Tsarra Chaadren

Tsarra Chaadren

Tsarra Chaadren (known by the alias Autumnfire) was a half-elf sorceress and the second Blackstaff of Waterdeep.

Description

Appearance

Tsarra had long, curly auburn hair. Her eyes were hazel. As of 28 Uktar, 1374 DR, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun had attached a kiira to Tsarra's forehead, which consisted of an intricate tattoo with a green gem at its center.

Personality

Tsarra was a patient teacher, although she did have a temper, which flared up when hearing lies, or when people treated children or animals poorly. She was stubborn when she believed herself to be right. She preferred to spend time in the woods than in cities during the day, but preferred cities at night. She gained from her mother a knowledge of woodland herbs and their use in healing applications.

Possessions

Tsarra inherited Mhaornathil, a magical Rillifane Rallathil-blessed scimitar that could harm ghosts, from her mother, and she held a deep affection for it. Tsarra was given the Shield Belt of Storms to wear on 28 Uktar 1374 DR, through which she bore the majority of the spirit of her friend Danthra. As an arcane archer, Tsarra usually possessed a bow as well.

Relationships

Tsarra's father was the human ranger Taalmuth Chaadren. Her mother was the sylvan elf Malruthiia Chaadren (originally an exiled bastard child of the Ilbaereth family).

History

Birth and Early Years

Tsarra was born to Taalmuth and Malruthiia on 12 Eleasias 1340 DR. She was nicknamed "Autumnfire" by her mother because she had curly auburn hair. Although she had sorceress abilities, both of her parents were rangers, so they encouraged those skills in her, taking her on hunts from a very young age. While on a hunt in the Ardeep Forest in 1357 DR with her father, Taalmuth became involved in a spell battle against a suspected lich (the true identity of the assailant was not known) and was killed. His entire body was burned by a fireball spell, and there were charred areas on nearby trees, destroyed skeletons, a pile of stones from an arcane ritual, and a scrap of maroon cloth, which all pointed to a lich as the culprit.
Her mother pulled some favors and gained Tsarra an apprenticeship at Blackstaff Tower. Shortly afterwards, her mother was killed while protecting the Elfstone Tavern from an attack by Myrkul's horde of undead. Losing both her parents to undead creatures, Tsarra formed a deep hatred for all manner of undead.

Kiira

On 28 Uktar 1374 DR, Raegar Stoneblade accidentally caused an explosion that ripped a hole in the wall of Blackstaff Tower, injuring Tsarra and Khelben, and destroying the body of Tsarra's good friend Danthra. The explosion triggered a mental link between the three, and Khelben was forced to attach a kiira (elven lore gem) to Tsarra's forehead, with the purpose of keeping the majority of Khelben's thoughts and knowledge out of Tsarra's mind, since as Khelben was a Chosen of Mystra, Tsarra would not be able to cope with the burden of Khelben's mind. This link forced Tsarra and Khelben to stay within eight armspans of one another at all times.

Apprenticeship

As an orphan, Tsarra adopted the other inhabitants of Blackstaff Tower as her family. As a sorceress, her talents were left to develop by themselves, and Tsarra used her efforts to learn abilities to detect and destroy the undead. She gained a tressym familiar in 1364 DR, who, lacking a name, others referred to as Nameless. Seven years after entering the Tower, in 1365 DR, Tsarra was made a senior apprentice and began to teach other sorcerers. She was also asked by Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun to return to her ranger roots, and develop skills as an arcane archer. This led to her bearing the nickname "the Blackstaff's Hunter". She led groups of apprentices and Waterdhavian nobles on expeditions into the Pellamcopse Woods and other smaller forests.

Blackstaff

After Khelben’s death, Tsarra inherited the title of Blackstaff. In public, she wore a magical illusion of Khelben so that others not close to the Blackstaff would believe Khelben was still alive. She could commune with Khelben's spirit whenever she wished and had all the knowledge and memories of the previous Blackstaff. Tsarra was able to hold the Spellplague at bay the first time it struck Waterdeep, but the second time, when it surged from Undermountain, it shattered her illusion as Khelben and revealed her true self before a crowd of gathered nobles at the palace. This revelation led to the two years known as the Retributive Years when Khelben’s enemies descended upon the city, only to be defeated by Tsarra.
At some point, Tsarra's tressym familiar Nameless and her husband, Raegar Stoneblade, were merged at a spot on the eastern side of Mount Waterdeep, becoming the legendary creature called the Nameless Haunt that resideS in the Pellamcopse Woods. The spot where the Nameless Haunt was created, later a street in the district of Mountainside, was magically marked by a cat's head that never disappeared, despite the stones having been replaced numerous times.
Tsarra, her heir, and most of the Moonstars died in battle against a coven of vampire-wizards in the Stump Bog in 1399 DR, the Year of Fallen Friends. Tsarra was succeeded as the Blackstaff by Kyriani Agrivar.