Rayel Needle's fluff.

Main theme:
[ OST:
https://youtu.be/V8advZ5rJSo]

Name:
Rayel Needle.

Aliases:
The Crimson Stalker.
Red Thorn.
Ray.

Age:
Born in 14th of Eleint, 1332 DR. (48 years old)

Race:
A half-elf, wood elf origin.

Gender:
Female.

Appearance:
Height - 5'7 feet tall.
Weight - 143 lbs without armour.
Hair - crimson-red, chin-length, with one unruly curl. The haircut does not hide her pointy ears.
Eyes - light-red.

Has a stern, prehensile gaze, slightly cold and hollow. Only but glimpses of stronger, darker emotions are occasionally sparkling deep within the red eyes.
Features that could be considered pleasant, if not outright attractive, are being dulled by the stone-like face expression. Despite the age, still looks young, though a patient eye might notice, that skin colour is lighter than that of a typical wood elf and is weathered, specifying that the individual has been in the wind's company for quite a while. And wrinkles, are deep and visible, when in thought.
Fit, wiry build, well-developed muscles, shoulders have quite a breadth compared to the height.

Clothed.
Wears an improvised, dark-silver-brown coloured, seasoned equipment. Travelling and combat-ready attire consist of different elements as if taken from various outfits, then combined together. Only a breastplate and thigh shields are looking up to snuff. A keen eye might notice that parts of the equipment, despite the odd display, are tucked tightly and do not hinder the movements in the slightest. Casual clothes retain the same style, keeping the colour scheme and fully cover the body parts.

Unclothed.
Numerous scars all across the body - slashes, burns, pierces, teeth marks, the arrow hit dots on the back. A particularly notable one - moderate-sized acid burn over the left shoulder, part of the back, bicep, and part of the neck.
Shapes of calluses on the hands and chaffed parts of leather gloves indicate lucidly that the bowstring is quite notorious to the individual.
Has several black-red tattoos circling around the biceps, forearms, and shins.

Relations:
Father - Alv'Meehil "Needle" Sse'Tsunalun (alive).
Mother - Mariese Renhill (deceased in 1355 DR).
Sister - Laniella Needle (deceased in 1355 DR).
Brother - Klethus Needle (deceased in 1355 DR).

Equier Tse'Ran - best friend, sworn older sister (alive).
Dalen Wetstone - former lover (deceased in 1355 DR).
Gabriel Crow - former lover (deceased in 1367 DR).
Other members of her adventurers' group (disbanded in 1378 DR).
Numerous associates across the Sword Coast.
Three disciples, whom she personally taught the arte of arcane archery.

Allegiance:
Free wanderer.
Occasional follower of Shevarash since 1355 DR.

Occupation and professions:
Scout, bounty hunter, investigator, archaeologist, arcane knowledge seeker.

Personality:
Rayel is a provident, pragmatic, no time to dilly-dally approach type.
Prefers to plan and act rather then do the opposite, but won't miss the opportunity if it presents itself and is considered risk-worthy. Once the decision is made, she will act swiftly rather than slowly.
Favours solitude or a small short-term company, believing in being responsible for the hardships and nuisances that occurred to those dear and trusted of hers in the past. The reluctance of attaching to new people grows further, from wishing not to be torn between the purpose and care for close ones, between the tough calls and broken dreams.
Speaks little, apt to be terse and if needed, polite. Her soft, low-key tone, is rarely emotional, whatever the situation is. This tenet perseveres even while joking, which makes the latter harder to distinguish. Tends to make pauses before replying or commenting something, to give the words additional weight, and rarely responds to the offensiveness. Rarely uses gestures to accompany her words.
Brutally honest. Believes that this approach is the best course to set the right impression on people, to make up for her somewhat reticent character.
On the other hand, she will lie without a flinch if she considers there will be a benefit, for pushing her personal goals or protecting those she cares about.

If committing to something, will honour the commitment no matter what, regardless of personal comfort and distractions. Is capable of making sacrifices without a second thought, especially if those come at her own cost.

Because of the intense past, she grew up a rather tenacious person, who sets the end-goal above nearly everything. Save for the lives of friends and close relatives.
Trends to not follow the common code of behaviour around the nobility, nor acknowledges the laws and traditions if those are hindering, or will hinder, her intentions.
Trusts her own eyes and witnessed actions when making an opinion on a person, but never the first expressions or the outer look.

