Miz'ri Baenre
Swordsmaster Miz'ri Baenre
There is no place in Matron Zilvra's world for a drow that chooses the ways of the light over the dark. She has no need for a daughter that does not fall into place in the intricate puzzle that she has built.Dueling blades merge and separate, glinting in the dim light cast by candles. Two Dark Elves dance in intricate patterns, coming together before spinning away and clashing again. One is taller than the other, two pairs of white locks moving in the darkness. The edges of the room are shrouded in darkness, hopefully serving as a magical barrier to keep the others of the house from entering their dance. The shorter one, hair tied high on her head, makes a calculated move, selecting the correct parry, before stopping to watch as the taller man's single blade tumbles to the ground. She lowers her dual scimitars, before dropping them to give a brief hug to the man in front of her. It is the only emotion they allow themselves in the darkness of House Baenre, the only slice of happiness in an otherwise brutal world. Miz'ri Baenre is the fourth daughter of Matron Zilvra Baenre. Like most females in Drow Society, it was her duty to become a priestess, a spellcaster that would benefit her mother and house. She had no interest in this, preferring the company of her weapons master father, Nalfein. Attempting to hide from her sisters and ignore the ranting of her mother, she quickly learned the innate magic of the Drow and used it to hide her training. Hours were spent honing her skills with her weapon of choice, two scimitars of Duergar make. Her father helped her train, hiding her from Zilvra when he could, even at the detriment to his own life. While she was forced into the academy that all Dark Elf children attended, she did not excel in the arcane arts like her mother expected. She had little aptitude for anything outside the innate magic of the Drow, but others spoke of her abilities of the blade to be nearly arcane in nature, far beyond what could be gained naturally. But that was far from true with Miz. Her strength and ability came from hours of training, hours that she could spend alone with her father. As she grew older, her time with her father dwindled, and for that she resented her mother even more. Other Drow females throughout the city had broken the mold of old, becoming things outside of priestesses, but her lot could not waver from the destiny set by Matron Zilvra. House Baenre was prolific due to its trading on the surface. Their house ran many of the trade routes through the Great Tunnel, making a name for themselves in the Underdark and world above. They hired barbarians from the Spine of Kallex to protect their goods, which is how Miz found her first friend in a wood elf from above. Khalsinn Llanowar, a member of the great Llanowar Clan from the Spine traveled with her grandfather to make deals with House Baenre. The children were often forced together, but Miz was the only one who took interest in the girl. They became unlikely friends, slowly teaching each other unknown languages and of their homes. As Miz was forced into more duties by her mother, her meetings with Khalsinn slowly disappeared, often leaving their only means for communication to be cryptic letters hidden throughout their known paths. Life is not easy in a Drow city, even for a female. When the opportunity came for Miz to claim her freedom, she left the Underdark and her family behind. Her mother was outraged, but three complacent daughters were still better than one rebel. Even her brothers fell into line, a line that Miz could never follow. She chose to be a misfit, to become an outcast, rather than stay under the strings of her mother's masterful hands.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Miz'ri is very fit, her lithe body honed and trained through years of blade work against her father. She is quick, like most Elves are, deftly moving through intricate movements to enhance her swordplay.
Body Features
Her skin is a dark obsidian color, a family trait. Her white hair is extremely long, a stark contrast to the darkness of her skin. Both are considered to be exemplary traits of Drow society, and are often seen within her family.
Facial Features
She has sharp cheekbones and bright eyes that watch everything that happens around her. While her family is known for their dark eyes, hers are a soft lavender but are more striking when staring out at someone.
Apparel & Accessories
She prefers to wear dark colors, things that easily blend in when in the Underdark or during the night. She wears the dark armor that her father gifted her, a supple leather that moves silently with her, no matter the movement. Other than her weapons, she wears few other accessories.
