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Message: <blockquote data-quote="williem-de'bloodie" data-source="post: 1956529" data-attributes="member: 27645">elena morninstalhere is the tale of elena morninstalElena Mornin'Stal was unbeknownst to her born in the port city of Waterdeep on the Sword Coast.Born to a loving family that consisted of her father, mother and older brother. Her father Er'il was a simple merchant that dealt in fine silks and furs. Er'il had met Elena's mother Virani when they were both young and had married soon after. A couple winter's after the marriage Virani was with child, Virani gave birth to a baby boy they named Joach in the summer of the following year.  The Mornin'Stal family business thrived for years with Er'il gaining customers up and down the Sword Coast.In the fall following Joach's 14th birthday Virani revealed to her husband and son that she was again with child.Elena Mornin'Stal was born under the pale moonlight of the first gibbous moon that summer.Elena spent the next 4 years growing up in the Mornin'Stal house in Waterdeep. Just before her fifth birthday Er'il and Virani along with their young daughter Elena boarded a merchant vessel from Waterdeep bound for Athkatla in Amn. The Mornin'Stal's were hoping to move their trading business down to Athkatla and were sailing down to look at warehouses and houses.Joach was left in Waterdeep to keep the business going.Fortune however did not shine on the Mornin'Stal family as the 2nd night of the voyage the ship was boarded by pirates.The crew of the merchant vessel were slaughtered by the half-orc pirates led by their captain a human known only as Kral.after all resistance had been quelled on the merchant vessal, Kral had the captured passengers that included the Mornin'Stal's lined up on the deck of the pirate ship 'FarDale'.Kral inspected his prisoners upon spying Elena, Kral lifted her and instructed his 1st mate Mogweed to take the child to his cabin.Upon this command Er'il tried to stop Mogweed but Kral drew his cutlass in the blink of an eye and felled Er'il with one blow piercing Er'il's lung from behind he died in a puddle of his own blood.Kral declared the rest of the prisoners would make fine slaves and had them taken below deck in shackles and manacles.Kral returned to his cabin where Elena stood on his bed looking out a porthole fascinated by the ocean and her mysteries."child" Kral said addressing Elena. Elena turned to face the dirty looking man with one eye that stood before her. "My name is Kral, Can you tell me your name child?", Elena looked into Kral's eye and said "My name is Elena Mornin'Stal, Mr Kral. Is this your boat?".Kral stood before  Elena for a few moments before saying "This is my boat, I call it FarDale. You can stay on the ship with me if you wish and sail the oceans?" Elena's eyes lit up and she nodded up and down. Then she returned to the porthole. Elena spent the next fourteen years growing up as a pirate, over this time she learnt all the skill's needed to operate a ship. Over the years the crew of the Fardale changed many times, Mogweed took command of his own boat the Si'lura. together Kral and Mogweed operated from the Nelanther Isles.Working together the two captains had much success in piracy.Elena learnt how to fight with both longbow and cutlass with many lessons from both Kral and Mogweed over the years.Whilst on the highseas or in the hidden pirate ports of the Nelanther Isles Elena continued to grow and bloom into an attractive young woman.Early in the fourteenth summer Elena spent on the Fardale, Kral who by now was getting older and thinking of retiring from his life as a pirate when he decided to hire a Cleric in the hope's of gaining a god's favour.The Cleric that Kral hired was a young water Genasi woman no more than a few winters older than Elena. Nee'lahn was the name that the Cleric went by and she served and followed the deity known as Valkur, the god of sailors, ships, favourable winds and naval combat.Nee'lahn and Elena quickly became friends and Nee'lahn began to teach Elena the ways of a Cleric of Valkur.It was around this time that the Si'lura was attacked by a rival pirate ship under the command of a Orc called Skaaag who had been losing out to both the Fardale and the Si'lura whose ships were swifter and pulled many coup's on the Orc ship's.Skaaag had had enough and banded together with three other Orc vessels in order to capture and destroy the Si'lura and Fardale.The details of what happened where a little vague but news soon reached the ears of Kral that the Si'lura had been sunk with all hands apart from Mogweed whose battered and broken form had been chained to the bow of Skaaag's ship 'OathBreaker'.Elena, Kral and Nee'lahn were enraged over what had befallen their comrade. Kral was constantly on the verge of berserking, so the running of the Fardale and the rescue plan was left to Elena, Who had recently made 1st mate after the previous occupant of the post was lost in a confrontation at sea with one of the orc ships.Elena instructed Nee'lahn to find out where the OathBreaker laid anchor.Within the next moon word returned to the Fardale that the OathBreaker had been spotted in the port city of Murann in southern Amn.Elena set sail for Murann that day determined to save her friend. It took only three days to reach Murann as Fardale seemed to have favourable winds behind his sails.  Elena brought the ship to port but found no sign of the Oathbreaker, dishearted Elena, Nee'lahn and Kral went ashore to find a tavern and try to raise their spirits.As the companions approached a tavern Kral put his arms around his two female friends and pulled them close then whispered "we're being followed Elena you know what to do?". Elena winked with a wicked smile and nodded.  