Because of the events in Llovimbeg, and one specific pact later, sporadically sees nightmares instead of dreams. The only things that kept her sane throughout the years were her racial talent, occasional owl potion, and sheer willpower. Up until 1378 DR.

Likes:
Oranges and other sour fruits.
Sleeping without dreams, sleeping a lot.
Smart, powerful and independent individuals.
Irony, self-irony and black humour.
Write letters to her father.
To eat a lot, does not matter much what kind of dish, though in years she grew a weak spot towards cakes.
To train with the bow - as an arcane archer, she developed almost a necessity always to hone her skills every time possible and to take minor pleasure from it.
To study the new knowledge - anything that can even possibly help her goals.
To read letters from her father and Equier if separated from the latter.
To hunt lizardfolk.

Dislikes:
Sweet trees.
Winged humanoids.
Those who hurt wildlife without reason.
Those who hurt children without reason.
Shapeshifters.
Alcohol.
Riding.
Bad dreams.
Lizardfolk.

Hates:
Lizardfolk and dragons in general, one black dragon in particular.

Traits:
Has low resistance to alcohol, therefore, avoids it.
Has an allergy to some trees' leaves smell.
Has a particular knack, or rather, resistance and practice, to the different potions and elixirs' taste and smell. Was drinking them throughout the entire adventurer's career.
Displays more emotions and compassion when addressing animals, and treats them visibly more eagerly then folks around.
Can stay awake for an extended time, having a more lasting nap later.
Because of her Nothern roots, she is accustomed to cold environments, rains, and snow.
Because of the past emotional trauma and things she witnessed during her journeys, she has an almost absent sense of fear, save for the arcane means. The past experiences influenced big time her way of conveying thoughts and emotions, too.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/mrJO4whDV84 ]
Biography:
Was born in 1332, in Vaasa's region, to a retired elven ranger and local human mender, in a small town named Llovimbeg.

Founded in 1302 by Semiral Wetstone and his companions, Llovimbeg once was a small refuge, where retired adventurers, rangers, mercenaries and soldiers decided to make a place to stay for a longer time. It was located in a north-west part of Vaasa, close to Bottomless Bogs, not very far from Southern Shield.
The seasonal camp turned into a fortified camp, the first wooden houses appeared, and it all began to roll like an avalanche after. The key to success was the area. Bogs were rich in very rare and thus costly alchemy reagents, needed for the most potent potions and elixirs. Nearby plateau provided gems and precious metals - up to the north, closer to the Lugsaas Chain mountains. Knowledge of people selling the rare ingredients attracted wandering alchemists, blacksmiths and mages, who made their stay in Llovimbeg, researching the area for new kinds of plants, algae, and mushrooms. Some liked how secluded the place was to conduct the experiments and plethora of space with no governor, some wanted to brew the long-term storage concoctions and thus make even more profit.
Profit. It allowed the camp to transform into a village slowly, then a large village. It became a small town when caravans started to bring the necessary equipment and a dwarven family took an interest in the place. A fate, reminiscing that of a more widely-known Darmshall fortress.

Wandering orcs, snakes, spiders, feline predators, giant insects, kobolds, and other creatures - those were daily risks to folks, summing with the harsh Northern climate. The risks Llovimbeg residents, though, knew how to deal with. Various kinds, species and professions that came there to seek fortune or make a place for a living were stubborn and dedicated. And taught their youth accordingly.
The town prospered, selling what the villagers scavenged deep in the swamps and in the plateau to the Vaasa's unofficial capital.

In 1325 DR, Alv'Meehil Sse'Tsunalun, accompanied by four friends, arrived in Telos. It's been three years since the quintet left the Silver Marches, retiring after the last mission.
The group consisted of her father being a ranger, redhead war wizard, a druid, and two former Harper agents, all but her father being moon elves.
Not so long after arrival, the quartet proceeded to look for a job suitable for their skills and took the contract of clearing out dire spider lairs in bogs to the west from Llovimbeg, leaving one of them to reconnoitre the Vaasa's capital city.
After successfully completing it to both Llovimbeg's head and their delight, the quintet decided to settle it.

It did not take much time for the elves to integrate into the Llovimbeg community. Semiral, who already grew old by that time, saw that as an excellent opportunity to strengthen the commune even more and oversaw elves being accepted without troubles. That proved to be a smart decision, as the group that took refuge in Llovimbeg consisted of no ordinary elf. This collaboration became beneficial for both townsfolk and the elves themselves - folks found perfect teachers for the children in the form of Rayel's future father and his friends, as their knowledge was vast and the set of skills the group possessed was rivalled only by Semiral's own group and few families of other adventurers.

