Lily Orlovsky's page

About Lily Orlovsky

My story really begins with someone I have never met, my mom. She was a slave, in Ustalav, and I’m told that I look a lot like her. The only reason I’m here is because she led a revolt that freed dozens of slaves, all while she was pregnant with me. How does a daughter live up to that… Anyways, from the stories the slavers finally caught up with them near the shores of Brevoy and sank their ship. Most of them drowned, but a handful washed ashore, including my mother. Luckily a guard patrol for house Orlovsky happened to be passing by and noticed them…

My mother never regained consciousness. The healers of my house tried spells and ointments, but nothing seemed to break her fever. They knew they couldn’t save her, that whichever god mom prayed to was calling her home…Before she slipped away they delivered me and house Orlovsky adopted me as one of their own, naming me Lily. Not a Halfling name, I know, but I’m fond of it. The physicians noticed a birthmark on my hip that kinda looks like Sarenrae’s holy symbol and thought I was some sort of golden child. What? No you can’t see it! I don’t know you well enough for that! Anyways… From almost the time I could walk they had me dressed in robes with my nose stuffed in books pushing me to join the clergy… Not my thing. Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoyed the learning and found the ancient lore fascinating, but I just didn’t have the discipline to follow the rules nor any desire to pledge my life to a Goddess who wouldn’t allow her magic to save my mother. A little bitter, sure, but I am who I am. No one can change that but me.

I grew up with the young lord, Danneth. We were only a month or two apart and became fast friends. Together we dreamed of becoming swashbuckling privateers on the high sea, or treasure seekers raiding old crypts. As we grew up though, it became apparent that our dreams would have to take separate paths. The older he grew the more he was groomed for his position of lord, and the less time we had to go on our little adventures. I guess I started to get a little lonely after Danneth’s responsibilities picked up. Sure I had the other Halflings that escaped with my mother, and I enjoyed listening to their stories, but I wanted more. I wanted people to talk about ME like they did my mother. I wanted people to hear the name Lily Orlovsky and recognize it for something other than that red-headed Halfling girl.

I brought my desires before Lord Cailan and Lady Evriana. They didn’t want to let me go, or at least wanted to send a bodyguard or two, but I eventually convinced them that I was determined to do this on my own. This was a test that I wanted to take and it would be through my own merits that I should pass or fail. I was confident in my swordplay, having been trained by Master-at-Arms Gorin, and I was decent with a bow. I thought that it should be easy to find work protecting a caravan or ridding some dark cave of bandits! The real world, outside of the protective walls of my home, was not quite so clean-cut.

I was very naïve in the beginning. Most of the money I had was gone within the first few months, swindled by unscrupulous fellows preying on my desire to help. I… don’t remember the first pocket I picked to have enough coin to feed my starving belly, but it was easy, and became easier over time. For about a year or more I survived off of the wealth of others, eventually graduating to house-breaking. I was good at it. Seemed almost natural. Then I got caught…

I really should have known better, there were a hundred little signs, a little better dressed than most, the slightly pointed ears that should have tipped me off that the lady wasn’t exactly human and would probably be more alert than normal, or the fact that she was wearing very fine chainmail under her silk cloak, or maybe by the slightly curved longsword only wielded by an Aldori Swordlord that she carried so casually on her hip… I remember squeaking like a field mouse as my hand was snatched in the process of relieving the woman of her purse. I tried to get away, but she was faster and stronger than I, lifting me by the scruff of my neck with my feet running in mid-air… Stop laughing. I just knew I was a dead little Halfling. I babbled and rambled about how sorry I was and how I’d do anything to make up for it, and was surprised when she sat me back down on my own two feet. Too surprised to try and make a break for it, as it were. She first introduced herself as Alshandra Erevesti, and demanded to know the name of the thief bold enough to try stealing from her. I gave her my name, Lily Orlovsky. I’m sure it was my family name and the tarnished symbol I wear around my neck that caused her eyebrow to rise. She told me that if I really meant what I said about making it up to her that I should meet with her in Restov at the Silver Sickle Inn on the first of Sarenith… Sarenith, named after the goddess Sarenrae… Damn if that didn’t get my attention.