Life Before the Attack

Belaquarra Rrostarr, or Bela for short, grew up with her mother and father, Innilee and Alghar, and her older sister, Rithrana. They farmed flora on the edge of the Underdark, in a small village called Grime Chapel.
 
Bela had always had an interest in cooking and would often wander off into many parts of the Underdark looking for ingredients for her dishes. The family was happy to have a skilled cook amongst them, and lovingly encouraged this interest.
 
Rithrana, Bela's sister, was equally loved in her position as a member of the local branch of the Underguard.
 

The Night of the Attack

The day before her 36th birthday, Bela begged Rithrana to accompany her to the surface world to search for more ‘exotic’ ingredients for a special birthday meal she wanted to make. Rithrana agreed, after much confincing, and the pair made their way to the surface where the moon hung full and bright in the clear night sky. Bela excidetly collected ingredients in a satchel, and the sisters chatted while the moonlight gleaned off of the white spots on the giant red mushrooms in the Feywild.
 
Eventually, Rithrana spotted a rabbit and the sisters spent some time tracking and snaring it. With fresh ingredients and fresh meat the pair started their trek back home.
 
Suddenly, Bela felt a sharp pain and a warm sensation coming from her neck. She was only able to briefly glance at Rithrana who had only a look of panicked horror on her face. As Bela fell to the ground she saw a hulking figure, lurking behind Rithrana.
 
The creature vaugely resembled a man, but it wasn't one any more. It had a deer skull for a face, antlers to match, razor sharp claws, and its teeth were red with Bela's blood. It hungered for flesh, and wouldn't be reasoned with. Its very visage embodied death and decay itself. This was it. These would be the the Rrostarr sisters last moments. Rithrana screamed out a final breath, and everything went cold and black.
 

The Last Feast

Bela awoke outside the Rrostarr family home in Grime Chapel covered in blood. Her mouth tasted of iron and she was dizzy. Stumbling into the house she found that it had been ransacked. Deep claw marks were scratched into the walls and furniture. Blood was spattered everywhere.
 
Bela stopped when she reached the den. She shuddered. Her mother Innilee laid lifeless in a pool of blood, a series of deep claw marks on her back. Bela couldn't handle it. She threw up. Bela, mind blank, walked outside in a daze. She looked up when she heard the shouting, and saw all of the local Underguard running towards her. A female Drow stood with them shouting and pointing towards Bela. Bela suddenly understood. This was her doing. She killed her family.
 
Unsure of what to do she followed instinct. She ran back through the kitchen grabbed her cookbook and out the back door. She kept running. She ran faster than the Underguard, faster than ever, straight out of the Underdark. She didn't stop running.
 

An Unwelcome Wanderlust

After a few days of running Bela awoke in a shocking new way. A half-eaten once-human pile of gore and viscera was keeping her company in her makeshift shelter. She knew this was her doing, she could taste his blood in her mouth. The pulpy pieces of flesh. The iron taste. It tasted right. Bela came to an understanding as she dove into the carcass' open chest cavity for seconds.
 
The next 12 years were a haze for Bela. Bela slowly formed a sense of what she had become. She was a monstrosity like the one that cursed her. She was unable to control her beastly curse and wandered the wilderness killing those she found and consuming them. She even happened to catch a glimpse of herself in a mirror, while she attacked a merchant wagon. She looked different, she was a tall figure with a protruding deer’s skull for a face, antlers growing from her head and long sharp claws on her hands. However, she still resembled herself. Maybe she wasn't totally lost. Maybe she could tame this beast.
 
It wasn't easy, but Bela gained enough control over her senses to be able to begin preparing the meat of her victims. She created lavish dishes for herself, find a new macarbe application for her love of cooking.
 

Silver for Those Not of Man

At some point later, Bela was stalking a small village in Nirdal. She had been planning this for weeks. She was running low on meat, and it didn't keep for long. Tonight, was the night she would finally rid the world of a monster and feed the monster inside herself.
 
