Talcoerr Eveningfall

Talcoerr "Tal" Eveningfall is a character played by Ryan Neenan. A cunning, smooth, and slightly amoral spellthief who has an intense hatred of the Red Wizards, he was a member of the Seahook Convoy in the Swordpoints of the Sea Hook campaign.

Description
A gruff, tone, and straightforward half-elf, Tal stands at 5'8" and 142 lbs. His long black hair is usually unkempt, framing his coppery bronze skin and his consistently darting green eyes.  His garb is almost always black or another dreary color, and he is rarely seen without his armor and scimitar at his side.

Personality
Unlike many others, Tal does not have any "cause" that drives his character. Though he follows a God, he is not very devout. He does not champion good or evil, law or chaos. He is an adventurer to the very end, and it is the test of using his skills that motivates his character. Easily bored with monotony, Tal has moved on several times when the situation called for it. A mixture of overconfidence, a weak will, and an absence of strong morals has gotten him in far more trouble that he would have liked.

To others, he is friendly yet serious, charming yet foreboding. More than a few women have come "under his spell." He does not tolerate cowards or those that overreact. He admires those that accomplish what they set out to do, whether it is evil or good. The lone exception to this rule is the Red Wizards, whom he sees as the ultimate evil in Faerun.

Family & Relationships
Tal grew up in a full and loving household. His two younger brothers, Aelthas and Gaedynn, both serve in the Militia of Relkath's Foot. His parents, Faelar and Blaera, are merchants in the town. The black horse of the family, Tal's leaving was barely noticed.

Over the last twenty years, Tal has had more than his share of "relationships." Though few lasted more than a night or two, Tal met a human woman and fellow rogue by the name of Lista Killarn in Raven's Bluff about one year before he left. It was hard to say what the two did more of - fighting or loving - but in the end, the two parted ways amicably, as Lista left for a job in Cormyr.

Early Years
Born in 1335 in the Half-Elven community of Relkath's Foot, in the mighty Yuirwood forest in Aglarond, Talcoerr grew up in a loving home and safe community. He was a rather troublesome child - consistently getting himself into places he didn't belong, and wandering from the safety of the village on several occasions. Once, he was even caught pickpocketing - resulting in many hours of service in the fields. His parents, desperately hoping it would bring some kind of order to their son, enlisted him in the town's militia. It did help for a time - Tal enjoyed honing his secretive skills, and had no heed when it came time to kill. But eventually, like so many other instances in his life, the militia started to bore him. He quit after his two years of service, and went to work for his parents in the merchant district.

The Path of the Spellthief
It was shortly thereafter that Tal was approached by an old family friend...well, acquaintance... well, the family would never actually admit they knew him in public. An old grisly recluse named Urtop, this man was known throughout the town as a drunk and a former thief. It was this reputation, however, that made Tal listen to what he had to say.

Urtop revealed himself as a Spellthief, a highly prized profession in a part of the world where the Red Wizards were right across your borders. Urtop insisted that Tal should become his apprentice and take up the profession. Tal agreed without much need of thought, and the two disappeared for almost a year for the training. The training culminated in a trip to the city of Delthuntle, where Tal attacked and managed to steal powers away from a local wizard. His training complete, Urtop left him with one final lesson: The Red Wizards, the enemy of Aglarond and indeed all of Faerun, where the only constant in this world - the only thing that is and ever shall be wrong and evil. If presented a chance to oppose them, do so, and use these new powers.

Leaving Aglarond - Raven's Bluff
Returning to the village, Tal realized quickly how little it seemed. When he played a practical joke on a local noble, stealing some of his magical abilities, the militia was sent out to arrest him and he quickly decided that it was time to leave. His parents, who by this time had abandoned any hope that their son would amount to anything they deemed important, barely noticed as Tal fled the city, traveling north towards the capital. Tal was only 25.

He eventually arrived in the capital of Velprintalar, a marvelous site in the wake of Relkath's Foot. Yet here too seemed strange and wrong. Heightening these feelings was the site of the leader of Aglarond - The Simbul - who Tal witnessed walking down a random ally, talking to herself. Adventure, he decided, would best be found away from here. He booked the first boat out of the capital. A week later in early 1360, he stood at the docks of the city of Ravens Bluff in The Vast.

Raven's Bluff, known as a haven for adventurers, was a perfect match for Tal. He immediately began work as a mercenary where, thanks in part to his rather vacant moral code, he made a lot of money. Unfortunately, he also spent a lot of money. He quickly gained a reputation in the city as a competent gun for hire, and a ladies man, his abilities only making his value that much higher in both areas. Overall, Tal spent 15 years in Raven's Bluff. Soon, however, the town grew tiresome. With the departing of his one real relationship in Lista, he decided it was time to leave. Leaving nothing behind and taking nothing with him, he set out east in early 1375.

