Kinsey Eridanus
The Ever-Curious Investigator
Kinsey Eridanus
Kinsey Eridanus is a wood elf member of the Emerald Enclave and was the namer and one of the founders of the Lost Star Detectives, a group of adventurers that ended the Damnation of Elturel in 1498.
History
Early Life
Kinsey was born on the 4th of Kythorn, 1402 in Altand, part of the Kingdom of the Woods in Northwest Faerun. Her parents, Caelum and Vela Eridanus, were well regarded members of the Emerald Enclave's Planar Circle that, after years of interplanar travel and study, had decided to permenately settle on the Material Plane to raise their daughter. As such, Kinsey's early years were peaceful, and she gained from her parents a love of learning. In 1447, the Companion, a large artificial sun, appeared over the city of Elturel, ending the Reign of Vampires. The appearance of the Companion intrigued the Emerald Enclave, who wanted to study its origins and any effects it might have on the balance of nature and civilization, and the Eridanuses were asked to move to Elturel to study it, which they agreed to, settling in Westerly. Though living in a non-elven city can be difficult for the long-lived race, Kinsey heartedly took to her new home. Ever the inquisitive soul, Kinsey began to do as much research as she could about the Companion and Elturel's history, which in turn led to her studying the undead and vampires. Kinsey aspired to join the Emerald Enclave like her parents, and when she felt like she had learned what she could from Caelum and Vela, she moved to scouring the Elturel Library, becoming very familiar with the head librarian, Theodard Silverstring, whom Kinsey called Theo. It was from Theo that Kinsey picked up wearing nonperscription glasses, mimicking the halflings spectacles in an attempt to seem more educated. Kinsey also met the drow Katya Sinaran at the dry goods store owned by Katya's wife Emmeryn. Instantly curious about another elf, especially a drow, in Elturel, Kinsey began to visit Katya and Emmeryn often, though Katya was often evasive about her past, and Kinsey's parents were wary about the drow, but did not outright say Kinsey shouldn't visit her. Kinsey kept her visits up even after Emmeryn died in 1492, unaware that she had been a member of the cult of the Dragon. For their part, Kinsey's parents were struggling in their research, able to publish multiple works about the observable effects of the Companion but unable to study the Companion closely, blocked as they were by the Order of the Companion and the Elturgardian government. They also encouraged Kinsey to study what she wanted to study, not to mimic others, which led to Kinsey's lifelong dedication to the study of nature as a druid and the beginnings of a wanderlust. In the late 1480s, Kinsey met the young Ruby Hynes, a Hellrider aspirant, and the two became fast friends, with Kinsey supporting her eventual recruitment into the Hellriders and backing up her friend when she fueded with the Hellrider prodigy Kaiden Miursa, who also disapproved of Kinsey's attempted study of the Companion. In 1494, Kinsey met Buddy Novs, an Elturian smuggler, who encouraged her to join him on a mission to Baldur's Gate. Kinsey, anxious to see the world, agreed and was roped up in the theft of the Helm of Torm's Sight from the mercantile vessel Aremag's Blessing. Katya Sinaran was also present and took pains to keep Kinsey safe, believing Kinsey to be far too young and innocent to get involved in smuggling.The Lost Star Detectives
(See the Lost Star Detectives) Despite having stolen the Helm of Torm's Sight, Buddy, who had fenced the Helm to an Elturian buyer, skimped on paying his associated. On the 2nd of Eleasis, 1497, Kinsey and the other smugglers gathered in Elturel to track down Buddy and get their payment. Doing so unwittingly put the group in the Maze of Elturel, low enough to barely avoid being teleported to Avernus when the city was teleported to Avernus, although to Kinsey and the others, the city appeared destroyed. Distraught at the presumed death of her parents, Kinsey was only able to keep it together when she found Ruby, who had been stationed outside of the city when it vanished. Together, Kinsey, the former smugglers, and Ruby joined a caravan of refugees heading to Baldur's Gate. Upon arriving to Baldur's Gate, however, Kinsey and the other non-Baldurians were deined entry due to the ongoing state of emergency caused by Elturel's destruction and the Flaming Fist Succession Crisis. Kinsey and the other former smugglers, now calling themselves the Lost Star Detectives at Kinsey's recommendation, agreed to work for Flame Ronald Zodge in exchange for letting their caravaneers into the city. Though the investigation was originally brought on to investigate the cult of the Dead Three, the Detectives ended up encovering a vast conspiracy of the cult of Zariel, led by Duke Thalamara Vanthampur. Kinsey and the other Detectives failed to stop the assassination of Duke Dillard Portyr, but did manage to kill Duke Vanthampur, discovering the Shield of the Hidden Lord, an infernal puzzlebox, and High Observer Thavius Kreeg of Elturel, who Katya killed. Kinsey and Katya also grew closer during their time in Elturel, both of them worried for the other's safety and health, and Katya opened up about her worship of the drow goddess Kiaransalee and attempts to resurrect Emmeryn. Realizing the cult of Zariel had something to do with Elturel's disappearance, and realizing Elturel may still exist, Kinsey and the Detectives made their way to Candlekeep to learn more, leaving Ruby behind in Baldur's Gate to protect the Elturian refugees. At Candlekeep, the Detectives met Sylvira Savikas, who opened the infernal puzzlebox to reveal half of Naja Bellandi's Pact with Zariel. The Detectives also met the amnesiac Lulu, a hollyphant and former companion of Zariel when she was a solar. Resolving to go to Avernus to try and save the city, the Detectives agreed to let Lulu come with them. Kinsey also briefly stopped at a shrine to the Seldarine, knowing she'd need divine aid while in Hell, and took an amulet of Sehanine Moonbow for protection.Hellturel