Specialized Equipment
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Miz'ri Baenre is the youngest of seven siblings, the fourth daughter of House Baenre. Her mother, Matron Zilvra Baenre, led the eighth house in the council of Eryndlyn. From the day she was born, it was Miz's fated lot in life to serve as a priestess of the Huntress, helping her family and house gain a higher seat of power in the Ruling Council of Eryndlyn. She was raised in her early years by her older sisters, very rarely facing the wrath of her mother directly. She was seen as odd, as the lavender shade of her eyes was not that of the rest of the family. Because of this, she was treated differently even as a small child.
In those early years, she excelled at the innate magic that all Drow have. She learned quickly, having mastered many of the abilities by the age of seven, three years before most children were expected to use the skills. This surprised Zilvra, but made the matron believe that this child was destined for great things later in life. Once her early days with her sisters were over, she became a servant for the others in the house, learning about the culture and society that she was a part of. This was the point that her father began teaching her the art of the sword.
From the age of ten onward, Miz often trained with her father in secret, learning intricate movements and sword techniques. This training was hidden from her mother, but Miz was often reprimanded by her sisters for falling behind in her regular schooling. She had very little interest in the teachings necessary to be a priestess, instead she preferred studying strategy and swordplay, expanding upon the skills her father taught her.
After three decades serving as a servant to her family, Miz was sent to the Drow to become a priestess. The first year of general studies went well, although she did not believe in portions of what was being taught to the nobles. She saw no need for the conniving behavior and the constant violence that plagued the noble houses. When it came time for her to take the exam to find her class ranking as she moved into the classes for priestesses, she failed, surprising everyone. Beyond the innate magic of the Drow, Miz had no aptitude for magic. Through some coercing of her father, she was allowed to stay in the academy and take part in the fighters course.
For ten years, she trained at the academy. During the few instances that she could get away from the strict rules there, she returned home to train with her father. Once her time at the academy was finished, she returned home, and was granted the title of Swordsmaster by her father. This displeased her mother more than Miz already had and Zilvra attempted to force Miz into her ideals and Miz's place as a priestess.
Already tired of the treatment from her mother, Miz decided to flee the Underdark, heading toward the refuge of the Llanowar Clan and her trusted friend, Khalsinn. During trade negotiations between the two families over the years, the two had formed a lasting friendship. Miz found safety and a new family in the Spine of Kallex with the Llanowars, where she would soon be sent to the Human Empire with Khalsinn on a trade mission.
Education
Miz's education was a piecemeal one, coming in spurts from various people. As a young child, she was often taught the basics of Drow magic and other duties of the noble family by one of her old sisters. As she grew older, her father would often call her to the training room to teach her weapon fighting, an occupation often left to the men in noble families. This training was often done at night behind closed doors, so as to keep it a secret from her mother. These late night sessions would remain a secret up until Miz's entrance into the Drow academy in the city.
Upon coming of age, Miz was enrolled in the Drow academy. All children of noble houses were required to attend this academy, whether it be to train as a priestess, a wizard, or as a fighter. The latter two courses of study were often only for males as it was seen as a female noble child's duty to become a priestess and serve the matron of their house. Throughout the first year of general schooling that all at the academy received, it was assumed that Miz would follow the path to become a priestess starting in her second year. When the placement exam came to establish rankings within the individual courses of study, Miz failed the priestess exam miserably.
Through coercing from her father, Miz was eventually allowed to join the fighter course where she excelled. During her bits of time away from the academy, she continued to train with her father in secret, honing her skills to match that of a master swordsman. Her mother continued to force her towards a path of the arcane, hoping that she would eventually stray from the path of fighting that Miz was so hell-bent on following. This was not the case.
Employment
Her employment has stemmed mostly from her training. She served as a maid or aide for her older siblings before she attended the academy, fulfilling the role that all young children of a noble house must. After completing the fighters course at the academy, her employment was greatly stunted as her mother still attempted to force her to become a high priestess. Due to this disagreement, Miz left the Underdark.
