Daelee Thárdál

Elven Monster Hunter and Leader of The Copper Dozen

"It was layers upon layers of schemes and plans that I could not glimpse. I was just a part of it."

Daelee Thárdál is an elf monster hunter of the early Fifth Age who appears in Azimuth Anthology: Luyos. She is the leader of The Copper Dozen, which operated in the Kingdom of Endor. She is an NPC played by M.B.
She was possessed and became an antagonist to Luyos, however she was rescued by Luyos and Krummer Flintforce, which brought an end to the kruthik threat in the Iron Range.

Description

Appearance

Daelee is a female elf with a strong, yet lithe figure. She has pale skin and long, honey colored hair. Her close-set eyes are gold colored. Across her face is a recent, prominent scar she suffered during her encounters with kruthiks.
Her previous equipment was standard to The Copper Dozen, including a sigil for the organization. As a paladin of Nerull, The Scythe-Bearer, she also carried a holy symbol of her faith.
Her previous weapon, armor, sigil, and holy symbol were lost. Afterwards, she received a new set of standard half-plate and an elven two-handed sword.

Personality

Daelee carries herself with a solid, almost holy, energy. She is rigid and soft spoken, speaking in a steady and even rhythm.
As a paladin, she is very dedicated to her moral code and is bound to her word. Her dedication to this was strong enough that even when under the influence of a karakura, she was able to interpret these compulsions through the lens of her moral compass.
While she was possessed, this created an element of disconnect between her stated goals and actions, which manifested verbally as she talked or mumbled her way through these conflicting thoughts.

Biography

Background

Daelee was a trained paladin of Nerull, The Scythe-Bearer. At some point, she became the leader of The Copper Dozen, where she mentored Krummer Flintforce for several years.
During her time as leader of the group, she learned much about monstrosities, aberrations, and extraplanar monsters.
At some point before 5A 178, a group of kruthiks infested the Iron Range. Daelee began leading the group's efforts against them.
Later, Daelee would relay she believed she had been set up for this somehow. This led to her encounter with the karakura at the Fane of Black Hematite, where she became possessed.
She became the leader of the kruthik warren and sacrificed her sigils, holy symbols, and regalia to strengthen the karakura and deepen its hold. At the same time, Daelee learned a lot about the karakura while under its influence.
Daelee was directed to seek the drake egg held at the Fane of the Fire Egg, to sacrifice it, too. She created a sinkhole to pull the fane down into the kruthik warren, but this was ineffective due to the enchantments placed on the fane.

Azimuth Anthology: Luyos

Azimuth Anthology: Luyos - Session 04

In the morning hours of 22 Sedaena 5A 178, Daelee reformed the sinkhole beneath the fane, which was successful this time. The fane collapsed into the cavern along with Luyos and Tha'theo, the drake. The kruthiks prepared to atack them, but Daelee called them off.
She asked how Luyos came to these caverns, and when he mentioned The Copper Dozen, she asked if he was allied with them.
Daelee had been trying to claim the egg for herself, and recognized that her opportunity to hatch the egg and bond with the drake was missed.
In exchange for information about The Copper Dozen's location, Daelee agreed to lead Luyos out of the caverns and let them go. He tentatively agreed, but Daelee warned him that if he crossed her, the kruthiks would attack.

Azimuth Anthology: Luyos - Session 05

On the way out, Luyos tried to talk with Daelee to learn more information. She was dismissive, though she did say Luyos's connection to Tha'theo was special. When Luyos asked if that was why she had sought the drake egg, she didn't reply. Later, Daelee talked quietly about The Copper Dozen and her desire to drive them away and separate their connection.
Daelee gave no moment for rest. In the early morning of 23 Sedaena, they emerged, and Daelee directed Luyos to lead them back to Krummer’s campsite.
At a meltwater tarn, they encountered The Copper Dozen as they moved northwards. An unexpected fight broke out, and Daelee commanded the kruthiks to attack.
Daelee did not join the battle herself. She instead kept her distance and helped a kruthik caught in a trap. The tactics used by the hunters were effective, and several kruthiks were killed. Daelee called for a retreat. Luyos and Krummer saw a solemn somberness on her face as she fled.

