Quarion Dawnfire - Wizard

Quarion Dawnfire
Quarion Dawnfire has extensive experience in adventuring, beginning his career in Mithrendain. He started working for the Sword Guard at age 16, but after the Massacre of the Ten Mages, he left to pursue a career in freelance wizardry. He helped find the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty along with Roghar of Celestia and Anastrianna Winterwhite. His arch enemy is the vampire Lord Callipher Grentis, whom he clashed with at the Battle of Whitestone Bridge. He is an ally of Lord William the Wanted, Brother Ruben of the New Order of the Knights of Praetor, and a fervent dedicate of Corellon. He is currently the high mage of Astrazalian and Supreme Commander of the Army of Light. Though currently a mercenary, he is guided by a strong code of ethics that dictate what jobs he takes. He is the son of the renowned warlord Gallindall the Great and inherits his quick wits and strategic mind. He is modest and humble but is renowned for his short temper. and will often rush to the defense of the innocent.

Amelia Stillwater - Cleric of Elhonna

Amelia Stillwater’s Story

I was born under the full moon in the Spring 22 years ago on a good-sized family farm on the edge of a great forest. My father raised cows, chickens, hogs, goats, a few plowing horses and a small garden to feed his family of 6. He was a large intimidating man, but his heart was as large as a barn. Living on a farm, I learned respect for the land and respect for the animals. There is a give and take that is natural in all things. We feed and care for the gentle creatures. We keep them healthy and happy and in turn, they feed us through their labors or when it is time, through their lives. We respect them, and they respect us.

From my father, I learned how to care for the animals day to day, how to breed the livestock, how to care for the young ones and what to do when any of them became ill. I watched the animals on the farm grow and change as I grew and changed. I learned how to feel for them even when it came time to slaughter one, and how to do it in the most humane way. They must eat and so do we; it is a cycle. I learned how to nurture the land to grow the crops and the beauty in it. I learned hard work.

My mother, as well as being a farmer’s wife and raising four children, was the town’s midwife. Through her, I learned vthe miracle of childbirth and what the rewards of motherhood look like. I used to follow her to her trips to women of the village. Most frequently, it was to help a woman birth a child, but other times it was to teach a woman tricks and herbal remedies to help them conceive. By being with her, she passed her  knowledge to me.

I have three brothers. My two younger brothers were born as I was ending my childhood. They are twins and I was there and helped my mother through the birth of them, and as they grew, helped keep them out of trouble. They are wild little brats, but they love the land as much as my father. I believe they will grow to be great farmers someday.

My older brother was my mentor and best friend growing up. He was also a great hunter. He taught himself and had a great natural talent for it. For my fifth birthday he gave me a bow he made that was just like his. I was so excited! I was bouncing around like a rabbit. He told me that a little lady like me should not be afraid of life outside our home, and that I just need to be prepared for the dangers I may face. He took my little hand in his big teenage hand and taught me how to shoot my bow. Later, he taught me how to hunt and track in the forest. He left home when he reached adulthood. Farming was never something he was interested in. I miss him greatly, but I understand why he needed to make his own way in the world. Before he left, he pulled me aside and told me that I needed to go on a walk in the forest on the morning of my 18th birthday and I will meet someone there. I tried to ask for more information on what he meant, but he just shook his head, smiled his goofy big-brother smile and told me that I must wait and see.

So, a few years later, on the morning of my 18th birthday I entered the forest and wandered aimlessly for a while. I spent a good deal of my childhood in the forest and knew the area rather well. I felt like a fool wandering around looking for a person I didn’t even know existed. I was about to go back home, when I saw a flash of white to my left. I turned to see what it was, but I only found a path that was not there a few seconds before. I followed it deep into the forest and into a strange but serene clearing. I should have felt scared or apprehensive, but all I felt was absolute calm and peace. There was a beam of sunlight that shined into the middle of the clearing and where it landed was a small flower patch. As I came closer to it, I felt a warmth radiating from it and I became sleepy. I laid down in the circle of flowers and drifted to sleep. It was there I was given a vision!

In the vision, Goddess Mielikki (aka Goddess Ehlonna) allowed me the great honor of looking upon her beauty! She told me to look around me and really see the plants and animals of the forest. She made me realize that I was part of them and they were part of me. We are all connected in the deepest part of us. My eyes were opened to who I was and who I was meant to be! I had been born and shaped by my family to be a follower of Her, only none of us knew it at the time! It became so clear! The great Goddess showed me what I must do. I must leave my family and go to her priests to study. When I am deemed ready by them, I must leave and find the seven adventurers and become one of the

Fellowship of Eight. I am to keep them safe and help them in their endeavors. Though I am still to worship and spread Her great love as I travel, Her path for me leads away from common worship. She wants me to be an adventurer for Her. I know not where her path for me goes from here, but She has great plans for me!



This is an excerpt from GREYHAWK ADVENTURES (TSR 2023).

Cersei- The Fighter

Her mother, Sasha, came from a wealthy and respected family. She was delicate, elegant, and proper. Her father, John, was a few years older than her mother and was the son of one of her father’s most trusted stewards. John was strong, hard working, and tenacious. They knew each other their entire lives, John always had Sasha’s attention and she often daydreamed of one day being his bride, but John, although always fond of her, seemed to reciprocate her love only after she turned 15.
John and Sasha knew their love would never be accepted by her family so when Sasha turned 19, they eloped with the money John saved as the blacksmith’s apprentice and a few jewels that Cersei carried with her. They married and settled in the town of Water Deep. John was a blacksmith and Sasha helped him with his business. Two years later they were ecstatic at the news of a baby coming into their lives. Sasha received nothing but care, attention, and affection from John during her pregnancy. When Sasha went into labor there were complications and she died two days after giving birth to Cersei.
John raised his daughter with all the love Sasha would have given her. Cersei was the spitting image of her mother, accept for her unruly curly hair, inherited by John. John wanted to raise Cersei as a proper young lady but Cersei was always getting dirty, fighting with boys twice her age, and loved to help John in the shop. John knew his daughter was something special when at the age of 5, she was helping him carry hammers and anvils. John’s best friend in town was a retired ranger, Dylan, he recognized Cersei’s talent and as a favor to John he began to train her. When Cersei turned 15 her father became very ill and two years later he passed away. Without her father Cersei was lost, she felt alone, and for two years she worked at the shop and continued training, but was miserable...
Idris came into the shop and took one look at Cersei and knew that the young girl was in misery and in desperate need of a friend. Cersei had never had a female role model and looked up to the beautiful sorceress. Idris began to teach Cersei how to read, write, and even how to tame her hair. Cersei loved to hear of Idris’ adventures, and read of world’s she’d never known and soon she began to wonder what the rest of her life would be like if she stayed in Water Deep...
Cersei decided to leave the town, but Idris convinced her of leaving with the group. Cersei afraid of what the unknown world would bring her decided that it would be best to travel with companions and this way she would be able to stay with the only friend she has...

Cyrus - Ranger

Cyrus

His father was Hamster, and his mother smelled of Elderberry…

No really… His father was a rather “Amorous” Wood elf, and his human mother used Natural Herbs to keep herself smelling fresh, and favored Elderberry for its medicinal qualities.

When Cyrus was born he never met his father, and was raised Almost Exclusively by his mother. Because he was a “Half-breed” he was never really accepted by the townsfolk in his mother’s village. As a result he sent much of his time in the forests outside the town, feeling much more at home amongst the trees, mountains,and streams. Little did he know his father’s people were keeping a watchful eye on him.

His Grandfather (mother’s father) was the town blacksmith and when he could not be out in the forests he would spend his time learning the craft. His grandfather was training him to one day take his post as the Blacksmith of the town.

His mother was an herbalist, apothecary even. She was very familiar with what herbs could cure certain types of wounds. Many times his mother would commission him to find specific plants to bring back for her to experiment with. He learned much about making natural remedies, healing salves, and where to find the ingredients to make them.