After leaving the Underdark, she was employed with her friend, Khalsinn Llanowar, as a diplomat for the Llanowar Clan. This job has led her to find other employment with the Dagger Guild.
Morality & Philosophy
Miz strays away from the philosophy that was beat into her head as a child. Zilvra and her sisters often preached that Drow women were required to be strong and conniving, looking out for no one but herself and taking power every chance she could. There could be no status or pride without power.
Miz believes that it is better to help others if possible and believes in the power of friends that are closer than family. She does not believe in killing others or creatures blinding, bringing logic to the situation before rushing into a somewhat blind, emotional killing state that Drow are trained to do against certain creatures. Her training means discipline, which she practices stringently, using that discipline and logic to remove herself from the philosophy she was taught.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Her biggest motivation for what she does is to be anyone but the daughter that her mother wishes her to be. She struck out on her own so that she was not forced into the life of a priestess and possibly a matron mother in later years. She works to make her father proud as he is the only one that has supported her endeavors.
Hygiene
Being of a noble background, hygiene was held in high regard. During her travels, she attempts to stay as clean as possible, making sure that her blades and equipment are kept clean and rust-free. Her immaculate hygiene is often more for her equipment than herself.
Social
Contacts & Relations
While she is the fourth daughter of House Baenre, she has since given up that title when she left the Underdark. The loss of the title also brought the loss of any contacts or affiliations that would give her.
She is now considered a member of the Llanowar Clan. That name carries some weight on the surface, but she has not yet made any contacts with that name.
Family Ties
Her family ties in the Underdark were severed when she left. Her communication with her father is now nonexistent, although she still has ties to him. Since being brought into the Llanowar Clan, she has a new family but has spent little time with them so far.
Relationships
History
These two met at a very young age when Miz's father and Khalsinn's grandfather met to sort out trade deals. Often when the two came together in Miz's childhood home, they would teach each other about their cultures, including the drow secret language. This bond went deep, having secret messages being sent to each other during the time that Miz was training at the academy in her city. When Miz chose to leave the Underdark, she was taken in as a part of the Llanowar Clan, serving in the same position as Khalsinn when it came to trading and the business of the family. These two are very close friends, often acting like siblings.
Nicknames & Petnames
Miz & Khals
A child of the Underdark, Miz'ri finds herself one that looks more towards the light instead of deeper into the abyss of her home. Possibly forsaking her homeland, she steps into the light, a self-imposed exile to the surface.
View Character Profile
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Species
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Swordsmaster of House Baenre, Rebel of the Underdark, Traitor (to her family)
Date of Birth
9 Winter's Noon, 250 E.A.
Year of Birth
250 EA
50 Years old
Birthplace
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Eyes
Lavender
Hair
Long, white
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Obsidian
Height
6'1"
Weight
150 lbs
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Physical Description
Identifying FeaturesHer most identifying feature is her lavender eyes, an oddity among the Drow.
She is right-handed, but often wields blades in both hands. Those that watch her move say she moves with a purpose, like some great animal on the hunt. Her footing is always sure, she never stumbles or falters. Her movements stem from her training, with grace and poise, but also deadly accuracy.
All Drow have innate magical abilities and Miz is no exception. Even though she has no aptitude for most magic, she can cast a small array of spells that can assist her in battle. She also has the extreme darkvision that all in the Underdark have, allowing her to see great distances in the dark through the use of infrared.
Mental Characteristics
Accomplishments & AchievementsOne of her greatest achievements was the moment when her father bestowed the title of swordsmaster upon her. In Drow society, especially noble families, that is not a title given lightly. It is often only given to a single person within a family and is passed on upon that person's death. Nalfein chose to bestow that title on Miz after her successful completion of her academy training when she bested him in battle.
Another great achievement was her fleeing from the Underdark. She successfully removed herself from under the watchful eye of her mother and was able to live a life with the ideals and actions that she wanted to.
She is considered a great failure and embarrassment by most of her family as she did not fall into her place in her house. Most of what her family considers a failure are things that Miz considers to be accomplishments, such as being named a swordsmaster and leaving the Underdark. She is often a great embarrassment to her family, no matter what she does.
