The Return: Aloria ap Ravar

[Lambert]

*Aloria awakens from a nightmare, sweat dripping down her face, the leaves she is sleeping on matted by wet clumps of leaves. The dream fades quickly but she remembers a final glimpse of a part of her troubled past. She is chained to a wall in a dark place. A male drow wizard with arms folded stares down at her. He barks a command to Aloria. Aloria refuses to answer or obey, defiance burning her eyes. Before the wizard can scorch her with arcane flame Aloria awakens with a nightmarish shout. The lingering laughter of Bal'hal, sinister and out of place, lingers while she shakes the dream out of her mind*

Normally Aloria stays hidden in the shadows, observing, but never interacting. Weary of humans and even her own people, she stays to herself, a solitary hermit. However, tired of poor sleep, she sook distraction. And so finds it by the fire near the Friendly Arm Inn and engages in conversation with a human warrior named Nathaniel and an armor clad warrior named Yuri who claims to be an elf. When Aloria asks an innocent question about elves of the region, Yuri, without much prompting, discusses on how much he dislikes the elves of Doron Amar, preferring the elves of the other village of En Darashae. Enquiring disinterstedly it turns out that the other elves are preferred by Nathaliel because they are isolationists. While Yuri feels the elves of Doron Amar think soley in black and white terms, not tolerating any view about the drow other then the obvious, that they are evil and not to be trusted. Without much consideration, when Aloria agrees with the elves of Doron Amar, Yuri accuses her of black and white thinking, and not being open minded enough about the possibility of a good drow who was otherwise a victim of bad parentage. Aloria politely leaves.

Rather then finding solace and distraction Aloria finds she is concerned for Doron Amar. Are there still elves who are divisive and seek to undermine the safe harbor of her people? It apeers to be the case to her chagrined mind, at least with this gossip. Nowhere is there safety from the hatred and evil will of mortals. She must face the shadows of her past in order to be there for her people. The shadows that hide behind every tree that she, in a manner, planted with the first council long ago. The faces of Mauglir and his brother, who hid the secret of Maurglir's betrayal, one she considered an honorable friend, still stung her. Galen's subterfuge and working with Mauglir to destroy Doron Amar because they felt the presence of the village would imbalance nature caused her to question her people's motives. Could elven druids truly work for the destruction of the elven people and their desire for a home? Galen, who was like a father to her, as well as an esteemed elder druid. Rhysdan, a worthless fool, who inspite of her swords skewering him, was able to return to spread malice and pretend to take down Doron Amar from within. Elrithmithrade, who fell to perversion then disapeered never to be found again. Then Bal'hal, her failure and her seducer, who later became a shadow stalking her and taunting her while she became a slave to a mage in the region of Sshamath, where she lingered for years until she finally escaped. And who was it who tasked the slavers who captured Aloria and brought her to the underdark. This one thought hunted her with each "cycle" in that dark place. Was it the Charnag, the secret guardians of Sshamath that Aloria so often skewered, led by Izz'orgoll. Or was it Rhysdan and his shadow druid supporters? Perhaps it was the Shadow druids themselves? And as Aloria walked the life of a slave in the depths of the underdark the voice of Solonor became weaker until it went silent. She was alone. Truly alone.

Then Bal'hal, the bard drow, or sho she believed, found her. At first he was in his true form, a vampire drow. Then as pure shadow. While she believed it was him, a more astute mind may have seen an alternative possibility. In either form he taunted her and mocked her for believing that a drow could change and love. The shadow would strip her of the dignity of her innocence and youth with it's accusations and damn her with the judgment of a victor over its victim. Of a free person over a slave. Of a powerful entity and a pathetic, forgotten, and abandoned slave. Defeated and beaten. Abandoned. Cycle upon cycle. Year after year the taunts would whisper from the shadows. Aloria never answered the accusations, but she could not help but listen.

