Saeryl Kethvanna

Character Information

Self-made modification of Tomb Raider: Underworld cover art.

Full Name: Saeryl Kethvanna tuulo'Alalme en'Myth Drannor (litterally "Saeryl of clan Kethvanna of Elmtree of Myth Drannor")

Age: 171 (Born Uktar 10, 1205 - Year of Seven Trinkets)

Class: Ranger/Bowman

Occupation: Huntress, Ranger, defender of the Cormanthor

Race: Wood Elf

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Deity: Solonor Thelandira (and of course the rest of the Seldarine)

Country of Origin: South-Eastern Cormanthor (Non-canon village of Elmtree)

Spoken Languages: Elven, Common, Animal, Sylvan

Accent: Speaks common with a very heavy, r-rolling accent (OOC: Russian like), and elven with a certain accent and tone to it, with some odd words, like a special dialect. DC:40 to find out that it's a dialect from the wood elven communities akin to the old elven of Myth Drannor before its fall (+10 to throws for elves who have received an elven education).

Left or Right Handed: Ambidexterous (though she seems to favor her right hand for shooting, but her left more and more for everyday tasks)

Relatives:

Ilenyaë Kethvanna (Mother, born 1017)

Alethir Kethvanna (Father, born 1002, died 1374)

Arìash Kethvanna (Twin brother, born 1205, died 1375)

Cerin Te'les (Blood brother)

Cadius Eldanesh (Blood brother)

Several cousins and other distant relatives of her clan in Elmtree

Physical Appearance

Height: 4’09’’

Weight: 96 lbs

Skin Tone: Tanned, coppery

Eye Color: Bright green

Hair: Straight, jet black with slightly green highlights in direct light, waist long.

Unique features:

• Has lost the use of her right-eye due to a nasty, deep-looking scar on the right side of her face that looks like it was made by a sword and reopened at least once. Said eye is now clearly blind.
• Has two tattoos on each bicep. One of Espruar letters with her full name, the second looks like a gust of wind carrying a leaf pierced by an arrow. On her right hand she has tattooed the letters that make her brother's name in Espruar (one for each knuckle)
• Other notable (recent) scars:
  • Terribly messed up Zhentarim "Z" carved on her right bicep, just under the tattoo, as if the person who carved it slipped with the blade.
  • Long scar going from her wrist to her elbow on both sides of her left forearm like somebody sliced it open
  • Long cut scar on the bottom of her right foot that goes up her calf

Saeryl catches somebody eyeing her while bathing...(all credit to www.ganassa.deviantart.com)

Description:

Saeryl wears a leather band over her right eye most of the time, covering her blind right eye and most of the scar that runs across the right side of her face.

She is rather short at less than 5 feet tall, looking dexterous, tough and quite athletic. Her long hair is dark with slightly green highlights, sometimes held back in a ponytail to not get in her way. When untied, it reaches down to her waist. Her skin is tanned, with a coppery tinge to it, and her valid eye shine a deep green color. Most of the time, her face does not show any emotion, although she seems quick to anger.

She almost always wears black, green or brown leathers with a brooch on her chest of a silver arrow with green fletching, and boots made out of fur. She also often wears a torn, used cloak in the colors of the forest that allow her to hide easily.

Anyone who knows a little about the elven people would recognize her as an Or’Tel’Quessir, a wood elf, with no trouble.

On her back she carries a quiver always full of arrows and a longbow.

A black hilted, evil looking longsword in a black sheath hangs on her belt at her left side, as well as two long, curvy elven swords on each side of her waist. She also has a long hunting elven knife tied to one of her fur boots.

Abilities/Skills

Abilities

• Strength (14): Saeryl is strong enough, athletic and muscular despite her short size.
• Dexterity (18): Despite her relatively recent loss of depth perception and the long training it took for her to gain most of her shooting skills back, she is very agile and flexible. When going through natural lands, she walks with grace and leaves almost no tracks, going fast and making no sound. She shoots quickly with a trained arm and knows how to skin an animal or bind a wound at a fast pace. Although when the adrenaline leaves her, her right hand tends to be a little off and loses its precision.
• Constitution (12): Saeryl is not too weak, due to her athletic condition and her habits of living a rough life in the forest, but due to her elven nature she is not extremely resistant either.
• Intelligence (13): She is quick to understand how things work, or what is going on, but not a genious either.
• Wisdom (10): Saeryl is far from being wise. She is not stupid, but wisdom is definetly not her field. She leaves it to the druids to know how to deal with people and situations. One could say she has a weak mind, but she tends to be extremely stubborn. She's up front and won't hesitate to try and attack something too strong for her.
• Charisma (10): Saeryl's beauty is average for a wood elven female. She is rather attractive (some might say more than rather) but her rough language, habits and sometimes aggressive or anti-social behavior often surprise people.