Five years and then some later, her yet-to-be father finally surrendered his heart to a town's alchemist and mender, Mariese. That year was a milestone, the beginning of a new chapter in both Alv'Meehil and his friends' lives. The latter often joked that the fastest of them in battle was also slowest in love, undoubtedly untypical for the wood elf.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/eD0XEH3qVCk ]

Her family was very close, neighbours were kind, and she lived in her hometown happily, together with her younger brother, sister, and similar-age children. There never was any racial slur going among townsfolk and children - grown-ups kept their mouths shut, and grew their children in high tolerance society. Semiral was personally overseeing that - he believed it was the only way for a small town to prosper in such a region, to accept every kin.
After all, in the North only thing that matters is how warm and brave the heart is, not how the shape of flesh around it looks like.

Rayel spent her childhood slowly awakening to a beautiful world around her, being knowledge-hungry, quick to learn throughout the entire youth. This ability partially remained with her up until recent days. Between her sister Laniella and brother, Klethus, she was the least social, preferring the company of animals and the books.
When she was seven years old, Rayel tended to spend days on her father's friends farm, close to Llovimbeg, which recently began to raise the crag kittens.
She was the fastest of her siblings to make a bond with one and named her Meru.
She grew a stubborn, cheerful teaser, much like her mother, and highly competitive. That mix of character often led up to quarrels and brawls with other children and occasionally her brother and sister. Her lighthearted nature, though never allowed those brawls to end up developing into a grudge, for Rayel always foresaw them to remain a laughing matter.

Alv'Meehil taught her to wield a bow - the skill she absorbed particularly well, - and to how to stay safe in the wilderness, while her mother passed whatever knowledge she had of herbs, wound tending and alchemy. Attachment to pets, prowess with the bow, smart thinking, and initiative - those skills helped the future young ranger to be both resourceful and useful in their society.
And, at times, to be overconfident in her abilities, for they often surpassed her childhood friends and siblings, save for the two special ones - Equier, daughter of the elven sorceress and Dalen, grandson of Semiral. The former became the rival throughout her whole youth. The latter would eventually become a lover.

When she grew fourteen, she became calmer and more careful with her words, and the reluctance to communicate with the others slowly transformed into a passion. A burning desire for adventures and everything unusual. She often dreamed about heading out of that God's forsaken corner she lived in, and to roam the roads and see places with Meru - to not just hear the tales but to be the one to live them and tell them. Desire, a bit of talent, and stubbornness managed to overcome her shyness of talking to foreign people, and with the new knowledge, a new page of Rayel's life opens.

Occasional travellers that brought curiosities from outside, both items and stories, fascinated the young half-elf. Her willingness to learn all that is new, and magic, in particular, could no longer be satisfied - or at least that's how she felt - once she reached her twenties. It was not enough for her to visit Alchemist's Ward in their town, she hungered for more, despite being advised otherwise. More and more often, she sought an opportunity to legally leave the town - the permission that Alv'Meehil shunned to give each time she asked.

Her father thought - and rightfully so - that time has not yet come for her to start roaming the lands of Vaasa, especially not alone or with Meru only at her side.

Until one day, autumn, 22th of Eleint, barely one day after Autumn Equinox and week after Rayel's 23rd birthday, 1355 DR. The day that brought an end of the road to many, and started a new path for a few.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/3iBfj4Z1_ks ]

Three weeks priors, townsfolk learned of unusually large kobold batch amassing on the outskirts of the bogs. The said kobolds stumbled upon the watch camp that was set in the area and attacked it. After hearing the reports, the towns' head ordered rangers to investigate the forests and bogs, to prevent future threats.

Rangers took the task seriously and spotted a disturbing amount of Kobolds converging slowly towards the town. Her father was among their ranks and noticed something unusual - he believed that he heard a rawr coming from Kobold's temporary camp. Coming to that direction, he saw a glimpse, a looming shadow over the Kobold's huts, size of it looked like a big object. Several hours later, after he managed to sneak closer, he saw the marks of acid on nearby trees, and dead Kobold that looked like someone spilt a pool of acid onto him. He informed of possible black dragon traces and advised to evacuate the town.