But as time went on a new voice was slowly heard. Aloria became convinced that it was the voice of Corellon that beckoned her to escape her wizard drow captor. Supporting her to make an escape. At first she thought it was her own thoughts. But she became convinced that it was his subtle whispers. She had been tested and cleansed of her past, by these experiences, so she felt. She was ready to leave. Her suffering was complete and coming to an end. She was meant to fight on. To make her way to the surface. Somehow. The voice of Corellon on one side, and the shadow of Bal'hal taunting her at the other, she killed the mage who imprisoned her. This mage who refused to give her freedom, while taking everything from her without her consent. She roamed the tunnels of the undedark for a year before finding the way out. There was no rest. But there was hope. Making it to the surface she nearly froze to death near the cloudpeak mountains. She thought she saw an elf come to help her on the frozen mountains, but instead, her body was left, and her swords gone and taken. Something brought her back to life and she wandered the forests for months as her mind was slowly remembering her true identity and seeking healing. Until finally she emerged and made herself known again to her people.

And so it was that her feet brought her to Doron Amar, seemingly by their own volition. The calm and peace of the village was astounding, erasing a recent past of impossible suffering that would have crushed most into despair or death. Clearly Mauglir and Galen were wrong. Nature was in perfect ballance here. Rhysdan was proven the fool everyone saw him for. His life and attempts to detroy Doron Amar a failure. Now the voice of Corellon weclomed Aloria as she entered the Oak Home while the shadow of Bal'hal, still snickering, was but a faint whisper behind her. Was the madness and bruality of the last decade finally behind her? Was she free, truly free, a slave no longer to the drow mage and the torments of Bal'hal?

Aloria prayed at the altar of Angharradh seeking help. And help came in the form of a druidess of Rillifane Rallathil named Naer'eanque. This one was kind and thoughtful. Sensitive and gentle. She spoke of renewal and healing. She listened and treated Aloria as a sister. Aloria spoke of her past and her wounds. She prayed with Naer'eanque. The whisper of Bal'hal was gone. All she could see was the beauty of Doron Amar. All the suffering. The many seasons of bringing the elves of the gate together to form onefaction. One family. The betrayals. The abandoments. Doron Amar lived. After all these years and fallen leaves. How is it possible? Corellon's voice lingers in the forests of Doron Amar. Aloria has not yet found his altar or statue of his form, but it is only a matter of time.

Meeting with the Captain of the Mathora she shares a heart to heart conversation. A strong guardian protects Doron Amar. And, interestingly enough, her hair is worn just as she had worn her own hair when she founded Doron Amar with the first council. And what is more. A miracle. There was a child! Children live in Doron Amar. The village named by the name she created. Protected by guardians named by herself. Guarded by a warrior who kept her hair in the same style she did in those days past. Wielding two swords just as she had.

Aloria walked to her friend the merchant female elf called by last name Moonshadow and they silently held each other. The tears flooded her eyes. Aloria was no longer hiding. She was facing the shadows of her past. She had a new pair of swords. She was no longer the naive female who trusted easily or simply because of heritage. But she was also no longer the same patient elven woman. She had not returned to save anyone or anything. She came back a hardened weapon. Forged in the darkness. Tempered by shadows and flame. Sharp as a razor. Seeking death not for herself, but for those twisted by the darkness she herself had escaped. Lolth be dammed. Drow be dammed. Those who stand against Doron Amar? Something Aloria has learned from her captivity. The quiet. The shadow. There is no escape from one who has learned the lesson of patience as a slave to the drow for a decade. Freedom and life has a whole new meaning. The children of Doron Amar will rest safely. Those who threaten these children will not find mercy.

[Lambert]

Full name: Aloria ap Ravar
Age: 145
Race: Wood elf
Sex: female
Date of birth: 145 years prior to current date
Place of birth: Forest of Lethyr
Alignment: Choatic good
Patron deity: Corellon
Profession: Scout, guardian, warrior
Classes: Originally a ranger of Solonor and rogue, she is now a fighter and champion of Corellon with the ability to hide in plain sight.
Primary language: elven.

Secondary languages: undercommon, gnome, orc, sylvan, and damaran.

Physical description: Back hair, golden eyes, fierce determined look, steady.

