Lyra Eshkabel

Lyra is the first female character that I get to use for more than one session (Hopefully). This is interesting, though I fear that she might suffer similar problems that Markus suffered since she is devoted to her cause rather than herself. This is my most changed character. She went from a decent character to a really liked character because of the change this last session. She is slowly catching up to Sarkozy as my personal favorite character to play.

Description
She is around 5'9 and wears plate armor and a black cloak. She often wears her holy symbol of Cyric with pride. She is fairly slim with long straight black her. Her skin is very light, almost pale. Her heavy armor and attire make her out to be very intimidating to most people. Her face would be elegant, but her expression is often seemingly happy rage or simply unpleasant. She sees herself as a dark crusader and does her job to look the part.

After the Festival
Her face as changed from a decisive zealot to a confused girl. She no longer knows what to do, and she looks far more vulnerable now. The only time she retains the her intimidating demeanor is when she is in combat. She no longer proudly displays any holy symbol since she is now split in her faith. Now she is more likely to move around in regular clothing showing a more gentle and sensitive side to her personality.

Personality
She is a paladin who is militaristic. She follows absolute authority and believes in Cyric and her teacher, Perseus Von Eshkabel. She has lost most of her original upbringing, but there there still remains a small portion of a child like life in her and the teachings of a cleric of Lathander in her.

Away form the constant messages from her teacher and father, she is town about most things besides her mission. She does not know how to treat freedom and she often will act in the way that he father deemed as appropriate for a child. She lived a life of regret and now that she is acting alone, she plans on being very forthcoming with everything she does. She was taught to be decisive and she knew that her hesitation is what allowed all of her suffering to happen.

After the Festival
Lyra's present state of confusion makes it hard for her to make any kind of decision. In her mind, she is not really evil, but it is mainly villains that save her and treat her with respect. Her old faith of Lathander preached righteousness, but failed to save her and Cyricites saved her and preached a world of chaos and distrust. She does not have a strong desire to kill, but she is conflicted by the fact that only evil people seem to help her.

On the inside she graciously waits for a hero to make it better, to show her the right path. She believes that she is good, but Lyra is misguided and believes that most people are inherently evil and build relationships off of distrust and appearances. Even now, she struggles to see who her true friends are and tries her best to gain a grasp on the things she knows to be true.

After the Meeting with Everlasting Wyrm
Lyra only had one question to her side of good. She had realized that evil had taken her because of kindness. She was treated warmly by those who had been labeled as evil. She learned that she wanted to be cared for, but she was not sure what to think of most people. Both Vinnrick and Eshkabel had tried to tell her that people are cynical beings that only look out for themselves. Once the quest is done, she will be judged as a Cyricite. The friends she has all have their own purpose. The time will come to see if they are really good or if they were being good just because it was easier.

Lyra needed to test this, and she made a leap of faith and believed in her party. After both Raul and Sarianna rewarded her faith, she felt a warm feeling that she had not felt for many years. Her hatred of anyone in her past melted as she was able to see the world clearly for the first time. She could thank Lambert, Eshkabel, Sarianna, and Raul for the help, but she new now that she was not a Cyricite, and that she did not believe in the teachings of Cyric. Since she had made this change with help, she now believes that anyone is capable of this change.

Family & Relationships
Both of Lyra's parents are dead. Her father, Matthew Gallatin was killed in Hilldale as the resistance to annexation into Sembian control. Her mother Marian Gallatin was believed to have left Siverdale without her daughter. The truth was that both Marian and Lyra were both meant to be erased as opposition to the control before Silverdale was firmly established.

Her later grew to know the Clerics of Lathander who took her in after the death of her parents as family. All of the elders, especially a kind halfling helped ease her pain and show her the true path of righteousness. Most of the cleric elders died in the siege of Silverdale, but most of her new brothers and sisters either died in captivity of the Sharrans or lived to join her new life.

Now, her brothers and sisters in the Temple of Lathander go as children of Eshkabel and Cyric. Eshkabel amassed several more children over the years, but this group as his first litter of children after regaining his position of power. Her father Eshkabel and her oldest brothers and sisters in the Temple of Lathander are the only family she has left.