Skills

• Animal Empathy: Saeryl can talk to most animals and calm them down, due to her ranger and wood elven nature.
• Heal: Saeryl is no professional healer but she can figure out the origin of most poisons and wounds caused by natural means (including blades and arrows), or find things out such as how somebody died, or the necessary healing herb for a condition.
• Hide/Move Silently: She knows all too well how to hide in natural lands and is very silent when moving.
• Listen: She's always had keen ears, but since she lost the use of her right eye she relies on it a lot.
• Spot: Since she is half blind this is not her best ability.
• Search: She knows where to look for things, and as a huntress and ranger knows a lot about tracking.

Personality

Saeryl in her homewoods of Cormanthor, hunting for her village (credit to www.liquidd-1.deviantart.com)

General

Saeryl is sometimes (to very often) narrow-minded and paranoid: holding a few prejudices against some races such as drow, humans, or half-elves. However, she can be tolerant and easily overcomes those prejudices (just get drunk with her a couple times and show you deserve her tolerance!). She sometimes has trouble understanding anyone that is not of her people, as her attitude towards nature, plants or wild animals can be rather different from the city folks’. Yet she is civilized, and although she is slow to make friends and even slower to trust anyone, she is an extremely loyal friend and devout protector.

She is easily scared but not enough to abandon what she is doing, and rarely shows it. She is very determined and tough (to the point that it becomes irresponsible and reckless) often coming back from a hunt covered with scratches and not even looking at them. She does not care for her appearance much, often found with messy hair, with twigs and leaves intertwined in it.

What matters most to her : The forest of Cormanthor, her clan (that is her mother and extended family), her best friends, Elventree.

Wood Elven Behavior

Saeryl loves parties, alcohol in general (notably elven wines and ale), dancing and having fun when she can, notably in spring (Greengrass being her favorite period of the year). She is a rather free person and when she is in a good mood, never hides what she feels and does what she wants when it comes to her mind (such as kissing perfectly unknown humans).

Materialism

She does not give any value to money as she has trouble understanding its meaning, being from a village where goods would be exchanged or given freely as a mark of friendship. Therefore she might be easy to cheat. She however gives great values to handcrafted goods, but does not rely on any to live, as she spends most of her time hunting for food and making her own clothes. If given a present, she will always keep it.

Relation to Nature

Saeryl has grown in a treetop village of Cormanthor ruled by druids. As a ranger, she knows the ways of the forest perfectly, can converse with most animals and has a rather strong bond to the nature itself. Therefore she feels only at peace and ease when sitting in a grove in the deep forest or resting at the top of one of the huge oaks of Cormanthor. She considers trees and animals as living people. Above all, she has developped a tight bond with the wolf kind and actually belongs to a small pack whose hunts she sometimes shares. Threatening Saria, her wolf companion, would be like threatening a sister to her. Finally, Cormanthor is her home and where her clan and the rest of her village live - threatening Cormanthor is a certain way to get her to try and kill you.

Devotion to the People & Gods

Saeryl's village was founded by refugees from Myth Drannor, and although they have retreated from all contact with other civilizations, the City of Song's old ideals still run in its people's blood. Saeryl like most of her village would not hesitate risking her life to save a fellow elf, and in a way that is why she chose to become a ranger guard of Elventree. She wishes the elves could "educate" the human race and live in harmony with them like they do in Elventree, which is why she defends the small town proudly. She of course would defend anything elven such as tombs from raiders, relics, etc. without much questioning. She is very devoted to the Seldarine, notably Solonor, her patron.

