Talathil Dubois

Talathil Dubois was a Elven Ranger from the Kingdom of Dielmel. A member of the Fantasma, one of the most effective units of the Dielmel army. Later in life he would be contacted by the Avum Empire to be part of the Auric Lodge, to guide them through the Kelian wilds in pursuit of Val Garena

Growing Up
Born in 2305 LA, Talathil was still considered a child by elven standards at the start of the Age of Tears thirty years later. His adolescence coincided with the Reformation Wars. For his homeland of Dielmel on the continent of Kealia, this was marked by a collapse in the religious certainties of the previous age, with suspicion, panic, heresy, and violence in every shadow. Talathil knew little of peace for the next fifty years of his life.

Living in constant fear of persecution by, and equally caught up in persecuting those of different nationalities and beliefs, life was hard for the young elf. Belonging to a small tribe outside Inilvar, Talathil found security with a gang from the city. During the time of religious conflict unspeakable crimes were witnessed and inflicted upon citizens across the land. Most of Talathil’s extended family who lived on the outskirts of Dielmel were hunted and killed in a raid [G1]. This time of trouble clouded and sullied Talathil’s mind. He was short tempered and violent and hateful and distrusting of anyone he didn’t know, be they Elf, Human or something else. [G1] Describe the raid. Who were the culprits?

Brush with the Military
It was during the time of peace following the Reformation Wars that Dielmel organised a more regimented army, as happened across the land, to prevent such outbreaks of chaos the time of religious zealotry had caused.

As penance for an unprovoked violent attack [G1] in the city of Tonstar, Talathil was sentenced to military service, in the hope of instilling discipline and order to his life.

This was a common punishment as he was not unique in his unrest, many of the young Elves born in Talathil’s generation suffered the same temperaments and ended up on similar paths.

Serving in the 3rd Scouts Battalion Talathil found his first semblance of peace and purpose. He forged positive relationships with his brother’s in arms and found a calling in skills as a ranger. He was a natural as a scout, often the hardest to spot while camouflaged, moving unheard through the densest of forests.

[G1]Expand on this? Could be interesting. Who did you attack? Why? Just assault or something worse? How does he feel about this now? What date/ age exactly? 70ish?

A Deeper Connection with Nature
Upon finishing his five years of military service [G1] as penance he served another five before being discharged to continue his passage into adulthood in exploration of other avenues of life.

He made a living as a hunter, working with a renowned butcher in Enindorath living the exuberant life of a young elf in his prime. While visiting his mother [G2] in Inilvar a hunting trip took a turn for the worse, Talathil was attacked by fey beasts and left for dead.

Nobody witnessed the events that followed but he remembers a deep smell of mammoth and the sensation of swaying. He was found in an induced coma which lasted three nights and left him healed of all his wounds. Despite his mother's plea that he stay, Talathil was determined to seek out the stranger or beasts who had saved his life. Although he searched for weeks on end, no trace of them could be found.

While hunting after this trip he killed a deer and the experience affected him in a way death never had previously. He had taken sentient life and killed hundreds of woodland prey but upon killing his first doe since his encounter in the forest he wept. He could now feel a connection to the forest and the life he had taken in a way he had never experienced before and thus found a sanctity for innocent life.

Confused by these new feelings he returned to his village with his kill in hand and set about preparing with everyone else for a small feast of celebration. He has not enjoyed the taste of meat since this day and no longer consumes the flesh of another unless essential for survival.

Talathil created a small clearing in the forests of his ancestral home and meditated in trance for three days and nights without moving. When he opened his eyes the forest had moved around him and grown to embrace him. Weeds had gently grown around his feet small creatures had taken refuge in the spaces underneath his legs. A family of rabbits had made their burrow not two feet from his seat and a sparrow had started to nest atop his head. He uttered a vow that day to the forest: he would never harm another beast again unless the need was dire.

Ορκίζομαι στο φεγγάρι, στον ήλιο και στο αίμα μου δεν θα πληγώσω ποτέ τα πλάσματα της ψυχής σου, Άλντεν χωρίς μόνο αιτία.

- Common Translation: I swear by the Moon, The Sun and my Blood, I will never hurt the creatures of your Soul, Alden, without just cause

Talathil unknowingly created a bond with the land and nature that day when he cut his palm and sealed the oath, believing Alden himself bestowed a kiss upon him granting him access to this dormant magic. In uttering his oath he accidently cast his first spell and could freely communicate with the creatures around him. He learnt much of their lives and more about the forest in ten minutes than he had in his first sixty five years. He also formed his first animal bond with the sparrow nesting in his hair. He named the creature Saril and spent many months practising with his new connection to the world before he was able to reliably call upon this power.

[G1]5 years isn’t long for an elf – maybe slightly longer?