One of her greatest problems is not necessarily mental trauma, but it stems from the teachings that are forced upon noble Drow children at a young age. They are taught to be conniving, constantly snitching on anyone that does wrong, as well as being taught certain unsavory things about the surface that are mostly untrue. During her travels out of the Underdark, she often has to sort through what she had been taught and what is reality.
Miz is very adept linguistically, having been classically trained like all noble Drow children are. She is fluent in a variety of languages, but her grasp of the Drow silent language is the strongest as it is her favorite to use, especially when speaking to her father or Khalsinn. Logic is second nature to most Drow and Miz is no exception. Her classical education in the Drow academy and in her home focused on logic and language as it is seen as odd for Drow, especially those of noble status, to participate in emotional things, such as art and music. Logic games often took up spare time if she was not training.
Personality Characteristics
Savvies & IneptitudesShe is well versed in the use of all weapons, but her favorite to use is dual scimitars. When she can, she picks up a variety of weapons to keep in her backpack for the moment that the twin blades may fail her, but in her decades of life, they have yet to do so.
Her greatest ineptitude could be said to be her inability to understand some of the customs and cultures of the surface. She hopes over time that things will begin to make more sense, but so far, the only thing on the surface that doesn't seem completely foreign is the culture of the Llanowar Clan.
With so little time on the surface, she has yet to figure out what things she likes and dislikes. Any opportunity to fight or train is one of her favorite things, especially if it is something she gets to do with Khalsinn.
She greatly dislikes her mother and most of her family, but it is a dislike that she tends to keep to herself as much as possible. Khalsinn knows the dislike well, but does not comment on it.
She is patient, as sometimes that is all that is needed to win a battle against a stronger opponent. She does not see a need for the violence that her mother so enjoys or the need for power that drives so many in her homeland. She will do what is necessary to protect those she cares about, but she will never do anything that would make her father lose the pride he has in her.
She is very slow to trust other people, whether it is because of her Drow nature or because others are often wary of her. She often keeps her thoughts and emotions to herself, unless she has the opportunity to share with Khalsinn, which she will, but only using the silent language of the Drow. She cares little how people judge her, but she refuses to show any emotion, as most Drow do.
Social
Religious ViewsLike most Drow, Miz follows the teachings of the Huntress. In times of need or when she wishes for safety on a mission or hunt, she will pray to the goddess with Khalsinn. She refuses to reach the level of radical worship that much of her family believes in, but she does believe that the Huntress is the protector of the Drow.
Miz is very socially adept, as it was required of a noble female in her house. Her study of etiquette and her natural charisma and confidence have helped her with encounters on the surface, although she does not understand everything. Even when she fails in a social encounter, she remains confident and it shows through in how she conveys herself.
Miz's way of speaking is often reserved, her words and voice are quiet, but there is an air of confidence in the way she speaks. She often rests her right hand on the hilt of her sword, with her left hand hanging at her side unless she has her hands clasped in front of her. Her words and motions when speaking to others can often seem without emotion, as she shows very little emotion outside of the confidence in her voice and her words.
She is more someone of action and few words. While she does speak and step into a role of leadership quickly with groups, she is more comfortable showing thoughts and emotions with actions or expressing them in the Drow silent language. Due to the secretive nature of the life she lived in the Underdark, her words and how she acts around others is reflected by this. Those that know the language of hand signs are often trusted more quickly than others and are often the only ones that hear her true thoughts.
Her pets are some of the only things that she was allowed to bring when she fled the Underdark. A small flying squirrel named Dinin hides himself in the curtain of her hair, not used to the harsh lights of the surface world. Her other faithful companion, a riding lizard named Callimar, is often viewed as an odd creature and given a wide berth although he is trained differently than standard riding lizards and actually has a soft spot for his Drow rider.
