Xandra Keita (/'zæn.dɹə ke.'i.tə/)
Xandra Keita, known also as Vedshimrîn, is a human adventurer and scout known for her association with the dwarven village Karaadzar.
Xandra was born in Arvallad, Jeltir to two human parents, an entertainer and guardsman from Adjuskimavo. She became a bounty hunter around the age of 26 and after about two years met the gnomish ranger Cassio Mendahoovah and the dwarvish barbarian Pedra Caverndrop while on a mission in Taunslyle Forest. They became a party, adventuring together for about three years, near the end of which they set their sights on specifically hunting nightbringers during the Eventide conflict.
The party was dissolved after Pedra's death during the Battle of Bluehaven. Xandra and Cass helped the Light Brigade on a few tasks immediately following this, and Xandra alone traveled with them to the Gamirian College of Necromancy to find ancient research which would eventually make possible the construction of the Twilight Blade. While there, they discovered a dwarven settlement deep underground, known as Tanwengwar. The party came to understand that the lives of all the clansmen were in constant danger, and tried to convince them to leave, and were successful with a portion of them. But, since they could not teleport back to Jeltir with such a large company, and Xandra spoke Dwarvish and had skill with scouting, she stayed behind to shepherd the escaped clansmen to somewhere safe.
Xandra was much beloved by the clan for her unswerving guidance and the extensive knowledge of this new world which she brought to them. She became known to them as Vedshimrîn, a word that roughly means "guard of the above." Their journey through Gaulvista, then overrun by nightbringers, was fraught with danger, and when they encountered a pair of drow scouts, Xandra dispatched them, nearly at the cost of her own life. After this encounter, which frightened the dwarves terribly, the group took refuge in the small forest of Reddedbyk, where they remained, hiding. During this time Xandra taught them at least the beginnings of many basic skills including foraging, hunting, toolmaking, and carpentry.
The clan was informed shortly after the victory at the Battle of Geldereth that the Eventide was over when the cleric First of the Light Brigade contacted Xandra via sending. They discussed the clan and First decided to send a cleric of Kishike to find the clan in the wilderness and minister to them, teaching them Meydran theology. The cleric Bossur Mauveoak arrived in the early spring of EL 1000 to fulfill this function. However, to help with the transition, Xandra remained with them for almost a year afterwards, until at last she began the long journey back home.
Xandra was unfortunately captured by drow trying to cross the border into Thessélias less than a day after leaving and enslaved. She was not heard from for several years, and for some time was forced into assisting the nightbringers with traveling, mapping out territories, and hunting down escaped prisoners and convicts. After six and a half years of this, she was sold to the lord of an Upperdark town underneath Gaulvista, where she remained for another seven and a half years before at last escaping. She found refuge in the Thesséliasell town of Falrë, where she recovered for a few months before finally leaving to cross Thessélias and return home.
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