Azimuth Anthology: Luyos - Session 06

As they fled north, Daelee used her healing magic to aid the wounded kruthiks. The Copper Dozen caught up to them with the help of Luyos at the Fane of Black Hematite.
They immediately prepared for a fight. Krummer called out, “Daelee! Stop! We’ve got you outnumbered. We’ve killed your kruthiks before. We’ll keep going at it if you make us!”
Daelee realized she couldn’t outpace them. She trilled a whistle and ordered the kruthiks forward. She felt compelled to flee into the nearby cave and hoped to find a way back to the warren.

Azimuth Anthology: Luyos - Session 07

Luyos and Krummer caught up with Daelee at the Fane of Black Hematite. Daelee was visibly possessed and her voice attempted to intimidate Krummer. Krummer dodged a shadow attack and said the immitation of Daelee wasn't convincing.
When Krummer rushed forward, the shadow left Daelee and engulfed Krummer, possessing him, and he attacked Daelee as she stumbled. Luyos ran forward, shoved Krummer away, and pulled Daelee away from the fane. Krummer pursued and attacked savagely.
Daelee slammed Krummer’s helmet, and the shadow faltered and scattered. Daelee caught his weapon with her greatsword, and they tensed against each other. As the entity faded, they looked at each other, really, for the first time in a long time and traded words.
The karakura surged with rage and extended a part of itself into the chamber. At Daelee’s order, they attacked. Despite the building damage, they weren’t forcing the karakura back, and the karakura wracked Krummer and Daelee, knowing their minds and anticipating their movements.
With a familiarity with hunting monsters and fighting side by side, Krummer and Daelee didn’t back down. A final hit from Luyos shunted the shadow to its body.
Luyos wanted to empower the fane, but Daelee suggested they kill it instead, so the residual Nerull energy would carry the shadow to Stygia, the Plane of Death. Daelee touched the central gem and shattered the hematite prison. The karakura was forced out before them. Together, they attacked the fiend and sundered it, and the chamber fell silent.
In the aftermath, Daelee explained several things to Luyos and Krummer. She didn’t have many details, but she felt she had been set up somehow, leading to her encounter with the karakura trapped at the fane.
Under its influence, Daelee had sacrificed her sigils, holy symbols, and regalia to strengthen the karakura. Daelee was directed to seek Tha’theo’s egg, to sacrifice it, too. After Luyos hatched the egg before she could take it, she then sought to sacrifice her connection to Krummer. The attack on The Copper Dozen’s camp was meant to enrage and draw Krummer forward.
Luyos asked how the karakura knew about the fane and egg at all. Daelee said, “I don’t know. It was never clear to me how this thing had even known the egg was there, whether something else had directed it towards this fane or whether it found it of its own accord. But thankfully, that drake and its connection now to you was never sacrificed to something so foul.”
With the monster defeated, they returned to the surface. The hunters displayed a range of emotions as Daelee and Krummer emerged. They seemed happy to have their leaders come through this alive.
Luyos asked about the kruthiks remaining underground. Daelee said something must be done, and they would hunt them down. He offered to help, but Daelee said they'd troubled him enough. She retrieved her old and worn sigil of The Copper Dozen from Krummer, and gifted it to Luyos for aiding them. Luyos thanked her and wished them well.

Relationships

Krummer Flintforce

Daelee spent years mentoring Krummer, and they developed a strong familiarity and friendship. Krummer showed strong loyalty to Daelee and seemed willing to risk much in his attempt to recover her.
She was familiar enough with Krummer to know that he would stop at nothing to get to her, even at personal risk. She was also able to catch his weapon in combat while he recovered from a possession effect.

Quotations

• "I have no desire to spill divine blood." - AA 05.04

• "I know the shadow you now face!" - AA 05.07

• "There was some intelligence to its design, some importance that it was trying to achieve, but it was beyond me to know. It was layers upon layers of schemes and plans that I could not glimpse. I was just a part of it." - AA 05.07

• "This sigil is the thanks that I can give you, and as long as you carry it, you are a friend to The Copper Dozen." - AA 05.07

Character Type
Non-Player Character
Actor
M.B.

Current Status

Alive (5A 178)

Species

Elf

Gender

Female

Aligned Organization

The Copper Dozen