He never really played with the other children from the town; they mostly tormented him about his mixed heritage. He instead made friends with animals. Learning their ways, how to silently stalk his prey, tracking it for miles, how to be ever vigilant so that nothing would surprise him. At a very young age he would be gone for weeks at a time going deep into the woods, foraging his own food, communing with nature. As he got older the forays into the woods would get longer and longer, sometimes months at a time. It was during one of these trips that he met his father’s people…

He had gotten quite skilled at moving through the woods unnoticed, aware of everything around him. That’s why he was so surprised when he turned around and found a group of elves standing not more than ten feet away, looking directly at him! His bow was up before he could even think, but none of the elves made a move to harm him. He lowered his bow as one strangely familiar elf stepped forward. He identified himself as Belegornor (Beleg+orn)(mighty tree)), “I am your Father”. It took a moment to sink in, he had never searched for his father and yet here he was. “Come with me, there are many things you must learn.” And so…

Over the next 12 years his father and the Wood elves trained him to be a protector of the forest. How to move without anyone knowing he was ever there. How to take what he needed to survive without upsetting the balance of the forest, how to fight with the bow, the sword, and axe when necessary, and how to avert violence when able. How to make everything he could need with what was found around him. They taught him how to be a Ranger.

When he was finally ready, they sent him out to find his path. Equipping him with a finely crafted Elven Bow, Elven Chain, the sword and Survival gear he had come in with, and probably most importantly, physical prowess and vast knowledge of the forest and the world around him.

The Bard

Aurence the half-elf bard.  Always looking for another tale of hero's and villains, monsters and maidens, he will often be seen at the local watering hole sitting with some of the older town folk or travelers who are passing through the city.  If he isn't listening intently, he's spinning a song and rhyme about daring tales of the past or current triumphs or woes.  You might even find yourself caught up in one of his own stories if you take the time to stop and listen.
 
The story of Aurence (so far)

Few if any cities were ever as glorious or well known as Neverwinter.  The Jewel of the North is a place of prosperity, commerce, entertainment and even leisure.  Especially along the banks of the river that gives the city it's constant warm climate.  For anyone born inside the city proper, fortune had truly smiled.  Little or no violent crime, employment was easily had, and for anyone willing to work hard, opportunity's door was open wide.  Why then would anyone born into such favor want to leave such a seemingly perfect home?  Well I'll have to give a bit of explanation as to why I did exactly that.  Upon the death of her first husband, my human mother Dartranna, began work as an au pair within the castle proper to close relatives of the royal family.  Lord Xavster and Lady Cailyassa Neverwinter desired that their own children be familiar with the ways and customs of men and that they should grow up in an environment where they would learn to speak the common tongue of man as well as their native elvish language.  During the third year of her employ, the mother of the family, was found dead.  She had been visiting the Beggar's Nest, a district outside the city proper.  As was her custom, Lady Cailyassa was delivering gifts and food to the poorest families within the district when she and here attendants were attacked by bandits.  My mother Dartranna did all she could to console the family during this tragic time, and as time passed her care began to change to a deep love.  Against the wishes of nearly all of the royal family, my mother married Lord Xavster, and 6 months later....I arrived on the scene.  (Yes...6 months)  It's amazing how benevolent elves can be as long as there is no human blood that muddies the bloodline.  Perhaps that's a bit too harsh as my father never withheld his favor, nor did my elven grandmother.  The rest of the family however were less than thrilled to have me around.  Even my bother and sister, well my half-brother and sister became distant once social pressures began to affect their teenage lives.  When I left home at seventeen, I did so with my father's blessing.  My mother however was less that pleased.  Having had the benefits of a well rounded education, including the arts I leaned on my love of song and verse as a means to make my way in the world.  I had shown a particular aptitude when it came to song, and in matters of diplomacy, I found that a bit of verse and tune would almost always help to smooth the differences between elves and men.  My parents parting gifts were a family heirloom of sorts and a modest share of the estate, most of which I promptly spent on anyone whom I felt to be more in need than myself.  I left Neverwinter and headed south to Waterdeep.  I had several years to perfect my talents and trade.  During one of my rather successful performances, I had the displeasure of being the victim of a rather young, rather poor pick pocket.  When I caught the lad by the wrist, I convinced him that his time would be better spent working for the change in a man's pocket rather than stealing it.  Although he's be slow to turn over a new leaf, he is young, I think there is still some hope for the boy.  As I explained to him, "The ability to entertain is the fast track to wining friends and influencing people", and after all,  that is how I met most of the members of our current campaign.

Aurence