Eldebryn Rilynghym's Story (with Template)

[Eldebryn]

Short Template as requested by Staff:

Template For Character Creation Reward:

First Name: Eldebryn
Last Name: Rilynghym (meaning House of the Forgotten Ways in drowish)

Appearance:
Race: Drow
Age: about 287
Height: about 5'7"
Weight: 140 lb
Eyes: mostly red with a a faint hint of violet/purple
Hair: Long white hair, always tidy and caught in a ponytail
Facial Hair Style: The only facial hair he is are his sideburns, ending about where his ears do.

Personality Profile:
General Health: Pretty average, in the past went through many hardships and used to spent lots of time indoors, nowadays he has gotten used to it and has a little more physical endurance than he used to.
Deity: Mystra, the Lady of Mysteries, is the only deity he could ever please and respect.
Initial Alignment: Lawful Neutral, mostly because of his family and the disgust some Chaotic Evil drow brought to him.
Profession: Wizard and scholar of the School of Mages. Also known to provide/trade rare items and magical objects, after studying them extensively, with the merchants of Sshamath. Occasionally they are his own creations as other than a good haggler he is a fine enchanter and crafter. (the later with the physical help of conjured servants)
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard and ASoC
Habits/Hobbies: always says a small prayer to Mystra before he sleeps, when no-one is looking, also likes experimenting with alchemy and properties of ores and other elements, but his greatest hobby is reading and learning the lore and languages of distant places, not to mention spells and magic.
Languages: Common+Undercommon, Elven, Drowish, Orc, Gnome, Goblin, Draconic, Celestial, Abyssal, Sylvan. Being highly intelligent and often close to academic facilities, learning languages is one of his habits, some of them to help him read ancient scrolls and communicate with extraplanar beings.
Weapon of Choice: A staff is easy to use and defend himself with, while helping him walk when needed. He is known to have used crossbows in the past, while he has a great admiration for long swords, often praising some as works of art.