Upon entering the tavern Elena left Kral's side and disappeared into the crowd, Kral and Nee'lahn continued towards the bar. Kral leaned against the bar the subtle form of the young water genasi close beside him, Elena shadowed a large man near the door keeping his body between herself and anyone who came through the door.The tavern door creaked open, pushed firmly from the street. Kral kept his eyes on the door,     a craggy looking man wearing a hooded cloak stepped through the door flanked by four large hooded figures that Kral guessed were half-orc's from the Oathbreaker left in Murann incase the Fardale came to port. The craggy man approached Kral and Nee'lahn, he stopped in front of Kral, the craggy man was a good foot shorter than the old pirate. He raised his head and looked straight into Kral's eyes saying "the captain has requested your presence old man, don't bother trying to resist there's more help outside waiting for if you don't come quietly." Kral looked slightly to his side where Nee'lahn stood with a worried look on her face. "I'll come put she goes free" Kral said motioning to Nee'lahn.The craggy man smiled "I don't think you understand kral, the captain wants the presence of both you and your firstmate here so she's coming""elena" Kral said softly the name sliding out of his throat to be drowned out by the ambient noise of the busy tavern.The craggy man led Kral and Nee'lahn out of the tavern escorted by his half-orc companions, once out in the street they were joined by four more hooded half-orcs. Kral and Nee'lahn had their hands locked into manacles and the half-orcs started to march them towards the docks.Elena watched what had befallen her friends from a darkened alleyway at the side of the tavern. As they were marched away Elena swore under her breath and stated to trail her friends and their captor's as closely as she dared to.The Fardale had been docked at the fringes of the docks away from other ships to lesson the chances of it being spotted as a pirate ship, but now there were two larger vessels docked there as well one either side of the Fardale. Kral and Nee'lahn were marched onto the larger of the two ships, as Elena drew closer to it she recognised it as the OathBreaker.Elena knew things were bad, her captain and best friend were in manacles being taken aboard the Oathbreaker, her own ship the Fardale was deserted not a soul could be seen on deck and even worse she was essentially unarmed apart from her throwing dagger that was tucked tighly in it's sheath strapped to the small of her back.Elena knelt on the side of the docks staring at the three ships said a prayer and dropped quickly yet quietly into the dark water  disappearing from sight of anyone who may of been able to see her.About ten minutes later a small hand appeared from the ocean and grasped ahold of the anchor chain of the Fardale, a second later another hand rose from the depths to grasp the chain a little higher, Elena slowly pulled herself from the ocean and up the anchor. She continued to climb hand over hand until she reached the deck, Elena held the chain tightly in one hand then with her free hand reached behind herback and unsheathed her throwind dagger. With the dagger clenched between her teeth Elena slowly pulled her head over the side of the deck and looked around the deck, there was no-one in sight, Elena swung herself onto the deck.Keeping crouched Elena slowly made her way way towards the hatch that led below deck. Elena was ten foot away from the hatch when it swung open  and a shadowed figure stepped out into the pale moonlight.Elena was in the middle of the deck with no where to dive for cover so she did the only thing left to her, she threw the dagger towards the newcomer. The dagger flew true and struck its target in the throat, blood sprayed in every direction as the figure grasped at his throat and collapsed into the deck.Elena quickly covered the distance to the fallen figure, it was a large half-orc dressed in fine cloth. Elena pushed the body faceup and let out a gasp of surprise it was Mogweed.Elena dashed through the hatch to her cabin where she collected her cutlass, longbow and quiver. Back on deck Elena searched Mogweed's body and found a signet ring on his right hand, all the years she'd known him he'd never worn a ring. Elena placed the ring onto her thumb as it wouldn't fit her small fingers.Elena climbed the rigging and found a loose rope, she swung to to rigging of the neighbouring Oathbreaker. From here Elena used the rigging to scout the ship, looking for a way to save her friends.The Oathbreaker was a large warship and had been modified by Skaaag over the years, Elena had Skaaag to thank for the ropes connecting mast to mast. It was as Elena arrived on the main mast that she spotted a gathering below.Below Elena could see Kral held by a half-orc with a Cutlass to his throat, there were four more half-orcs gathered nearby. a bulky orc presumably Skaaag stood by the plank as the craggy man edged Nee'lahn, who still wore manacles closer to the edge of the plank. Elena strained her eyes to see more clearly, what she saw were weights tied to Nee'lahn's feet. Elena found firm footing and drew her bow, pulling an arrow ready, she took aim at the craggy man and released her arrow.The arrow hit with a thud into the craggy man's back  and he stumbled forward into Nee'lahn, both falling overboard with a great splash.Kral's guard was momentarily distracted by the splash and turned his head to look, but Kral had seen the arrow hit and knew what to do.In the second the guard turned slightly, Kral feinted slightly to his left bending his knees ever so slighty so that the cutlass now pointed over his shoulder. Sliding a half-step forward Kral brought his powerful arms up one on either side of his guards arm, this was done with such force that there was an audible crunch as the half-orc guard's forearm broke. Kral dropped to the deck to retreive the cutlass from where it had fallen. Elena's second arrow flew through the now strangely serene air aboard the Oathbreaker and struck hard in the