Thanks to the scouts' efforts, villagers knew of what seemed to be an impending Kobold's attack. What they did not expect - was Needle's report regarding a possible dragon threat to be present. New town's head decided to ignore this information partially, deeming it unlikely that the creature would not show itself earlier, and ordered the preparations for an inevitable Kobold attack.

He wasn't discouraged much but was in deep thought during that day. Eventually, he came to Alchemist's Ward to chat with his friends - and prepare certain things that would come in handy if a dragon threat would prove to be real.

Two weeks later. During one deep, dark night. Kobolds came in a dreadful force, marching through the forest, battle drums slowly enclosing on the outskirts of Llovimbeg. Defenders were ready and prepared - traps, concoctions, trebuchets, counter-siege equipment, and of course, mages and alchemists of the Alchemist's Ward. Siege started in favour of the defenders - Kobold's shamans could not overcome the barriers evoked around the walls and the main gates,

A fair battle quickly turned into a disaster when *he* came into the picture. The Black Dragon. When he showed up on the battlefield, shocking the defenders, and spilt his corrosive bile over the gates and defenders on the walls, Kobolds went into a berserk rage, attacking the gates with a ferocity not seemed possible before. Shamans managed to overcome the defender's shields thanks to the surprise, the main gates were broken, and tides of battle have turned. Acidic breath was more than the front line could endure. It broke pretty quickly, despite the magic casters attempts to hold the beast at bay while nullifying the shaman's efforts to break the shielding of the defenders.

...Memories of that day's events are still returning sometimes to Rayel when she has a particularly bad mood or too weak to control her sleep well.
Neither pipeweed nor other means are enough to tone down the echoes of the screams she occasionally hears ringing in her ears - screams of pain and agony, the taste of blood, the smell of burning and melting skin under the acid spray, the menacing beat of Kobold war drums.
She still remembers, clearly as a day, how the black dragon found her family's homestead.
How her brother and sister melted under the dragon's breath, their screams of agony.
How the beast killed her mother with its claws and then toyed with her body.
How her father fought the beast trying to lure it away from the house, how he nearly died losing his arm and leg, shielding her, stunned by shock and dread.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/ZTrrc6Ni5eM ]

After the dust settled in, the sun went up on the horizon, the town was gone. Most buildings, especially wooden ones, took devastating damage, almost half of the inhabitants went missing or died. Bodies were lying across the streets, on the outskirts of the town, in the stretch of the forest - where Kobold's arrows, blades, or the dragon's breath found them. Alchemist's Ward was utterly demolished as if the dragon had reign its ire against that area explicitly.
By the end of that day, there was nothing but a handful of Rayel's close ones, who survived. In particular - Equier, her childhood rival for the best young archer in the village, and her crippled father. Even her cat, Meru, died protecting her from Kobold's shaman during the battle at the town's streets. It took two days just to bury the bodies - the ones that weren't grabbed by retreating Kobolds.

One day was enough to turn Rayel from a naive, cheerful countryside girl into an adult that wanted adventures no more.
That day broke her, twisted, and tortured her spirit. The feel of loss, mental trauma from terrible agonies she witnessed. What kept her sanity in check was her father's and other folks' state - they required immediate healers' help, and Rayel was trained as one. Hard work to keep others alive with no time to grieve helped her - certainly not to forget, but to tone down, stifle the pain, even but a little. The madness, escaped only narrowly, was still creeping around, slowly, with Rayel being barely able to hold it at bay on her own. She needed to relieve even if not understanding that and lunged for any support she could find.

At the mass funeral that occurred several days after, Rayel stands close with the last remaining of the Tse'Ran family. Looking into the pyres, ascending to the skies, she felt that raw emptiness within the heart, now absolutely realising that her family, was gone, save for her father. They both lost relatives and friends and had none of their childhood friends who survived, either. Rayel heard that Equier's mother died on her hands after she managed to weave a spell powerful enough to wound the dragon and thus prompt it to retreat. They looked at each other, sharing not the mutual grudge, but understanding, the sorrow of loss and... passion for revenge.

Emotional trauma was both the blow and the catalyst. Young redhead changed rapidly, with her passion for the adventures morphing into a solidified and calculated drive. The drive that would push her over the edge, again and again, to obtain more knowledge, to acquire more strength. Knowledge about kobolds and dragons. About their day and night cycle, what they love and cherish most - for her to come and take it away. Knowledge about magic and weaponry that she would use when she meets them. The strength to make use of that knowledge. The strength, to make them suffer as she did, for what they had done. To find the monster that slain her family and friends, folk she knew and grew up with. And to make that beast, pay.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/Wz3ehuesx9U ]

Both she and Equier vowed to hunt that Kobold's tribe until the Bogs are free of them again, for the first time looking at each other, not like rivals, but like keen spirits.