[G2]Her name? Fathers name?

Military Career
No longer able to abide hunting meat for the city he returned to the army and requested a position as a monster hunter. He spent several years ridding the surrounding lands of Orc infestations and other horrors from the Underworlds.

The Founding of the Fantasma
It was this period of Talathil’s life which saw him first find true harmony and peace. While not without hardships he felt a connection to his land and the natural world around him and found bonds and fellowship with the elves in his small hunting party. Together for five years they kept the surrounding boundaries of Dielmel safe from the evil in the world.

During this time Talathil found love, the bond with the elves he hunted with was strong and in time they became like a single entity. After a time they hunted silently, knowing instinctively how the others would act in a given situation, subtly aware of each other's presence even when out of sight. Talathil’s connection and respect of nature soon became something idolised within the group, all living in harmony with the natural order of the world. They soon became known as The Fantasma. Threats to the borders of the country would be extinguished before alerts or calls for help were ever uttered. The lands of Dielmel enjoyed the bounties of safe haven.

The Fantasma were made up of five: [G1]

Daedolin, a natural leader, charismatic and the centre of attention, always jovial but fierce in the face of danger.

Hieron Meliel, pious and devout, he was religious and followed the old ways, the first to listen with no judgement just sage counsel.

Dythrimire, on the surface cold and stern, but those that truly knew her and had her loyalty were treated with warmth and compassion. Fearless and bold, she would have laid down her life for any of the group.

Talathil himself,

And finally Gwynndalin. Born to a small druidic tribe she was completely at the service of nature. [G1]: These Fantasma members need full names and backstories.

Finding Love in the Wild
Talathil found immediate connection with Gwynndalin due to the bond they both shared with the natural world.

For eighteen months they watched each other with fleeting glances stolen in every spare moment, any opportunity to forage together or scout alongside each other. It was the unspoken joke of the group, the other three aware of the feelings brewing, often finding amusement in the lack of nerve to act.

It was not until Dythrimire’s intervention that the romance began in earnest, both were given false scouting orders, eventually finding themselves in the same location in the Dielmel forest.

The scene before them was of nature, beasts of all kind stood amongst the clearing with plants having grown in all manner of ways blooming and fruiting to create a truly magnificent scene. On a small mound of grass between small gentle streams and at the edge of a small lake with a waterfall behind them an altar stood. Daedolin and Dythrimire flanking either side with Hieron dressed in very ancient and traditional religious attire.

That day they performed an ancient elven ritual akin to marriage swearing vowels to each other and the goddess Alden. Unlike a typical human marriage this ceremony was stepped in magic and was not only witnessed by the friends the pair loved but the forest itself. Predator and prey stood in harmony, to witness the soul pairing.

Three years passed in a heartbeat, the Fantasma continuing to keep the land safe from evil, the bond between them growing stronger and deeper and true partnership forming between Talathil and Gwynndalin.

The War of Pikes Pass
Alas all things must end and with the political tensions between the “civilised” nations reaching breaking point the War of Pikes Pass began. The Fantasma, along with the majority of the adult Elven population, were conscripted to service. Having earnt renown and a reputation for themselves they managed to remain a group, becoming the centre point for the 3rd scouting battalion. Daedolin was captain of the battalion with Dythrimire serving as his lieutenant.

Five years of war passed with little incident, mostly a show of force and ego small skirmish's would occasionally occur but very little blood was shed.

On a scouting mission into Dealian territory for the Adecillian army tragedy struck. The battalion was separated into five consignments lead by a member of the Fantasma, each looking for the best routes to allow the Adecillians to launch an attack on Eldalwal undetected to try and end the war. Nobody knew exactly what happened, but each of the group felt the moment Dythrimire died. Having felt her life force disappear from the world each immediately instructed their consignments to retreat into the Pike Mountains and make their way to the designated rendezvous.

Drawn to each other they converged on the location of Dythrimire’s body. Upon arrival they found a scene of chaos and violence. Orc bodies were intermingled with those of her consignment of troops. Each scout having taken at least two orc lives. A way from the centre of the fight there was a trail of orc bodies, they counted at least twenty, leading to the corpse of Dythrimire. Quiver empty and her favoured twin blades drawn still limply in her cold hands, body littered with wounds and four arrows protruding from her back.

The arrows however did not appear to be Orcish, they were human. Thirty feet from her corpse evidence of human activity and a trail were found and the evidence of the scene left them with no uncertainty that the group had been attacked by Orcs and in the battle that ensued a band of Human scouts had seized the opportunity to fire at and kill the Elves while they were distracted. Hieron and Gwynndalin started to prepare a right of passage to honour the fallen Elves while Daedolin and Talathil set about following the trail left by the humans.