Dislikes/Fears

• Saeryl is scared of magic in all its forms, if it is not druidic. The only mages she knew were druids or the only wizard in her village. Drudic magic appears sacred and natural to her, as is her relation to nature. All others terrify her (at the exception, perhaps, of divine, good magic) and she often picks on mages when she can, considering magic as an "unnatural" way to get to results. Since her problems with Alasia, necromancy scares her out of her skin even more than before.
• Anything that would harm the forest, such as excessive woodcutting, is bound to anger her.
• Zhents: although she hates them to the point she wouldn't hesitate to jump at them at the slightest offense, and would never show it, she's dead scared of the Zhents. But her hatred is by far the dominant feeling when dealing with them (which, fortunately, does not happen often). Saeryl is known to have a particularly cruel side when it comes to fighting them.
• Dragons, in particular black dragons, are not her favorite creatures on Faerûn for sure.
• Drow: Generally dislikes and distrusts them, even Eilistraaeans, as she cannot get to trust them and would rather shoot them on sight.
• Fey'ri: will never, ever trust a fey'ri. Would shoot on sight if she could.
• 'Humans: She will get along easily with some humans, even can get to trust some despite all the prejudices she has on their race.
• Red Plumes: Hates them too, and would rather kill one than let them enroll, but her hatred for them is nowhere close to her hatred of Zhentarim agents.
• Other non monstrous races: Will tolerate them depending on their actions.

PC Relationships

• Cadius Eldanesh : Saeryl finds herself greatly appreciating the young elf, despite his human mannerisms, which she actually finds refreshing at times. She enjoys his humor, but is truly worried for his well-being, although she thinks he has sort of gained in wisdom since she has met him. She thinks of herself as a big sister to him. She sees that despite the fact that he has grown too fast for his kind among humans, he still behaves like the teenager he is from time to time, and needs an adult’s protection. This has developped into a brother/sister relationship, and Cadius is now her blood brother, like Cerin. He is one of the four people she would die for with no hesitation, as she puts the safety of her little brother above everything else.

Cadius knows I'll be there for him if needed. Gods, I wasn't there often enough. I allowed these things to happen, and Solonor knows it won't happen again, or some people are going to get their balls ripped off. Hands off my lil' brother.

• Cerin ("Brother"): She trusts him completely. Cerin's safety is very important to her as he represents both her best friend, an elder druid to which she owes obedience, an important brotherly figure and the safety of the forest. She would not hesitate a second to sacrifice herself or getting hurt if only to save him or give him the time he needs. Cerin is, in her eyes, almost Cormanthor itself. Note: Cerin is now also her blood brother, entirely part of her clan and wearing the clan's tattoo.

I do love him. He's kin, and he's the protector of Cormanthor. It's simple, no? Hurt my brother once, you die. Hurt him again, and I'll make sure you're brought back from the dead, tortured, and killed again. Painfully. And barehandedly. ~ Saeryl

• Isiolia Nightstar : Saeryl had, so to say, great hopes for Lia. She really wants to help her get rid of her curse, and was glad to find a female friend to talk to other than Shalarnes. However, the recent “happenings” with Alabyran have sort of affected her ability to trust the young moon elf. She is willing to forgive her, but Saeryl is slow to give her trust, and it might take a while before she does so again. With recent events and the whole affair with Sol, Saeryl can't help but truly mistrust her. Her relationship with Noc worries her, as she thinks Lia is not as devoted to Noc as Noc is to her, and doesn't see the true meaning of a bonding.

Lia. It's not that I don't like her. But no, I don't trust her. Can you blame me? I gave her my trust, once, but I also gave my trust to Grigory, once. Like the others, if she hurts Wylan, I won't spare her. Unless it hurts Cadius. Which it probably will. Ah, hells.

• Mateo Lyrundel : Mateo is Saeryl’s hold on the world. When her brother died and she lost the use of her right eye, Mateo was there to keep her from sinking too deep. He prevented her from putting an end to her days and always been by her side, from the day they fought in sieged Ssrenshen alone together to the day they invaded Zhentil Keep to try and save her twin. Saeryl always saw Mateo as more than an equal, but as the strongest, calmest person she knows, and his connection with Solonor has always been the source of her undying admiration for him. She was naturally drawn to him, despite the fact that he has always rejected her, until recently. After nearly two years, the two are finally romantically linked to each other. Their natural connection makes them both very happy.

