Systar os Taer Cyjyl
Systar os Taer Cyjyl
Systar was born into the clans of the Valaes Tairn in the year 866 YK. His father, Tharaes Pel, was a Keeper of the Past, a historian and holy man for his clan, and a feared archer. Systar’s mother, Belaesia, was a brave adventuress, known for her daring expeditions into Xen’drick, seeking out and recovering relics of the ancient Elven heroes. In Systar’s young life, he was indoctrinated with a great loves of his people, the Tairnadal, and was taught all of the great histories and songs of his people. He wasn’t ever especially close to his mother, as she was often off traveling to Xen’drick, bringing back relics to be kept safe at his father’s temple, but Systar would often sit long hours to hear his father’s histories and bow-songs. In 894 YK, when Systar’s mother didn’t return from an expedition, this close tie grew even stronger.
Systar, much like his patron ancestor Kelaerys Thousand-Stings, took to the bow quite quickly, his father being an excellent teacher. Years of stringing strong wooden staves, and honing the fluid motion and instinctive aim that all Valenar bowmen are known for built Systar up physically, making him a favorite in his town, a young boy praised for his skill in song and history as well as his martial talents. With this praise Systar grew in confidence, and was excited when, in 914 YK, his father decided that they would accompany the largest host of Tairnadal elves mustered in years to Khorvaire, to aid the kingdom of Cyre against it’s enemies.
This move changed Systar’s life. While he rarely saw any actual combat and was often sent to stay with baggage trains, the excitement of warfare and travel was almost like an intoxicant to young Systar. At camp, Systar would often sing the ancient songs of Elven heroes for the entertainment of the tired troops, keeping up morale and maintaining his status as a favorite of his war band. This joy increased tenfold when Systar, his father, and the rest of the Tairnadal took the ancestral homeland of the Tairnadal for themselves, founding the Kingdom of Valenar.
Systar’s extended war-family founded a small keep along the cost and called it Taer Cyjyl, after a famous keep that once stood in Aerenal. Here, Systar continued to work on his bow skills, and his father was put in charge of defending the town, and protecting those too young to fight, or those who returned to the keep injured.
In 973 YK, when Systar was a mere 95 years old, a large raiding party of Talenta Barbarians struck deep into Valenar and was poised to attack Taer Cyjyl. Most of the warband left the city, leaving behind only Systar’s father, and a handful of wounded or very young warriors to guard the Keep. A fleet of boats landed on the shore near the keep, scaled the walls, and put Taer Cyjyl to the torch. Systar and his father made a valiant attempt to protect the temple, and hold of the two dozen or so attackers, but it was impossible. Systar’s father, with the town and all of their friends dying all around them, made SYstar promise to run, and get word to the war band. Systar did as he was told, stopping long enough to look back and see his father killed by an elf dressed all in black, with a strange tattoo sprawled across the right side of his face. Systar ran to the battlefield only to find the war band destroyed by a force vastly superior in numbers than had been expected. Systar, armed with only his bow, was forced to travel through enemy occupied territory to the nearest Valenar stronghold. Systar warned them of an impending attack and then collapsed from exhaustion. The attack never came.
A leader of a scouting party, Myr Shadar, took his band out, and found Systar’s story to be true. Impressed by the young elf’s survival instinct and apparent warrior prowess, Myr took Systar under his wing, training him in the art of War Archery, not simply the form and aim, but the practical applications of using your bow to rule the field. Systar, horrified by his loss, was a willing, if withdrawn student, and with time, became an accepted member of Myr’s unit, the Eisyrn Mas (Roughly translated: Arrow Swarm). Over time, Systar started thinking of Myr as a second father, and his war band as a new family, and the old Systar started to show through, never as confident, never as boisterous, but still Systar, skilled, and well liked by all. Because of his relative youth, Systar was often protected from the worse of the fighting, and took on the role of an almost mascot for the Eisyrn Mas. It was in this capacity that Systar saw the last ten years of the Last War.
Systar os Taer Cyjyl: Male elf Bard 1 (Valenar); 0 XP; Medium humanoid; HD 1d6; hp 6; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +0; Grp +2; Atk or Full Atk +2 countersong, fascinate, inspire courage); SQ immune to sleep spells, +2 save vs. Enchantments, low-light vision, bardic knowledge +1; AL CG; AP 5; SV Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Balance +2, Bluff +6, Climb +1, Concentration +4, Craft (Boyer) +4, Diplomacy +6, Escape Artist 2, Hide +2, Jump +1, Knowledge (history) +4, Listen +1, Move Silently +2, Perform (Bow-song) +6, Search +2, Spot +1, Swim +0; Point-blank shot.
Languages: Common, Elven.
Spells per Day (2) DC 12+spell level; Caster Level 1; Spells Known: 0- know direction, light, mage hand, message.
Possessions: scimitar, longbow, 60 arrows, studded leather armor, backpack, traveller’s outfit, boyer’s tools, Ancestor Mask of Kelaerys Thousand-Stings (Wooden Holy Symbol), spell component pouch, waterskin, 1 ration, bedroll, flint and steel, hooded lantern, 2 pints oil, standard I.D. papers, traveling papers, 1pp, 7 gp.
Age: 132, Height: 5’5”, Weight 133 lbs. Hair: Black, Eyes: Green.
Longterm advancement: Bard until lvl 8, then Arcane Archer. 30 point buy, max gold at first level.