Several weeks after that, when the first news arrived in Vaasa's unofficial capital, Rayel learned that the nearby lord would provide a regiment to support the Llovimbeg - to start marshes cleaning campaign, ensuring town being rebuilt. It was a moment when she and Equier immediately volunteered into the ranks of troops sent to their aid, to help the cause both of them craved to the bottom of their hearts.

To increase their chances even for a tiny bit, Equier proposed an idea - to pledge their loyalty to Shevarash, God of Revenge, the deity Rayel's father often avoided to speak about. Reluctantly, Rayel agreed, when the last argument was drawn - if it helps in the slightest, then it must be done, especially when the chosen deity is but the only one not involved in any politics and other drat like that, only caring for the job being done - precisely the Rayel's mindset and Equier's too, to a degree. No-nonsense approach, a fate similar to her own - she felt no need for faith, but if prayers can help, even if little, she will address them to the being she comes to understand, and respect.

Former rivals then proceeded to secretly pledge their allegiance to a God of Revenge, Shevarash, crying their vows loudly into the night's sky. They knew he was known as the Night Hunter, who mostly cared about drow being dead, and expected nothing in return.
Equier swore to fight lizardkin all across the Faerun, till her hands can carry the weapon. Rayel's personal choice went higher then Equier's, as she vowed to find and slay the beast and its spawns, the one that she believed to be the catalyst of all the havoc around, no matter how long it will take.
Surprisingly to both, the god heard their vows and made a pact with each of them. Rayel did not ask for power or knowledge, just made clear that her oath on vengeance applies only to the lizardfolk and the Oathbreaker. In response, the Black Archer made it so that she can not forget - not without divine intervention or personal plea to him - the day when she lost nearly everything she loved and held dear. Memories stay fresh as if they happened just yesterday.
Also, her vow extended to give a hand whenever Night Hunters will summon her, or use any opportunity that presents itself to break the plans of Lloth and her minions if they do not intervene with her own.
What Shevarash could not do - fill her with hatred towards the drow and other enemies of Seldarine. There was almost no space for such emotions left within the soul. Probably a reason why he even reacted to vows addressed to him in the first place, so raw and fierce, were the emotions of the duo.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/0e6JepqoBlg ]

Rayel and Equier spent five long years, working with the militia and army that the lord provided as an answer to the cause. Rightfully so, no ruler will want the mad beast and kobold tribes to wander at the borders, striking at strategical towns, and defenceless villages.
With the help of her now-disabled father, who gave her everything he didn't provide before, she turned into a real Swamp Ranger. She learned not only how to track different animals and creatures - but how to deal with them, quickly and efficiently. She and Equier spent years in exhaustive training, searching and learning, all while helping the army to fight Kobolds and other creatures in the swamps. A little less then five years since the incident, Rayel managed to track and slay the Chief of Kobold's tribe. The very same Chief that led the charge against her town.

During the years, she learned Kobolds had several tribes, not just one, united, and that the beast was the leading puppeteer behind it all. At some time during their ventures in the swamps, Equier and her friend managed to ditch out the name from shamans they had luck capturing. Or rather, the title, since cunning bestie never told his real name to his loyal servants. The Oathbreaker.
Army and militia did a decent work eventually, helping the entire region - cleaning out a large part of the Swamps and forcing the Black Beast to flee its lair eventually when the Lord found a possibility to send the battlemages to finish the job. The reason why he could not do that earlier was that Zhengui, the Witch-King, who had significant control over the region, was still alive, albeit being busy in Damara. After the latter had fallen in battle, it took some time to clear out what remained from his influence. As soon as the lord felt confident enough, he spared some of his more capable troops, though it was a bit too late.

Not so long after a big battle in marches, Equier went further and managed to find the beast's lair, but that finding was more than bittersweet. There was no force enough among the militia nor the army squads to dispose of the creature - it was old, mischievous, and experienced. The Dragon knew that humanoids will come to hunt him down and was ready for it. Rayel tried to convince the commander to bring more troops - especially mages, as she already knew firsthand how dangerous the beast can be. The latter refused to wait and demanded the newly-found lair be attacked immediately.

