Alea Gray
Lady Alea Gray (a.k.a. Lady Gray)
Physical Description
Body Features
Facial Features
Physical quirks
Mental characteristics
Personal history
I suppose I should start from the beginning. As an elf who has lived quite well these past few hundred years, I must admit my age at about one hundred and ninety years old. My early life was... dull to say the least, but eventually, I ended up here in Seconvale. In the beginning it was a very small town, about a hundred people, most of whom had not seen an elf before I showed up. I plied my trade, which ended up being hunting animals in the forest and selling the pelts to tanneries, and the meat to butchers. It ended up going fairly well and I kept myself busy for a long time. I ended up seeing the destruction of the city twice within a hundred years, but eventually they got the hang of it, and started getting the nobles involved in its construction.
As the nobles arrived and started claiming the lands, I found myself mostly forced out of work as the plains were the easiest place for me to spot the foxes I was hunting. So, after a while, I put up my bow and ended up working in the town itself. I would help move things too and fro, back and forth. Getting news to people who needed it and eventually became well enough known to earn my place in the council. Time is not friendly to humans however, so even when the dwarves showed up to start looking for a place to work, they were mostly shunned by society. My own pull dwindled over time, to the point where I wouldn't even be invited to the council meetings.
This was where I became horribly saddened with my lot in life, to a point where... I just didn't know what to do to protect, and serve the town I lived the majority of my life in. It was at that point I spent a lot of time in the one bar in town. Terrible little place that imported expensive wine only. I think it was called the "ticklish trout," by that point... its been demolished for about thirty years now, and it was open for ten. I think a blacksmith bought the land it used to be on recently. I wouldn't know.
That was when I met Halmund. Oh back than he was huge. Absolutely intimidating to anyone who looked at him wrong, but I swear to every corner of this city... He was nothing but a big stuffed animal with a very sharp weapon. He had recently gone out of his way to kill a green dragon, all by himself in the forest, and he lost his armor in the fight. I dont quite remember what I said to him that night, but I do know that the next day, I had a horrible hangover, and Spindlecrank was fixing some strange potion, while we were in the middle of the woods. Honestly I thought nothing of it at the time, and I had taken my bow off of my back. Apparently I signed up to be his guide into the forests to the west on the way into the mountains... whoops.
At first I was not very happy with having to travel along with Halmund, but as we walked to the mountains I began to grow friendly with him and Spindlecrank. Though Halmund was a bit of a softy, he had the most fantastic spirit that one could immagine. He told me that ever since he was a child he always had a dream of being an adventurer. Slaying the biggest and baddest monsters he could possibly find. So he decided to go for dragons. So far he only killed the one, but he was hoping to make a bigger name for himself eventually.
We trecked through the mountains for over a week through snowfall. Ended up taking on a few random creatures on our way there, Halmund was very good at defeating these random creatures, like he had as much experience as I could have ever imagined possible. Nothing was really a challenge for us until we got to the cave halmund was looking for. I dont know how he knew it was a dragons lair, there hadn't been a reported dragon attack in the mountains for almost thirty years, but Halmund knew. He had gut feelings about things that were uncanny about danger. We fought the great beast for nearly two hours, doging blasts of ice, its tail, and ill admit, I did try to run away like a coward. But Halmund... His strength was immense. Every blast of ice was like a cold breeze, every swipe of its claw was like just another sword to his swords. Those two hours ended with all three of us Exausted, and Spindlecrank unconcious. Halmund however, was standing proud with his sword right in the belly of the beast. He carved it up, and ate its heart, which... was disturbing to say the least. But he did it out of honor for such a strong foe.
At first I thought our journey would be the last one but. Halmund was... Charismatic to say the least in convincing the two of us to help him on journeys. I would say in total we killed ten dragons. Hence why you never see them in this part of the world. They were too damn scared of Halmunds strength, both in will, and just raw power. The last dragon however... that was where things went wrong.
You see, Halmund was strong. Strong enough to create enemies with dragons themselves, and had killed... quite a few red dragons even without our help. Sure they were fairly young, but Halmund didn't always need us. But he did need us when the city was last set aflame. No not from that murderout business a few months ago, but about twenty years ago. Yeah it must have been late spring of 582 if I remember correctly. An elder red dragon decided to attack the city and headed south after a single strafing blast of flame. Halmund, me, and Spindlecrank gathered together quickly and started riding towards the dragon as fast as we could. It didn't end well. The dragon came back after spotting us riding south, and scared our horses, than enveloped all of us in flame.
We were allright, hoping off of the scared horse allowed me to use it as a meat shield against the flames. Spindlecrank however got a little singed, hence his bald head. Halmund just started chucking javalins at the beast before charging at it. But... that didn't work nearly as well as it did with younger dragons. Halmund was quickly pinned down, and unable to dodge it while me and Spindlecrank attacked the dragon, took a torrent of flame directly to his face. Thats how he lost his eye that day. and he nearly died... Truth be told, he should have died after the dragon than picked him up and ate him whole.
Done with him, and needing to lick his wounds, the dragon attempted to fly away but... it didn't get very far. It flew directly over the city, and I think it was ready to breath on a few buildings but... Halmund lived through all of it. He ended up cutting his way out of the dragons stomach, and killed the creature by himself. The entire town saw his heroism that day. It was... truely a miracle. He was given the title "Hero of smiles" and he kept that title till the day he died. Actually, thinking about it, even now, he has, and always will be the hero of smiles. The three of us kept going out and fighting dragon after dragon, time after time and really... its because of him that there are no dragons south of the river. He created peace, and was coveted by everyone. Those of us who knew him personally knew he was a bit... rough. And had a hard time accepting people into his life... Even me and Spindlecrank. It came to a head when he was adament about heading north to kill dragons, but Spindlecrank didn't want anything to do with it. I didn't mind. Just being able to see Halmunds heroism was enough for me. They had a huge fight, and Spindlecrank threw every gift Halmund ever gave to him in the dirt, stomped on it, and immediately retired back to town. Halmund went off on his own for about a month, than retired back to town as well.
They never talked after that... But part of me wishes that they made up, and could have been friends again. But Spindlecrank started a family, and Halmund made sure his inn was far enough away to not bother him anymore. I retired after Halmund didn't want to be on his own anymore. Spindlecrank told me he would never speak to me again unless I swore an oath to never adventure again, and take my knowledge back with me to the leaders of Seconvale, no matter how dark the times got for non humans. Me and Halmund never became as close as we were when we were adventuring. I reminice about our friendship often. And other than a single arrow... I haven't picked up my bow since I swore my oath to Spindlecrank.
Sexuality
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Family Ties
Mother: Matilda "Matron" Gray.
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