Excerpt from Faelar Vrinn's Personal Journal, circa 6385 YM:
"I have finally found time to write. After the events of the past few
weeks, I was beginning to think I would never have a moment's peace.
Adventuring life here certainly is different from anything I have ever
experienced. I suppose that is an unimportant comment without background
context to illuminate it for the reader. I should start at the
beginning:
I was born in 6274 YM (according to the way people measure the
years here in this land) in captivity. My heritage is that of the proud
sun elves of a beautiful forest city known as Cormanthor and demons from
the abyss. My ancestors of house Dlardrageth purposefully inter-bread
with demons to strengthen their bloodlines. Then they attacked their
enemies within Cormanthor. At first my family was successful in its
designs, but eventually they were discovered. Their actions enraged the
elven community, and so many elven houses banded together to defeat my
ancestors.
The elves of Cormanthor were loathe to destroy their once
brethren and thought it not a suitable punishment for what my family had
done in any case. So, they imprisoned my family in a series of caverns
beneath the structure of House Dlardrageth. There to ponder and regret
their actions for eternity. Or so they thought.
Twenty years ago, three of my family members broke through the
seals that bound our cavern prison. My family had been in their prison
for thousands of years and our numbers had grown significantly in that
time. We elves are a long lived race, and with demon blood; we may well
live forever. Those three who broke free found the descendants of our
allies in the high forest, allied themselves with them and,
miraculously, came back to free us. (I say miraculously because my
family is now more demon than elven I believe.)
I was schooled in the history of our people and of the supposed
betrayal of our elven brethren. I never felt particularly vengeful
having never known any other life than that of the caverns which
sustained and imprisoned us. I would never voice such a thing to my
family leaders though…that would certainly invite their wrath. I showed
them only obeisance. I was not motivated to their cause, but I am not
stupid or foolhardy.
My mother's name is Yuseth Vrinn. Her father was a very handsome
male sun elf, and he bred with a particularly beautiful Succubus. Yuseth
(as I call her, for she would not have me call her mother) is the most
beautiful Fey'ri (as they call us now) in our entire house. I, being
homely by Fey'ri standards, was a sore disappointment to Yuseth. My
older brother, Reth, was already an accomplished fighter, and though I
showed much promise in that area, what my mother wanted was a sorcerer
in the family. I was to be her prized sorcerer. I failed miserably.
I found no solace from my father either. His name is Ogen, and
he is a man of many skills. Would you expect anything less of the man
who seduced the most beautiful demon among us? Unfortunately for me,
fathering and nurturing are not among those skills. Ogen is a rogue,
although he has some sorcerous power as well. Maybe that is what Yuseth
desired most from him when she mated with him. Anyhow, Ogen will have
nothing to do with me.
As such, my schooling was left to my Uncle Xan, Yuseth's
half-brother. Xan is a master warrior and at the time he was looking for
a new protégé, having finished training my brother. So I learned combat
and history from him; pain and humiliation from Yuseth; indifference and
anger from Ogen; and contempt and hate from Reth. This last would give
me the occasional baleful glance but, since Yuseth had ordered him not
to kill me (at least up till that point, I suppose she has now), he had
no real business with me.
Xan, for his part, was a hard taskmaster to please, but I
learned my lessons well. Our extensive interaction helped me to keep my
sanity; training and learning can be forms of meditation I found. I
escaped into the greatsword I swung day in and day out. I also took up
bow making during those years, and have found it to be therapeutic. Xan
found out things about me that I do not think Yuseth would have ever
guessed. Maybe if she took the time to find them out, she would have
found me more useful, who knows? He found out that I am great with
numbers, and with trade. I could take a few fungi he would give me to
trade, and turn them into a profit of goods and services all over the
cavern. Yuseth was too busy scheming to suspect that I was good at
anything, but Xan let me develop all my talents as they came out, and he
showed me a few that I didn't even know where there.
Xan saw that I was able to focus on my body and use my natural
demonic ability to alter my shape in ways he had never seen. He sat me
down one day and told me that I must work on that skill, because he had
never seen anyone else able to do such things. I swore that I would try.
Well, the years passed, and I grew into a young man. Then came
the fateful day when three of my family escaped. Everyone felt it; the
ripples of magic shook the cavern. Then there was nothing; for months.
Then, all of a sudden, the seal was broken. We walked out into
the light of the forest day. The sun was more beautiful than I was
told, too beautiful to say. That was the day my life began to crumble.
Yuseth suddenly wanted the family to 'come together' and we
did, because she would kill us if we did not obey her. Ogen even took
charge. It turns out they had been scheming together for ages, planning
and plotting should this day ever come. Well, it did, and they quickly
cemented their power base becoming two of the most powerful Fey'ri
leaders within the house.
The Fey'ri began to reclaim the forest. They did this first by
subjugating and killing any creatures unlucky enough to be within
striking distance, and then by mounting raiding parties into the
surrounding areas. Once this was done, Yuseth gained further power by
formulating a new plan to bring in resources. She and Ogen had found
some portals to other planes near where we had set up home. They
proposed to send raiding parties through these portals to pillage and
plunder wherever they led.
