Faena

Faena is famed for being a member of the Heroes of the Free States, and one of the greatest and chaotic bards in the history of Runetalras. She took part in many conflicts which included the Second War of Thaxnorian Expansion, and Wars of Undeath. She was also instrumental in the conflict between the demon lord Tanflamman.

Life before the Heroes of the Free States

Faena was born to a prostitute in North Griffin Gate, at the Western edge of the Kingdom of Thaxnoria. Faena’s elven mother died during childbirth, leaving her to the mercy of the brothel’s Madam Rosmerta. At 13 Faena was offered an ultimatum: Follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a prostitute, or leave. Faena left, her only possessions the clothes on her back and her mother’s weathered signet ring, and met the Master Bard Glenfrin, who for four years taught her the art of his craft.
At 17 Faena attended the grand engagement party of Lady Gwyndolin, an old love of Faena’s, held by her honourable father Duke Gwyn at the insistence of Glenfrin. Her Master performed while Faena was sent to steal a valuable artefact from the Lord’s vault, assisted by Lady Gwyndolin, while this was happening Duke Gwyn was aware of Glenfrin’s betrayal and had the bard executed, along with his daughter for assisting in the robbery. Faena was successful in her theft, and was pursued across many kingdoms and countries by the Duke’s men, led by Sir Roderick.
In 532:Contempt Faena performed at Vercerrer Keep; after her performance, she ventured into the depths of the estate to find valuables to steal. In her exploration Faena found a strange sight; Deep in the lowest chamber of the Keep was a ritual room occupied by blind and burnt cultists. The cultists had a child tied to a crucifix and were draining blood from it. Faena saw a burning portal that projected darkness, which she later learned led to the Demon Lord Tanflamman. She saved the boy, who was called Ayleth but was known as Ale, and fled from the area.

Heroes of the Free States

Faena joined up with the other Heroes of the Free States in Red Larch. Her first actions when she joined with them was to make a name for herself in Velfauna during the Alliance Tournament, and in combat against vampires and undead in Talos’ Anvil and the Silver Gates below Velfauna.

The Second War of Thaxnorian Expansion

As a part of the Heroes of Faena was instrumental in the survival of the Free States during the Second War of Thaxnorian Expansion. They negotiated alliances between the lower Free States, Elnurian Alliance, Aarelan, and Kingdom of Legvaren; the Kingdom of Selu’Qidar did enter the War on the side of the Free States.
Despite the efforts of the Heroes the War did not favour the allied forces. The first open battle of the war took place at Havdar’s Field. At the Second Battle of Havdar Field, Faena was vital in the maintenance of the army's morale and prevented them from breaking countless times. However, even Faena could not stem the tide as Thaxnorian mounted knights outflanked the army and the Curse of Havdar was reawakened. In the aftermath the allied armies were broken and Thaxnoria was able to replenish their numbers. In the aftermath of Havdar’s Field Thaxnoria captured the capital cities of Velfauna, Enarsel, and Feloc. The Heroes were able to break the occupation of the capitals, just as Runetalras learned of the great imminent threats that were about to be unleashed during the Wars of Undead which effectively brought an abrupt end to the Second War of Thaxnorian Expansion.

Ale

Faena discovered there was more to Ale than first met the eye, she discovered when put under stress Ale would lose consciousness, flaming shadow wings burst from him, a crown of fire appeared above his head, and a vortex and heat and flame would surround him. Faena and the Heroes travelled to Vercerrer Keep to uncover what happened to Ale. Through plots and misdirection they watched as Hemonnet Greengrip murdered his brother to become Lord and learned that it was Hemonnet who was responsible for the ritual that Ale was subjected to. Faena and Heroes also learned Hemonnet was attempting to sacrifice Ale to the Demon Lord Tanflamman to gain its blessing, but Faena’s interruption had caused the ritual to fail. Faena and the Heroes were forced to flee, but not before they caused an earthquake centred on Vercerrer Keep. Hemonnet was able to capture Ale whilst the Heroes were travelling the Underdark, in an act of peacemaking Hemonnet later returned the corpse of Ale which Ecthelion returned to life.