Background: His family had a long lineage and taught him of how dishonourable the ways of most drow were, how they betrayed everyone years ago and sinked to darkness and chaos. No matter what he did, he should never forget his principles, for whether you kill a foe or save an ally you must always stay true to your path. Maintain discipline and keep your word. Living in Menzoberanzzan, and bowing to the Spider Queen was hard, and he lived absorbed by his love of the Art for years, until his heart and his House were betrayed alike by House Alaundril, because of his zeal and hard work that threatened them. Family dead, except for a sister he never saw again and forced to servitude for a century, he managed to escape when denied of his freedom after so long. Sshamath was his future, and even though his mind was mysteriously clouded for months, he had to undergo his training again and now is as powerful as ever, aiming for more.
Goals: Wants to gain prestige in the School of Mages and the Conclave, this city is all he could wish for. He often thinks about setting out to search for his lost sister or avenge the deaths of all he cared for, yet hesitates... Maybe he is not strong enough yet... He needs more power. Knowledge, though, is the prelude to power, and he is wise enough to seek that as well.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts: Zapheria is the sister he never saw after the Alaundril invasion, Verna is one their daughters and the one that betrayed him, along with Brezzit, her brother and weapons master that watched over him all those years. Many of the wounds from whips on Eldebryn's back, that no one knows about in Sshamath, are there thanks to him. Ardul Alaundril was their archmage brother whose jealousy brought this deceit.
Eldebryn rarely loses his temper, favouring calmness and mental focus. He would do almost everything in order to succeed on his task, as it is a matter of honour to him. His would also put great effort for the benefit of Sshamath, the School and, especially, himself.




~~~Complete Backstory~~~
(might need some changes, please consider the above template more accurate)

Eldebryn Rilynghym
Male Drow Wizard, he was born in 1063, the Year of the Deluded Tyrant.

Eldebryn was raised in the city of Menzoberranzan in the House Rilynghym. As its name suggests (Rilyn= house of, ghym= forgotten ways) the house was everything but one would expect for a drow house. Unlike most other drow the Rilynghym had principles, they believed in order, honor and discipline. That's why they would probably suffer one way or the other in the end...
His House had only moved to Menzoberranzan a few centuries before Eldebryn's birth. They would frequently move from one city to another because their views were not so popular... They considered the actions of the drow during and after the Crown Wars a mistake, since they walked forbidden paths and betrayed the other elves.

Still, now that they were in Menzoberranzan they had to worship Lolth as was necessary, that burden was carried mostly by Eldebryn's mother and his sister Zapheria, named for her vivid green eyes. The latter was even quite successful in her studies at Arach-Tinilith. In the meanwhile he, his brother and father payed all due respect to the Spider Queen and kept a low profile.

Eldebryn himself was a very successfull wizard, after years of training and studying in the Sorcere he was one of the most prominent ones in the city, perhaps even close to becoming an Archmage, something unusual for one from such a low House.

Since their arrival, House Alaundril demonstrated almost a frienly behaviour towards the Rilynghym, though they were by no means allies...
Later Eldebryn blamed himself for not being suspicious enough towards that behaviour...

Member of Alaundril was Verna, a fairly beatutiful female who served Lolth. At that time she was one of the few people who could draw Eldebryn's attention from his studies of the arcane..

So was Ardul Alaundril, a powerful Archmage whom Eldebryn respected and brother of Verna, as well as Brezzit, the younger brother and weapon master of the Alaundril.

No one expected it when the House Alaundril attacked with it's full forces and proceeded to wipe House Rilynghym. Eldebryn rushed to the battlefield and used all of his might, yet in the end even he could not stop the large army of Alaundril which had already caused massive damage. His parents were already dead, so did his brother and now he and Zapheria had kneel down and surrender.
He expected to die in the next seconds.
He didn't see Verna, but Ardul was watching arrogantly from higher ground as the flames from his spells were still burning.

Suddenly Brezzit made his appearance and offered Eldebryn a deal. Zapheria was taken away and he never saw her again. He agreed to the deal however, a century of slavery and loyal service to Alaundril in exchange for his life.

The centure came and passed, with Eldebryn submitting his will to the slayers of his family through performing tasks related to magic and others for which no drow would be proud of...

When Eldebryn went to Brezzit to ask for his freedom the fighter laughed and the wizard realised just how rigged the deal was.

He didn't express his anger at that time, he waited as patiently as possible for the right moment. When most of the clerics around the city were busy with a very important sacred celebration which included sacrifices of many kinds to the Spider Queen, he used that opportunity to escape, after all the Queen had already brought her wrath down on him, it couldn't get any worse.

On his way out he had to encounter Brezzit, whom he managed to defeat through his spells and willpower. He rushed towards the gates and managed to hire a caravan of duergar traders to take him from the city.

On their way towards Sshamath the caravan picked up a hooded air genasi, who appeared to be as dark and secretive as was Eldebryn.

It was quite unexpected when the 3 enormous umber hulks mysteriously attacked the caravan for they carried no food or anything else that would draw their attention. Eldebryn had to use a high level spell to send the beasts away and in doing so saved the genasi's life, who called himself Breeze.