In this way the Fey'ri gained even more power. Yuseth was not
happy though, she wanted more power for HER, so she began to secretly
send Reth, Ogen, and I through the portals to bring plunder back for
'us.' This was working nicely when she finally decided to send me on a
mission by myself, with this as a parting:
'If you don't return I will hunt you down and kill you myself.'
She swore.
'Yes, Yuseth, I understand.' I replied, while staring down at
the ground.
Then I left. I passed by Xan on my way out and said, 'I wish you
well, first Teacher.'
He looked at me quizzically but only nodded. I suppose he knew
even then, he always was a wise old demon. I stepped through the portal
that day, and into a life I never dreamed could be possible.
I suppose I left mostly to find freedom from oppression. I guess
many others have done the same in the past, but I do not seek to change
the world, I just want to find my own path.
This time, my path led me to a forest in a strange land. The
forest smelled completely different than my home forest; it seemed less
alive somehow. I found a group of elves, but studied them before
approaching. They did not have the demonic bat-wings that I had or the
black hair and fiery red eyes of my own countenance. So I promptly
changed my form into what I was told my kin the sun elves look like:
deep bronze skin, shiny black hair, no demon wings, and black eyes with
gold flecks.
I approached the elves and we had a nice palaver. They seemed a
little hesitant at first but they quickly warmed to me and we spoke at
length. After, they headed back to their city, and I went along. I
noticed some dead and rotting trees in the forest, and questioned the
elves about it. They became very defensive and refused to travel with me
anymore. I suppose I must have showed too much ignorance of their ways,
because they accused me of being with some evil group (story of my life,
I say) and went on their way.
I followed them at a distance and watched them enter their city.
I tried to enter as well, but was denied, no matter what form I took.
So, I retreated into the forest. It was at this time that a tree began
talking to me. No, I did not lose my sanity; there was a man in the tree
beckoning me closer. At first I was wary, and I approached, and sure
enough arms reached out and tried to grab me. I broke the grip and
stepped away quickly, but the voice was very persuasive, even proffering
gold as a reward. So, I went along and was pulled into the tree, passing
into what I understand to be the Ethereal Plane.
The man, if indeed he was that, acted like no man I had ever
heard of. He was very calm, and unhurried, like the elves I know. He
told me that the elves of the place I had tried to enter were planning
to kill me. He did not offer a reason for saving me, but he said I would
be required to give back one favor in return. I agreed (hey, my
ancestors made deals with demons; I can make a deal with a devil or
three).
I traveled with the man for what must have been a week. He led
me to a land I came to know as Sutan. There he bid me farewell and
remember my promise of one favor. I said I would and just before
leaving, he offered me a magical belt that greatly strengthened me as a
token of trust. I still do not trust him, but the belt is nice.
I headed straight for the gladiator arena in Sutan; all the
action seemed to be there. I saw some great fighters in the arena and
some not so great ones. I also saw some amazing things that I had only
been told about. It was interesting to say the least.
I headed for an inn that night, and found some of the very
gladiators I had just seen in the common room. I sat with them and we
hit it off. Two of them were human, and one was a deurgar. I had learned
about both of these races from Xan. These three surprised me because
they were easy to get along with. I easily clicked with them and offered
my services as an adventurer, they agreed and so it was done.
Grennet Sorefissure, the deep dwarf in my party, is very sure of
what he wants and is not afraid to tell it to anyone within earshot. He
is fearsome in battle, and handy to have around too. Sirian Clearblade,
as he likes to be called, is a wild warrior with strange mind powers. He
is very dependable and easy to get along with. We share a bond in that
we both use two handed swords in battle. Plus, I like the guy, even
though he has some ideas that I find strange. The cleric, Kayla, I know
very little about. I still find it hard not to be wary around females.
The ones in my house would just as soon kill you as mate with you. I
have found our cleric much more tolerable though.
Our first adventure was when we visited Sven the Gnomes home to
question him about a plague he was spreading through the city of Sutan.
The Gnome resisted, surprise of surprises, and unfortunately he escaped.
We investigated his whereabouts; this led us to a secret temple on the
other side of Sutan. We attacked it, after watching a horde of enemies
venture forth. A chimera awaited us inside. We made short work of the
beast and then followed the group of enemies from before. Unfortunately
for us, we found them.
The group was returning form attacking a temple of another
faith. The lead cleric with them killed Grennet with a bright ray of
green light: he just turned to fine dust. I was knocked unconscious as
well. When I was healed, we had disengaged and were parleying with the
group. We left there bruised and battered, and went off seeking a way to
bring the dwarf back to life. About ten minutes later we saw the damn
dwarf walking down the street. Upon being questioned about his
miraculous appearance, he was close mouthed about the whole incident. I
think he may be hiding something, but aren't we all? We rested, and then
we continued the search for Sven.
We have since chased him to the east. We are presently on the road
now, hoping to pick up his trail soon."
Physical Description (Unaltered Form):
Faelar is 5'11 165 lbs.
Bronze skin
Black Hair
Fiery Red Eyes Large
Black/Red Demon Wings on his back