Hobbies are not something that one often has in the Underdark, especially if your life is one of a Drow noble. In her spare time in her homeland, Miz trained for hours with her father, making that her only outlet that could be considered a hobby. Since leaving, she has come to understand what a hobby should actually be and has attempted to find a few. For now, her hobby has been teaching Khalsinn the languages of the Drow, including the silent language.
Her speech often has an even tone, very quiet but commanding and confident. Her usage and abilities with languages suggest that she is well-read, in both her native tongue and others. Her time with Khalsinn has led her to fall into a way of speaking that mimics the barbarians through the use of common phrases and swearing, but even then, some of the phrases almost sound odd.
In situations where Miz is comfortable with those around her, she often adopts a scathing tone with extreme sarcasm. This is her more natural demeanor and speech, but it denotes a level of confidence and comfort that she doesn't have with most people. If Khalsinn is around, it is almost guaranteed that this is the Miz that you will see.
She is not wealthy by any means as she had to leave most of her possessions in the Underdark when she fled. Her wealth is now tied to the relationships she has on the surface and the few weapons that she brought with her from the Underdark.
For the Love of All That's Holy...
14 Spring's Evening, 300 E.A.
Father always said that it was smarter not to get into a fight with a barbarian, but he had probably never met a barbarian that just pissed him off so much...I know that she's excited but dammit, we're going to a place that I left on purpose and here we are running toward the Underdark likes its a fucking play date in the Elven Forest. At least our casters take this seriously, but I haven't seen a serious sentence out of Khalsinn since we arrived on this godforsaken rock and she told us the bad news.
Truth be told, the news she had wasn't bad, it was actually really good for us. The one time I went out with those morons, I thought I would end up busting the party's heads instead of the people we were looking for, but that's a different story. I hate to be angry at her, but we're going to the Underdark, and that makes me really uncomfortable, even if we won't be anywhere near Eryndlyn. I never want to see the gate or the spires again. I left for the surface and a new life and now I'm getting drug back into the same shit that we left.
The bright side is that we weren't contracted by Drow. This can hopefully be a drama free outpost, meaning that it doesn't have any of those damned Underdark politics with it. I can only hope and trust that Reinys knows what the hell she is doing and won't throw me under the lizard cart to sate some grand idea of hers.
...I guess my anger has gotten the better of me. Of all the people in the world that I should trust with no doubt is these three. Khalsinn has seen my life in the Underdark, has met my family. She knows the pain this causes me. The other two, theirs is a life built on their faith and their conviction, not so different from Matron Zilvra, but they have chosen a path of order and camaraderie, something so far from the chaos that the matrons practice. If the Underdark could ever be my home again, it would be through this outpost we are creating.
It is so odd to think about the idea of sisters in arms. Eryndlyn never held a future like that for me. My magic is pitiful at best, but here I am accepted for who I am, not what I'm expected to be. Guess I'll go with it and see if we can do our own thing in the tunnels.
Children and Gunpowder...Why the Hell Not?
8 Spring's Noon, 300 E.A.
After what seemed like forever in Stronghold, the paladin finally got everyone to stop dragging their feet so we could move on. Some of the group wanted to go to the Feywild, a place I wanted to be even less than the Underdark but my loyalty lay with Khals and so I followed. A few of the group left early and scouted ahead, obviously with Reinys in the lead, so that left the rest of this ragtag group to fend for ourselves. Instantly Khals became the new leader, like an alpha finding a new pack. Drow mess with very little, an angry barbarian is one they will never mess with.
Reinys ran the group like an order of oddball paladins, but Khals ran it like a wolfpack. By some default, that made me the beta when I would have rather sat back and let her lead, but when has that ever worked? After a few days, we made it to Kestel unscathed and met the others. The group that traveled with us had never been so excited to see Reinys, but paladins were the safe friends to have where barbarians and drow were the fun ones.