Trouble in Impiltur
He spent two rather uneventful years traveling, eventually leaving The Vast and entering the southern portion of Impiltur. He stopped in each city and town, hoping for something to call for him to stay. He had no luck however, until he reached the second largest city in Impiltur in The Melting of 1377 - Hlammach. It was there that a rather strange group recruited Tal to help defend the city from an army of Hobgoblins. The battle was fierce, and to Tal's dismay the town was only saved when several Red Wizards from the town's enclave stepped in. The resulting action of a Red Wizard being placed in charge of the town horrified the half-elf. He decided that this was a place he should spend some time.

After joining up with the men who recruited him, Tal joined them in arms, eventually involving himself in the political affairs of Impiltur, becoming a Swordpoint of Impiltur in the process. This involvement included stopping the influence of a Red Wizard named Senten Zassif, and the infiltration of Sembian operatives led by one Miklos Selkirk. Through many adventures, Tal and his group foiled the plans of Zassif and his former - and slightly insane - master Dhal Grishamel. In the fray, Tal was the one who recovered the Sword of the Triad, though through a misunderstanding, he was punished by an insane cleric of Ilmater. During this time, Tal also met a man named Corrin and his very powerful group - Tal did not trust them, or like them very much, however.

With the invasion of Impiltur by Sembia, the separation of the city states, and his dysfunctional party separating, Tal withdrew to Hlammach, hoping to find it as they had left it earlier - in need of a leader. Tal realized, however, that Hlammach was not the place for him, as it and the rest of Impiltur were now separate from Lyrrabar and had a plan all its own. He did learn, however, that there still existed a Red Wizard influence in the capital city. Tal returned to Lyrrabar and joined Michael Illent and his former companion Traim in plans to defend the city from any invasion from Sembia. Tal cared more about stopping the Red Wizards from obtaining anything they desire. When Sembia invaded and took over the city, Tal was last seen fleeing with Illent toward Dilpur.

The Call for a Hero
Tal separated from Illent when he left for the Blood Marshes. Upset with the failure of protecting the city, he made his way toward the nation of Sembia to enact what revenge he could. He reached the capital city in Summertide 1377, just in time to here some very good news: his former leader, the Simbul, had appeared in Hlammach and stopped Selkirk and his army from advancing. Tal was convinced his communications were the key to bring the Simbul into action - whether this is the truth will probably never be known.

For the rest of 1377, Tal worked in Sembia with the sole goal of undermining and disrupting Selkirk or the Red Wizard Enclaves. This included several assassinations of Wizards and other high ranking officials and military. Tal did not act rashly though - he knew that these things had to be done with care, and patience. Through his dealings, he learned much about Sembia and how it worked.

It was in the very early morning of the first of the new year of 1378, that Tal was creeping up on a passed out Red Wizard. However, before he could act, a peculiar sensation overtook him and he soon found himself in a totally different room and building. Eventually, three others joined him there - Keldoc Mirrorwind, Sejanus Bauduril and Melfaren Bauduril. It was soon learned that they were in Starmantle, and were called there to help the temple of Tymora and its leader, Loralei.

The four worked to help stop a band of marauders from attacking trade caravans, recovering several artifacts for the church in the process. It was learned that a dragon, one taking part in their peculiar "great game," was responsible. Though they slew the dragon, it was soon learned that she somehow was brought back to life. Though the circumstances were still slightly mysterious, Tal was satisfied with the results, and after doing some minor tasks to undermine the new Red Wizard enclave in the city, he bought a teleport off Melfaren and traveled back to Sembia.

Sembian Antics
Some say it is no coincidence Tal was in the capital of Sembia when Emperor Miklos Selkirk was killed in early 1378. While his death was never fully explained, Tal was known to brag to his friends that he was somehow responsible. Those that know Tal usually think he is telling a tale, but there is enough conviction in his words to make one wonder.

Tal spent the next 7 years mostly in Sembia - the occasional jaunt to Aglarond or Raven's Bluff broke up this time. Overall, these were very happy years: he spent much time disrupting Red Wizard activity and making a lot of money in Sembian lands. But toward the middle of the 1380's, Tal caught wind of a growing influence in Sembia. Though he would never find the source of this influence - the Shadovar - he didn't like what was coming. He left the capital in 1384 and traveled to the town of Yhaunn, where he had many business contacts, a mansion on one of the highest walls in the city, and several women he quite enjoyed the company of.

Death: 1385
The Year of Blue Fire came suddenly and harshly on Sembia, and Yhaunn encounter the full brunt of its power. Tal hardly saw it coming. Lost, confused, and drained of his arcane magic, Tal managed to hold onto his sanity as the plague ripped through the cliff side. While his body rippled and mutated, his mansion lifted off the ground as the cliff beneath it crashed up into the sky. Tal, among nearly 10,000 others, was not seen or heard from again.

Unknown to Tal, he fathered identical twin boys, born shortly after his death, both spellscarred.