Early Childhood: 1360-1373


Her first thirteen years of life were simple and playful in the Dale. Her name was Lyra Gallatin and she was in a family of farmers. Her father had done light adventuring for a small portion of his life and he bore the crest of Lathander proudly in the Dalelands. Lyra lived her life socializing with the other children and playing games. Her concerns were no different then what was to be expected from a commoner girl from the Dale at the time. The hint of righteousness taught from her father's old war stories captivated her mind on the glory of battle for the forces of good, but these were dreams and imagination.

She was actually a timid person who was not really confident in herself. She was not particularly social and had no real idea what to do with herself. She lived a simple and secure life with her family in the Dale that she believed she would live for the rest of her life.

Annexation and Teaching: 1374-1377
Her life changed drastically when Sembian imperial forces came to annex Hilldale. There was not much opposition to the annexation, but there were a few that opposed Sembian control. Her father helped lead a small militia against the forced to realized that the efforts were quickly and brutally dealt with by a secret brigade of Silver Ravens. The families of the people that were killed were to be erased. News of their deaths would be hidden by lies and the resistance would be vilified as terrorists against a new and better order.

Lyra's father was smart and warned all the people that went with him and all empires show an ugly face with imperialism. He told them to send their children to a safe place. There was a good chance that the Sembian government would strike against these families. Lyra's father felt that he couldn't trust a single man who didn't join him in battle, except the clerics in the Church of Lathander. He believed that they would keep the children alive. The mothers were either told to take refuge with the children or warn other areas of imperialist conquest. Lyra's mother was struck with inspiration to act as her husband fought for control of their land. The people that left to find other people in the Dalelands were intercepted by Silver Ravens. Their fate is unknown. The forces that fought against the imperial army were all killed.

The old cleric elders did as he had wished for the children and acted to hide them. The Sembian government hid all of its atrocities and made no effort to search for the families. The elders worked to raise them to the side of righteousness. Lyra was old enough to know that this was completely wrong. She really wished she was able to do something about what happened. The clerics preached the a similar justice as her father, but they did not condone violence. They did their best to draw the thin line between punishment and revenge. The clerics were more interested in teaching them to know inner peace and learn to live in harmony.

Siege and Abduction: 1378
Lyra had learned to put her rage behind her. She became more relaxed and was able to forgive the weaknesses of humans and other living beings for their actions. She saw of the elders almost like second parents, and she saw the other children as brothers and sisters now. Several elders have left for purposes, but the last amongst the powerful clerics left for Phlan.

In the beginning of 1378, something happened with the Sembian authorities. All of them disappeared. News of the death of Emperor Selkirk was spotted all the way in Silverdale, but no one really knew what happened. The people in Silverdale merely assumed that authorities left to investigate the situation or regroup in Sembia. Almost half a year passed and they still did not come back. There was no trade or materials being sent from the mainland. This situation was not looking good Silverdale. Hilldale was able to sustain itself, but Silverdale was made to act and get supplies for the mainland while being supported. People became less than virtuous, but those in the temple remained disconnected from the panic of the people.

After a single caravan of a few carriages made one trip to Silverdale, the people and the clerics saw hope for Silverdale once more. It did not take long before rumors began to spread. Sembia has made enemies of a new force called the Neo-Zhentarim. The rumors said that they would attack Silverdale. The clerics did not know if the information was true, but a group of mercenaries and clerics bearing the crest of Loviatar have arrived.

People in Silverdale were reluctant to forgo their control of and many resisted their control. The group of people was not large enough to actively enslave all of Silverdale, so they tried a new strategy. The people in Silverdale believed they would get goods, so the Neo-Zhentarim acted to put Silverdale under siege. Most people thought that a group of clerics and mercenaries could not get away with this kind of action, but Sembia did nothing to retaliate. The shipment was a fluke and the group clearly outlasted the citizens and promised them food and water to live. Lyra actively wanted to fight them to stop this tyranny. Several of the elders could not stand to see such atrocities happen again. The elders spoke with more force than ever then they told the children and the young adults that they would deal with the situation.

The group seemed to be lead by a man in black armor with an eye patch. The group actively denied the rumors that predicted their attack. Lyra knew that when the clerics didn't return that they were most likely dead. Many of the younger clerics hoped and prayed that the older elders and some of the more renown clerics would come back to save them. The most senior clerics left felt that they could not contact their brothers in distant lands.

