Gamble
Talia (a.k.a. Gamble; Spray)
Born of an affair between her Human mother and a yet unknown Elven father, Talia was never fully accepted by her mother or her mother’s husband. Followed by several children conceived between the married couple, Talia was view more as a burden and, later, free labour, rather than a member of the family. This is reflected in her true Elven name of Talia, which in Common, translates as ‘It’.
Talia’s adoptive father was a merchant, son of a long line of merchants, but he himself proved successfully unadept at the family profession. Following a series of poorly judged investments, the family lost everything except their boat, which they needed to continue trade in the heavily maritime region of Mitzu. The family were forced to make the boat their home as well as their place of business. Based in the port town of Takoyenka, it is from here they conducted their mercantile business.
Though hating her circumstances, Talia found she loved her time at sea. It captured her imagination and, whenever meeting new people or arriving at a new port, she sought out more stories and legends of the seas. This lead to her discovering the story of a great hidden treasure and of a map purporting to lead to it.
She pleaded with her father to follow this map, hoping that its endpoint would transform the family fortunes and win the long-sought respect she desired. However, her father simply dismissed the map as a ‘foolish trick for tourists’ and instead punished her for her impudence.
This final slight proved enough to give Talia the push she needed. Gathering what she could, that night she slipped from the family boat and stowed away aboard the nearest large ship she could find, seeking the adventure and fortune she had found in her stories.
The ship, The Umberlee's Howl , belonged to a pirate crew under Captain Odessa Zaine , smuggling being their trade of choice, but not adverse to a little thievery from time to time. Talia was soon discovered but convinced them to allow her to stay aboard by providing information about the local merchant traders and their routes. Working aboard the ship she added to her considerable sea-faring knowledge and became a loyal member of the crew, and due to her unfortunate habit for cards and dice earned the nickname Gamble, something she embraced as a way to rid herself of her hated Elven name.
After nearly two years of sailing, this habit lead to her downfall. While waiting for a simple break in job in the town of Coldport, she was spotted pocketing a card and jailed overnight. Her absence meant a quick get-away was needed by the crew and they set sail without her. Alone again, and preferring anonymity, she adopted another alias, Spray. She made for Kelador , where she had heard there was a library which might provide her with the information she required to start the quest with her treasure map and find the famous hoard of Captain Thorne. It is en-route to the city that she encountered the members of the party that she now travels with.
Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
Tattoo of the sigil of the Umberlee's Howl upon her forearm.
Mental characteristics
Education
Self taught in the school of hard knocks and upon the high seas, under the tutelage of her mentor Jack Filletter .
Employment
Historically, unpaid skivvy for her family. After escaping to sea, she was a seaman & pirate aboard the Umberlee's Howl . Now, a member of the Thanes Of Order
Mental Trauma
Abusive childhood, abandoned by her crew after capture and the loss of her friend and party member Arpeggio
Darkest Timeline
It was all Gamble's fault.
Sexuality
Discrete, but open minded.
Known Languages
Common
Elvish
Mitzui
Currently Boarded Vehicle
Species
Ethnicity
Year of Birth
1517 PR
17 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
Illegitimate child of a liason between her human mother and Elven father. Her age is approximate as no-one bothered to tell her.
Birthplace
Children
Sex
Female
Hair
Short, blonde
Aligned Organization
Related Reports
- Volume 1, Chapter 1 - From a history text - Meetings, Blights and Roof-top speeches
- Volume 1, Chapter 2 - From a history text - Defying the Darkness
- Volume 1, Chapter 3 - The Compiled Memoirs of Jed Kingsdown, Field Notes of Lavanel Daenorin Extract - A Village in the Trees
- Volume 1, Chapter 4 - From a History text - To Kelador!
- Volume 1, Chapter 5 - Rhobur's Diary - Wizard in a Bottle
- Volume 1, Chapter 6 - All's Fayre in love and war
- Volume 1, Chapter 8 - A letter from Sir Jed Kingsdown to his parents
- Volume 2, Chapter 1 - Lavanel's Notes to Sauriel
- Volume 4, Chapter 1 - Gamble's Journal
- Volume 5, Chapter 2 - Gamble's Journal
Elvish
Mitzui
Comments
Author's Notes
And here are the Author's notes