Zildeen Zaratul
Every night brings another glittering affair in Dementlieu , whose citizens live glamorous and exciting lives. They enjoy the finest clothes, elegant jewels, grand ballrooms-and most extravagantly, the Grand Masquerade hosted by Duchess Saidra d'Honaire every seventh day at her island estate. The domain of Dementlieu consists of the city of Port-a-Lucine, which embraces the murky waters of Pernault Bay and Lucine Bay, as well as shifting scraps of fog-shrouded suburban areas around the city. Port-a-Lucine is a festering mire of rot and decay hidden beneath a glittering facade of decadent wealth. Everything appears more valuable, more solid, and more wholesome than the actuality, and everyone behaves as if the illusion of grandeur and prosperity were real.
Everyone but your family anyway.
You grew up in Port-a-Lucine hearing the wild tales of your father Erlathan Zaratul and your mother Aerilaya Zaratul in their youth – elaborate stories of their adventures around the various Lands of the Mists. Some you believe, but you also know your father has a propensity for storytelling and exaggeration. Growing up, you wanted for nothing, attending the finest schools, parties, and social gatherings afforded to anyone. Despite the grand life your parents provided, your childhood was rather lonely as there were very few elves among the social elite of Dementlieu, and the human children would grow and age far quicker than yourself. That was until you met a young Tiefling named Sari.
You attended the University of Dementlieu where your father was also a Professor of Arcane Studies. Sari’s vocal gifts earned her position within the Port-a-Lucine Opera House . Both of you found success and celebrity, attending many of the same parties and social events, often arriving together. There were also more than a few rumors around the prospect of a possible courtship, but sometimes its more fun to keep the masses guessing.
Your mother was often away on business ventures uncovering artifacts and transporting rare and highly sought-after items (which is the families primary source of income despite multiple holdings in various enterprises). Your mother Aerilaya Zaratul seemed to have an endless network of contacts and “experts” of various subjects. One such individual is Marcel Delacourte , a wealthy merchant who owns the DeLacourte Shipping docks on the South Harbor and arguably one of the most wealthy individuals in Port-a-Lucine and beyond. Marcel rarely attends social events claiming to be too busy for such frivolity and has sparked a number of rumors about how he spends his free time. His daughter Vlariska DeLacourte, however, seems to spend the majority of the time trying to spend the family fortune in new and inventive ways.
The most common among them being a half-orc named Baka Blackwater, or Uncle Baka to you. Baka was apparently an adventurer with your parents before you were born and continued on as an adventurer after your parents “retired.” Time, however, is catching up to the half-orc, and he always mentions how he isn’t able to do the things he used to. Your father and Baka are courteous to one another, but you get the distinct feeling there may be some bad blood between the two though neither will acknowledge or speak on it.
Sari Pretorius and you would still venture into the seedier sides of town time to time, but those trips became for less frequent as her commitment to the Opera House grew. On one solo outing playing at the Mutinied Sailor , you overheard a group of adventurers recounting their tales and it filled you with jealousy. In that moment, you decided that you needed to truly experience life, but first, you would have to tell your parents.
The next day you told his parents you were going to become an adventurer. They argued, but eventually they accepted it – as long as you wrote them regularly, came home occasionally, and eventually would come home, retire, and take over the family business. Zildeen agreed. They offered to help you find a party with their connections, but you declined; insisting that his adventure must be your own – though, as you had a fairly successful career as an entertainer, you couldn’t deny their financial help with getting equipment. You asked Sari Pretorius to join you on the adventure, but she once more declined stating her responsibilities to the Opera House and her vocal instructor.
So once more, you found yourself alone in the world. But you found friends once, you can do it again!
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