Psychological description: Originally an idealistic ranger of Solonor who believed love could conquor all, heal all, unite all, and that all elves were to be generally trusted to care for their own people, she extended love and support to all elves. This weakness allowed her to be seduced by a clever male drow who used her weaknesses against her and perhaps made her vulnerable to betrayal by many elves. After being a slave to a different, a drow wizard in the underdark living just outside of Sshamath, for a decade, where she was abused and tortured, she learned to understand the depths of depravity of the drow in a very personal way. While learning this she also contemplated the past betrayals of her own people over the years. While a servant she visited Sshamath on brief excursions but her master, kept her identity and face hidden most times, cloaked in magic and clothing as owning her gave him a particular joy. Aloria learned a great deal about drow society.

Rather then give into madness by the betrayals or abuse, she struggled on, and became more resolute and focused then before. However, now she doesn't have time for people who toy with evil or the near occasion of evil. She see's evil as not just selfish behavior and deciet, but laziness, envy, and murderous intent. Having seen in the underdark the evil of Lolth and Lolthian society she understands all too well the depths to which a soul can fall. Make no mistake. Aloria is a veteran of many battles, duels, wars, political intrigues, betrayals, back biters, and troubled individuals. She doesn't waist time with undisciplined or mentally malformed people. While she doesn't have the full blown PTSD you might see in some veteran warriors, she does have that no nonsense brevity that doesn't waist time with "sh** birds" that you will find in many US combat veteran servicemen. Also, as always, she believes strongly in the highest ideals of family, marriage, and the importance of raising good children. She see's the family as the cornerstone of a strong and healthy society and worth dying and killing for.

Aloria is at her heart a lover and nurturing person. But she has the discipline of a skilled and experienced warrior of many battles and wars. While loving family politics was thrust upon her as she become accepted as the central leader of Doron Amar early days. Some of the elves of Doron Amar had wanted to crown her a "coronal" but Aloria did not seek such honors, and felt it would detract from the familial nature of equal council positions. She has known betrayal in many forms from those closest to her, some out of weakness others out of dark purpose, but rather then let her become deflated or undone by it, it only strengthened her resolve to be the better person, more noble leader, while acknowleding her faults and mistakes, and carry on to serve others. She is also very good at sensing the good and evil in others, and has little tolerance for those who are wanting in character. This is a sense born out of many years of experience with many different peoples and individuals as well as backgrounds. By many, I mean thousands upon thousands, most of whom were warriors of various rank, skill, and purpose.

Surprisingly after all she has been through there is still a look of understanding and kindness in her face. She is unassuming and humble in nature. She understands well her limitations and the limitations of others nature and hearts.

Now the shadow of Bal'hal is a curse of having known Bal'hal, who was a powerful and real drow bard (played by DM wildelf). He was a drow who became enamored by Aloria. They spent a great deal of time together. It was somewhat clear that for Bal'hal Aloria was a challenge and a possible something of interest. An innocent creature unspoiled by the harshness of the underdark and naive enough to consider his ploys of interest as genuine affection. However, Bal'hal did assist Aloria, in contravention to his own pacts and interests, in slaying a vampire coven he was a part of. He chose her life over their's, with no obvious benefit to himself that Aloria was awaire of. He did become a vampire but in an attempt to reverse this recent transformation, Aloria destroyed the vampire coven that Bal'hal was a part of, and begged Solonor and the Seldarine to change Bal'hals heart and nature. Something happened later were the essence of Aloria, in an attempt to convert Bal'hal to good, was intermingled with his own. Whether this was an answer as well as a judgement of the Seldarine, perhaps a painful lesson or reminder, punishment, or a necessary action, is uknown to Aloria. This happened decades ago. Aloria has wondered if this intermingling is a way for Bal'hal to return to the land of the living, which may have already happened as a re-incarnation into a wood elf male, or this is the remnants of evil she must contain and hold back from the realms, is unkown to her. Perhaps there is another reason. A soul tie. A wood elf claiming to be Bal'hahl did appear to her and neither that wood elf nor Bal'hal was ever seen of again. I am playing it that when Aloria gave her essence to the Seldarine to fuel the translation of the vampire Bal'hal back to a non-vampire, she sacrificed several points of her wisdom for it to be done. This is the same reason why she could no longer hear Solonor as her wisdom was too low to receive the ranger spells.