Mateo... It was just meant to be. There was no other way. Solonor sent him for me, I always knew that - from the great battle of Ssrenshen to the day Arìash left me. We have to be together, or I don't know what'll happen.

• Shalarnes: Shalarnes' magic impresses her and scares her in a certain way, but she thinks she is a good person and respects her as an elder. She is glad of her relationship with Cerin and thinks her a very good companion for him to have. Her motherly attitude towards Saeryl has helped the younger elf many times, and she appreciates her comforting songs. However, Shalarnes' recent attitude unnerves Saeryl to the point she really doesn't want to be around her.

Shalarnes is like my mother, a bit. Compassionate, and kind and all. Always smiling and laughin' and all. Though... I'm pretty sure she could disintegrate you with that same laughter. ~ Saeryl

• Solmur'ss: Worried for his condition, Saeryl considers him a friend and enjoys his company and advice. She has come to trust him, even consider him as one she can tell secrets to. She hopes he will one day find an easier life, but with recent happenings, she finds herself wary of him. Him killing Cadius once got her to strongly dislike his attitude.

I don't know... he saved my butt, and he didn't kill me. We'll see... but... *sigh* it's complicated. I'm just worried for him. He always gets himself in complicated situations. ~ Saeryl

• Valin ("Ar'tel"): Probably the only mage she trusts completely, as she is aware of his devotion to the People as a bladesinger. She likes him although she finds him annoying at times, but enjoys nothing more than picking on him or calling him names. Respects him as a friend and skilled bladesinger, and is ever thankful for the constant supply of "reverie tea" that he gives her to soothe her reveries.

Damn child grew up too fast. He's quick and reeks of magic. He could kill a dragon by himself. He's the Herald, after all, I owe him respect. But he grew up too fast. And I wish I could shove some people skills down his stuck up throat, sometimes, despite our friendship. ~ Saeryl

• Noc Wylan Amilcnam  : Sae has come to trust Noc despite all that he has done that would make her hate him. Him being with Alasia for some time did not help their friendship for sure, but she has forgiven him since, as he is still very protective of her. The “kissing episode” that happened when she was drunk made her realize that she didn’t want to be with him, although she loves him, in a way, like her brother. This has strengthened lately and Wylan is probably one of the only persons that could give an order to Saeryl and expect her to react well to it. Like Mateo, Cadius and Cerin, hurting Noc is a sure way to unleash the midget rage on you.

He's my brother, too. He might be messed up, might be part demon, but he's part wood elf, too. Well, he's my brother anyway. Don't wanna know what you think of him. And no, for Solonor's sake, I didn't want in his pants! I WAS DRUNK!

• Zac Metherein: Saeryl and Zac were once very good friends. She gave him her entire trust, friendship and tolerance for his weird shadow nature. However, since her recent trouble with Alasia and the fact that Zac has at least once openly sided with her, she treated him as a mortal enemy for some time. After the two talked, she decided to give him another chance, but as she is not sure of how much he can defy Alasia, she does not entirely trust him anymore, no matter how much she missed their friendship.

Well, shit. How am I ever supposed to trust him now? If he were more tangible, it'd be easier. But, him too... he's an old friend. I can't give up on that. There's so few left who care for me. ~ Saeryl

• Tezrakk/ Kriegnar The Warmonger: Saeryl's hatred for Kriegnar is intense, but it has never been as strong as her hatred for Alasia. While Saeryl viewed Alasia as a very threat to the nature she protects, Kriegnar struck her as an innate enemy of the People and, in the end, just an orc. Although every since the Orcus troubles began, her point of view has sort of shifted from pure hatred to strong disdain - deep down, a part of her respects his martial aptitude and she is kind of surprised that he would ally with the so called "good guys". She respects that he was wise enough to fight Orcus with them, and not against them, but she will never forgive him for the atrocities he committed.

• Alasia : Saeryl's very nemesis, at least for some time. It started when Alasia started threatening Cerin, to which Saeryl owed obedience at the time for being an elder druid. Saeryl defended Cerin and protected him, not afraid to risk her life just to stand between him and Alasia, which really started to annoy the necromancer. Alasia had a few occasions to teach Saeryl lessons, but Saeryl never seemed to learn. She hopes Alasia died with the others during the final assault on Yûlash, and finally left this world.