While on the prowl, Bela was assailed by a group of intimidating individuals cloaked in blood red cloaks. They didn't scare Bela. She had torn through so many men. But these men were different. They were prepared. Bela should've been scared. She was no match for their silver weapons and sturdy armor, and the battle was over in moments with Bela surrounded and defenseless.
 
Just as the hunters were about to drive their silvered weapons through her beastly build, two other Therianthropes, one resembling a wolf and the other a rat, charged the red-robed men. The two Therianthropes dodged the silvered weapons with martial prowess and easily defeated a few of them before driving the rest away. Bela was exhausted and on the edge of death, but as the world faded to black she saw the sillouttes of her saviors standing above her, saying something in what sounded like common.
 

A Monster by a Different Creed

Bela awoke in a small cottage injured but alive. She wasn't tied or bound. She was just recovering. A half-orc was replacing her bandages, and a human was tending a pot that burned on a nearby stove. The half-orc noticed she was awake, and the men introduced themselves as Zararuk and Irvedd (the Human). They offered her warm soup and a story.
 
Bela realized these must be her Therianthropic saviors and accepted both. As she ate, the men spoke of
an order of individuals that all share the ability to transform into beasts, like Bela or themselves. They even spoke of wielding total control over that ability. The Therianthropes asked Bela if she had control, if she was happy with the way things were. Bela was honest with Zararuk and Irvedd. She didn't have control. She wasn't happy.
 
The pair gave her an offer. If she would join them and their order, and help them rid the world of the evils lurking in its darkest corners, they would share their knowledge of controlling the evil within herself. Bela agreed. She would join them when she had recovered from her injuries. They warned that difficult sacrifices would have to be made, as they each took ornate daggers and cut open their arms. Their blood flowed out of them and became an arcane spell that Zararuk weaved masterfully. A shard of Hemomantic magic struck each of Bela's battle wounds, and she felt renewed. The bandages turned red and dissolved into her skin, which were no longer marred by the damage of battle. She was nearly ready to go after seeing such an impressive display, but one question came into her mind.
 
So, Bela asked if they had the same hunger too. Zarazuk explained that Bela's specific curse seemed to be unique, but the Order still had full confidence that they would be able to help her master it. Irvedd also noted that one of their leaders, a wizened old woman named Lady Lycan, had been studying a creature in the Feywilds that bore a similarity to Bela's condition. Hearing their words, Bela agreed to join them and they left for the headquarters of The Order.
 

The Order Welcomes the Cannibal

After several days of travel the trio arrived at The Starving Citadel, The Order of the Lycan's headquarters. Bela was stunned the first time she saw the obsidian castle chambers on the interior of the dark basalt volcano. They met with the leaders of the Order, an female Aasimar named Iradole and an elderly Human woman known only as "Lady Lycan."
 
Iradole told Bela that the Order had been tracking her for quite some time. They had encountered the monster who turned her, a beast that Lady Lycan referred to as the Wendigo, on a number of ocassions. It was a dangerous threat that they had been unable to contain, but they always kept a close eye on it. They were suprised when they learned that the monster had passed its curse, and had spent about a year trying to track Bela.
 
Iradole was sure that Bela would be able to learn how to control the curse through Hemomancy. She already displayed more discipline and control than the Wendigo without blood magic, with magic she would surely make a fine Blood Hunter. Lady Lycan agreed with Iradole, but raised one small problem. Bela did not suffer from a typical form of Therianthropy, she suffered from Necrolafanthropy - an affliction unique to her, and the Wendigo who bit her. According to Lady Lycan, this meant that while Hemomancy would help her control the transformation, she would still have to regularly partake in cannibalism to fully master it. Bela had few options. If she didn't control her transformations more life would be lost overall. Bela agreed with the scholarly Lady Lycan and stayed with the Order.
 

