Tally
Elinoa Taldel (a.k.a. Tally)
When Havine and the others step inside the library, the sheer weight of the situation finally hits Tally like a sack of bricks. She’s standing there, holding the body of this little girl, some kid who’d just been unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of it all and struck with just how disgustingly unfair it all is. It’s just not right.
She shifts the child’s body onto one arm, takes the corner of her cloak and dampens it with spit, trying to clean some of the dirt and dried blood from her face. Tally scrubs and scrubs but the dark patches remain, telltale markings that she had been made undead. Nothing can cleanse those marks from her tiny little body and it’s just so fucked up.
Damn it all, her family shouldn’t see her like this. They shouldn’t have to see her this way at all. It’s bad enough they’ll be mourning someone so young. Her body shouldn’t have gone through this. There is literally no reason why this should be something they have to endure and yet-
'This,' Tally tells herself, 'is why we have to stop Tiamat’s followers. Why we have to stop her.'
It’s not that she never believed Jasttor when he told her how dire the situation was. She was sure it was a big deal in some faraway land, somewhere not here. It never occurred to her that this would be a battle fought so close to home.
For the first time in a while, Tally starts thinking of writing to John and Erika.
Physical Description
Body Features
Bright, coppery red hair, pale, freckly skin with patches of golden scales on her arms, legs, and particularly vulnerable parts of her torso, golden wings that appear and disappear on command.
Facial Features
Golden/green eyes that can appear to have draconic pupils at times, natural, unshaped eyebrows that are slightly lighter than her hair color.
Apparel & Accessories
Tally likes to stick to neutral, earthy colors. Hiding in plain sight works much better for her than the Rogue Aesthetic of all black.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Tally grew up in the port town of Altissia on the northern coast of Ursatia. Her father was a human merchant who fell in love with a spy for an elven merchant’s guild in Aindor, the northern island of Orcran. Before she was old enough to remember, Tally’s mom vanished en route to the merchant’s guild to report on Altissian trade routes and agreements. Her father believed it was directly related to the fact that she’d been feeding Altissian merchants information on the elven traders’ intentions as well and told Tally as much when she was young.
By the time she was 12, Tally’s father’s health had started declining. His legs simply wouldn’t carry him anymore and he couldn’t remember things he should’ve, like how old Tally was or when certain shipments were due. Many of his merchant friends attempted to help, hire a manager for his household, but Sarvic refused, insisting that he could manage his own affairs. They tried for a couple years to help, but when Sarvic refused over and over, they stopped trying. Eventually, Tally’s home fell into squalor and food was increasingly scarce.
Tally took to stealing food to keep herself and Sarvic alive, usually a loaf of bread here and there, a couple fish from the market, maybe a roast if she could time it right. She ran into a couple other humans about her age (around 16 at the time) who were trying to snag something from the same market stall and they decide to work together to get what they need. They end up working together better than they could’ve anticipated and quickly decide to continue working together. Jack, the leader of the group, starts coming up with marks that get more and more dangerous. Tally learns fast and begins acting as a distraction for the others. Though the group's names imply that Tally is more of an accountant of sorts, her nickname actually comes from her marksmanship abilities. She picks up a bow and throwing daggers, able to accurately hit a mark over sixty paces away. She hates the idea of actually killing someone, however, and usually strikes to incapacitate rather than kill.
Meanwhile, a pair of bakers Tally had once stolen from try to convince Tally to stop before she does something awful she can't take back. They give her food, leftover bread and things, whenever they can to keep her and Sarvic fed and teach Tally how to speak halfling whenever she comes around. They say that if she's ever in trouble to come to them and explain the entire situation in halfling so as not to incriminate herself further. John knows some folks, they tell her, that can get anyone out of the city and they'd be willing to help if she was ever in a bad spot. Sarvic, they tell her, had once done them a huge favor involving a shipment of wheat and a persistent bunch of bandits and they owed him at least that much.
Tally doesn't pay much attention to them beyond that, though. She's got a lot on her plate with Jack and Stash and an upcoming heist involving some foreign diamonds and a diplomat from some continent Tally’s never heard of. It's risky, Jack says, but the rewards are worth it. Some guy he met near the docks said he was looking for quality diamonds and would pay over 10k GP for them. With that, Jack says, they'd be set for a while. Tally could get her father the care he needs to be comfortable in his last days and that's all he needs to say to convince her it's worth the risk.
They go to do the heist but someone seems to have tipped the diplomat off to their plans and the guard rotation is doubled. Jack insists they have to do it that night, though and Stash agrees, though even he seems wary of Jack's insistence. As they planned, Tally fired an arrow into the courtyard to alarm the guards and get them to chase her. She's quick and usually manages to lead them in until Jack and Stash get in and out. This time, however, one of the guards is too quick and catches a glimpse of her face.