The Wars of Undeath - The Avatar of Orcus

The first confrontation took place beneath Velfauna in front of the discovered Silver Gates. The Avatar of Orcus then struck at both Aranthaig and Kelmar at the same time. Allied forces halted a horde of undead and demons at Aranthaig, in no small part due to the intervention of the Heroes. Kemlar suffered a worse fate, the Avatar of Orcus led the attack itself obliterating the defenders and taking the city for its own. In the aftermath Aran’Nack joined with the allied forces to fight in the Wars of Undeath, whilst the Craglands in the Kingdom of Thaxnoria was imperilled and threatened by the forces of the Avatar of Ocrus.
The Heroes joined the battle within the Craglands saving all those they could as the forces of the Avatar of Orcus rampaged. The allied forces eventually drew up battlelines and engaged an endless horde of undeath, whilst the Heroes, with other key allies and friends, assaulted Kelmar and destroyed the Avatar of Orcus. In the aftermath some of the undead seemed to regain their minds and were sent into the Underdark.
Ideas of peace were abruptly ended when the capital of Crystal Catalyst, Garthedd, was transported back to the Prime Material Plane.

The Wars of Undeath - The Crystal Catalyst

The reemergence of the Crystal Catalyst was not a surprise, although the destruction it enacted was. The Heroes entered into a conflict with the Red Wizards and their leader Grand Imperator Tervenus Hafansmith, over a Crystalline Catalyst. In the process the Heroes exposed Hafansmith’s betrayal of Thaxnoria and his pact with Terraxia, a ruler of Crystal Catalyst.
The Heroes were able to kill Hafansmith and bring down the Red Wizards, however, the Crystalline Catalyst ended up in the possession of Terraxia. With all the Crystalline Catalyst in her possession Terraxia led a coup to become first of the Triarchy, sole leader of Crystal Catalyst, and transported the city of Garthedd to the Prime Material Plane. Terraxia declared the Crystal Catalyst had returned and would once more dominate Runetalras.
As Garthedd and Crystal Catalyst reemerged it unleashed a horrific weapon that obliterated the city of Hathban and extinguished hundreds of thousands of lives in one instance.The Heroes uncovered and kept secret a method of bringing down the floating city of Garthedd to neutralise its weapon. The Heroes began their assault on Gathedd one day before the armies met, they wreaked havoc, and eventually brought the city to the surface of Runetalras by the time armies reached Garthedd. The Second Siege of Gathedd was short but exceptionally bloody, when the dust settled the Heroes had destroyed Terraxia and ensured the defeat of the Crystal Catalyst.

End of the Heroes of the Free States

With the threats of the Avatar of Orcus and the Crystal Catalyst at an end the Heroes went their separate ways. Faena continued to pursue the art of storytelling through song and ballads and went on to popularise the greatest stories about the Heroes of the Free States. Amongst Faena favourite ballads is about the time she convinced five monarchs to name their kingdom the Celadon Union of Crowns or CUC, something she takes great pleasure despite the Kingdom renaming itself after the embarrassment was too much for the Monarchs.
Faena also remained involved with duplicity, intrigue, and politics. Faena took over the Blossoming Rose brothel in Velfauna, thereafter she transformed when she hired spies and fighters to train those within the brothel. With this Faena transformed a brothel which catered to the most powerful and rich to an organisation which gathered information on the most powerful, could defend itself, which also made money as a brothel. As the organisation expanded Faena named it the Blossoming Flowers, and opened brothels throughout the realms each named after a local flower. Faena’s efforts with the Blossoming Flowers were enhanced and offered an air of legitimacy when she used her connections with the Crown of the Kingdom of Thaxnoria to become Lady of Hammerdale, a small town east of North Griffin Gate in the Craglands. Faena used her acquired nobility to gain additional high profile clients, key locations for her brothels in Thaxnoria, and to avoid suspicion.

Ethnicity

Half Elf

Date of Birth

est. 29/02

Year of Birth

508 45 Years old

Birthplace

North Griffin Gate

Height

7"