It was the second time Rayel realized - she was still not ready to face it, herself alone at the very least. It was a trap, several Kobold packs that survived the onslaught attacked from all sides, with the dragon engaging and ultimately ending those few mages who tried to oppose it. The only thing Rayel was able to do - was to fight her way out, away from the beast, listening to painfully familiar screams of people melting alive. After the battle was over - when the dragon simply took off in the air and flew away, she swore to herself - to only return when she is ready.

She tried to convince the lord's troops to go in pursuit but failed. Even the idea of capturing the treasury was not alluring enough - the commanding officer who replaced his fallen comrade instead preferred to set up an outpost and oversee the Llovimbeg been rebuilt. His orders were clear - the lord was displeased with the number of casualties and already provided more help than it was initially planned. Though the new commander agreed to send a small squad to assist in Rayel's searches, to ensure beast withdrawn from the region entirely. And, friends managed to confirm that - bestie fled from Vaasa.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/VyxmhmafVmk ]

Life has returned back to the harmonious cycle everyone was craving for - everyone but a few. Her father stepped in as a new town's head, overseeing the Llovimbeg being rebuilt, continuing to train youngsters to master the bow, and to behave in the wilderness, but this time to be sure that his word will be heard when the time comes.
For Rayel and her former rival and now best friend, though, life never returned to the state it been. Where once grew a tree under the sun of happiness, curiosity, and deep love for her family, now left only burnt stump, circling in the void. She burned out during that day when she lost most of her family, and her father became disabled. It was not just the skin on her back and left arm, but deep inside, within the core of her soul.

The decision was tough for both - for a father to let his only daughter go, and for her to leave the last soul, she cared most in this world, alone. Both of them also didn't think that she was ready to go - and both of them knew there was nothing more to learn, not in this place. Her father took the mantle of responsibility for the lives of others but he couldn't find suitable words to convince Rayel to stay - the only time a desire to live burnt in her eyes was the time she practised with her bow and when she returned, injured, from a final battle with the Kobold's tribe.

After a few hard and emotional talks, she eventually found a replacement - not for a soul, but for the body. A mature woman that came to settle in this place after hearing the call from the lord - "Everyone who would help out with rebuilding and re-settling in the named region will receive a worthy sum of coins, both in advance and after the work will be done." The woman received a generous offer from Rayel - to stay with the town's Head and help him out with daily routine and to be rewarded by both the lord and the town's Head. The woman agreed, her father wasn't too much against the idea of receiving that sort of help... And that was finally enough for her - not her father though - to feel ready to leave. She promised to write letters of her endeavours, then packed and left - to stop being torn between desires that were not aligning.

She wandered all across the continent, collecting stories of places unseen and people unknown, seeking the knowledge and power wherever she could find it and make it hers.
Rayel became an arcane archer, elevating the combat style she developed to new heights, growing stronger each year. While rarely having time to sit idly and practice the artes like Evocation or Conjuration properly, she yet learned a lot about different schools and teachings, seeking to put any knowledge to good use - and to shape the path she has chosen for herself.
Almost twenty years were spent in taking bounties on besties heads, wandering in crypts, dealing with all sorts of foul magic and creatures.
All that - to learn more, to become stronger, to get better gear, with one and only goal in mind. Kill the Oathbreaker. And to make more space in the world, freeing it from the presence of Kobolds and other lizardfolk. Everywhere, where the turn of the road would take her.
Ironically, Rayel managed to attain what she desired so much - to become an adventurer, mature and free. And in the end, it brought her neither happiness nor pleasure.

The primal instinct, the sense of fear - she roughly lost a significant chunk of it after the events in Llovimbeg. While helping, in a way, in her adventures, the trait put her and her companion's lives in danger in equal measure.
Over the years, she obtained a specific reputation, among certain people, of a reckless, risk-reward bounty hunter, and slayer of lizardfolk. Sometimes, the said reputation helped much to find a new worthwhile venture. And sometimes, it made her and her companions stay in the region certainly more stressful. Her friend, Equier, who accompanied her occasionally, stayed out of the spotlight, and overall picture.

Together and sometimes not, Rayel and Equier spent practically two decades, each pursuing their own goals, reuniting whenever any of them would receive a solid lead on the Oathbreaker's or his lackeys' whereabouts.

