Background:
Eliss' father, Michael Sunbright, was stable manager in the hamlet of Iskold, taking care of the horses and hunting dogs of the local lord, Lord Gunthrop, and those of his family and visitors. Though the Gunthrop's estates were small in comparison to the neighbouring feuds, they took pleasure in seeing the people in the town prosper and enjoy their daily life. Eliss' mother died a few years after Eliss' birth, so she spent a lot of her youth in the stables with her father, playing with the animals or helping out her father. When her father was too busy to oversee her, she was taken care of in the local church with the other orphins, where a priest educated them elementary subjects and occasionally told them some words about Pelor, while at other moments the children were kept busy with little chants.
When she grew old enough to ride, she spent ample time exercizing the horses. She had grown interest in Pelor, and frequently returned to the church, asking the priest to tell her more about him. As she grew older, she became kind of affectionate of the lord's son, Samwise Gunthrop, a young and handsome man, a little older than Eliss. Samwise received training as a knight, something his father assumed usefull when he would one day inherit the title, and thus, as part of his training, rode out daily on his horse Vigilance, a huge pureblack horse, the shafts nearly 8 feet high, a beauty that his father needed to make a lot of agreements for to aquire.
One day when Eliss came back to town after riding one of the horses, she was startled by all the activity going on. Several noblemen were present at the stables in full battlegear, Samwise among them, as Michael was busy readying the horses, assisted by some of the peasents. Other townsfolk stood around in leather clothes, equipped with spears and crossbows. Claiming the horse she arrived on, Michael ordered Eliss to go home and seek shelter. The noblemen rode out on their horses, the peasents running after them with their weapons, as did Michael. After Eliss recovered from her surprise, she started asking the few people she could see about the goingons of just ago, but most were busy hurrying themselves home. It took a little while before Eliss found out a group of bandits was signaled and the noblemen rode out to rout them. With both people she cared for on the line, Eliss went after the townsfolk, hoping to catch up with them.
Though the group left an obvious trail, making it easy for Eliss to follow their whereabouts, she was unable to actually catch up with them. Much later that day, when it grew dark already, she stumbled upon the battered group of townsfolk. Though the bandits were defeated and forced to flee, it came with great cost as nearly all of the noblemen and quite a lot of the other townsfolk lost their lives that day. Eliss discovered that her father was among the fallen. Samwise still lived, but was grieviously wounded and might not make it to morning. Mourning over her father's death, Eliss went to visit Michael. He informed her of the battle, how they followed a small group of what seemed to be caught unaware bandits when they suddenly found themselves ambushed from two sides by additional bandits that had hidden themselves in the shrubs. Though he had no details of her father's personal combat, he could very well describe her the man that had brought him his own injuries. When she asked him if she could have something personal to remember him by, he nodded. A little later, he stopped breathing. Silently she closed his eyes and mourned again. Then she took Samwise's pendant which she recognized as nearly identical to the priest's pendant, a large silver symbol in the shape of a sun with a man's face in the center. When she looked for the horses, she noticed that Vigilance, who was a little big and harsh for her taste, was also dead, but her favorite horse, Dawnstrider, a well lot smaller than Vigilance, but quite sturdy, brown with while socks and a single white spot on his neck, had survived after the nobleman he carried was shot off his back.
She quickly rode to town and asked permission to speak to Lord Gunthrop. When she informed that it was involving his late son, Lord Gunthrop granted her permission to enter. She quickly narrated the recent events, and informed him she was seeking to slay the bandit described by Samwise, to gain vengeance on Michael and Samwise and hoping to prevent further bloodspill. She was hoping he could give her some aid in materials. Lord Gunthrop, angry at his son's death, granted her wish, and gave her the horse of her pick that wasn't owned by a living nobleman, as well as decent weapons and armor. The latter would take a few days to adjust to her body.
Eliss returned to the church, to make a farewell prayer for her father and Samwise, as well as praying for Pelor's guidance. When she ended her prayers, the priest came to see her. She quickly briefed him about the recent events and asked him about Samwise's pendant. When he found out about her motives, he ordered her to come by every day while she was waiting for the armor, instructing her in a few special chants reserved for the true followers of Pelor, hoping the girl would heed the calling and gain his blessings. He informed her that great powers may come to those who go in his name, but only if they use that powers for the greater good, not for self-gain. Eliss was a little wary about this indoctrine, but thought upon herself as good-natured at heart, so she hoped it would all work out.
A few days later her armor was ready. Eliss packed her stuff, prepared Dawnstrider, said goodbye to the townsfolk and left in the direction of the bandits. A few days later she arrived at another village and learned there were indeed bandits sighted in the neighbourhood. She decided to stay at the village. When the bandits attacked, she helped the peasents defend it. The bandits were easily routed when she discovered this was only a small offspring group of the large group that fought her townsfolk, Samwise's murderer not among them. She decided to travel to Axyr in the hope of finding people that were capable of tracking and fighting bandits and willing to help the cause.
Appearance:
With 5'4" and 152lb Eliss is as long but a little heavier than the average woman. Although she has a goodlooking face, the sad look in her eyes make it unattractive. Her thick black hair is rudely cut short and bound together in a knot at the back of her head. Though she keeps an eye open to her surroundings, she looks distant, indifferent about things. She walks around in her heavy armor, her backpack and waterskin tossed over her shoulder, her weapons at hand, almost indifferent to the weight of her gear. The only part that seems to shine is Samwise's pendant, hanging down her neck, displayed over her armor.