Biography

Saeryl was born in a tiny wood elven tree village by the name of Elmtree (not the Elmwood on the Moonsea coast, just noticed it was named that way), along the river Duathamper. Elmtree is extremely reclusive and very well hidden, and the wood elves that live there do not interact – or occasionally – with other races. Saeryl’s parents, Alethir and Ilenyaë of Elmtree, were said to be blessed by the Seldarine, because the birth rate in the village, as in most elven villages, was very low, yet Ilenyaë gave birth to twins. They named Saeryl after what the druids foretold – she would be a huntress, therefore her name means Wood Huntress. Her twin brother was named Arìash, the Silver Bow. Saeryl and Arìash grew up very close to each other. Always wearing the same clothes, using the same weapons, watching and defending the village together. They were nicknamed the bow and the arrow of Elmtree. Arìash was the bow, the strong, unbreakable arm to protect his dear sister and the village. Saeryl was the arrow, the swift, nimble attack that remained unseen.

They were both trained as rangers to protect the forests around Elmtree with much joy and pride, always fighting together. Proud to be the defenders of their little community, Saeryl and Arìash lived a happy life of hunting and training in the woods. Coming home everyday to partake dinners and celebrations with the members of their extended family (which included the whole village).

One day, a group of Vhaeraunites were seen not far from Elmtree’s surroundings, well armed and ready for battle, heading towards Elventree. After a long council with the elders of the village, it was decided that Elmtree would ambush the drow group; Messengers would send warnings to Elventree. The most skilled archers of Elmtree ambushed the drow and a long, deadly fight ensued. Most of the fighters from Elmtree were unaware of what the drow were capable of. Both poison and magic devastated the small groups of archers. Few of them returned home, victorious thanks to the surprise effect and the cover of the forest, but deeply shocked. Saeryl’s father was shot in the chest that day and is currently suffering from heavy poisoning that no druid has been able to cure completely. Since that day, she does not hate drow, for some of them revere Eilistraee which is an ally of Solonor, but won’t trust them easily. She finally saw what they looked like, how they fought, and what they were capable of. She trained even harder with her brother just in case they would come back.

About a tenday after this event, reports of trees being cut down and burnt near Elmtree arrived to the village. Shocked, angry, but not ready for another battle, the inhabitants decided to send a skilled ranger to investigate. Arìash was chosen. But he never came back.

Saeryl looked everywhere for him, and asked everyone, trees, animals and rivers alike, but he was nowhere to be found. Upset and sad as she had never been before, after months of searching in the forest, she came back to her village with no news, and only sadness to bring to her family. She did not abandon hope. Her twin brother was part of her, and she could not resolve to let him go. Despite the village’s elders’ warnings to not leave the hidden village and its surroundings, she packed her belongings, departing for a long quest that she knew might never end.

She followed the river down and then came out of the forest for the first time of her life. A few inhabitants from human or elven villages told her about that they saw few wood elves around, let alone a lonely young wood elf. A few told her that trees being cut down or forest fires happened in the Deepingdale region as well. She headed in that direction, making her way to Highmoon. Although she hates the city, she admitted that it was close to two elven villages that might be able to help her and that many travellers and adventurers might know something about what happened to her brother. Although, staying away from the woods more than one day makes her feel uneasy and cornered with nowhere to hide; She therefore tends to be a little (to very) paranoid when outside of the forest.

Her father eventually died from the poisoning, just before she found out thanks to lady Shalarnes that her brother was being held in Zhentil Keep.

In the beginning of Flamerule this year, Mateo and her "infiltrated" Zhentil Keep after making contact with somebody who could find her brother's location. They were disguised as slaves and the human contact as a slave trader. They found out that her brother was a slave there and going to be executed for insubordination on the same day. Unfortunately, they were discovered before they could save him. A battle ensued, where Saeryl rashly jumped on the Zhentarim agent who killed her brother and one of her eyes was blinded a result, by the same blade that murdered her twin. Mateo and her escaped Zhentil Keep just in time with Ariash's body, but Mateo could not raise him nor could he heal her (they assumed the Zhent's blade was evil), so she can't see with her right eye anymore.

Ariash's funeral happened in her village but she felt too guilty to stay and followed Mateo to Elventree and Yulash's region. She holds a deep hatred for the Zhentarim, and would do anything to kill the one who took both her brother and most of her archery skills.