[ OST:
https://youtu.be/kc_9RT4q8YA ]

In 1378 DR, the duo finally connected the dots and found positive evidence - a reliable source tossed information, that a particular person Rayel knew was involved in assisting the Oathbreaker, was spotted with a caravan, presumably helping to move the lair's treasury once again. That, combined with a rumour from another witness - of a big black dragon heading in the direction of Cormyr - made it a solid lead and future place of destination.
She had a talk with her childhood friend about moving into the next venture. Equier stated that both them and their group, needed a long rest, now that they learned that the Oathbreaker flew to Cormyr, before following it.
At first, Rayel agreed, but a week later, the acquaintance of her brought some news. The letter stated that a contract appeared, to investigate a crypt in an area nearby, potentially infested by the undead, rumoured to be led by a lich. The said place contained the contractor's ancestors' artefacts and knowledge, which he sought to be retrieved. The letter stated to be addressed to several parties, so it was a bit of a race, too.

In a lengthy discussion that followed the news of a new possible venture, Equier asked her friend to buckle up and get the priorities straight. Conversation descended into a quarrel. Rayel ultimately disagreed and proceeded to accept the task despite Equier's protests. That venture was supposed to provide her with new knowledge of the arcane, much-needed answers to keep honing her skills as an arcane archer. A power she will eventually need when the time of her next meeting with the Oathbreaker and its minions will come. Equier left behind, while the adventurers proceeded to meet the possible employer.

The task was accomplished swiftly, even without her sworn sister at the side. Though the knowledge she was really after, was sealed behind a barrier. Both she and the wizard of the group agreed that an attempt to break the seals would unleash some intricate trap mechanism. They could not disarm the traps but managed to learn that it was death magic, some sort of dead raising ward. This convinced Rayel to spring the trap voluntarily and deal with the guardians. Reluctantly, the group agreed, and they proceeded to damage the seals. As soon as the first one fell, the trap activated, and the group found themselves surrounded by *several* liches and numerous other lesser undead.

Equier, refusing to come along at first, felt uneasy with her decision, and decided to catch up just to make sure that the group's endeavour will end smoothly - after all, crypt filled with undead and possible traps, anything can happen. She did not know, was it the divine intervention, or her own decision, and after witnessing how turbulent were the graveyard and the crypt, stopped thinking about that. She came to the rescue in the very last moments, shielding Rayel and their cleric from falling under a powerful curse, thus saving their lives, and then managed to disable liches' leader, before falling unconscious.

In the aftermath of the battle, the group's alchemist Tyron was gravely injured by negative energy and death magic and died shortly after, and no one else save for Rayel made it out unscathed. The curse brought Equier to a life-draining coma, slowly killing her. Several days after returning to the employer and receiving their fee, the adventurer's team disbanded. The only one to remain was the cleric, who decided to stay and help with searches for a way to lift the curse.

Rayel then had a choice - to either pursue the Dragon before it's too late or to tend her probably only real friend left alive. Heartly broken, Rayel sold everything she had, including her father's bow, to get Equier treated, and spent nearly a year in search of a remedy, a quest that ultimately succeeded.
She found a priest that looked more like a cultist, who was the first one to state that lifting the curse could be possible, with the help of a specific ritual. The ritual demanded a sacrifice, though, and a sacrifice of a moderately powerful mage. The cultist warned Rayel and the cleric, that the ritual was particularly dangerous and might outright kill the participant. Knowing there was little time left to search for a proper subject, Rayel volunteered herself to be a part of it, despite the cleric's protests.
Treatment was successful, and her friend woke up from a long slumber the day later. Rayel herself survived the ritual only by a miracle - it consumed but all her magic powers, and she looked almost like the undead she was slaying a year ago.

When they finally spoke with each other, the talk was long. As a result, the pair - or, more likely, Equier herself - decided to separate once again, this time for a period unknow, Rayel did not blame her friend for her choice to stop - after all, she did not make vows on pursuing beings little adventurers can claim being victorious over.
Their former's team cleric chooses to stay and take care over much slower recovering Equier, so Rayel ended up going to Cormyr alone, as soon as she felt bodily capable of travelling. Several months later, the redhead was still feeling much clumsily, with most of her powers gone, and physical aptitude only so starting another chapter of her life.

...Five months later. Cormyr, Suzail, 1380 DR, the end of Leaffall.

Arrival to Suzail was far from being a pleasant one. The region, albeit being much closer to her homeland then places she stayed years before, was at the same time still relatively unfamiliar to her.
The good news was that she eventually arrived in Cormyr without difficulties at the border, bad news - the trail grew cold already, and she is nowhere near combat-ready shape. The beast had almost two years in time advantage to nest down and cover its tracks, so the search certainly was not going to be an easy one.
Troubled by resurfacing nightmares, not being able to control her dreams tightly as before, now really alone, barely able to cast any magic, physically and even more importantly - mentally weaker than ever, things are looking daunting for her.