Kinsey and the other Detectives were teleported into Avernus by the otter wizard Traxigor, appearing in Elturel's Dock District. After meeting the vampire and once Lord of Elturel Klav Ikaia and doing their part to help the living survivors in Shiarra's Market. Kinsey also met up with her parents in Shiarra's Market, who were using their magic to heal the injured and sick while staying inconpicious, aware that devils were hunting magic users. They encouraged Kinsey to be careful, but trusted her to stay safe. Soon, the Detectives crossed the bridge into the High District, briefly clashing with the bounty hunter Delle Bellfiend who wanted to the Shield of the Hidden Lord. On the other side of the city, the Detectives met with Ulder Ravengard in High Hall and retrieved the Helm of Torm's Sight from the Elturel graveyard. Kinsey donned the helm, which became afixed to her head and relayed to her a vision from Torm, encouraging the Detectives to follow the trail of Lulu's lost memories and to retrieve the Sword of Zariel, which offered a chance to save the city by redeeming Zariel. However, to the other Detectives, Kinsey appeared to be in great distress, and Katya prayed to Torm to release the helmet on Kinsey's head, which managed to work, but angered Katya's goddess. The Detectives made a brief detour to check on the Eridanus house to retrieve the family's notes on the Companion while ocntinuing to help survivors where they could. During the Siege of Helm's Shieldhall, one of the Detectives, Xifira Mistmore, was tragically killed, and while making their way back to the Dock District, another, Dzarya, was slain, though Kinsey's parents were able to bring Dzarya back to life. These deaths would start weighing on Kinsey, who continued putting on a brave face but was the least exposed of any of the suriving Detectives to death and battle before this crisis. After securing Elturel as best as they could, the Lost Star Detectives realized they had three goals in front of them to save the city. They needed to break or release the chains holding the city, destroy or invalidate Zariel and Naja Bellandi's Pact, and inverse the polarity of the Companion, which Kinsey's parents believed needed to be unlocked with a set of keys. Lulu advocating for attempting to redeem Zariel, to convince the once-angel to rejoin the side of good. The group generally agreed and prepared to set out for Avernus proper, but Kinsey's parents first needed to tell someone in the group the secret of stabalizing Avernian distances. Alesine Zadava volunteered, but learning the information put her in a three-day coma due to the stress on her mind. Kinsey, however, was able to learn the secret without issue, making her parents very proud.The Quest for Zariel's Sword
On the ground of Avernus proper, the Detectives met Mad Maggie, who offered to reveal Lulu's memories, and thereby the location of Zariel's Sword via her Dream Machine, but first the Detectives needed to find four missing components to make it work. The first item the party located strove to retreive was Phlegethosian sand from Bel's Forge at the suggestion of the Shield of the Hidden Lord. The Detectives did so, sneaking into the forge, and ultimately deciding to destroy the Shield of the Hidden Lord while they were there, releasing the archdevil Gargauth who was trapped inside. The Detectives continued traveling across Hell, investigatin a drow prison, an an abandoned flying fortress, finding the keys to the Companion in the latter. Kinsey and the Detectives also received an Orb of Dragonkind from the insane spined devil Uldrak the Tinkerer, which Kinsey held on to. After the Detectives got embroiled in a infernal warmachine, Kinsey found and prayed at a ruined statue to Sehanine, which opeend up to reveal an interior and constellations Kinsey had never seen before. Magic from the shrine entered into her necklace, giving her druidic starry form access to abilities unknown on the Material Plane. Later, at the Wandering Emporium, Kinsey met and convinced the group to entrust the Orb of Dragonkind to the barber Burney, having a good feeling about her. Kinsey's trust in others also came through earlier when the Detectives met the Elturian refugee Thei Linden, who was rescued by the Detectives and traveled with them for a time, finding confidence in himself through his new companions. The Detectives later traveled to Tiamat's Lair to rescue the soul of Emmeryn after Katya opened up to the group about her past with the Cult of the Dragon. However, Emmeryn turned out to be a willing abishai, who attempted to convince Katya to join her and Tiamat. Katya refused, and the Detectives barely escaped with their lives, and Kinsey herself was nearly captured. Throughout all of this, the Detectives retrieved the final three items needed for the Dream Machine to work, whlie making a brief detour back to the Material Plane to kill the hag that stole fellow Detective Arcus Miursa's voice when he was a child. After returning to Hell, the Detectives infiltrated Zariel's Flying Fortress to unlock the chains binding Avernus and then recovered Lulu's memories in the Dream Machine, determining the location of Zariel's Sword Cyst, which was claimed by Alesine Zadava. The Detectives then raced back to Elturel, where Kinsey fought in the Battle of Elturel, first defending the Companion and then, once Zariel had been redeemed, defending Shiarra's Market with Katya.Later Life
