Alustriel Emberhelm
Lady Endue Alustriel Emberhelm (a.k.a. Elué Dualen)
"Better to show forth soft words than swagger the steel hidden beneath."
Lady Alustriel Emberhelm (also known as Elué Dualen to some) was a human wizard who served for many years as the ruler of the city of Daemarrel. Many folk of the North (from gnomes to the proudest elves and humans) revere the Shining Lady for her kindness and tireless work toward peace, harmony, and a better life for all.
She was a powerful mage, being one of the Chosen of Mystra and one of the Seven Sisters. She was known for her love and devotion to her people, something especially unusual for many people who hold political power. Therefore, she was extremely popular in Daemarrel, and most of her subjects would do anything in their power to prevent any harm from happening to her. She was considered a wise and fair ruler, but she did not hesitate to be ruthless when needed (i.e. in diplomacy).
Appearance
Apart from being an intelligent, wise, and charismatic leader, Alustriel was also very beautiful. She had warm and compassionate eyes that sparkled like a sun-dappled river and a flawless, warm face. She was just shy of six feet tall, possessed the silver hair and everlasting youth common to the rest of her sisters and was most frequently seen in public wearing light robes and carrying her unicorn-headed staff.
Relatives
In addition to her siblings, the other six of the Seven Sisters, Alustriel had many children. Most of these children had different fathers but twelve males, all half-elves with the surname of Aerasumé (elven for silver-moon [of the evening], in the ancient elven tradition of naming orphans for where they were born), had the same father, a tall elven lord who helped Alustriel gain elven support for the expansion of Daemarrel but was thereafter killed by orcs. These sons names were Andelver, Boesild, Dolthauvin, Elinthalar, Ghaelryss, Inthylyn, Lilinthar Aerasumé, Methrammar, Naerond, Raerilarr, Tarthilmor, and Uoundeld. Collectively, these boys were known as The Tall Ones and were all warriors of some skill. Not much is known of her other children.
Aims
Alustriel always sought to create a settlement that would radiate glory and culture, much like the elven kingdom of Acilidan. Despite her desires, she knew that sometimes another course of action would be appropriate. Such unavoidable injustices made Alustriel cry however.
History
Born Endue Alustriel Emberhelm in 1655, the second child of Yllzenya Jildove and Dornal Emberhelm. She and her older sibling Syluné were taken by a disguised Mystra, after their mother's death, to the home of the minor lord known as Thamator the Old. Mystra persuaded him that the two girls were in fact his nieces, whom he thought had recently died with his brother and sister-in-law. Thamator had hoped to train them both as rangers and groom them for a future in service to the crown. Unfortunately for him, neither girl took to the life of a ranger, though Syluné instead manifested magical power and was apprenticed to a master, Endue did not and led an unhappy childhood disappointing her foster-father. When she cast her first spell defending herself from the unwanted advances of a young man though, Thamator was delighted at the ability and intolerance of cruelty that she demonstrated and assigned her a mage in his household as her tutor.
Alustriel quickly took to adventuring but had very strong ideas about fostering peace between all races and promoting the arts and so abandoned her wanderings early to travel to Daemarrel and see her ideas realized. She traveled in disguise in 1708 to that fair city, taking the name Elué Dualen and demonstrating magical prowess far surpassing what her apparent age would have suggested. She became fast friends with the High Mage Amaara Nharimlur and her sister Lynnàsha. The three of them established Daemarrel's famous Lady's College. Then, in 1750, Amaara named Elué High Mage when she retired.
In 1754, Alustriel met and fell for a fellow Chosen of Mystra named Sammaster Khimon. Unfortunately, in Alustriel, Sammaster saw the beauty of Mystra herself - a beauty that was out of his reach - and he became obsessed with Alustriel over the next three years, trying to entirely dominate her. When Alustriel decided that enough was enough and ended their relationship, Sammaster didn't take it well. Under the influence of Algashon Nathaire, Sammaster attacked his former love in 1768 and Alustriel had to call upon her fellow Chosen, Khelben and Serrallel to save her.
A year later, in 1769, Alustriel left Daemarrel, taking Lynnàsha, Lynnàsha's lover Tulrun and all of their apprentices to the outer planes to battle a tanar'ri lord with designs on the north, leaving a council behind to pick her successor. Lynnàsha died in the fighting and Tulrun disappeared. Alustriel's apprentice Tanalanthara Mytersaal, who she'd sent back from their quest to defeat Lashtor, was now High Mage of Daemarrel.
In 2128, Alustriel's beloved Daemarrel was at risk of again coming under the sway of evil. Shaloss Ethenfrost had exploited the situation in Daemarrel and proclaimed himself High Mage of the city while it was besieged by the Black Horde. In the ensuing Battle of Warren Hill, Alustriel and her sister Storm led an army against the orcs, breaking the siege, then Alustriel fought Ethenfrost in spellbattle.
During the battle, Ethenfrost dislodged Alustriel's unicorn-headed staff (a Staff of the Magi) from her grip. Ethenfrost began to cast a plane shift spell to send Alustriel to another plane of existence without her staff. Alustriel, recognizing the spell and its implications, resigned herself to the knowledge of being exiled indefinitely. Using the remaining charge of a spell stored within an artifact she wore, she hurled a fireball at her staff, sundering it as she was struck by Ethenfrost’s staff and, it was guessed, transported from the Prime Material Plane. The sundered staff exploded, killing Ethenfrost in the process, and effectively saving the city of Daemarrel.
Khelben and Serrallel searched the planes for Alustriel with no success. Depending on the version of events told, it is presumed Alustriel was killed during the explosion of her staff, or killed by the denizens of whatever plane Ethenfrost sent her to. Without possession of her staff, there would be little chance of survival on another plane of existence, especially if sent to a hostile one which is suspected considering Ethenfrost wouldn't have sent her someplace hospitable.
Species
Life
1655
2128
473 years old
Children
Gender
Female
Hair
Long, silver
Height
5'11"
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