First Name: Adernath (original: Ardul'ryne)
Last Name: Unknown (original: Nasadra)
Appearance
Race: Drow
Gender: Male
Age: 182 (5309)
Height: 5'0''
Weight: 138 lbs
Eyes: Amethyst
Hair: Long white, usually worn in form of a ponytail.
Facial Hair Style: -
Personality Profile
General Health: Healthy
Deity: Elistraee
Initial Alignment: LE (currently: NN)
Profession: Wizard (officially), but he likes himself more in the role as a scout and traveller, who prefers the use of logic, mundane methods and his bow instead of the arcane. Only if being compelled to do so, he will take advantage of his great arsenal of magical spells. His skills as wizard are fully developed and almost on par to a plain wizard.
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard, Eldrich Knight, Assassin, Arcane Trickster
Habits/Hobbies: As most practical wizards, he likes to collect all sort of spells and research in every direction. Furthermore he shows great interest in history and the creation of magical artwork in all of its forms.
Languages: Over a dozend, several non-humanoids due to his studies of the arcane, some are from his background, to mention are explicitly: Halruaan, Dambrathan and Sylvan.
Weapon of Choice: Longbow & Quarterstaff.
Clothing: Overall his look shows a combination of a wizard's outfit together with the necessities of a traveler in a single harmonic setup. He is regularly wearing an ancient robust black wizard robe with red interior embroidery, which is engraved with beautiful golden ornaments along its edges. A pair of antic looking metal cuisses, gloves and boots survived the time as well and is worn by him regularly, giving him a rather traditional look. He likes to wear his old black diadem in the school of mages, helping him when performing magical rituals or a simple black headband elsewhere. As a symbol of the daylight in honor of Elistraee, he wears a white cloak, a fact known only by his godess and himself and which let him sometimes smile while walking in the streets of Sshamath. He will cover his head only if it is necessary. In private he prefers a simple black vestment.
Background: Veteran
Birthplace: Golothaer
Foreword to his background story: The elven races are ancient. They fought battles and created wonderous places of magic and items long before the great kingdoms of men arise. The long lifespan of an elf makes it possible that their background can turn out to be very rich and with more adventures that an 'ordinary' human will encounter in their entire live, unless the elf is young or never started out venturing. Being a 'veteran', my character has already encountered quite some things, apart from that he is worshipping Elistraee and this requires a detailed explanation of why he is doing that. I will give the story of him now (which is - of course - highly OOC knowledge).
Timeline of certain important events until present 1348, Dalereckoning
In the old ages
-4973 DR Foundation of Sshamath.
-3961 DR A drow of house Nasadra in the city of Golothaer was born and given the name Ardul'ryne. Ardul'ryne Nasadra was weak in his constitution, but he had a natural talent to magic as most drow. His sharp mind and intuitive sense gained him respect among the others. However, his main interest were in history, in music and in the use of magic to form artwork.
-3958 DR A great conflict began to arise in Golothaer between drow worshiping Lolth and fellowers of Ghaunadaur. This conflict inlcuded all houses and began to spead out to its surroundings soon after.
Golothaer before its fall.
-3946 DR At his age of 15 the smouldering conflict within the city went into pacts between different houses and open battle. Soon after, Ardul'ryne were forced to join in the ranks of Nasadra as spellblade.
Perhaps of his young age, his keen mind and the cruelties of the conflict he had to witness, including the death of his parents, he came to the conclusion that it is the nature of his own society which seems to be stuck in its cultural development and damned to fought against each other because of their intolerable attitude. During the civil war his mind began to open itself for those who shared these feelings, however he finally decided that it is better to keep these thoughts for himself to stay out of trouble until the conflict is settled and he can begin to plan his career.
-3942 DR A great explosion destroyed the north-eastern part of Golothaer and the following collapse split the entire city into several zones, burring a large part of its population under rock. Facing the partial destruction of their own city, a short period of negotiations followed, but the peace was fragile.
-3934 DR Twelve years have passed as the conflict between the two parties began again to raise. The fate of house Nasadra, who tooked sides by worshiping Lolth, quickly turned against them as out of a sudden their matron mother were assassinated by a master of his subject. The assassination caused an additional conflict within the house which weakened it over the next years and the open battle between the two factions broke out again.
Although first unwillingly, he finally adapted to his role as a spellblade and went to an entusiastic strategist. His motivation was, however, to end the conflict as fast as possible by assisting in overwhelming the other side in the long run. Very often he struggled with himself and questioned if he now were part of the nonsense killing he denied not long ago. Due to his talent in strategic questions Ardul'ryne ascended to Drada'Quarthin (Lieutenant) and one year later as Sutrinos (Commander) of a small battle group called the Ssez'dor.
