Prelude

Birth: -

Death: -

Notable Achievements: -

Education: -

Game History

I was born on Freedorn. My parents are lower-middle class working folk. Father fishes and mother keeps house and tended to we the offspring. They are religious in an offhand way... Meaning in times of stress we prayed, but the gods otherwise did not hear from us very much, nor did we go to the Temple.

As a girl child, I watched my brothers go out with Father and stayed home with mother. We were not as close as we should have been, and Father was of course too tired at days end. He would go to the tavern with his friends and come home when it pleased him. He did everything as it pleased him, and expected us to bow to his will. A roaring blustering man.

I failed to marry myself off as my family expected. Children and drudgery? No thank you. I wanted out of that life, to be under my own thumb. To be Someone important.

Politics is not a profession for a girl, and I dont care for such things, I like direct speaking and honesty, and so I applied to the Academy and was accepted as an engineer.

Studying left little time for boys however. Not really, but I chose to distance myself from such activity. There was one, once, but his ship was attacked by pirates and he is dead, by reports we received later. He was not a fisher, but instead on a business trip to Faydwer for his father. He was a clerk.

I graduated and received my first posting. Another desert world like the one I'd just left behind me. Anyway, now it was sink or swim, which to be honest I nearly drowned at one point in my life so preferred to not venture near the water for quite some time. There are some advantages to a desert world.

Unfortunately I didn't like the Imperial military much. Too many men just like my father. I bided my time and got out when re-enlistment came round.

I knew from growing up around merchants that most needed raw materials for their trades. I wonder if many would drink if they truly knew what went into their mugs... But there was a market and I went out to fill it, and my pockets. As I grew more adept I branched out into bounties.

Bounty hunting is NOT anything like the romantic, heroic holovids you see now and then. It is hard work, and the people you meet tend to be scum. Dont believe what you read or hear. Im not honorable. If you want to kill someone, go ahead. But dont whine to me about how you were framed.

There is more, but it all runs together after a time. I took to donating small items to those starting out as I was, for some this is their only way out of the slums, and a little kindness goes a long way at times. A smart recruiter, Vexianna Pax'Voboscim, insisted I join her merc unit, the Sisterhood, and I had had other conversations along similar lines with their CO, Aziev Nan'Gwathels. But Vexi has a will of iron and I crumbled. It has indeed been one of the better things I have done in my life.

We shipped out to Coamen, where the government was fighting to keep its nose above ground, rather than 6 feet under.

The first time I met one of our enemy it was a prisoner, as arrogant and obnoxious as his race generally is, but he consented to lower himself enough to teach me the rudiments of his language. Took every ounce of patience to put up with his demeaning attitude, but I wanted to know what the natives were really saying.

One night many weeks later I was observing an assault on my home town by enemy forces, and stumbled upon a private discussion between our contractor and the enemy leader, his sister, making peace. The prisoner was there and told me in his so charming way to make myself gone, but still I was interested in what little I had seen, and began to remember the bard songs concerning the twin pair. A little more research and fortuitous encounters with Lady Sugan, some by chance some by maneuvering on my part...

Lady Sugan needed allies however, and it was a way to become closer to her and see better what was happening, so I became my unit's representative to the negotiations, such as it was. From there I began to spend time with Lord Faileas also, observing him in his work and meeting others of his forces, and hers.

Sugan's spirit is an impressive one, but I cannot live up to her ideals and passionate commitment, she makes me feel small and weak, things I refuse to be again. Also, there was the matter of my linguistics teacher. And, Faileas' second in command spoke often enough to me to lead to certain events that I do not regret, and so I will see where this leads me. Envy is a charismatic woman, loyal only because Lord Faileas is better than she. Until she can defeat him and claim his position, second she will remain.

My time in Faileas' direct employ was not long before war broke out again. Sugan demanded a family heirloom in Faileas' possession, and when he would not give it up she sent her people to war to get it. How adult is that? Nevertheless, we were winning until one of ours betrayed our location to Sugan and we were surprised bu her strongest allies en masse. Faileas had earlier designated Lady Envy t'Druis his second, and so was taken by the Sugan. Envy was rescued from her own prison and took command. In Sugan's 'care', Faileas went insane.

Contemptous of their once leader's weakness of mind and racial heritage of humanity, his people turned to Envy for leadership and she grasped the reins with pleasure. I, hardly the most loyal to Faileas' ways, seemed to be the only one possessing the trait of loyalty, and began seeking allies among other factions to rescue Faileas from his imprisonment, trial, and execution.

Malgorm and General Frostito I had met in the city raids of Aleal now and again. With Malgorm away, Frostito passed along my messages and met with me to discuss this many times. Envy appeared and informed me that my letters had been intercepted and read, and also that the seeming abandonment of Faileas was in fact a ruse, to determine who among us were truly loyal. She came with me to meet Frostito and Cman the dark lord, and an alliance of sorts was arranged. Frostito insisted that as a show of good faith I join his faction, and so I did. Envy granted me the title of Dark Mistress.

I did love Faileas. Greatly. Though he never saw me, only his dark mistress Envy. Still, in the end Envy betrayed him and was slain by him. Weakened by his illness and the battles we fought, Faileas mind betrayed him and eventually he was as a child, playing in the garden rather than in war. Nauria, another faction head who had been my friend on this world despite our differences and my prior loyalties. She took me aside and showed me how the politics of Freedorn were. Sugan had to destroy her brother, utterly.

Nauria dreamt the future, and saw me as Faileas' bride, saw us reduced to a few men and arms in the last of our citadels. Sugan's forces amassed themselves and I lost Faileas. Nauria, everyone. All dead. Somehow I survived, though I know not how.

It has been months since that terrible day. I left Freedorn, for the last time.

My heart is gone, a dead thing. My mind is nothing except devastation. Waiting to die.

Other professions? Well yes... I might have gone into one if offered, as a youth, but it was not and I was a bit rebellious so perhaps I wouldn't have. But out in the countryside alone one has much spare time on ones hands and I began to study other arts. Sewing, Cooking. Vexianna had noticed my interest in weapons and funded my education in that direction. That is I think, my favorite yet, next to languages. So very satisying to create with ones hands something that is *real*. Solid. Lasting.... I have mastered all the languages spoken in these hills, and this too brings a satisfied glow. Ive made inquiries into brewing. I have even mastered fishing. Father would be upset, but I don't care. Before I am done he will have much more to be upset about.

Until that day however, I have a contract to fulfill so if you don't mind, I was just leaving and you are in my way.