Lyra Valentine
Born to a fairly well-established High Elf couple in the city of Edhil Elyren, Lyra lived a fairly normal childhood with her parents Arbane and Vianola Valentine. Her father was a captain in the army while her mother worked in a high end retail shop. Because of her connections, this meant she often travelled to Morchatel on extended business trips. Lyra was often left in the hands of a caretaker for this reason, but she still had a very close bond with her father, who took care of her whenever he could. Her relationship with her mother was distant at best though, as she focused more on her work than her own daughter.
Despite this, Lyra grew up strong and spirited, and often got into trouble. By the time she was 20, she was performing brilliantly in her classes, showing excellent understanding in learning and using new skills, having already learnt two other languages. She was also a natural athlete. It was also around this time her magic began to show. Her father and teachers held great promise that she’d excel here as well.
Sadly, it was here that she struggled greatly. By the time she was 25 she had only just about been able to cast Prestidigitation, whereas her peers had started to learn beyond simple cantrips. This began earning her some jeers from her more jealous classmates, particularly from other high elves. But while it did put a damper on her spirits, it didn’t stop her from trying her best.
Her father though found this most peculiar, as his lineage had always been known for their deep connections with The Weave. Never in his family’s history as someone struggled so much with magic. He began looking into this, and what he found crushed him.
His wife had been having a 30 year affair with a Wood Elf in Morchatel. His face was red with anger, his fists were trembling. Lyra had never seen her father so angry before. He took his fury and rained it down on his wife.
In the heated confrontation, she broke down and admitted, giving the name and location of her cheater. She cried and huddled in the corner while the father stood there lost. He wanted to break something or someone. But with his ‘daughter’ watching; crying and petrified, he didn’t. It took every ounce of his morality to not explode, and instead went outside, slamming the door behind him.
For the next week, Lyra stayed with her caretaker, while her father made preparations to head for Morchatel in the morning and her mother feebly packed up her own things. She laid awake in bed all night, wondering what would happen now…
Her father did find the man, her actual father, a wood elf by the name of Tarathiel Eilra. After a heated discussion though, both men realised that they’d been played for fools by the same woman. Vianola had been telling the same stories to Tarathiel, but instead that when she was pregnant with Lyra, she had a miscarriage. Both elves agreed though it was best if Lyra stayed with Arbane as he’d been raising her with such love and care already. Though Arbane wouldn’t stop her daughter from meeting her real father if she wanted. By the time he returned, Vianola was gone, along with all her stuff.
A few years go by, with Arbane raising his daughter as a single father, and while she was given the choice, she replied that she didn’t need to go because her real father is already here. Arbane shed a few tears of joy during that conversation. And while her mother did vanish, he was at least able to get an unconditional divorce.
Lyra meanwhile continued to focus on her studies, and actually discovered her magic was a little bit stronger in the schools of transmutations and illusion. But given their simplicity or deceptive nature, her peers still turned their noses up at her. By this point she’d given up trying to adhere to High elf expectations and chose instead to focus on her father and friends.
Eventually, when she was starting to approach maturity, a yearning deep within was echoing out faintly, like a whisper in the wind was calling out in the form of her birth father. And eventually she talked to her father about it, and though he was initially surprised and saddened, understood; and with a soft smile, nodded and told her he was fine with it. She deserved to have a relationship with the elf who was as much of a victim of this mess as he.
So she did, and set out for Morchatel for the first time in her life. It took her a while, but she did find him in the end. Tarathiel instantly recognised her eyes, and knew who she was. They shared a hug, surrounded by silence, alone in this touching moment. From there on their relationship grew. Before long, she would make frequent visits between her fathers.
Tarathiel was a game hunter, so in his spare time, would teach Lyra how to hunt. To stalk prey and take them out efficiently with a dagger or bow. And while he did try and help her channel her inner wood elf, she knew deep down her heart belonged in the city.
When she had finally become an adult. She decided for several reasons to move to Morchatel, but promised her adopted father she would still visit frequently. Here she further improved on her studies. It wasn’t long after that when her skills were noticed by Duchess Aeve of Rouveil. And was offered an audience with her and subsequently offered a position amongst her cabal of agents. She was thrilled, as were her fathers, who held separate feasts to celebrate her accomplishment.
While training she discovered a love for sabotage and causing chaos, and found herself more at home with Aeve and the wood elves more so than her people. She quickly made new friends. Her self-confidence greatly increased, and she’d often be described as cocky. Her magic also gradually improved, particularly in illusion and helped to set herself apart from her peers. As this meant she had a fair easier time at infiltration than most. However, there were still some spells she could only cast by accident if the situation demanded a swift response. One in particular, the Shadow Blade, she summoned when she and a fellow agent were attacked by a bear during a training mission. The beast had swept her aside and knocked her weapons out of reach. But when the bear went to finish off her friend, she lunged at the bear with her fist, and in it materialized a black shadowy sword with a sharp curved blade and impaled the bear, killing it.
But since then, she’d only been able to summon it in dire situations.
When the war against the Norscan League began, she was under the direct instruction of Aeve, and was often undertaking all kinds of missions in teams or by herself; including but not limited to, sabotage, infiltration, scouting, and even the rare assassination. She particularly loved the moments where a great amount of fear and chaos is caused by her direct influence. She, like her fellow agents, was there fighting the battles no one saw.
She knew that somewhere out there, her fathers were doing their part. Tarathiel was likely drafted in with the infantry. Arbane was friends with Duke Joaquin Ernesto di Tuissant, and accompanied him to help aid and manage some parts of his army.
After the fall and resurgence of Vollert d'Yvres, came the great battle of Wolfsbane. And the only time she’d battled in open war. It was too frenzied, even for her. But she did what she could to survive, and knowing that somewhere in this mess of bodies and swords, fought her way to her adopted father’s side. From there to the bitter end, they stood back to back, fighting as father and daughter. The battle was long and exhausting, but was quickly tipping into their favour.
On their way, they by chance encountered a small cluster of archers, being surrounded by a group of Norscan soldiers, and her birth father being amongst them. Between them and the archers, the routed the soldiers and continued further into the city together. Lyra, being side by side with both her fathers in this final push for victory, was thrilled. And together they fought until dawn. When Vollert emerged from the Jarl’s longhouse, declaring victory.
Lyra hugged both her fathers, as both men nodded to each other, having earnt a deep level of respect for each other.
Though the battle was over, there was still a lot of work to be done. The streets were stained red with the bodies of a thousand people. And both her fathers had to stay behind and help with the grim task of moving them. Lyra though, was given different instructions, she was to return back to Morchatel with her Duchess and fellow cabal agents.
It wasn’t long after that Lyra was given her new order, something completely new to her. She was instructed to go and aid a band of adventurers who’d recently aided the city with a problem. She liked the prospect, and while the war would be difficult to top, something told her that this would be an adventure to remember...
Comments