Life in The Order

In 8BPF, Bela trained as an pup in the Order. She studied with Lady Lycan and Iradole in large groups of pups. The whole order helped the unique therianthrope from backsliding or losing control. She found a new family. She found new purpose. She was dedicated to the cause, and focused heavily on training. Bela quickly became talented at Hemomancy. Iradole and Lady Lycan trusted her to join Zararuk, a Delta member, on missions to recieve field training and so by the end of the first year she graduated from a pup to an omega.
 
She also became very popular with everyone living in The Citadel for her expert cooking prowess. Ocassionally, she hosted fancy dinner parties just for fun. Lady Lycan loved these dinner parties so much that she eventually revealed her true name (Mabel Bloodsworth) to Bela. Bela thought it was strange that Mabel hid her true name even in the Order, but was mostly just overjoyed that someone trusted her despite her monstrous nature.
 
Things weren't all good though. Mabel had been right. Even with her obvious skill in Hemomancy, Bela still required flesh. The main problem wasn't the aqquistion of humanoid meat for Bela to feast on. Iradole and Mabel were able to aqquire this for her without trouble. The Order operated out of the Old Kingdom, a famine-struck wasteland, and so The Order was the closest thing to a governing body for hundreds of miles. Agents of the Order also kill numerous opponents in their quest to wipe out darkness. The actual problem was a social issue. Other Therianthropes are not required to eat a cannibalistic diet, and so most members of the Order would view cannibalism as an unnecessary and shameful act of senless violence. So Mabel, Iradole, and a few others would meet Bela's dietary needs and together they kept her cannibalism a close secret.
 
Bela hated the idea of what it took to remain in control, but she made the best of it. She prepared the meat in a most delightful way with her acumen for cooking. She never shared these meals and always ate them alone, while transformed, so that her Necrolafanthropic desires may be satiated.
 
In 7BPF, Bela started accompanying Zararuk on missions, and he trained her in the field. He taught her how to handle intense combat situations, certain survival scenarios, and how to track and hunt their enemies. Zarazuk was understanding of her rare curse and would help her carry bodies to wherever they were camped out. Zararuk and Bela traveled together on field missions for years building a rapport. Bela really got Zararuk to come out of his shell and she learned he was a very caring and soft person deep down.
 
By 4BPF, Zararuk and Belaquarr had traveled together for 3 years. He had revealed to her how he was attacked by a feral Wererat in the sewers of his hometown. His transformation into a Wererat was grotesque and his family disowned him. He told her of how he found the Order. Bela felt close to Zararuk, and the two began to bond even closer. Bela deeplty admired Zarazuk's phsyique.
 

"Half-orcs are durable, and as we found out, I tend to get a bit excited and carried away during some ‘activities.'" - Eyrs Thonich

 

Taking A New Name

On one of their field missions, Bela and Zararuk were tasked to look into a noble that had ties to a local cult. The mission was a success and the noblemen was taken out while in his own study. In the study, Bela noticed a book open on his desk. The book told the tragedy of King Eyrsicthon. Reading through the story, Bela was enchanted with it and the irony of the old king. His life was destroyed by his own hunger. It hit close to home for Bela.
 
Now, Bela had actually been considering changing her name for some time. Mabel surely had a reason to conceal her name, and Bela couldn't escape from the Undergaurd forever if she continued walking around with her birth name. Drows stand out enough on the surface when they aren't wanted killers. So Bela took the book, and renamed herself Eyrs Thonich after the great king.
 
Mabel later complimented her new name. She thought the intention behind it was morbid, but she always appreciated a literary refrence.
 

Journey to Saltmarsh

In 0BPF, after years of training and learning the Order's ways, Eyrs Thonich was promoted to the rank of gamma and given her first long-term mission by Iradole and Mabel in the Hall of Crisis.
 