During that time he was sent out to various missions, often contradictory in their tasks and with changing success while in the meantime the Ghaunadaur worshiping houses gained the initiative and steadily concquered one settlement after the other. Although he had alot combats, he always managed either to get out or to obtain a victory and thus stay alive.
Year -3932 DR. Two important settlements of the Lolth worshippers were fallen almost simultaneously by betrayal. The remaining drow including the house Nasadra were forced to retreat immediately into their last stronghold. Among others the Ssez'dor felt from grace because of the lack of success.
Seven months later, a large counterattack was planned. To scout the enemy forces, several patrols were assembled and sent out with the official purpose of negotiating, but secretly looking for weaknesses.
The Ssez'dor, however, were given a different task. They had to change sides to infiltrate the Ghaunadaur worshippers from within. The precise circumstances are shrouded in the fog of the past, but to succeed in such a plan it was necessary to regain a gift, an artifact called 'the bowl of curse' out of a place called Relon'ra deep in the Gnollwatch mountains. The artifact, which was lost long ago to a powerful entity, were said to be able to turn the tide of the battle. But the plan was in fact a no-return journey, breeded out by intrigue to get rid of possible competitives: Corruption and mistrust among the nobel society waged even when facing their own doom.
The entrance to Relon'ra.
Nonetheless the group found Relon'ra and managed to enter the old ruins, but they never suceeded. A beholder guardian spotted them on the half way and a demilich appeared. During the inevitable battle with the group, the demilich petrified Ardul'ryne into stone. The fate of his companions are not known, but the heat of the battle the entrance of Relon'ra collapsed and the place were sealed. Ardul'rynes fate seems to be decided.
Time went on and no one knows for sure what happened afterwards. Although the original conflict lasted for another decade, the city of Golothaer were finally abandoned by all drow. Kingdoms, places and persons arose and were forgotten again.
Ardul'ryne petrified.
-3917 DR Foundation of Menzoberranzan by the survivors of seven houses of Golothaer led by Menzoberra the Kinless.
-3864 DR House Nasadra and house S'sril began a terrible battle against each other in Menzoberranzan. This leads to the exile of house Nasadra. House Baenre ascends to the first house in the city.
-3859 DR Begin of the Netheril Civilization.
-3843 DR Foundation of Ched Nasad by survivers of house Nasadra.
-2872 DR Faerzress began to dissapear in the surroundings of Sshamath and the following crisis resulted in
the establishment of the council of wizards.
-2488 DR Fall of the Imaskar Empire (-8350 DR Begin of the Imaskar Civilization).
-339 DR Karsus's folly caused the fall of Netheril and changes in all magic. Mystryl sacrificed herself and was reborn as Mystra. The magical kingdom of Halruaa was founded soon after by a part of the surviving wizards of Netheril led by Raumark.
211 DR Four native barbarian tribes entered the land of Dambrath and settled down.
314 DR The trade city of Shantir (later renamed Cathyr) is founded in Dambrath.
545 DR Reinhar I. united Dambrath. Soon after he was defeated during the first great war with its neighbouring nation Halruaa
802 DR Reinhar IX. was King. He ordered an attack on the drow city T'lindhet beneath the Gnollwatch mountains to secure his mines. The quarrelled drow united for a short time and the battle quickly turned back to the surface.
830 DR (approximately) Cathyr slain Reinhar IX. by betrayal and took sovereignity of Dambrath. Soon after, Cathyr established relationships between the drow of T'lindhet and her nation. By this act Dambrath became known as a bastion of evil among the realms.
1035 DR Cathyr were murdered by her daughter Filina who assumed the Throne of Dambrath.
1094 DR Queen Melinith began to rule Dambrath
1174 DR Dambrath conducted a series of sea raids along the coast of the great sea.
However that was not the end. After several thousand years standing as a stone statue in the upper hall of Relon'ra he was found in 1196 DR.
A party of drow, half-drow and humans who were venturing from T'lindhet to the surface accidently stumbled upon the ancient ruins. They were astonished as they recognized that the petrified drow is still in a state where he can be turned alive, and they decided to perform the ritual to save him and in the hope to learn more about his history.
Unfortunately the extremely long period of petrification made him lost a significant part of his memory from that time and almost all of his former strength, spellcraft and skills; the magic of the past was not the same anymore. Although he was able to remember factions of his past and with some help he was able to determine roughly how long he was petrified, he did not even remember his own name anymore, so he called himself Adernath.