half-orc guard's head, The guard faltered a step forward and then collapsed sideways. Skaag screamed something in orcish that Elena didn't understand, then blew a horn that he wore at his side. Elena looked down to see three of the half-orcs start towards the bottom of the rigging, each had drawn a heavy curved knife that Elena recognised on sight as kukri. "Oh great" Elena said as she drew another arrow from her quiver.Kral found himself facing off against the remaining half-orc and Skaaag, the half-orc was weilding a large rusty mace and Skaag had drawn his crossbow and was maneuvering to get a clear shot at Kral. Kral stepped forward quickly with an upward slash toward the half-orc, who parryed the blow with his mace. However kral had expected the blow to be parryed and kicked the half-orc square between the legs, the half-orc let out a low moan and dropped to one knee. Elena released her arrow in a shot staight down the rigging to the nearest half-orc, the lead half-orc on the rigging had turned to his shipmates and said "lets make her our whore before we gut her" as his head turned back to face his intended victim, her arrow hit him in his right eye the force of the blow knocked him off the rigging towards the deck below.  A heavy thump behind him caused Kral to turn his attention slightly from the crossbow wielding Skaaag, who took the slip in concentration as his opening and fired the bolt from the crossbow towards Kral.The two remaining half-orcs closed the distance between them and Elena at an alarming rate, Elena grabbed one of the decking ropes and lept from the rigging as the lead half-orc slashed where her foot had just been. Kral drove his cutlass swiftly through the torso of his stunned opponent, Skaaag's crossbow bolt hit Kral in his upper right thigh causeing him to wince and step back. Elena swung down onto the decking near where Nee'lahn had been, and drew her own cutlass, Elena turned to find the two remaining half-orcs already on the decking headed towards her.As Skaaag reloaded the crossbow, Kral lumbered towards him pointing his cutlass and hurling abuse. Elena charged the two half-orcs which surprised them, she managed to run one through, but the other slashed her arm as she passed. Skaaag gave up on loading the crossbow, threw it to the ground and unsheathed his axe. Kral stopped near Skaaag and stood as staight as he could on his injured leg, and faced off against his foe.Elena tumbled across the decking and came to rest in a kneeling guard her cutlass held before her, blood had begun to run down her arm from her wound. The remaining half-orc stalked manacingly towards Elena, the blooded Kukri held out before him.Kral raised his cutlass high to fend off the overhead swing of Skaags axe, but the force of the Orc's blow caused Kral to fall backwards on his injured leg. Elena saw Kral fall past the form of the advancing half-orc, enraged Elena rolled forward closing the distance between herself and the would-be assailant. Coming out of the roll Elena thrust her cutlass upwards and drove it through the bottom of the half-orcs jaw right up into the brain.Movement from the gangway drew Kral's attention, his eyes flicked sideways to see five more orcs boarding the Fardale, most likely in response to the blown horn. As Elena stood to start to the aid of her fallen captain, Kral shouted 'get out of here girl you'll only die as well if you stay, live to avenge us.......................go!'. Elena took a second to compose herself then ran to the railing and dived over into the awaiting darkness of the ocean.That was the night that the Ogre mages attacked Murann supported by their own minions and the Nelanther pirates, who were being guided by Skaaag.Elena spent the following three months sneaking out of the now occupied Murann, and headed to Athkatla, the journey was hard on the young Elena and she only survived by hunting game with her bow. Upon reaching Athkatla Elena spent three days and nights in a tavern recuperating from her arduous*(not sure on spellin) journey. After the first few days in the tavern Elena found she only had five gp's left in her purse and set about finding a job. As luck would have it Elena found a position on a cargo ship called the Midnight Sun, as the ships cleric. Her studies under her friend Nee'lahn seemed to have paid off. Elena worked on the Midnight Sun for the next year and a half, travelling up and down the sword coast to various ports including Baldurs gate and Waterdeep. Always keeping her ears open in the taverns hoping to find word of the Fardale or the Oathbreaker, but heard nothing.Hoping to gain more information Elena left the service of the Midnight Sun back in Athkatla, but after a couple months and no word Elena found herself in need of a job again.The morning Elena was going to head down to the port in search of work, a merchant entered the tavern in which she had been staying and put up a poster advertising for brave adventurers to help guard their caravan of goods as it was transported from Athkatla to Baldurs Gate. Seeing this as possibly an easy job with the potential for her to shoot some game on the journey Elena signed up and was asked to meet at the merchants warehouse the following morning.upon her arrival Elena found the caravan was to be accompanied by some of Athkatla's soldiers, luckily Elena wasn't the only brave soul to have signed up and she befriended the other adventurers on the road. They were: Aeron Greycastle an air Genasi wizardGylippys a human wizard/rogueKi Tendragion a human monkNoob Saibot a human rangerand Zamtap a human cleric of Gond.writer's note:i have taken names for people and ships from james clemens series of books the banned and the bannished as i had just finished reading the series and had all the names running thru my head.the series is great and worth reading  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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