In his hay day Bal'hal commanded a powerful cohort in the underdark led by his halbred leader general Glaive. When Aloria was hungry for treasure she endeavored to search for the treasures of Bal'hal to use them for good, but this adventure too was cut short, as Aloria was captured by slavers and brought to the underdark.

Psychologically, Aloria is in touch with her "shadow self", and she owns the evil she is capable of and has done in the past, wheather by ignorance or willful desire, but she controls it with stoicism, and uses it for good by using it to defend others. This evil takes the form of violence against those who harm or threaten her people. The shadow of Bal'hal is a representation of an echo of her past mistakes, as well as a possibly real entity or individual, but is not the real Bal'hal.

Aloria believes that the shadow of Bal'hal is a shadow being contained by Aloria, so the reincarnated Bal'hal, now a re-incarnated elf, may live in peace on the surface, untouched by the evil of it's former self. Bal'hal did many evil things, unkown to Aloria, and this great collection of evil deeds carries a price of justice upon him. A price Aloria may have taken on her own shoulders due to her filial and loving nature. Aloria realizes the peculiarities of opinions and judgements of others, how they judge quickly in order to satisfy their own selfishness and pride, and keeps these dark things a secret. She does this not out of fear of rejection, but out of a need to protect her people, yet again, from perhaps themselves. Few can take responsibility for their own evil, let alone the darkness of others. It is best not to throw difficult concepts to minds and hearts not capable of understanding lest they miss the opportunity of seeing things as they truly are. Perhaps she is now protecting Bal'hal from himself by keeping his shadow away from his re-incarnated elven form. What in fact she may be doing is keeping a bay a being seeking knowledge of Bal'hal's fate, to bring him back, or to learn something from him that will lead to his treasures or other glories or dark memories of hidden things long forgotten in the underdark.

If one weighs in the balance all the good Aloria has done vs the evil, one must only look upon Doron Amar, and see, what a mother sacrifices and gives birth to. Even against many odds, privations, tortures, mistakes, betrayals, disappointments, misunderstandings, and harsh judgements Aloria's goal of creating a united elven familial community has succeeded. Aloria believes that no one knows what truly happened to Bal'hal. Aloria believes she recalls that Bal'hal came to her in his new form, but she is uncertain if this was a dream, vision, or real. If it was real, was it truly what she saw, or was she shown an image of what she had hoped for? She could not confirm it because Bal'hal was never seen of or heard from since (Only DM wildelf knows).

All Aloria knows of herself is that she is one of those who stands at the gate. Who stands at the frontlines between her people and the darkness. She knows the darkness well in its many forms. She can even wield it and bend it to her own will for brief intervals in a supernatural way. It is a darkness rendered or permitted by the moonlight to exist in some places.

Religious views: originally a ranger of Solonor, she now follows Corellon singularly. While not a divine spell caster she epsouses the faith of Corellon by defending her people. The symbol of Corellon, the crescent moon, is espoused in Aloria by her feirce determination to fight within the darkness of the night, while not losing onself to it.

Ancestor: Comes from the wood elf Ravar clan in the Lethyr forests. No known ancestors of note.

Biography

Family: She has a brother who visited the Gate long ago.

History: Always a skilled fighter wielding two weapons, she renounced the way of Ranger to take on the champion of Corellon. Surviving in the underdark for a decade as a slave, as well as a year in the underwilds, while being taunted by the Shadow of Bal'hal, Aloria learned to dance within the shadow and become one with them. This allowed her to survive in the underdark. As a former ranger she already had some knowledge of this ability, but the caverns of the underdark and the shadow of Bal'hal that hunted her, taught her the rest.

Future: to serve her people at Doron Amar. Always the servant seeking to help in any way needed. She wants to enjoy companionship and bring the mystery and wonder of Corellon to the realms. As Corellon believed in changing the hearts of evil to good, so too she, attempted to convert Bal'hal, and would have tried to convert Galen had she been given the chance. And and why some seem lost and others not is not so obvious though. Aloria would also be willing to bring war to the drow, and would consider forming a small group of hunters for this purpose.