Hours pass and the signal flare never goes up, so Tally heads back to the hideout, thinking the heist was a bust, and waits for Jack and Stash. Another few hours pass and Tally is convinced they've been caught. Rather than throw her lot in with them, she goes back home to check on Sarvic to find his condition severely worsened. He'd been bedridden for a while, but now he's barely able to keep his eyes open or speak and Tally fears the worst. His speech is slurred and he keeps calling Tally by her mother's name.
“Lenira, a'mael, uma il- nalla.” (Lenira, beloved, do not cry.)
Tally, however, has no time to mourn her father’s passing. She remembers what John and Erika said about helping her get out of town and then the fact that the guard saw her face. Having no choice, Tally goes to her two remaining friends and leaves Altissia.
Gender Identity
Female
Social
Contacts & Relations
John & Erika - A married couple based out of Altissia that run a bakery. They befriended Tally despite her having stolen from them before, and taught her to speak Halfling should she run into trouble she couldn't get out of. Turns out, they owed Sarvic a favor for dealing with some bandits that had stolen their shipment of wheat when they were first starting out.
Jack - Leader of the three-person team of thieves. He specializes in lockpicking and breaking into private estates. He tends to take risky jobs, considering the reward worthwhile. His choice to go through with a difficult job cost him and Stash their freedom and forced Tally to flee Altissia.
Stash - A man of few words. Tends to follow along with Jack's plans, even when he personally believes them impossible. This may be out of simple faith in Jack's ability to get a job done or perhaps just that he doesn't care either way.
Jasttor Bloodmaw - Currently in a romantic relationship.
Family Ties
Sarvic Marchand - Tally's father. A merchant before his health forced him to remain bedridden. Generous when it comes to people he felt he had an obligation to help (family, customers, close friends). Used to refer to Tally as "Ellie," short for the name her mother gave her before vanishing, Elinoa. He had Tally keep her mother's last name as well.
Lenira Taldel - Tally's mother. Spied for the elves of Aindor when a shipment of stone from up north ends up costing more than anticipated. When she realized the extra cost was to help care for the families of those escorting the shipment down to Oceanfaire, she went to confront the merchant's guild and never returned.
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Heart of Gold
Year of Birth
4261 CE
24 Years old
Birthplace
Atissia
Children
Current Residence
Zhayeria Metalhearts Guild
Gender
Female
Eyes
Green, with flecks of gold in the sunlight
Hair
Medium length and fluffy, bright coppery red-orange
Height
5'8"
Weight
160lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"We're going to do better than that, okay? We're not going to hide shit and pretend everything's fine when it's not and let it fester."
Aligned Organization
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A List
15 Pivon 4284
[a list on a mostly blank page, ink smudged and running in places where it looks like someone spilled water or was crying]
Havine's parents
Elizabeth (Mom called her Lizzie)
Hunter's wife in Dunn's Gate
[in fresher, tidier writing]
Lily
John and Erika
Jack and Stash
Dad
[in clumsy, sand-crusted writing]
Andy
14 Pivon 4284
14 Pivon 4284
Today was… long, so I probably won’t write much. We got into Stonebend okay. Tried asking about the necromancer in the temple, but the dude in charge at the temple got all kinds of weird. He kept insisting it was impossible and we should drop it, but then also gave Havine a letter and told her to read it later, outside the temple. Kit wanted to run off and poke around on his own, but… this whole thing is fishy as hell and it seemed like a bad idea to split up like that. Too much fucky shit to be pulling that crap.
Speaking of fucky things, there was… something up with Jasttor’s amulet in the temple. It started pulsing out of nowhere and I… I have no idea what it meant. He left it with me to help us find him later, but… I don’t feel like that had anything to do with that. It stopped after a while and I can’t help feeling like… like I missed something important.
Anyway, we’re heading out earlyass in the morning. Beauregarde’s letter said for Havine to meet him alone out by this tree or something, but we’re all gonna be there. Kit and I are going to hide in the tree since he has some sort of shadow magic?? I dunno, I didn’t want to ask. Too tired to process whatever the answer might be. But the thing reeked of an ambush or at least a trap of some sort, so we figured we’d better get the upper hand while we can.
10 Pivon 4284
10 Pivon 4284
I don't even know where to begin. Last night was…. so much more than I ever dared to hope for. I hate that we had to go separately, but, the more I think about it (without my feelings for him getting in the way of my brain), he really does need to get there soon. There's no telling what kind of trouble Ashwing could cause if no one knows what's happened. I'm still worried for him, but… I dunno. It's a little easier knowing we feel the same about each other. I'm not nearly as worried about what I'd end up regretting if something happened, but it's also a lot scarier being without him and knowing we’re both going to be in dangerous situations.
