Krisella Ferox
Krisella Ferox
Krisella Ferox is a human noblewoman and the biggest political rival of Lord Hargrave Decker of Focosgost after his 1493 coup overthrew her father Joakim Ferox.
She is also a close childhood friend and ally of Necian Arrzen, one of the Heroes of Saltmarsh, and Krisella played small but pivotal roles in helping the Heroes end the Banesmark Crisis.
History
Early Life
Krisella was born in 1473 to Joakim Ferox, the Lord of Focosgost, and his wife. As the title of Lord of Focos wasn't hereditary, it was not expected for Krisella to inherit the city, but Krisella was nonetheless raised as a noblewoman in the royal household. Duirng her early childhood, Krisella quickly became friends with the younger Necian, who was often the only other child in the royal household, and the two stayed close even as their lives started taking different paths as Necian began working as a baker and Krisella attended to more and more royal duties. In 1493, Hargrave Decker, a veteran of the Great Dragon War launched a military coup against the leadership of Focos with the backing of Neverwinter and its Lord Protector Dagult Neverember. On the final day of the city's seige, mercenaries and soldiers flooded into the city and Krisella forced to flee by her father, who was later placed under house arrest after Decker took charge. Krisella fled the conquered city to Waterdeep, where she lived in exile and petitioned the varying members of the Lords' Alliance to denounce Neverwinter for backing an illegal coup. However, Krisella only drew sympathy, not support, as the Lord's Alliance was unwilling to denounce a city that contributed greatly to the Great Dragon War over Focosgost, which stayed out of the conflict. Krisella was also contacted during this time by members of the Free Focos Movement and wrote often in their support, though she did not take an active leadership role.The Banesmark Crisis
Frustrated by her inability to achieve results, Krisella secured an invitation to the 1496 Neverwinter Gala, which was being held to celebrate the formation of the Neveren Alliance, of which Focosgost was a member. Krisella planned to disrupt the event by making her disapproval of Focos' involvement known and her distaste for Lord Decker public. Her plans were first interrupted when she ran into Necian at the gala, whom she hadn't seen since the coup, and then by a false flag attack, where monks from the Twilight Monastery posed as members of the Free Focos Movement and began attacking the gala attendees, killing many and restraining Krisella to the Neveren throne to make it appear as if she was the orchestrator of the event. However, the Necian and other Heroes of Saltmarsh rescued Krisella and hid her amongst the dwarves of Clan Velgrund in the Burrows district before smuggling her out of the city on their ship. Krisella, furious and now wanted, demanded the Heroes tell her about the investigation into Banesmark so she could help them and clear her name. Krisella helped the Heroes during their investigation of the Isle of the Abbey, where the Banesmark was rediscovered, and when the group returned to Saltmarsh, she began working with the town's wizard Keledek, who was also looking into the mark. As part of her work with Keledek, Krisella became a pseudo-apprentice, and Keledek taught her how to imbue herself with spells through magic tattoos, which began appearing on Krisella's body, to Necian's worry. Shortly before the Battle of the Spire, Krisella left Saltmarsh to investigate the Whalebones, attempting to trace the history of the Banesmark by figuring out what happened to the Sea Prince Captain Syrgaul after he left Abbey Isle. Though she asked Necian to come with her, he refused, opting to help the town. For the next several months, Krisella pursued leads in the Whalebones, until she came close to discovering the secret the resting place of the Tammeraut and the place it was guarding, a nest of kraken eggs. The aboleth S'gothgah, the true master of the Banesmark, ordered the undead crew of Captain Syrgaul to hunt and kill Krisella, pursuing her across the islands before beseiging her after she had taken refuge at Firewatch Island. However, Necian and the other Heroes arrived, at the request of Keledek, to defend the island from the undead attack and the group then discovered the kraken eggs and Keledek's secret. On the way back to Saltmarsh, Krisella and the other Heroes were summoned by Necian's biological father, Tajir Danak Waseef al-Saleem to the City of Brass, where Necian elected to become his father's official heir. Back in Saltmarsh, Krisella was one of the ten adventurers that teamed up to kill the vampire Xolec after his accidental release by Necian and the B-Team. Keledek also left town at the end of 1496 and offered Krisella the chance to join him and continue being his apprentice, which she refused. Krisella then joined the Heroes on their trip to the Styes to confront S'gothgah and end his plans for good. She remained on their ship to defend it while the Heroes scoured the city and piloted the ship during the attack on the Neveren Trade Fleet, though she, like most everyone in the Great Neveren Trade Fleet, was incapacitated by the arrival of the Sliver of Bane.Life After the Banesmark Crisis
Shortly after the Banesmark Crisis, Necian, traumatized by burdens of leadership and innocents mistakingly killed, left Saltmarsh abruptly to wander Northwest Faerun for the next several years to find himself. Once Necian departed, Krisella too left Saltmarsh to return to Focosgost. With the help of members of the Hand of Mana, such as Neverwinter's court wizard Brisk, she was able to exonerate herself and the Free Focos Movement for the attack at the Neverwinter Gala. For the next several years, Krisella became engaged in local politics, rising to become the leader of the Free Focos Movement. Though she was not the head of any guild, and had no representation on the weakened Focos Council of Guilds, she nonetheless became a major political power and rival to Lord Decker. She also began using makeup to hide her various magical tattoos. In 1507, Krisella joined the other Heroes of Saltmarsh in answering Necian's summons to the village of Triel to help him free a group of slaves from the City of Brass. Krisella agreed, and the group manage to smuggle a group of slaves away from a minor Tajir and bring them to Waterdeep. In 1509, defying precedent, the Guild of Street Laborers, responsible for keeping Focos city streets clean and maintained, elected Krisella as their representative to the Council of Guilds, despite her never having worked as a street laborer before. This was done to bolster the gulid's prestige and betting that Krisella could od more to elevate their guild than one of their own members. This gamble proved to be correct, as Krisella represented the guild proudly in the council while continuing to advocate for a return to the Focos of old. Necian, who returned to Focos not long after the slave breakout, also returned to Focos, eventually rising to become the representative for the Bakers' Guild on the council, and the two old friends became a powerful political block.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Krisella's court uprbining included a heavy focus on swordplay, in party due to how well Krisella took to it. She is a ferasome duelest, often preferring to fight one-handed with a rapier.
Special abilities
Krisella's time studying with Keledek has gifted her a variety of magical powers, which each of her various tattoos containing one. Her various spells and cantrips include Mage Hand, Booming Blade, Minor Illusion, Disguise Self, Silent Image, and Detect Magic.
Since the Banesmark Crisis, Krisella has taken to hiding her tattoos with makeup to keep them secret.
Social
Social Aptitude
Due to her extensive court training, Krisella is extremely discerning in social situations, able to wear nobility like a mask. Though her skills frayed during her exile and time on the run during the Banesmark Crisis, she recovered them quickly while working for the Free Focos Movement.
Current Status
Taking the reigns of the Free Focos Movement
Current Location
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
While Krisella never had any official titles, due to her father's elected position, she was nonetheless treated with respect as Lady Ferox. This terminology continued during her tenure leading the Free Focos Movement.
Following her elected to the Council of Guilds, Krisella became known as Councilwoman Ferox.
Year of Birth
1473 CR
25 Years old
Birthplace
Children
Gender
Female
Eyes
Green
Hair
Mid-length dirty blonde
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Fair white, freckled face
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments