to myself.

One of the contestants collapsed after a particularly sharp right hook to the jaw.

“Any of ya’ brave enough to be my next victim?” the victor shouted.

“I will” I shouted over the crowd.

“A boy?” He laughed, “well come on down here then.”

I walked calmly to my opponent, he threw a jab at my head that I ducked under. I took the opportunity to maneuver under his guard and punch him in the side of the head, making sure that one of my knuckles slammed into his temple. Needless to say, he collapsed.

I fought for the next hour. By the end I was sore and tired but felt on top of the world. After the fight I was approached by a man in a blue outfit. “Hey kid, I’m one of the captains with the Blades of Sol. We could always use another fighter, or helping hand, or whatever. If you’re interested, go talk to Elzerith. He’s the golden Celestine Syndar who is usually in the offices, he runs the show.”

So I did. For a few days, I looked around Lumiria for Elzerith. Just as I was about to give up, I spotted a man who fit his description giving a speech about the Light of Sol in the town square. After his speech, I intercepted him as he was leaving the marketplace and explained my situation to him.

“Ah, Seymore sent you. This one must inquire if one had a relationship with Solar prior to interaction with Seymore” Elzerith inquired in the strangely roundabout Syndar mannerisms rumors whispered of.

“Yes, my martial trainer back in Newhope was a worshiper of Solar, and many of the healing magicks he performed to restore my health were done in his name.”

Elzerith studied me for a moment, “You are more than welcome to join our group. Should you be willing, we shall teach you more of Sol and his ways, as well as be taught the tenets of the Blades of Sol.”

And so I spent my first few weeks in their company studying Sol. At the end of that small time, I signed my name with their group. Ever since, I have been traveling in their company. I haven’t a clue where my story will go next, but I know that I’ll be ready for it.

Liliana Valeria

PLAYED BY: Winter Edwardson

CHARACTER NAME: Liliana Valeria

GENDER: woman

PRONOUN(S): she/they

CLASS: cleric

AGE: 33

RACE: human

HAIR: dark blonde

EYES: blue

OCCUPATION: escort/ritualist

KNOWN SKILLS: divine magic

BIRTHPLACE: Southern Vandregon

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:

“There is truth in pain. Scars set our path. Mercy is not clean, mercy bleeds.”

These were only a few of the lessons taught to me by sister Violeta, the lessons of Saint Corren, the scarred martyr. I spent my youth with her, learning to balance the humors with prayer to heal the sick and wounded. Sister Violeta said I was but a waif when she found me, no parents to speak of.

I reveled in her teachings, finding the truth in pain something delightful. Sister Violeta would tell me that I took to her teachings like a fish to water. I enjoyed the study of wounds and taking them onto myself. Those were the best years, but they couldn’t last. The undead war kept us moving.

We finally had to consider fleeing. We worked and saved the coin we could but there wasn’t enough for both of us. Sister Violeta said she would send me ahead, that she would find her own way, but I could smell the lie she tried to weave. I gave her a parting hug and boarded the ship.

On my journey to the new land I met my friend Tymraetheleon. We became fast friends, Thell and I. We spoke of many things, of magic, of the new world, of what our paths might hold. We decided to travel together upon landing. Some years later she would run a tavern and I could provide religious services.

Tymraetheleon

PLAYED BY: Natalie Wheeler

CHARACTER NAME: Tymraetheleon (Tym)

GENDER: woman

PRONOUN(S): she/her/hers

CLASS: Mage

AGE: 31

RACE: Syndar (Io’larian)

HAIR: black

EYES: blue

OCCUPATION: barkeep / ritualist

KNOWN SKILLS: arcane magic, weaving

BIRTHPLACE: Io’larian tribe in the mountain ranges between Aldoria and Vandregon

APPEARANCE: Tym has antlers and round but pointed ears; she favors dark, flowing garb; she travels with the tools of a witch and a variety of odd ingredients.

NOTABLE TRAITS: inquisitive, mildly offputting

RELATIONSHIPS: Tym is very close to Liliana as noted below; they have been friends / chosen family since arriving to Mardrun and have learned magic alongside each other.

RUMORS: some people say that Tym once glared at a man so hard that he went mad.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:

I recall clearly the day I was ripped from my home and forced by dire circumstance upon the ship headed for Mardrun. Although I was very young, I left a part of myself in that home, with the mountains and heather and polecats and all other life with which I’d been woven.

Yet, that tragic crossing also led me to Liliana, and to others who would help me hone my craft in the next several decades.

I did not have the luxury of formal schooling or magical tutelage, but I had the privilege of learning from the gifted people in my settlement, and those passing through. I watched my mother and other Io’larian folk. I listened to travelers in the flicker of tavern light, generously providing me their insights. Liliana and I eagerly swapped knowledge, enticed by the foreignness of each other’s skills. I learned of working with ritual, song, Saints, Gods, spirits, pain, and the land. I did not connect with all of these methods, yet I drank up every piece of knowledge I could.

I have developed an inkling that people are only scratching the surface of their own potential. They are held back by rigidity, shrinking away from true power and the mysteries that come with it. They have witnessed magick beyond comprehension – on Faedrun, and now on Mardrun as well – and they will not allow themselves the possibility that they could tap into it the very same.

We must break ourselves free of these mental bonds if we stand any chance of driving back the undead scourge and reclaiming our lands. Liliana and I have sworn to grasp the threads of our own power and follow them to their truest conclusion.

Sigfrøðr

PLAYED BY: Ty Springer

CHARACTER NAME: Sigfrøðr (pronounced Sig-freeth)

GENDER: Male

PRONOUN(S): he/him

CLASS: Warrior

AGE: 35

RACE: Ulven

HAIR: Brown

EYES: Hazel

OCCUPATION: Lead the Ironshear war pack during the Civil War and has since taken up sheep farming and textile working in Onrich.

KNOWN SKILLS: Spear fighting, weaving, spinning, tactics

BIRTHPLACE: Pack Ironshear

APPEARANCE: Greying hair and tired eyes

RELATIONSHIPS: Mated with Helga Nighriver

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: Sigfrøðr had always thought himself as a farmer first, soldier second. The Ironshear pack had emphasized the value of using the Great Wolf’s strength not only for battle, to provide for your people. Working on his family’s sheep farm helped to build that strength, but like many pups, Sigfrøðr yearned for action and trained himself in spear and axe fighting.

So as tensions grew on the Nightriver coast, Sigfrøðr saw an opportunity for glory. He joined the pack’s war party and traveled with them to face the threat of Grimward. The other members of the war pack were a mix of skill and experience, some having fought mordok and others untested in combat. It was in this war pack that Sigfrøðr would meet his future mate, Helga, a fellow inexperienced fighter.

They could not have been prepared to fight their own. The warriors of Grimward were fierce, organized, and intelligent. Sigfrøðr learned quickly under the pressure of battle. He studied strategy with the war pack leader and, within two years, became the leader of his own war pack with his now mate by his side.

Sigfrøðr’s pack was relatively successful against their enemies, mostly picking small guerilla battles on the border between territories. When they were called to aid at Black Wolf Creek, the pack believed it would be a typical operation: support the flanks, keep the enemy from ambushing, kill the enemy. They were not prepared for what awaited them.

Right from the beginning the battle was different. The Grimward attackers were more frenzied than usual, more bloodthirsty. All around him Sigfrøðr watched his comrades fall. He barked orders at his pack as the Grimward units ganged up on them. One after another, the warriors he fought side by side with for months were cut down. It was down to only a handful of warriors when Sigfrøðr called his pack to fall back and regroup with the main line.

As they retreated, Sigfrøðr and Helga held the rear, fighting off the Grimward warriors pursuing them. As they ran back to reinforcements, archers took out one of their men. Then another. Until only the mated pair remained.

Sigfrøðr teetered on the edge of panic and rage as he maintained the fighting retreat. Another arrow whizzed through the air, this time piercing him through the leg. While struggling not to black out from exhaustion and pain, he heard the tell tale splintering of his mate’s shield. Helga had taken an axe to the helm and had blood running down her face, her eyes burning with adrenaline. “We need to cut and run.” Sigfrøðr said through gritted teeth.

Helga looked to him to see a second arrow burst through the trees to hit her mate in the shoulder. He couldn’t hold back the scream this time. Without hesitation Helga flung her injured mate over her shoulder and sprinted away from their attackers. She hopped over fallen logs and through thorny brush, barely seeing as the blood dripped further. It was at the healer’s tent that Helga collapsed, her body exhausted from the run, the fight, and the injuries she’d been ignoring.

After the battle had ended, Sigfrøðr and Helga were sent from the front to recover. They returned to Onrich, a settlement of farmers and Sigfrøðr’s childhood home. It took months until Sigfrøðr spoke again. He had spent his time after the war focusing on a small sheep and wool farm. He tended the sheep and processed the wool while his mate ran a blacksmith shop making tools for their fellow farmers. It was quiet and calm.

Never again did Sigfrøðr expect to pick up a spear. Never again did he intend to face down the blade of a Grimward warrior. But life has other plans.

Avelina Squallborn

PLAYED BY: Emily Alligood

CHARACTER NAME: Avelina Squallborn

GENDER: Female

PRONOUN(S): She/Her

CLASS: Cleric

AGE: 28

RACE: Ulven

HAIR: Red

EYES: Blue

OCCUPATION: Avelina was raised in a fishing family and has continued to work in the family business.

KNOWN SKILLS: Avelina is a skilled fisherman and sailor. She was raised on the coast and is familiar with skills such as gardening and hunting to supplement during harsh winters when the coast freezes over or a wolf’s wind make the seas unsafe.

BIRTHPLACE: I was born in what is now former Clan Squallborn territory in 246.

APPEARANCE: Avelina is quiet, but with a strong and steady demeanor.

NOTABLE TRAITS: No notable traits.

RELATIONSHIPS: Avelina recently met and befriended Hersir Imrick and has joined the organization called the Stormborn Coast (or the name of the organization once it has been approved, as it is in progress). In this process, she has befriended the other members of the organization, especially Mirth, who answers her endless questions about the world. Avelina grew up as the best friend of Bodil’s daughter, Hilda.

RUMORS: There are rumors in her small village that Avelina consorts with humans and prefers them to Ulven company. She is believed to have a party streak despite being so quiet, in the same way that people say ‘it’s always the quiet ones’.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:

Avelina was born to a successful fishing family and grew up spending her days on the sea and her nights with her pack. She spent time at the markets with her family where she met her friend Hilda, daughter of Bodil Squallborn. Avelina always had a fascination with the world at large, asking questions of traveling merchants, and wondering just how far her little skiff could take her. Her pack tolerated this curiosity at first, seeing the intrigue of a small child as a gift. The older she got, though, the more her questions were met with unhappy answers- first it was changed subjects, awkward silence, and soon outright hostility. As confused as she was, she harbored her curiosity in secret, being careful not to disrupt the harmony of the pack, and more importantly, the clan.

One day, when she was about 13 years old, Avelina was playing with Hilda when they overheard raised voices from across the house- they heard Bodil, the clan leader, discussing humans in Squallborn territory. The young girls crept into the hallway to listen to the story, they heard of humans, coming from Faedrun, a land overrun with monsters as if in a living nightmare. They heard of scared families running from devastation, abandoning their homes and their people, to keep their families safe. However, these families now needed a place to stay, to rebuild, and they wanted to consider the lan of Clan Squallborn as an option. At the thought of so many new people, their new stories and new ideas, Avelina gasped in excitement, which drew the attention of Hilda’s mother, Siegrid. She discreetly shooed them back into the den where the girls had been playing and shut the door. Avelina was bright eyed and full of questions, but Siegrid hushed her quickly. She told the girls to keep what they’d heard to themselves as this would be a matter for the clan leaders and not something for little wolves to worry about. Avelina was perplexed. She couldn’t understand why this would be anything other than exciting, and told Siegrid just that. Knowing the girls and their insatiable curiosity, she had no choice but to discuss with the girls long into the evening. As they spoke, Avelina recalled the mumbled answers, the silence, and the anger she’d encountered when asking about new people and lands; it all fell into place for her that night.

From that day on, Avelina was far more quiet. She stayed out of the conversations about the war, stood by as a quiet observer, humming in agreement as needed and simply gathering the thoughts of her pack mates, hearing the sentiments intensify day by day until the sparks of feared blazed into a civil war. Avelina watched her pack, her friends, and Bodil move through the war, through raids, and the fateful day of Attenjav. It tore her heart to see her family, once so revered, brought down so low. Despite the war and the raids, the pain and horror she’d seen and experienced, her curiosity remained, though now with a shameful trickle of guilt to accompany it.

As it always does, life continued. Avelina sailed with her family, eventually earning her own skiff, and went to market to support her family. She tried to shove away the curiosity, but the more her pack worked and waited for life to return to “normal”, the more she realized it never could. Out on the ocean, where she and Hilda could speak freely, Avelina confessed her ideas of a new future for Squallborn. A world where Ulven, Human, and Syndar, live together in peace. Hilda laughed at the thought, simply because the pack was now too beaten down, bitter, and angry to consider a future. Avelina wondered if she could begin the process of rebuilding a future for her people, hoping that one day, her people would want a new path, and see the value in curiosity as they had when she was just a little girl.

One fateful evening in a tavern the next town over, Avelina encountered a strange group of travelers, formerly known as the Golden Hand, who were looking for new opportunities in the area. As a daughter of former Clan Squallborn, and someone with a dream for the future, she leapt at the chance when she heard those fateful words- “are you looking for a job?”