It's weird, but I get the distinct feeling Havine was hoping we’d manage to talk things out. I mean, I'm not complaining, but…. It's weird having someone looking out for me like that, I guess. Kit and Medericus sure as hell wouldn’t stick their noses in that unless it was to give me shit for it. Which is almost easier since I know where they’d be coming from. I don’t know what to make of a cleric who doesn’t want something from me besides good company. I… kind of wish I had Jasttor here to talk about this with. He’d… no, I don’t think I could really explain it to him anyway. It’d mean… it’d be more than I’m willing to chat about on the road.
8 Pivon 4284
8 Pivon 4284
I’m worried about Jasttor. We… they talked to Ilweth today (I was trying to get to know Havine and Relentless a little better since… well, they’re kind of… everyone else kind of ignored them after we agreed to go take a look at the woods with this guy… Aungor, I think his name was) and she said… the person who knew Jasttor would be there in those caves was someone named Ashwing and… apparently that was someone Jasttor trusted a lot. I just… he wants us to go ahead and take the job, but he gave me this amulet of his and it seems really important to him, but I don’t know why. And he’s going off with Ilweth directly back to the guild but… we used to take turns keeping watch at night to make sure she didn’t try anything. How’s he going to manage without getting any sleep? I know the roads are mostly safe and he’s… a lot stronger than the rest of us, but it’s not right for him to have to do that alone, especially with all this extra shit going on.
I… I regret not stopping him when he walked away after that. I wanted to say something and just… froze. It’s probably just as well. We… aren’t that close and.. I’m not the best at saying things that are actually helpful with stuff like this. I’d probably just make things worse.
[A gap, followed by clumsy, shaky handwriting.]
So, the wolves are actually undead. Go figure, right? While everyone was setting up camp, I found some tracks that seem to be headed deeper into the woods. I’m just waiting for everyone to get back so I can let them know what’s up.
4 Pivon 4284
4 Pivon 4284
[Entry written in messy Elvish script]
I… I think I like him. Like… not just as a friend. I mean he’s just… so kind. Like, he never really goes out of his way to give me shit the way the others do and he's…. I don't know, it's nice having someone actually care about me even a little without ulterior motives. Jack and Stash never worried unless it was going to affect them or a job. John and Erika always worried after me, but it always kind of felt like they wanted to change me into someone I'm not, make me fit some mold for what a “good” person is. Jasttor just… he doesn't seem like he has anything he wants from me besides my company. I dunno, I never considered myself unpleasant or anything, but it’s nice having someone who actually seems to like having me around and in a way that isn’t… like with Kit and Medericus, I guess.
3 Pivon 4284
3 Pivon 4284
Not much happened today. Mostly traveling and learning more stuff from Jasttor. It's honestly amazing the sort of things he knows about dragonborn history. I mean, I've only run into maybe two besides Medericus in my entire life and never long enough to actually have a nice chat to get to know them. I… I kinda wish I could see all these places he's talking about. Not that I want to drop everything and take a trip to dig around in a bunch of old ruins, but it'd be amazing to get a better idea of what it was actually like.
Draconic is getting easier for me, too. It was tough at first since it’s like the exact opposite of elvish. Elvish is like…. I dunno, it's kind of a slippery language? If that makes sense? Like it's subtle and flowery and all that shit but draconic is more… straightforward? There aren't any contractions to worry about, which is also just completely opposite of elvish, and words don’t have nearly as many meanings. I've been telling him how different it is, that once we get a chance, I'll teach him elvish so he can see what I mean.
He seemed to like the idea, so at least I know he likes spending time with me, too? Or wants to learn. But it's not like I'm the only one who could teach him, so maybe he does just want to be around me, too. Fuck if I know. But I'll take it. I’ll take whatever this friendship gives me. Even if I have been kind of… daydreaming about it being more than that.
2 Pivon 4284
2 Pivon 4284
It’s… been a while since I wrote in a journal like this. Not since before Dad… I’m not very good at getting thoughts and feelings out onto paper, but I guess I’ll try. Besides, I need actual paper to practice writing in Draconic. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. Medericus keeps giving me shit for not having a weird accent. Though, later when we made camp, Jasttor told me he’s the one with a weird accent. Something about not being raised around other dragonborn making it harder to learn the language right. It’s totally normal for me to have a weird accent, though.
Apparently.
Ilweth’s been crabby, like always, though I guess I can’t really blame her since she’s kind of a prisoner. Which isn’t our fault since she did try to kill us. I’m… also really glad we didn’t end up fighting Jasttor. It’s not like we really knew any better, but… I don’t know, it kind of feels like… it feels wrong? But also like he could absolutely wreck us.
I’d definitely rather be on his good side.
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