Faeryl T’sarran

Faeryl T’sarran

Character Sheet

Faeryl T’sarran (female drow Ftr3([Temple Guardian of Eilistraee, Darksong Knight])/Clr2) is an oddity among Eilistraeen—a Darksong Knight, and an aspiring Sword Dancer.

Personal History

Childhood

Faeryl was born in the Year of the Arch (1353 DR) to Akordia T’sarran and Ildan Tanor’Thal. Her older sister, Irae T’sarran, had already been taken away by the Matron Mother of House T’sarran as a szarkai. For the first two years of her life, Faeryl lived in Maerimydra. But in the Year of the Harp (1355 DR), Irae betrayed her family, killing her father and offering his body to the Matron Mother of House T’sarran to be reanimated as a zin-carla which would hunt down Akordia. With Faeryl in tow, Akordia fled Maerimydra. They managed to find refuge for a short time among the surface-dwelling Eilistraeen cells of Cormanthyr, but the zin-carla was relentless. Leaving her child in the care of the church, Akordia went out to face the undead construct that the spider-kissers had turned her love into.

Training

In the Year of Shadows (1358 DR), the Eilistraeen cell protecting Faeryl T’sarran (now five years old) joined other Eilistraeen at the site later known as Darkmaiden’s Leap, where Eilistraee herself had appeared. Faeryl, being so young, didn’t know to give proper respect to the goddess, and mouthed off to her. Rather than being angry, the Dancing Goddess was amused and impressed by the child’s strong spirit, and she personally blessed the young Faeryl. This was considered auspicious, so Faeryl was afterwards taken to the Promenade. Jhaelaste Zau’Ghym, a priestess who had become like a foster mother to Faeryl, went with her.

It was at the Promenade that she began training as a Temple Guardian. Jhaelaste tried to steer her towards a career as a Sword Dancer, but Faeryl stubbornly resisted and instead joined the Darksong Knights. Her past experience at the hands of House T’sarran had made her radical and militant, and she wanted revenge. Phaerun Lysaen, an older Darksong Knight, became a father figure to her. In the Year of the Unstrung Harp (1371 DR), she joined the Darksong Knights herself.

In the Year of Wild Magic (1372), during the War of the Spider Queen, Jhaelaste, Faeryl and Phaerun all went with Qilué Veladorn (who called herself “the Seer”) to Lith My’athar, an outpost of Karosluthiyl where the Eilistraeen were struggling against the rise of that city’s “Valsharess.” In the battle that followed, Jhaelaste was killed. For all Faeryl’s training as a fighter, she could not protect the person who had raised her. After her death, Faeryl was given Jhaelaste’s diary, in which she read how her adopted mother had agonized over Faeryl’s growing hate, and how she prayed fervently every night for Eilistraee to temper her young child’s pious wrath with forgiveness and peace. In her foster mother’s memory, Faeryl began training to become a priestess.

Campaign

After the earthquake that shook Undermountain in the last hours of the Year of Rogue Dragons (1373), the leadership of the Promenade knew they would need help investigating what had happened to the Mantle. Among many other plans put into motion, Faeryl was sent to the Dungeon Level to scout for any among “the Called” who might be able to help.

The Blackcloak’s Call

Faeryl found just such a hero – Samir Neren. Proving himself by helping Faeryl obtain one of the famed “horned rings,” Faeryl sought his help again to find the Crypt of Yeldoon. Scandal followed when Samir demanded payment before he’d give up Yeldoon’s medallion, so when she spotted Samir’s attempts to steal the medallion back, she attempted to stop him. Phaerun, however, suspected that Samir was simply a man of action who knew he would need the medallion in Belkram’s Fall, rather than leaving it with a bunch of old men to study it. Faeryl and Phaerun broke with the Church’s orders to descend the lava tube and meet up with Samir, choosing to operate on their own to descend to the deepest levels of Undermountain, discover the source of the sudden instability, and solve it.

Personal Timeline

For events in the campaign, see Campaign Timeline.

• 1353 DR – Year of the Arch. Faeryl is born.
• 1355 DR – Year of the Harp. Irae T’sarran murders her father, Ildan Tanor’Thal, offering his body to the Matron Mother of House T’sarran to be reanimated as a zin-carla, and hunt down Irae’s mother, Akordia. Akordia flees to the surface with her infant daughter Faeryl, but the zin-carla is relentless. Leaving her child in the care of the church of Eilistraee, Akordia goes out to meet her reanimated lover, and is killed.
• 1358 DR – Year of Shadows. The Time of Troubles. The Eilistraeen cell protecting Faeryl T’sarran (now five years old) joins other Eilistraeen at the site later known as Darkmaiden’s Leap, where Eilistraee herself has appeared. The Dancing Goddess personally blessed the young Faeryl there, one of the few children to gather there. This was considered auspicious, so Faeryl was afterwards taken to the Promenade. Jhaelaste Zau’Ghym goes with her.
• 1366 DR – Year of the Staff. Faeryl begins training as a Temple Guardian.
• 1368 DR – Year of the Banner. Followers of Ghaunadaur attack the Promenade. Though only 14, Faeryl acquits herself in the defense with such ferocity that she earns the attention of the Darksong Knights.
• 1371 DR – Year of the Unstrung Harp. Phaerun Lysaen sponsors Faeryl’s admission into the Darksong Knights.
• 1372 DR – Year of Wild Magic. War of the Spider Queen. Qilué Veladorn, disguised as “the Seer,” goes to Lith My’athar to counter “the Valsharess.” Jhaelaste Zau’Ghym, Phaerun Lysaen, and Faeryl are all included in the force that goes with her. During the attack on Lith My’athar, Jhaelaste is killed by a drider. Sorting through her effects, Faeryl discovers Jhaelaste’s diary, and learns of her fervent, unspoken prayers for Faeryl. Faeryl begins training as a priestess.

Personality

Faeryl is generally quiet, and somewhat intense. She is distrustful of strangers, and it may take years for someone to truly gain her trust. Once they’ve gained it, however, they’re in for life.

Outlook

Faeryl believes that many Drow are not beyond salvation, and that if, one day, every dark elf converted to worship Eilistraee, Drow culture would become radically different. However, she also realizes that all Drow will never convert to Eilistraee, and her personal experience has taught her that most Drow are not to be trusted. Like any Darksong Knight, she does not hesitate to kill any truly evil dark elf that crosses her path, and like any Darksong Knight, she sees the question of what make a dark elf “truly” evil as something far more simple and black and white.

In memory of Jhaelaste, however, Faeryl has begun to try to set aside her hatred of the Drow, and has begun to see that question as something more ambiguous and more difficult to answer. She is starting to be convinced that the evil of Drow society comes not from biology, but from culture. She is still distrustful of Drow, though that’s not saying much since she is distrustful of pretty much everyone.

Aspiration

Faeryl is deeply faithful and dreams of nothing less than the salvation of all dark elves. She hopes to serve the Dark Maiden through her martial prowess, protecting her fellow Eilistraeen from their many enemies and delivering judgment upon all evil Drow.

Tactics

Faeryl’s first reaction when faced with a dire situation is to reach for her bastard sword. As both a Darksong Knight and Sword Dancer, she is a graceful and deadly fighter – and knows it. It’s safer to be ready for a fight than to wind up flat-footed and unprepared.