This town was much smaller than Stronghold, and a lot less to my liking. Too many rules and the place reeked of corruption, much like my homeland. It rubbed me the wrong way, enough that I just wanted to tell the town to go to hell and get on our way. But our party had other damned ideas...
The rogue, the blue crazy one, has gotten us in more damned trouble than I care to think about. After a few days in Kestel, Reinys came to Khals and I asking for one of us to go with the rest of the party because morally she couldn't go but she needed someone that could hold their own and protect the others if need be. Short straws made me the lucky babysitter of the night. Khals laughed as she sent me out of the tavern, shouting about us chasing some kids. That definitely got under my skin and set the particularly snarky mood that drow are known for.
The metallic stench of gunpowder burned my nose as we finally found where these children were hiding. Piles of it lined floors and rafters, but I was bored at this point and mostly stopped paying attention. The kids didn't want to talk to us, and I didn't care to listen anyway. I mostly daydreamed as the tiefling sat and talked, tossing apples to the kids that were like paper skin over a skeleton. Whatever the conversation was about, it didn't go poorly and no one was hurt, so my job was done. Khals would definitely never hear the end of this one.
Dark Elves and Light Don't Mix
4 Spring's Noon, 300 E.A.
At least my vision and my spirits are well enough to write after last night's intrusion. Let's light a fire, they said. Let's try to make the drow run through it, they said. To the hells with the lot of them. The half-orc was the darkest skinned one in the group before Khals drug me along, but even someone in this damned group has to realize that drow and bright light are the worst combination since most dwarves and humans trying to get along. But the only ones that think in this group slept through the rogue's antics, even that thick-headed barbarian slept through the banging and the blasts. Instead, I got the sideshow, the metal man and the metal dragonborn plus the lady that loves children and can smell pennies. I should have known I was the one that would end up on my ass.
Khals talked me into joining the guild, something about a long-lost friend from childhood. Honestly, I can't be mad at her for that one since she's saving me from a worse fate, but she might get her head rung like I did in the morning when she finally wakes up. She's an elf for gods sake! We don't actually sleep for very long. Apparently, the rogue couldn't keep her hands to herself, and it came back to bite her, and all of us, in the ass. This is why we don't have petty thefts in drow cities. High-class crimes like war and murder are much easier and much cleaner according to my mother. Either way, she had to steal from someone important, once I figure that out, I might wring her neck for it, and we had to clean up the mess.
And that is how I came to be sitting on my ass in the middle of a burning hallway. The light burned and made me dizzy, essentially making me useless. As the other idiots ran through the flames to chase after the leader, I stumbled my way to the paladin's room, making this little escapade the problem of someone with magic and actual vision. I wanted to sleep this feeling off like a bad hangover, but the dizziness wouldn't go away. So essentially it was a bad hangover. At least a couple of the group, the paladin and the newest arrival took the time to help me as much as they could.
I wasn't angry at the group, so much as I was angry about my one weakness. I was mostly flawless in my fighting, following Nalfein's instructions in my head, but there's not supposed to be an abundance of bright lights so late at night. My special glasses were left in our room and I got my clock cleaned. Not by a person, not by a fight, but by a damned patch of fire. If anyone dares laugh at that, I am not responsible for the actions of a grumpy dark elf.
The Reality of the Surface
27 Spring's Morning, 300 E.A.
Slingers. Of all the blasted things they could make Khals and I teach, was a grouped of ogre-brained slingers. I don't know who in their sun-addled mind thought it was a good idea to give a group of twenty human slingers of over six feet in height to two female elves that wield scimitars and great axes. It wasn't the best situation but it paid enough to keep us in the guild so why the hell not. It couldn't honestly get any worse than that, but the gods enjoy their tricks and of course, it did get much worse.
Within five minutes of the first class, one of the men had insulting Khals' family, another woman had broken her sling and nailed Khals with a sizable rock, and another had insulted me. I could care less what these idiots said, but Khals took the words and injury as a challenge, flying into a rage. At least she had the brains to not grab her great axe, but there wasn't much of our training dummy left when she was through pelting it with rocks the size of her head. The slingers took a step back after that, keeping their comments quiet and hoping they didn't see the green eyes of the barbarian turn red. I got a great laugh out of it. These people weren't disciplined, they were amateurs at best, and taking on Khals, even not in a rage, would have ended poorly for them.