Magdelena

PLAYER NAME: Kathy Beltran

CHARACTER NAME: Magdelena

GENDER: Female

PRONOUN(S):she/her

CLASS:

AGE: 30ish

RACE: Human

HAIR: Blonde

EYES: Blue

OCCUPATION: Owner/Operator of The Gilded Griffin Tavern and Inn; Companion; Escort

KNOWN SKILLS: Barkeeping, Accounting

BIRTHPLACE: Faedrun

NOTABLE TRAITS

RELATIONSHIPS: Many. If they have passed through Starkhaven, they likely either had a drink or stayed at her business. If they live there, the chances are much higher.

RUMORS: Many. She encourages them by adding on her own embellishments. Most don’t know what is true and what is not.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY

EARLY LIFE

Magdelena was born into a modest, hardworking family in a small village on Faedrun. From a young age, she showed an exceptional intellect, an uncanny ability to make fast friends who would pour their heart out to her. Like many, her village was caught in a battle in the battles against the Undead and Penitent. With her family dead and her village burnt to the ground, she became another war orphan.

ON FAEDRUN

Magdelena moved to areas of Faedrun untouched by the war. Destitute, she took up odd jobs as available. This usually meant cleaning or being a serving maid. In the taverns and inns her personality shone through, and she quickly made a modest living that way. However, a young woman with good looks and charm can also make money in other ways. Many people will pay for company, especially with someone like her. So she took up being an Escort as well as a Tavern maid.

Magdalena was doing that when she was discovered by a well known Madam. Seeing her talent wasted, Magdalena was swept off to Southern Vandregon for education in being a Companion to the wealthy and powerful. There her talents flourished. As time went on, she was entrusted with running one of the Madame’s establishments as well, turning it into a thriving social venue for high and low born alike.

LIFE ON MARDRUN

As the war worsened, Magdelena saw the writing on the wall sooner than most. That is what happens when the high and mighty will let slip their worries to you. As such, she packed what supplies and coins she could, and made for the colony of Newhope. She was well enough known that she could get a job in one of the budding taverns. However, much of her support and connections never made the trip over. She was back to the beginning.

Over the years, she managed to slowly save enough silver through her work to be able to afford her own place. Unfortunately, Newhope had grown and was saturated with taverns. However, she learned that the Order colony of Starkhaven had started to grow again after a long decline. Seeing an opportunity, she readied to move there. The Order Civil War briefly paused those plans, but afterwards provided even more opportunity to rebuild. Bidding Newhope farewell, she made the trek to Starkhaven to open her own tavern.

RUNNING THE GILDED GRIFFIN

Magdelena now runs the Gilded Griffin with the care and precision of someone who has built something entirely her own.Though she started small, the tavern and inn situated in a comfortable corner of Starkhaven, has earned a well-deserved reputation for warmth, hospitality, and quiet charm. From early morning until the hearth burns low at night, the Gilded Griffin remains a steady presence in the lives of locals and travelers alike.

The main room is inviting, filled with polished wooden tables, rich red draperies, and the warm scent of bread and stew. Magdelena oversees it all with practiced ease—welcoming guests with a kind smile, smoothing over disputes with a gentle word, and making sure no tankard sits empty for long. Her eye for detail ensures that everything runs smoothly, from the kitchens to the guest rooms upstairs.

Though she hires capable staff, Magdelena is never far from the work. She can often be found tending bar, accounting ledgers open at her elbow, or quietly speaking with regulars who seek her advice. Her presence brings a sense of calm and order to the tavern, and her reputation for fairness and discretion has made the Griffin a favored gathering place for merchants, guards, and travelers from across the region.

The upstairs rooms are modest but clean, with thoughtful touches like fresh linens, sturdy locks, and warm lighting. Guests who stay the night often comment on how peaceful the place feels, as though trouble knows better than to cross its threshold.

While the Griffin is a public house, those with discerning tastes or quiet needs know to inquire subtly about the private rooms and finer services the inn occasionally provides. Magdelena is known not only as a skilled tavern keeper but as a discreet and charming companion to those of influence—offering conversation, counsel, and cultivated company to those who seek it. These services are not advertised, but in Starkhaven, little stays secret for long—only quiet and well-managed. Her reputation for discretion and warmth makes her a favored host among the town’s notables and passing dignitaries alike. Some speak of evenings spent in her company as equal parts relaxing and enlightening, describing her with words usually reserved for old friends or wise confidantes.

Above all, Magdelena runs the Gilded Griffin not simply as a business, but as a refuge. She treats her patrons with genuine care, offering a warm meal, a quiet place to think, and, when needed, a sympathetic ear. She rarely speaks about her past, but there is a sense about her—a quiet strength and worldliness—that hints at a life beyond tavern walls.

CURRENTLY

No one really knows how Magdalena became entangled with the Militia Commander. Some say it is because he used the Gilded Griffin as a meeting place for a Syndar from the Fire Isle. Either way, her skills were noticed and she soon was called on to take a greater role in the affairs of Starkhaven and the Order.