Yet, one thing remained, even after the ritual and turmoils of recent years.

A crystalized dedication she carried over for years.

For the Oathbreaker, must die.

Key story facts, before Rayel arrived in Cormyr, dragon-related:
- She knows not the name, but the title of the old black dragon. The Oathbreaker.
- Throughout the years of chasing, learned that the dragon is devilishly cunning and always has a personal agenda in the region.
- Some folks are helping the black dragon to move its treasury from lair to lair. Their party is always varied and on occasion, hinders the progress of Rayel's and Equier's searches.
- Does not know the reason the Oathbreaker choose this exact title, despite questioning his followers.
- Has second to none knowledge of why the Oathbreaker would be moving across the Swords Coast region, changing the lair frequently.
- Does not know the exact reason why the Oathbreaker attacked her hometown.

Not dragon-related:
- Cut her long hair after slaying the Kobold's Warchief in Battle in the Bogs.
- Cut the hair again, sometime after the ritual.
- She believes herself being responsible for what caused her group to split and her friend to die.
- Participated in several dragon hunts, successfully.
- Was at power level 24 ECL, close to 25 ECL, before the ritual occurred.
- Had a noticeable focus on Willpower, rather than other stats, before the ritual occurred.

Notable quotes:
"Dead Rayel is useful to no one." - when her safety is brought as a subject of discussion, quoting her father.
"Noted." - a typical response to almost any situation.
"Neat." - says with exceptionally placid intonation, when feels precisely opposite to the word.
"Elemental-spitting batwings size of a house." - referring to all dragonkind.
"A good kobold - is a dead kobold. Now, let us make those kobolds good." - initially, Equier's quote, which she adopted.
"The beast... it owes me a little." - referring to the Oathbreaker.


Musical themes:
https://youtu.be/u8zDRpqM4BU when left the last one standing.
https://youtu.be/e3s0nIjrCuU vs lizardfolk, sanity check successful. Cold, calculated, merciless, hatred.
https://youtu.be/qNoRj__98Ms vs lizardfolk, sanity check failure. Deranged, menacing, overzealous, rancour.
https://youtu.be/3BE0D9geu2o vs the Oathbreaker. Grim, determined, no matter what, vengeance.

https://youtu.be/tpa0uDCHuY8 epilogue theme.

Quests:
Main Arc - The Crimson Stalker and the Oathbreaker.
Act I. The Black Hunt.
Rayel finally arrived in Cormyr during the autumn of 1380 DR, in search of an old black dragon she knows as 'the Oathbreaker', in her quest for revenge.
She questioned various folks in Arabel, neighbour cities, and villages, getting numerous possible leads.
Also spent money in several inns in different towns to collect certain rumours of the Oathbreaker's pawns presence.
Now, all that is left is to investigate the collected leads.

Act II. For What It Takes.
To be designed by DM.

Act III. All That's Left.
To be designed by DM.

Secondary Arc - Kobolds and Yuan-Ti (no workname, still work in progress).
Act I. Still Waters.
During a cleanup of kobolds den, Rayel found a Yuan-Ti cultist performing a sacrificial ritual withing the deepest and darkest corner of kobold's nest. It raised questions of why lizardkin would protect Yuan-Ti at all, and what they are up to. Connected to the Oathbreaker or not, these questions Rayel would not hesitate to ask.

Tertiary Arc - Shackles of Mind.
Act I. Umbral Recollection.
Ever since the ritual, Rayel struggled to keep the memories from haunting her during daylight and during the night. Willpower potions, meditation instead of sleep, trinkets - everything, to avoid the nightmares. By the time she arrived in Arabel and found a suitable place to lay rest, the worst of them were gone... Until almost two months later.
An emotional wall she tried to keep, was punctured by the surge of memories, summoned by her companion's questions. Weariness. Discord. Struggle. Affecting her self-control, the ability to think straight.
Two layers of the mask - calm stoicism and ironical fatalism - always were but the surface that covers an ocean of emotions tangled, twisted, hidden behind the wall that she intentively build between herself and the outside world. And this wall, it now crumbles.
Now drinking even more owl potions, and slowly losing control over her emotions, she is descending down the road with no happy ending.