Silently they moved through the tree canopy following the trail below before finding a small human encampment of soldiers. They patiently watched while the day came to a close, night falling. Slipping down from the shadows above and fuelled with the rage and heartache of loss the humans were no match for the 2 Elves. Half the camp had fallen before a single soul had even stirred or attempted to muster a defence. The Elves moved with a feral fury and savagery that would later haunt them.

The Fantasma were never quite the same after that. The softness and jovial nature of Daedolin was gone, cold and haunted and riddled with the guilt of it being Dythrimire to die and not him. The grief drove him mad with despair which was only further fuelled by his loss of connection to the group and the world around him. He threw himself into a series of increasingly dangerous missions recklessly abandoning his friends and the group. Despite their best attempts he could not be reasoned with and it was a year later they learned of his death. The end of the War of Pikes Pass came, and a time of peace somewhat came to the land again.

An Attempt at a Peacful Life
Hieron returned to his family home in Rhode while Talathil and Gwynndalin returned to Inilvar to try and start a family. They thrived in each others company and she taught him what she could of druidic magic growing together. They moved into the forest and lived amongst the wilds sharing space with all manner of creatures. The pain of the past still haunted Talathil, especially the day of Dythrimire’s death and rarely a day went by when he would not spend time trying to create good in the world in penance of the evil he committed then.

A Wolf Pup
Shortly after returning to Inilvar while in the forest Gwynndalin happened upon a wolfs den. She could feel the pain in the ground around her, there was no sign of the mother or the pack but the forest smelt of death and evil. Three orcs attacked her and before the first blow struck she had transformed into a giant bear, striking down one with a mighty paw immediately and snapping the others neck as he sunk his sword into her shoulder. The 3rd turned to run and which point she shapeshifted again and became a tiger swiftly closing the distance before leaping upon its back and killing it. While making a pile of the bodies for burning she became aware of a small scampering and whimper come from the Wolfs den. A single lone cub was struggling to fight his way up the entrance of the Den.

Illykos joined their family that day. He would hunt with Talathil to eat, the hides and left over meat being sold to locals to provide a modest income and the bond between the three grew each day. Using ranger and druidic magic they kept him alive for longer than his natural span and found ways to create a new body for him upon his first death. [G1]

For forty years they lived this way and they could not have been happier. The bond Talathil and Gwynndalin shared was so raw and true that space held almost no meaning for them, they could be hundreds miles from each other and would still be able to feel each other, sharing simple thoughts and feelings. The pair lived in relative solitude venturing into Invilar when they needed supplies but mostly living off the forest. News spread of a new conflict in the region but neither paid much attention. Six months passed like this until Talathil was summoned by Hieron to Enindorath to speak before the council as his own words were constantly met with deaf ears.

Talathil made the journey leaving Illykos and Gwynndalin at home. The meeting with the council of elders [G2] did not go well. He pleaded they stopped concerning themselves with the frivolous politics of the mortal races [G3] and turned their attentions instead to their own lands and borders. The conflict had given rise to resurgence in monster sightings with Orcs becoming bolder and travelling within the bounds of Elvish territory once again. He was dismissed and ridiculed and reminded of the painful past and reckless actions of his friend Daedolin, the reputation of The Fantasma was not what it once had been.

Upon leaving the council to meet with Hieron he felt a strange buzz of energy from his bond with Gwynndalin. She felt his curiosity but failed in trying to hide the cause of this buzz and what Talathil could now feel was elation. Losing all restraint she let the feelings flow freely and he found the image of an infant imprinted in his memory. He burst with joy and the two shared the moment. Celebration ensued and he stayed in the city overnight getting drunk with Hieron and a few other friends from his past. This was single handily the best day of his life

Sadly the gods, or the fates, are cruel, and while staggering drunkenly back from a tavern arm in arm with Hieron attempting to sign Elvish and Human Ballards of love and glory he collapsed immediately broken inside. Within a second his life shattered. He felt the flash of fear and panic first and then nothing and emptiness. She was gone, how could she be gone? Talathil left the city immediately and rode without stopping until he reached their current camp in the forests. Lying broken and bloodied on the floor was Gwynndalin and Ilykos and 2 Orc corpses. Talathil was empty and dead inside, no tears met his eyes he just sat and stared at the horror surrounding him. The forest could sense his pain, nothing disturbed him, no scavengers came near the bodies and for 2 days he sat empty and unfeeling. It was at this point Hieron found him and performed the rites of passage while Talathil sat unmoving.

Once Hieron had finished Talathil gathered his bow and elven daggers and packed a small series of rations. Hieron pleaded with him to stay, to talk to him to not do whatever he was going to do. Hieron was terrified, he felt no anger or sadness from Talathil just a husk devoid of life. Even trying to physically restrain him Hieron had no ability to stop him before Talathil struck him and drew his bow on him staring at him with a look to imply he would fire if his friend did not leave him to this.