Heirloom item: neat rapier, the weapon of Bal'hal. Rapier with assistance with hiding in shadows, spotting, and moving silently as well as bonus dam and a on hit effect with a good DC and of a good material, maybe admantium? Maybe it provides immunity to knockdown? Aloria actually hunted for his treasure trove in the underdark as he had mentioned its existance to her once (played by DM wildelf) that he had such a trove somewhere. Did she find it? Heh, some player looted her DM gifted magical mithril armor once (and later saw it on auction), so maybe a thistledown armor AC1 dex mod 10 with +4 AC and hide, spot, and move silently ability with another cool effect like non-detection once a day. Something made for her, possibly for helping to unite the elves in the Gate. Thirdly, maybe a rod the provides death ward once a day to help her against undead. Lastly a belt with epic deflection, epic universal save bonus, and hide, move silently, and spot bonus.

Plot hooks: if DM Wildelf comes back he could bring Bal'hal back again! The shadow of Bal'hal is likely not even Bal'hal, but one of his powerful minions seeking knowledge of his whereabouts, perhaps a demon, or his twin brother. Maybe Aloria had some half drow kiddos with the mage in the UD? Maybe the Charnag Maelthra suvivors want pay back (I used to kill the Charnag Maelthra all the time - they never got me heh). Plots with Shadow Druids, who have long memories, and who while likely cannot harm Doron Amar, might try to strike at one of its founding members. Aloria would be totally fine with hunting down any drow or drow activity. Hmmm.. Wonder why. Also, Aloria has a particularly bad name amongst the Orcs, having killed quite a few of them. In fact Wythran blaimed her for one of the orc invasions against Doron Amar. Might not have been a fair accusation as many elves were known to hunt orcs, but it is true that Aloria hunted more then her fair share. I think we could say that when Aloria sacrificed some of her essence to change Bal'hal, she lost several wisdom points, which is why Solonor stopped speaking to her, or she stopped being able to hear Solonor. It was Corellon, whose champions do not require as much wisdom, who reached her heart and was moved by her sacrifice to change Bal'hal to good. Perhaps Corellon wonders of Lolth could do the same, and repent of her treachery and adultery to him. A deeper relationship between Corellon and Aloria would be fun and intresting. I loved having appearances by the elven pantheon in other NWN2 servers to my toons such as in the NWN1 world Vives. Lastly, Aloria would be up for seeking the lost treasure of Bal'hal in the underdark and is actually attempting to gain access to Candlekeep to learn more about him and see where he may have left his treasure. Aloria would be interested in forming a drow hunting group, though secretive. Another plot hook is finding out who was the person that healed her or brought her back to life on the Cloudpeak mountains. That is unkown to Aloria (I made up the story). Another plot hook is the connection between the merchant Moonshadow in the Doron Amar tileset and Aloria. Aloria was attracted to the last name of Moonshadow because Aloria follows Corellon and moves with the shadows (Corellon's holy symbol is the Moon and Aloria can hips). While I made up the friendship, it can be developed by a DM possessing the merchant. Aloria and her formed a friendship after a few conversations by her campfire. Also, Aloria has kept the head of the vampire Lady Devossoss in her inventory, as a reminder of the foul coven (DM wilelf event). She also keeps a lock of the Sarah's hair, the ghost from the fields of the dead, from the event of another DM (the elven nobleman ) that awarded her magical mithril chain shirt over a decade ago. Not sure how either is important or a plot hook, but I kept the event souvenirs as they were created by those DMs. There are a large number of toons Aloria interacted with in the history of Doron Amar and any of those old characters or their siblings, could be potential plot hooks. Also, Aloria just heard the story of Selegil, a former member of Doron Amar's council, who later become a Lord of the Darkhold. Not sure what connection that would have with Aloria, but it is something that does leave a bad taiste in her mouth.

(SECRET PLOT HOOK UNKOWN TO ALORIA: The shadow of Bal'hal is actually his twin brother, who fasilitated the capture of Aloria to break down her mind and find out what happened to his brother. Not being successful he followed her for a year in the underdark trying to get the information through other means and dark magic, but Aloria was too skilled at hiding and her tormented mind was too chaotic for him to dream sift her memories while she slept. Lastly, he follows her to the surface to track her steps and see if she somehow leads him to Bal'hal. Why his brother wants this information is unknown and up to the DMs.)

[Lambert]

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