What was odd was the fact that normally such a spell would be almost trivial for the drow, however this one exhausted him so terribly that he fainted. In fact he had a fever and was sleeping for 3 days.


By the time they reached the city of Dark weaving the wizard's ability to cast spells was almost that from 2 centuries before... almost none...

[Eldebryn]

// Clarifications have been made, the story has been slightly reviewed and corrected to match the server timeline, and the overall size of the text has been decreased.

[Eldebryn]

~A wizard's mind~

I returned from my trip almost a month ago. I missed Sshamath, but I needed those ingredients for my research. I am now walking the streets of the city of dark weavings, the bazaar filled with merchants, slaves and drow as always. The visitors many, yet few familiar faces amongst them...
Many things have changed in those past months. The Charnag and the school of necromancy have fallen silent. Tobias, Duneth, Val.... They are nowhere to be seen. What may have happened to such powerful individuals which still has to walk in the path I do? By the Lady of Mysteries... I even miss that annoying bard Dhaunin and that bitch of the abyss, Cazna... Why in the nine hells do I? Is it the wind of change that brings this breeze under my skin..?
Perhaps...

If it is the time for change then, I should probably use it. With Val, the main figure of the Necromancers, out of the way we could increase the influence of the school of mages at last... I hope Guldor realizes the significance of this point in time; and that appearance of driders in near caves frightens me. Perhaps as much as that sorceress does, that woman, meh she's just a kid, doesn't even have a place in the school.

Every tiny bit of my old power is now back, perhaps more.
Yet... I need more...more... And I need it know, I feel it in my old bones... The time in which I shall need it is approaching.

At times, I feel claws scratching from the inside, as if spawned by the Lady herself... Who knows, maybe it's just the gaze of the Spider Queen softly surrounding my spine. Why doesn't she leave me alone?

In the tunnes, in the bazaar, I almost smell the boiling blood those that bring the change... Newcomers. Unfamiliar faces with strong eyes. Many of them. Will have to place the pawns carefully. And that disrespectful female! Is she the Black queen? Makes me miss of Cazna, how ironic and foolish.. Is she the tiny finger of fate mixing up the liquid in the goblet of blood and destiny? A challenge? Or just a piece of trash?
I wonder, wise Oghma, do the answers to the destiny's dance with the future lay in the history of the past?
That I wonder as I look in the depths of my empty cup and rub the hard, dry pages of my grimoire...

// I would like to take this chance and thank all those people who have been making the UD a little more interesting through their presence in the past weeks. It's getting better thanks to you people, and that's how I was inspired to add some more on Eldebryn's story. Have fun everyone.

[Eldebryn]

heheheh..... *maniac laughter echoes inside the walls of the faern's mind*

I saw.... Oh and I heard...

I have to manipulate the situation, move the pawns and turn the tables, that I will. Duneth made his appearance at an excellent time, I am pleased to see someone I can trust to a certain extent.

Too bad the gears are turning in this time. I made a promise to myself and I am going to keep it though. It is now my duty to return the school of mages all that it has given me... Yes yes...Things could turn up pretty good with a little luck.

Now I must take care of that little detail... I will so enjoy this...

[Eldebryn]

This is bad... The webs are spreading and this is bad... I may have to resort to fire, before they swallow more.
Duneth needs to be contacted.


The course still has not enough candidates, will have to find more.
I wonder if that Fecca is actually stupid, too young, or just playing dumb, it would be good to know...

[Eldebryn]

Today the 1st class took place. Some interesting individuals were present, that I admit. That Imaskari, Azzur, seemed too passionate about it, I haven't decided whether it's a good thing or bad yet. And his face sparked with interest in the mention of phylacteries, foolish necromancer... I did have the chance to meet a wizard I knew from long ago though, Kilrahel of the Undermountain. He hasn't changed much.

I only hoped there would be a few more, like that tall imaskari female... Turns out she wasn't from Thay, and that was a big disappointment, but it's not what bothers me now.

Ardulafae... Is she up to something or someone plays with her strings..? Her letter has captured my curiosity. Who is this despicable "N" signing with kisses and claiming there are traitors around me..

I need to speak to Ardulafae soon, I doubt Drejantril knows any more than his sister, but perhaps I should approach him as well...

The flames of the candles flicker in the darkness...

[Eldebryn]

// Added the Template For Character Creation, as discussed in this thread.

[Eldebryn]

Eldebryn was now resting on his comfortable chair, pondering at the mysterious letter placed on his desk.

A soft knock on his door interrupted the silence. The drow immediately thought of the arcanists he instructing only minutes before in the School, as he asked the visitor to come in.

"I thought I told them to be careful with those spells when they stayed in the classroom, if they-"

The visitor was a humble svirfnebli, he bowed deeply and while keeping his eyes low, it offered the wizard a message.


...it stated that the meeting was to take place at once. Eldebryn recognised the name in the signature, one he hadn't heard of in a long time, and would probably not remember if it wasn't for the message's contents.


He quickly took his staff and walked outside, in the streets of Sshamath. Soon he was admitted in the central building of the 7th Circle. Rarely had he heard of them, he had the impression they were inactive. At least he did until then...

All around him the halls were filled with individuals of all kinds and races common in Sshamath. Warriors cleaning their gear, smiths and arcanists inspecting various weapons and armour, traders and auctioneers weighting precious ores and trading supplies.