For months Talathil roamed the Ottenwolds south of Dielmel hunting Orcs and Goblins and all manner of Evil he could find. He took no joy in anything, slept during the day and hunted at night. He was feral, savage and reckless. He sustained many injuries and wounds but no matter how much danger he through himself into he always lived. He lived this way for almost a year.

While exploring forests on the outskirts of Dielmel tracking a pack of orcs he came across a pack of wolves. He shadowed them for 3 days before finally deciding he would reveal himself to them, hoping to find the end he had been looking for. He was met with heckles raised and growls a plenty. Teeth bared ready to attack. Staring down the alpha he put his bow and daggers down and settled into a fighting stance ready to meet his end. The wolves surrounded him and he felt serene for a moment, sure the end was about to greet him and end the emptiness his life had become.

Staring into the eyes of the alpha, as they slowly approached each other, teeth bared, growls rumbling Talathil and the Alpha tensed, ready to pounce death certain. And for the second time in his life certain death was not to be his fate. Never breaking eye contact the Alpha wolf stop snarling and laid down on all fours. The rest of the pack followed suit, and Talathil shocked and stunned by this was relieved of the fog that had clouded his mind since losing Gwynndalin. He wept, falling to his knees he wept and the wolves closed the circle comforting him and slowly he felt the land return to him. He could feel the earth and animals around him again and a connection to life that he never expected to feel again.

He found himself again and for a time lived among the wolves, hunting with them finding the connections to the natural world he had lost and once again using his skills to rid the world of evil, but this time without reckless abandon in pursuit of his death, for the good of the natural world he once again loved.

He spent several months gathering specific herbs and the other materials required for the ritual he had cast many times before, but never alone. He sat amongst a clearing in the forest, not dissimilar from the place he had performed his Elvish bonding ritual with Gwynndalin. The wolves gathered behind him unmoving but electric with the magic in the air. He mediated and sang to the earth letting his love and pain bleed into his words, pouring all of himself into the spell. After most of the day had passed like this and his throat was hoarse, he had finished. He opened his eyes and was greeted by a pair large white and knowing, that he recognised but had not seen for some time. As Ilykos licked his nose he laughed for the first time in what felt like an age. They rolled and played and laughed together, well Talathil laughed, Ilykos just licked a lot. And they wept and howled for the Soul they had both loved and lost.

Across the land hundreds of miles away a single tear slipped unnoticed from Hieron’s eye as he felt a tiny flicker of life at the edge of his consciousness that had been missed for some time.

It was some weeks before Talathil noticed the spell he had cast to return his friend to him had behaved in a way he had not expected. While drinking from a stream he caught himself surprised by his own reflection. He leant closer and noticed his eyes were not the deep green they once had been. They were white.

For several months Talathil and Ilykos lived with the wolves but the lands of the Ottenwolds were becoming ever more dangerous with the underground not fearing civilisation as it once had. They left the pack and began to roam around the land surveying the extent of the damage the new conflict was causing and the boldness with which evil was once again behaving. Dispatching small bands of roaming Orcs, Goblins and other manner of nastiness the Pair found themselves in the Middenmons.

Again the scenes were bleak, evil was taking foot in the land and Talathil noticed nobody else seemed to have realised this, with the politics and their own foolish egos distracting all the nations. Talathil made the decision to make his way back to civilisation, having been missing from the world for a number of years. He sought an audience at the Imperial Embassy in Baldant and pleaded his case there. The Avum Empire, a neutral party to the war that had been attempting to mediate a ceasefire, agreed that the concerns were valid, but could not directly intervene without jeopardising it the fragile chance for peace. Talathil offered to do what he could to aid the process, and over time earned favour couriering diplomatic packages across the continent. His years of living among the shadows allowed him to pass unseen and his hardiness and survival instincts meant he was able to deal with threats that presented themselves and do a small fraction of the work that was needed to try and keep the innocent safe.

He gained a reputation for reliability in his performance of his role moving important documents and goods and constantly tried to bend the ears of those around him to end this conflict and deal with the true issues in the land. Living this way for several months, moving about the land as he pleased Talathil was approached to help use his experience and ability to take part in a mission of subtelty. A new threat to the continent’s peace had entered the game: a mage from a distant land. He has agreed to join the band, hoping to neutralise this threat to peace, hoping once more  to see the nations of the land once again take the threats of evil seriously. [G1]I would scrap this sentence – if he had died before, that would increase resurrection DC!

[G2]Elven Kingdom – King Arataran.

[G3]Elves are one of the mortal races!