Whoever was leading this training quickly caught on and began sending the slingers with real weapons after that, although they weren't allowed to have anything larger than a shortsword. I even made it easy on them and switched to only wielding my scimitar in my off-hand, but after watching a demonstration of sparring from us "pointy-earred bastards," the group decided to practice among themselves and stay as far away from us as they could. This allowed time for Khals and I to train and sometimes give instruction, but mostly we poked fun at the group, using only the silent drow language of course.
The nights were distinctly better than the days training the dunderheads. Kel, the guildmaster, actually enjoyed our group, talking to us often for hours. Khals and the paladin told stories about their childhoods, time spent traveling and meeting each other. Some of the others gambled and drank, but I never took more than a sip. I'm still uneasy around the group, especially the rogue. But I've taken a liking to Reinys since Khals trusts her. The surface is still new to me, so I have to put my trust in her, and in Reinys, but that doesn't mean that I can't have fun with it.
Too often the others catch Khals and I snickering as we sign to each other. No one else knows the silent language, so it's perfect for us to pick fun at the others. I had expected more people to give me a wide berth or odd looks, but I've begun to realize that I am far from the oddest person wandering the surface. A half-orc cleric and a djinn rogue as well as a warforged necromancer. Honestly, a dark elf with lavender eyes is one of the most normal things in Stronghold.
Escape the Underdark
15 Winter's Evening, 299 E.A.
Zilvra was less than happy that I hadn't taken after her magic like my sisters had. I was the rogue child, even in a house where my brothers were somewhat rebellious and did not fall into line like expected. I took after my father, Nalfein, wishing more to be a fighter with swords and less with magic. She hated that I was different, and she made life in her house a living hell because of it.
We worked with the Llanowars constantly, using their training to help move goods through the tunnels. I had become friends with one of the girls, teaching her my language, slowing showing her the intricate hand signs of the secret language. That angered Zilvra even more, so I continued, teaching my only friend when we met. That was why when father said that Khalsinn would be traveling to increase the work her family did, I jumped on the opportunity to escape my home.
Since I wasn't a priestess, I thought I mattered little to Zilvra, but that thought was so very far from the truth. She screamed for days, sending scouts after me as I moved swiftly through the tunnels to the surface, hoping to find my way quickly to the Llanowars. Khalsinn had promised when last we spoke that her family, as harsh and somewhat dysfunctional as they were, would take me with open arms, even with the oddity of my dark skin. So I left my home and family for the surface, for the promise of a friend and another dysfunctional family. It was the adventure that I had hoped for.
Khalsinn and I were shortly sent to the human capital to work on trade deals. I could feel the way she looked at me when I tensed at the mention of my family and the Underdark, but she never pressed too far. She preferred to talk quietly about everything and anything, drawing me from the sulking husk that I had begun to slip into. It would be something I would cherish as the time away worn on. The sunlight tore at my body and I had to find special glasses to keep my eyes from burning. Every step away from the tunnel was a difference, a step towards freedom that allowed me to be someone that Zilvra and the Underdark would not allow me to be.
We trained while we traveled. The constant rhythm of movement was good for my mood, often cheering me up when nothing else would. I kept us away from cities, wishing for the solitude of the forests and the fringes while I got used to the blinding light of the surface. I wanted to meet others, to see that the world wasn't as black and white as Zilvra forced it to be, but I wasn't yet ready for that. Maybe once we reach Stronghold things will chance, maybe by then I will have truly escaped the Underdark.
I really enjoy reading about Miz'ri's life and the rest of her family. You've created a very compelling family drama.
Adazuri: A shonen-inspired magitech fantasy world home-brewed for 5e.