Melaina was born in Sverspume to the tribe’s dark caller, a fact which brought no shortage of attention to the strange child, attention which quickly turned to rumors and whispers. The girl certainly wasn’t like her father, and many questioned whether she was really dark folk at all. And yet it was often said that the girl was capable of strange things, able to fool the mind with strange figments that never truly were, like a ghost of her father’s power, or perhaps something else…
As the years passed and the the young girl grew, the people grew no kinder towards her. Melaina had little use in their eyes, and they trusted her with even less, seeing her as an outlier, and as her strange powers grew, even a threat. Her tribes’ exclusion and in many cases contempt for her drove her towards independence over time. Melaina was no fool; she heard the whispers and rumors as well. It wasn’t hard to tell that she wasn’t wanted here. She took to sneaking away often, occasionally observing or speaking with the slave traders that passed through, or more often slipping into secluded sections of the caverns to practice with her magic, weaving the very shadows around her into her spells.
Eventually new rumors began to pass amongst the tribe, mutterings that their owb overlords were far from pleased. Melaina’s escapades were beginning to draw a new sort of attention. This only solidified the idea that Melaina was some sort of dangerous outsider, seemingly considered a threat by even the owbs due to her growing strength and independent spirit. Her father, who had never been loving to begin with, grew increasingly more distant, making sure harsher and harsher restrictions were put on her to keep her from trying anything. While the thought had crossed her mind before, Melaina had never made any actual attempts at fleeing Sverspume and her tribe. Now, it was clear that she needed to escape, and quickly.
She took the every little opportunity she could to slip away, going off to make deals and gather any useful supplies she could get her hands on for her escape into the tunnels of the Darklands. Eventually, as prepared as she ever expected to be, she slipped away one last time, turning herself invisible and planning to simply slip into the tunnels and never look back. But plans never do go the way they’re intended to, and Melaina was recaptured only just before making it to freedom. She was drug back, kept bound and gagged as her tribe debated what to do with the treacherous young woman. Eventually she was sold off in Sverspume’s massive slave trade, as quickly and quietly as possible, to the duergar. She was still alive, but whether it was really an act of mercy has yet to be seen.
Description:
Melaina is tall and slight, standing around five foot ten inches. Her skin tone ranges from a stony grey to a deep smoky shade, almost black at the extremities. Wrappings of rather dirty cloth and rags obscure some of her figure and features, though hints of her finer, more well defined features can still be seen. Long, pale hair falls past her shoulders, framing near black eyes.
Based upon first impression alone, Melaina comes across as relatively friendly and cooperative, albeit rather cynical. However, this is simply a mask. Melaina generally cares little for others, if only because she’s had no one in her life who’s been close to her, though she’s willing to work with them for her own benefit or simply out of necessity. She’s clever, willing and able to manipulate a situation to her own ends. Overall, she’s more selfish than she is malicious, as she’s only ever had herself to rely on.
Goals and Drives:
Melaina chafes under her punishment, primarily because it’s a constant reminder of her failure. Still seen as a lesser being, she’ll continue to seek freedom. She feels a certain need to prove herself from constantly being shunned, a desire to show that perhaps she is a threat after always being considered lesser in some way or another. And while she’ll likely never admit it, even to herself, part of her still hopes for some level of acceptance, even from a small group like an adventuring party, to prove to herself that she really is worth something more than the coin she was sold off for.
Crunch:
Melaina Tyrrell
Female Caligni Sorcerer (Wildblooded) 6
CN Humanoid (Dark Folk)
Init: +6 Senses: Darkvision 150 ft
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AC: 12 (12 Touch, 10 Flat-footed)
HP: 38
Fort: +5 Reflex: +5 Will: +7
Weaknesses: Light Sensitivity
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Speed: 30 feet
Melee: Dagger +3 (1d4/19-20)
Spells: (CL 6 [+1 in dim light], Concentration +11)
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Read Magic, Ghost Sound, Message, Mage Hand, Ray of Frost, Penumbra
1st (DC 16): Color Spray (DC 18), Silent Image (DC 18), Ray of Enfeeblement*, Mage Armor, Charm Person
2nd (DC 17): Invisibility, Darkvision*, Mirror Image
3rd (DC 18): Displacement
Bloodline: Umbral (Shadow)
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Str: 10 +0
Dex: 14 +2
Con: 14 +2
Int: 14 +2
Wis: 12 +1
Cha: 21 +5
BAB: +3 CMB: +0 CMD: 15
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Feats: Eschew Materials*, Spell Focus (Illusion), Tenebrous Spell, Greater Spell Focus (Illusion), Improved Initiative
Skills: Bluff +12 [3 ranks], Diplomacy +12 [3 ranks], Knowledge (Arcana) +13 [6 ranks], Perception +7 [6 ranks], Sense Motive +11 [6 ranks], Spellcraft +13 [6 ranks], Stealth +11 [6 ranks]
Background: Knowledge (Geography) +5 [3 ranks], Knowledge (History) +5 [3 ranks], Linguistic +4 (2 ranks), Sleight of Hand +6 [4 ranks]
Traits: Trustworthy, Outcast’s Intuition (+1 CL vs Dispel)
Languages: Common, Dark Folk, Dwarven, Elven, Undercommon
Special:
Racial Features: Bonus Feat, Caller Kin (+2 Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft), Death Throes (DC 15), Darkvision 120 ft, Light Sensitivity
Class Features: Bloodline Arcana: Umbral; Bloodline Powers: Cloak of Shadows, +30ft Darkvision
Combat Gear: Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x2, Scroll of Darkness, Scroll of Invisibility
Other Gear: Dagger, Bag of Holding (Type I), Headband of Alluring Charisma +2, Cloak of Resistance +1, Ring of Spell Knowledge (Type I - Magic Missile), bedroll, rope (50 feet), rations x8, waterskin, mess kit, pot, flint & steel, soap, blanket, 92 gp