Timeline (Shortened Biography for DMs)

Life in Elmtree

• 1205: Year of Seven Trinkets

- Uktar 1: Saeryl and Arìash are born into the clan Kethvanna of the small wood elven community of Elmtree in Cormanthor.

• 1374: Year of the Lightning Storms (169)

- Elasias 27: A band of Vhaeraunite drow from House Jaelre plan a raid on a moon elven community north of Elmtree. The village council plans to stop that raid and sends a group of the village's best warriors, including Saeryl's father, Alethir. The group comes back victorious for their first fight with drow, but severely diminished. Alethir Kethvanna suffers from a lethal poisoned bolt to the chest that the druids are unable to cure.

- Eleint 2: Smoke is spotted above the sacred grove of Solonor. Several suspect a plan from remaining drow to lure the village warriors, and instead of sending a whole force, a single ranger is randomly chosen. Arìash is picked and departs, never to return, as he was captured by the said Vhaeraunites.

- Eleint 3: With no news of her brother, Saeryl departs for the grove to try and find him.

- Marpenoth 1: After over a month searching for any trace of Arìash in the surrounding woods of Elmtree, Saeryl makes the choice to leave Elmtree, against the council's opinion.

Highmoon

- Marpenoth 7: After leaving the shelter of Cormanthor, Saeryl reaches the city of Highmoon.

- Marpenoth 28: Saeryl takes part to the crusade against the Fey'ri queen Sarya and Malthazar in Myth Drannor ruins.

- circa Nightal: Alethir Kethvanna eventually departs to Arvandor, tired from fighting the poison. Saeryl and her mother mourn him for a long time.

- circa Nightal: Shalarnes manages to scry for Arìash and finds out that he was sold as a slave to Zhentil Keep and is being beaten by humans.

The Moonsea

• 1375: Year of Risen Elfkin (170)

- Flamerule 2: Saeryl and Mateo invade Zhentil Keep with a well thought out plan and a human contact, disguised as slavetakers. They find him in a public execution place, with several other slaves about to be executed for insubordination. They are found out and a fight ensues, where Arìash still held in chains is killed by a Zhent captain with a tainted sword, forbiding any possibility of resurrection. Enraged Saeryl jumps at the Zhent recklessly, which results in her being permanently half blinded by the same sword. Mateo manages to teleport them away with Arìash's body.

- Flamerule 3: Mateo and Saeryl return to Elmtree where Arìash's funeral happens. Saeryl goes into a very dark emotional state and moves to Elventree] with Mateo.

- Elasias 29: Saeryl tries to put an end to her days, stopped in time by Mateo who slaps some sense into her.

• 1376: Year of the Bent Blade (171)

- Hammer 2: Saeryl joins the Akh'Velarh, scouts of Elventree.

- Tarsakh 23: After a Zhent assault on the Elven Watch Tower, Saeryl found herself in the hands of a Zhent slaver captain who appears to be no other than the one who killed her brother. After a few very unpleasant hours, Valin saved her and challenged the Zhent. Saeryl killed him off, at last, and took his sword, although it has lost its primary enchantment. She has kept a few scars from that day.

- Circa Mirtul: Saeryl has become Cerin's blood sister. She took him in her clan as her brother, as Cerin Te'les Kethvanna of Elmtree of Myth Drannor.

• NOWADAYS

Important Items and OOC Lore

Resolute Thunder

• Resolute Thunder: With its name engraved on the hilt, next to a symbol characteristic to the Black Network, this double edged longsword looks rather plain but efficient. Its black hilt and the Zhentarim design leads to think that it was once carried by one of them. If one were to touch the sword and have a certain connection to magic, they would feel the remnants of the powerful Banite curse that used to be on the sword. Right now, whenever it hits, it sends loud thunder like, bone shattering vibrations into the victim. Scars from this sword seem a tad more difficult than usual to erase, wounds a tiny bit harder to heal (although very much possible). Saeryl took this sword from the Zhent slaver captain after he caught and tortured her, and Valin rescued her. He happened to be the same man who had killed Arìash with this sword back when its curse was more powerful, forbiding any possibility of raising from the dead, and slashed at Saeryl's eye.