"Eyrs, it’s time for you to take on your first solo mission. There have been a suspicious number of missing person reports in the Saltmarsh settlement over in Keoland. The area is known to have pirates and slavers, but the number of disappearances is far above any normal level of pirate activity. We would like you to go investigate Saltmarsh and, determine the cause of these disappearances. Put an end to it. While there if you happen to encounter any presences demonic or otherwise you know what to do. Remember your vow, good luck." - Pack Beta Iradole

 
Eyrs arrived in Saltmarsh on 6/10/1 after a long journey hidden among the crew of The Bold Victory. She quickly found a temporary shelter at the Empty Net and began her investigations. (The full details of Eyrs Thonich's investigation in to the missing and murdered people of Saltmarsh can be found here.)
 
Eyrs quickly latched on to the highly suspicious James Wavebreaker. She investigated him and secret and found evidence of his crimes. She teamed up with Eliander Fireborn to arrest James. The pair also freed Xolec the vampire to learn more about the Scarlet Brotherhood. Eyrs and Eliander were fast friends and she stayed with him.
 
When James' adventuring party, The Pieces of Eight, returned from the Dunwater Lizardfolk colony Eliander arrested James and put Zulynn Heartwind into protective custody. Eliander put James on trial and then the council sentenced him to execution. However, Eliander died when Wavebreaker broke free of his manacles, and everyone was helpless to stop him before he took The Sea Ghost, and escaped with a ghostly crew of his former victims.
 
At Eliander's funeral, Eyrs decided to join James' old friends to find and stop him, or whatever was compelling him to evil.
 

Adventures as a Member of the Pieces of Eight

In 0APF, Eyrs first accompained the party to the town of Seaton. She hated it there. She shot down a construction crane on her way out and crushed a strange man.
 
After visiting Seaton, the party set sail to look for The Emperor of the Waves, a ship that supposedly contained great defensive information. Eyrs flirted with a half-orc druid on the ship, before running with the party for their lives from a sea monster.
 
In 1APF, Eyrs once again went to Seaton. This time to help Zangrim relocate his family, and to uncover vital information about the Scarlet Brotherhood. She had grown closer to her roomates Krag and Xolec during this time and they accompained her to the sinking city where she found some nice eggs and fought Mr Dory. She also tried to eat a skum. It was gross. The party barely escaped Seaton alive, brining the Tarkelby's and Duke Feldren back to Saltmarsh.
 
The following day, 10/16/1 Eyrs had planned a memorial feast in honor of the victims of Wavebreaker, but the multiverse had other plans. Eyrs met, yet another half-orc, JT - a multiversal counterpart of Wavebreaker - who explained that a malevolent entity known as The Gravebound was going to destroy their reality with a rotplauge created by rotspores. The party began preparing to leave but first the stole a head, and Eyrs killed her Uncle Webber.
 
Eyrs was incredibly depressed about losing control as the party traveled across the Azure Sea for four days, so Eyrs could explain the Gravebound to the Order of the Lycans. But Eyrs didn't feel like talking. She had killed her uncle and lost control of herself. Everyone rallied around her, including her dead uncle Webber. Webber even gave her and idea - maybe Vencyne could help her communicate with her parents.
 
So, Eyrs recovered and tol Iradole and Mabel a truth they already knew. Mabel had come from another reality. She watched the Gravebound destroy her home. Her friends barely escaped. So after a fantastic rebound spread from Eyrs, everyone (Pieces of Eight, Mabel's Party, and The Order of the Lycan) formed a plan to stop The Gravebound and briefly met him. Eyrs and Zararuk rekinled something that night. They left the following day for the Elven Capital City - a place that seemed like it might've figured out reality traversal just before it dropped out of everyone's memories.
 
Inside his old college in the Elven Capital City, Klearic Faymal found reality runes and began activating them. Everyone present, including Eyrs, stepped on the runes and they began to work as the real Wavebreaker returned. When the runes finished transporting them Eyrs was in a new place with Zangrim, Krag, Zarazuk, and Mabel. Three of her favorite people and Zangrim and Zangrim.