He was led to a luxurious dark office, sitting behind it was a drow, introducing himself as Elkinyon, leader of the Circle and offering his hand in a smooth and timed manner, indicating experience and, perhaps, wisdom. The two guards were constantly looking at him, monitoring his every movement.

Eldebryn shook the drow's hand. Next to the drow was standing the duergar. He knew that one from years ago. He was the owner of the caravan the wizard had used to escape the city of Menzoberranzan. It felt so distant right now...


In the conversation that followed the assault incident against that caravan was mentioned and how Eldebryn had used his magic, saving a genasi in the process. Soon, the wizard was wondering what that seemingly powerful man wanted from him.

The answer came soon enough. It turned out this duergar was affiliated with their organism, the 7th Circle band of mercenaries and traders, calling themselves "Sshamath's Greatest" and completing any task they were given with great success. In short they wanted him to take up the position of the School of Mages Representative and work for them. They could use some new recruits, said the confident drow as he handed Eldebryn one the many recruitment posters that became commonplace in Sshamath the following days.


He swiftly started processing Elkinyon's request: Obviously, the duergar had offered him all the information he had.
Did he also know about the Rilynghym?Unknown.
How deep had he dug in his past?Unknown.
Was he going to use what he knew to damage his standing in the School and the Conclave?Most probably.
Was it going to work? Hardly, unless he was *really* good at information manipulation.
Was it worth risking?...No.

The pay was good, the facilities decent and the resources quite noteworthy. His role would allow him to stay as close to the School as he wanted, and the opportunities he could reach throughout the missions and tasks of the Circle intrigued him.


After a few minutes the wizard said "Very well, count me in. Where do I start?"

A smirk appeared on the Runner's face...

[Eldebryn]

So, it's done...

The White king moves, and the black bishops tactically surround him defensively. The carnage in the battlefield of the pawns will stop and the dust will settle, which pawns and which leaders will be standing then?

I just hope there are really two colours in this Chess and not three...


I had my classes canceled and now my turn approaches, the gathering of the Circle will be an important one. It's time for them to know and prepare themselves.

That old Zeth'sair really surprised me there, I really expected him to survive, but be back home like nothing happened.. I suppose I shouldn't expect any less of him, though.
Why would he insist on Moira joining us though, in spite of her disagreement though... A matter of honor? Perhaps something I need to know.


And there is the matter of Ardulafae's House and, especially, Kar's issue...

Ardulafae promised to maintain integrity, though can one really trust a cleric of Eilistraee? I somehow still hope she can pull it through, she will be excited to know of our mission after...

Kar though... That might be a problem, the kid may be like... like a bottle with Alchemist's Fire, waiting to shatter, and that I don't want to happen. Doing nothing may be even worse though, and I doubt the Sun will do her any good... I can now see she is a mess... I knew she was too young, this is bad. Very bad...


Females... they are always full of troubles...


*a knock on his office's door emerges the wizard from his thoughts*

[Eldebryn]

The door opened as Eldebryn entered his room with slow, heavy steps alongside the sound of his staff hitting the floor.

He had only been there a day or so before, but it seemed like ages...

In the past few hours the wizard had traveled to demiplane of the Nine Hells, holding back fiends with the others of the Circle, in order to meet the Zhentarim in one piece and assist them in a full-scale war, invading the Darkhold in order to take it back.

But they failed... He failed... The others made him look like a fool, he couldn't control them even though everyone expected him to lead them in this war. For moments he even felt the spark of jealousy for the Zhentarim Captains, their subordinates so obedient and disciplined.

He was repulsed by them right now. The only comfort was that they managed to progress deeper than any other group. They took down 3 camps but the Giants were too strong.

He recalls these moments, running under the heavy rain for hours, his robes were stained with mud even now, their magic failing before the fire Giants, his throat almost closed after yelling at some of those fools for so long. Two of them were probably still high on drugs, the gnomes were wrecking havoc everywhere. And that imbecile Val! He didn't follow the orders, he wouldn't stick with his group. If it wasn't for him Guilhem's team might have made more progress and... who knows how things would have been then...

There would still be the dracolich at the gates but at least the would have made a more decent effort. A portion of his fury re-emerges as he lights the candle of his room.

The fury subsides though, as he recalls the end of the fight and their retreat. As if all that wasn't enough, Moira was missing... So, chances are either captured... or traitor.

The drow was now laying on his bed, he had no energy to take off anything other than his boots right now. As he looked on the ceiling he still couldn't decide whether he hoped the former or the latter for her. A true dilemma.

A long time ago he knew a rogue, as likeable as he was annoying.
He had told him once, when you need to take a decision just flip a coin. Eldebryn had laughed back then, he wasn't one to leave a decision on Lady Tymora. The rogue then continued, saying that at the moment the coin is about to fall, ones finds himself looking at it spinning in the air, and hoping for a certain outcome. Then, that one really knows what's in his heart...

At this point he turned around an noticed a closed envelope waiting quietly on his desk. Amid his weariness, he stood up and opened it, carefully reading the contents of the letter...