The politics of Dambrath made it possible to gain unhindered access to the surface. During a short stay in Cathyr (the capital of Dambrath, renamed in honor of her former queen) a drow female, who heard about his story, came to him and introduced herself as Yvae do'ral. She offered to help him in providing shelter in a hidden village in the southernmost edge of the forrest of Amtar near the border of Halruaa. Still suffering from his long petrification, he gladly tooked this opportunity and in the dark woods he slowly began to recover and adapt to the present. However he was not the same as before. His attitude changed and he were more restraint and neutral towards others while still overwhelmed by the present time.
One year later Yvae do'ral revealed to him that she is worshiping Elistraee. She were on a mission to gain followers in Dambrath and his fate attracted her attention. Although he was first surprised, he finally were convinced by her idealism. Having the history of the drow in mind (as far as it was accessible to him) he was always open minded to revolutional ideas and not long afterwards he began to worship Elistraee as if he always did. In that time he also began to study the language of Sylvan.
1213 DR Queen Melinith of Dambrath recalls her navy and institutes a policy of isolationism for her nation. Two years later she died of old age and her daughter Ausitil assumes the Throne.
1216 DR Adernath began his study of the arcane (again) in T'lindhet.
1275 DR Ausitil died and Yenandra was crowned queen (she will rule the nation until 1356 DR).
1347 DR Yvae do'ral had to take a journey by ship to Skullport to visit the Promenade of the church of Elistraee and report to High Priestess Qilue Veladorn about the situation in Dambrath. Adernath decided to accompany her. Shortly after their arrival by ship, Yvae do'ral were given new dutys in Sshamath which will make a longer stay in this city necessary. Adernath glady took the opportunity in visiting Sshamath for his research in the high arcane.
1348 DR Since his arrival, he is researching, practicing his skills and meditate in the school of mages. He prefers to keep himself out of organizations and stay independent and unsuspicious, however he is well aware about his status as a wizard. Being an old fox he may join an organization in the future if he things that it will benefit him.
Goals & Possible Plot-Hook Ideas, Misc Facts:
In the long run he wants to find out more about his past, about the fate of his companions and the mission he was sent to. And of course find his destiny in the use of magic to create artwork. Unfortunately, the extremely long time period seems to make the first task as good as impossible... and perhaps also hopeless.
Recently he discovered a mysterios connection of him to the past, a link in the weave which is sometimes stronger and sometimes weaker and which he can not yet further determine. This connection seems to be harmless for now, having only a strange side effect that he does not show any signs of age, even for an elf. But it makes him feel uncomfortable.
He is well aware about the fact that there are many mysteries in the world to discover, especially for an everyday magic-user as him. He has also alot interest to learn more about the historic events which happend during his petrification. To discover, understand and form the foundations of the world is a central goal in his long term studies as a wizard; and he knows that he will have alot time to do this. Although he sees the other races in the eyes of a drow, i.e. incapable of gaining the perfection and harmony as drow can, he is more open minded and respectful to them than most other drow, preferable to those who can use the arcane as well (often he doesnt show this openly). He accepted the racial differences as facts, and prefer to have a good relationship to everyone, especially if one is on his own and the drow society is far. However, he also has no qualm to kill if it is necessary and there are no witnesses or not to help when it is too risky; he is a drow and an old fox after all and it looks like he has a sixth sense to get out of the trouble.
In the old days he would kill a worshipper of Ghaunadaur on sight. Even now, as he is following the path of Elistraee, he feels sad to see that this cult made it to the present and have extreme prejudice to all of his members. And if there is the chance to reduce their members, either by words or discretely by force, he will gladly help with that.
Further Ideas:
Yvae do'ral needs help or they just talk about their situation and the fate of the drow (it could also lead on a mission to the surface). Or an artist arrives and teach him a few lessons about certain artwork (not music anymore however - he is not a bard) in exchange of some task. Very dramatic: Someone threatens to reveal him (or one of his friends or Yvae do'ral) worshiping Elistraee and he/they have to get rid of that person. More epic: Something from his past made it to the present. Either he leaerned about his true origin, a hint about the fate of his mission, met a restless soul of his companions or even more dramatically a hint of the current location of the bowl has been found and dark forces have to be stopped to obtain it, or the artifact itself was found and brought to Sshamath - and with it arrive forces of unspeakable evil dangering the whole city. And of course there could also be the possibility of discovering the truth behind the fall of Golothaer, the identity of the master assassin (which after this long time period would be possible only with a crazy story) and the reason why the last settlements so suddenly fall by betrayal, but this would probably lead to places behond the borders of Baldur's Gate and these events are very old.