Immediately following Elturel's salvation, Kinsey remained in Elturel to assist in the reconstruction. She also insisted that all of the Detectives, Ruby, the redeemed Zariel, and Thei come to her parents' place for a massive celebratory, low-stakes dinner, which was enjoyed by all. Kinsey was also approached by representatives of the city looking to name the rebuilt Elturel Library after her, but Kinsey refused, asking instead that it be named after Theodard. Having well and truly proven herself, Kinsey was inducted in to the Emerald Enclave, bypassing most of the lesser ranks due to the bravery and strength she displayed during Elturel's damnation. Kinsey today remains in Elturel with her friends, but travels as needed for the Enclave and to satisfy her own thirst for knowledge.Physical Description
Special abilities
As a star druid, Kinsey has acess to a suite of magical powers and transformational abilities typical to her class. However, her time spent in Avernus and a blessing of Sehanine Moonbow expanded her starry form transformations beyond what is typically known on Faerun. One form resembles an alien stag, greatly enhancing Kinsey's speed, while the other one resembles a crystal ball, giving Kinsey a limited ability to commune with Sehanine or determine the future. Through vigorous research after Elturel's salvation, Kinsey determined that both of these forms are constellations of Avernus from before the Averniad, all but lost to time.
Specialized Equipment
After a fight with Zarielite cultists, Kinsey gained access to a Necklace of the Chimera, allowing her druidic wildshaping to combine elements from two creatures into one.
Mental characteristics
Intellectual Characteristics
Kinsey lives to learn new things, and the possibility of a new discovery is often enough to make Kinsey abandon care.
As a druid, Kinsey also has an infectious love of nature and animals, which best showed itself in her love of Arcus Miursa's pink toad follower Dipper, which did not abate upon the discovery of status as the tool of a hag, and only slightly dampened after Kinsey and the other Detectives were forced to fight Dipper, during which it swallowed Kinsey whole.
Social
Contacts & Relations
As an extremely sociable person with an infectious love for learning, Kinsey befriends, or is at the very least tolerated, by most of the people she comes across.
There was no other member of the Lost Star Detectives Kinsey formed a closer bond with than Katya. The two of them had already known each other for years prior to Elturel's damnation, but the resulting journey had them lean on and support each other. Katya's affection for Kinsey was strong enough to have her break her oaths to Kiaransalee and pray to Torm, an early step for Katya's eventual conversion to worshipping Torm. Kinsey also was the loudest voice pushing for Katya to open up more and allow herself to be supported by the Lost Star Detectives.
Kinsey's calls for openess also extended to Arcus, who often butted heads with the other Detectives, in part due to his own lack of communication. Arcus often frustrated Kinsey, but he did, by the adventure's end, start to be more open with the others.
Kinsey was also fond of Alesine and Dzarya, seeing them both as reliable members of the Detectives, though Kinsey, like most people, never quite understood Whisk.
Before and after her trip to Hell, Ruby Hynes was Kinsey's best friend, and Kinsey regularly kept Ruby up to date on their adventures and well being. Kinsey also started forming an unexpected friendship with Thei Linden, and her encouragement and kindness extended to him gave him the push that would eventually lead him to become the High Rider of Elturel.
Family Ties
Kinsey is extremely close with her family, admiring their knowledge and compassion, and they are close to Kinsey in turn. Despite the clear dangers posed by any journey into Avernus, Vela and Caelum never tried to dissuade Kinsey, as they both trusted their daughter and found it hypocritical to chastise their daughter for interplanar travel, something they had done extensively.
Religious Views
Kinsey's journey to Avernus embued within her a devotion to the goddess Sehanine Moonbow, who Kinsey prayed to as both an elven goddess and a being by which Kinsey could commune and learn more of the stars and the sky.
Species
Date of Birth
4th of Kythorn
Year of Birth
1402 CR
96 Years old
Birthplace
Children
Sex
Female
Eyes
Light blue
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Copper with freckles
Height
5'7"
Weight
113 lbs.
Belief/Deity
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments