Postfest III: Telisha's Shadow - Astrifare Sanguinlin
Date: Sat, December 11, 2004 Topic: Rogue's Gallery
Astrifare is most aggrieved by the disappearance of her mentor. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Astrifare herself, while she was out hunting she had a Geas spell laid on her by an agent of Panzuriel. The evil being, on orders from above, quests her to find Telisha and return with her, to the oceans. Knowing that Telisha is a very strong devotee of Deep Sashelas, this agent is trying to keep Telisha from influencing the lands, as she has the seas.
Telisha's Shadow - Astrifare Sanguinlin By: firenice Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.
Telisha's Shadow - Astrifare Sanguinlin
Telisha was ripped from the waters of the Dramidj Ocean through a rip that transported her to the Elemental Plane of Water. From there she was abducted and taken to the City of Brass. It was intended for her to become the prime showpiece in a harem belonging to a powerful padasha.
Because of her half-dragon heritage, land walking was not such a problem. She finds a way to reach Union, where at a tavern, she meets a group of adventurers who agree to help her reach home on Oerth. After returning to the sea coast, she and her companions (she had befriended them along the way), were attacked and defeated the huge scorpion that rose out of the sand.
Her views of the land and those who walk there change. She sees that they bleed as she does and have an honor code, which for some of them is much stricter than her own. Even though she tends to be somewhat elitist towards the land of the "air-breathers", she has been through blood trials and has come to care for each of them and their ways seem alien to her, no longer. While they are not brother or sister barbarians, they have their own strengths and weaknesses just as she does.
Astrifare Sanguinlin (Sea-elf/Barbarian 9)
Astrifare is most aggrieved by the disappearance of her mentor. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Astrifare herself, while she was out hunting she had a Geas spell laid on her by an agent of Panzuriel. The evil being, on orders from above, quests her to find Telisha and return with her, to the oceans.
Knowing that Telisha is a very strong devotee of Deep Sashelas, this agent is trying to keep Telisha from influencing the lands, as she has the seas.
Astrifare, being quested, doesn't stay in the oceans long, as she finds herself in the possession of an Amulet of Adaptation, and the idea of Telisha being on the lands of Oerth, not in the oceans. Scouring the coasts, Astrifare finds Telisha and her companions in Ekbir, but when she talks to Telisha she is informed of Telisha's unwillingness to return home. Astrifare tries everything in her power to convince Telisha, debating, cajoling, even to the point of shouting. Telisha rebuffs her firmly and disappears. Undaunted and having no other choice, Astrifare continues her pursuit. She grows frantic, searching recklessly in every city and town she comes to.
She finally catches up to the group again as the companions are crossing the Gnarley Forest. It is easy to see this long trek has worn Astrifare, but she is relentless. She finds the group, but as she starts to try and discuss this, the group is attacked. Telisha tells her to fight or go hide, but get out of her way. Astrifare cares nothing of the attack and tells Telisha to let her "friends" take care of the problem so that they could talk. Telisha, having none of it, rushes into combat with Astrifare at her heels. Telisha, distracted by Astrifare's verbal assault, is struck. She shoves Astrifare away...
Astrifare, thinking of a new approach, runs to closest person to her. This happens to be the magic-user. Trying to convice the mage to exile Telisha from the group, the mage is distracted from her spellcasting and loses the spell she was attempting to cast. The mage turns and casts a spell on Astrifare, putting her deeply to sleep. The fight ends and the companions gather around her. Telisha explains who Astifare is and what she wants. Telisha is deeply puzzled by all this. While they would like to know more of the reason, they themselves are on a mission of divine importance. They decide to ward her well and leave her.
Astrifare wakes and immediately resumes the chase, in a rage that she had been foiled in her attempts. She had been so close, she thought. She travels to Greyhawk city, thinking that it was the party's destination.
Asking questions of everyone she thinks may have had contact with the group, Astrifare reveals everything she has glimpsed of the companions. Grilling anyone she sees, Astrifare arouses the curiosity of a local cult of Hextor. In describing each member of the group, the Hextorians realize that there is a powerful Paladin of Heironeous traveling with them. This could not be left alone, the leader of the cult realizes, and with his other high ranking cohorts, plot to take down the Paladin and any with him.
On another occasion, Astrifare questions a high ranking knight of Nerull. Annoyed by Astrifare's questions, he sees this as an opportunity to rid the world of a few good people and also advance himself in the sight of his liege lord. This knight lures Astrifare to an underground cavern nearby with the promise of information on Telisha. He then slays her, gathers a small group of his strongest and closest armsmen and takes of Astrifare's hunt, though for no reasons as innocent as missed lessons.
The companions are completely unaware of these new threats. Hopefully they will survive those who now hunt them. But sadly, the story of Astifare Sanguinlin is ended and the world of good is one less.
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