Talie grew up in a small halfling community just outside of the city of Peloria. Her childhood was disrupted by a sharp increase in bandit raids one autumn, that left her orphaned. As a result, she was taken to one of the orphanages in the capital, run by the Paladins of the Dawn.
As she grew older Talie started a playful rivalry with Tyr Mornstern, which eventually ended in a betrothal that surprised nobody but Talie herself. Suddenly, the orphaned halfling found herself heir to the fortunes of one of the most important families in all of Peloria. Rather than jump into this new political lifestyle, Talie instead took a posting on the otherside of Peloria to give herself time to think.
Leading the Ducoll Sanctuary
In an effort to clear her mind and possibly prepare herself for a life of leadership, Talie took a posting at the Ducoll Sanctuary. She swiftly set about reorganising the Paladins under her command, instructing them to prioritise duties that would help the local populace above all others. This act may have earned her respect amongst some of the greener Paladins, and the people of Ducoll loved her for it, but the older and more stubborn Paladins saw this as a reckless abuse of power. Under their former leadership, the Sanctuary had prioritised research in the vast archives of the Spire and the disgruntled among the Paladins continued to do so in secret, hoping for an opportunity to get her sent away.
After just 6 months at her post, Talie had cemented her reputation as a fair leader and seemed poised to return to Peloria, having finally come to accept her new future. Fearful that Talie would one day be able to influence the entire hierarchy of the Paladins of the Dawn, an elderly Paladin by the name of Lisyria convinced her that were she to leave Ducoll without investigating the newly rediscovered ruins in the southern desert, then perhaps dark forces would gain access to the powerful magic that was rumoured to be there. A rumour that Lisyria herself had started, fully aware that if Talie entered the ruins, she would be left adrift in time and would no longer be a threat.
The Desert Ruins
Talie agreed to investigate the ruins, and the day before she planned to depart she had an encounter with
Ulfgar Bronzebeard. During a conversation with the Dwarven Cleric, she revealed that they were headed south to investigate, and the cleric confirmed that he too had heard the rumours about the ruins. So, deciding to trust the dwarf and his adventuring allies, she invited them along.
Upon their arrival at the ruins, and after dispatching the guardians left behind, Talie led the adventurers into the ruins to investigate. After an unlikely chain of events, the group found themselves transported to the Feywild: spiritual home of many elves, particularly those who had once opposed the Paladins of the Dawn during the Morning War. Convinced that the elves must be conspiring to retake Peloria, Talie pushed on with the adventurers and the team eventually came across the headquarters of the Warlock Na'Keks. After being discovered, time was against the group. A brief argument regarding priorities led to Talie leaving the adventurers for a while, as they had begun to suspect that time flowed strangely within this realm and so prioritised seizing the amulets that enabled the cult to travel freely between planes.
Talie however refused to allow innocent lives to be the cost.
Pushing on for the prisoner cells alone, Talie came face to face with the zombified guards of the prisoners: including a zombie ogre. She fought valiantly on her own, but ultimately was doomed to fail. Luckily, a small faction of the adventurers came to assist her at the final moment and managed to turn the tide of the battle. Unfortunately, in the time this had taken all the still living prisoners were consumed by the chaotic energies of the decomposing demiplane.
Avalyn Naiol was later confirmed to be among the casualties. Fleeing with tears in her eyes, Talie was taken completely by surprise when they exited the demiplane into Na'Keks throne room. After a bitter fight, the entire group was taken prisoner and tortured for one week, before eventually being returned to the material plane: 8 years after The Fall of Peloria.
Guilt and Anger
Since the return from the Feywild, Talie has come to realise that she is probably the last of the Paladins of the Dawn, and has taken on the mantle of divine retribution against the Warlock King himself. And she will do whatever it takes, regardless of the consequences, to get her Vengeance.
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