One day, a cleric seemed to wander to the temple. This cleric seemed nervous and disheveled. The siege was already over though. The temple of Lathander was not burnt to the ground, but all the people had curfew's and limitations on their actions, especially the people in the temple of Lathander. The cleric that arrived seemed eager to help, and Lyra was excited to know that at least someone's prayers have been answered. Hopeful optimism turned into terrible fear when one of the eldest clerics talking with this man died. No one where it came from, but everyone saw the crossbow bolt in the back of his head. Slowly the clerics were being picked off then one of them used an invisibility purge.

They were surprised to see that it was not people that bore the holy symbol of Loviatar that showed up, but the symbol of Shar that came to kill them. The cleric they all hoped to see revealed himself as an older cleric revealing a symbol of Cyric as he let loose a powerful spell that killed most of the remaining clerics and a few of her brothers and sisters. Lyra did not know what was going on, but she believed that it was either the Shade of the Cyric cleric that was in charge of this.

The cleric spoke clearly and softly. He proclaimed that he had set them free from their siege and their lives. More than half of the remaining people were disgusted and refused to acknowledge his words. The cleric killed and reveled in the pain some of the defiant ones. His words were misleading with his actions, but Lyra knew that she had no choice. The shade merely wanted all of them dead, but the cleric disagreed. Lyra wished for an opportunity to fight, but she was scared stiff. She was just as powerless to deal with this as she was to deal with her parents. The cleric decided that he would take some of them to Searloon to reeducate them as his children, and that the rest of them would die. Lyra did not want to die, but she did not want to see anyone die. She was silent, she did not want her words to kill her or anyone else.

She was chosen with eleven others to go back to Saerloon. The only question on her mind was if she believed that the Silver Ravens would have spared her life.

Reeducation
Lyra and the other captives were held in chains underground. They had no real idea exactly where they were, but from what the cleric said, they believed they were in Searloon. The cleric introduced himself as Perseus Von Eshkabel. He offered them a chance at a new life. Lyra was quiet and refused to acknowledge her anything. Several more outspoken clerics spoke out against this kidnapping, but there was no point. It was clear that Eshkabel wanted to turn them against their beliefs. Several of the weaker looking people like Lyra got food to eat. It was odd, Eshkabel specifically told the Shade and the Sharran man in black robes to keep everyone alive.

The time when he was not there, the Sharrans were horrible. The man in the robes would soon be discovered as Ballaric. He hated the fact that the temple was holding what he believed to be hostages. He came and looked at the all of them. Lyra did not know what to expect. Eshkabel came back and learned about the mistreatment. At this point, most of the people were almost starved and several have been beaten by the Sharrans. Ehskabel showed what looked like actual concern for them and moved them to his new base in Innarlith. None of them knew where or what Innarlith was, but when they arrived, they knew that they were no where close to home anymore.

Eshkabel told them that they were finally home. He appeared to be kind, but in that instant of kindness, he killed three of the remaining twelve people. Ehskabel said that salvation is learned through understanding the true nature of the mind. He talked about self preservation and survival. He gave his children a chance to escape the siege. he had really saved their lives. More than half of the people still believed that he lead the Sharrans against them. Ehskabel made it clear that he had no intention of letting all of them die. He looked at the people dead and said that he can only help people that will be helped. Though in all honesty, salvation can come even in death. Eshkabel treated them to a feast.

In a sad twist, it was that same day that Kendrick Selkirk lead an invasion to free Sembia from the control of the group that put Silverdale under siege.

Years passed and Lyra with the rest originally make a pact with each other that they would stomach his teachings until they could run away together and leave for a normal life, but Eshkabel was more charismatic than she thought. He learned about the plan, but he didn't kill her. He congratulated her and talked. He could see through her mind and knew the types of things she dealt with. He made a connection to someone else who was dear to him who he knew in years past. Eshkabel was a master of deception and he lied a great deal, but the truth that he was referring to another one of his children.

At that point, she broke her will and started being molded and changed by his message. She slowly grew respect for the cleric and admiration for those he has taken care of in the past. Eshkabel is not a good person, but he told Lyra that the issue was that no one took initiative to fix the problems in her life. Eshkabel was going to teach Lyra how to live and fight for herself. "Was it really that simple?" she said to herself.

Lyra wanted to know why Eshkabel killed the three of them or why he did what he did. Justice is a word to justify means. Eshkabel said that he killed the people that truly wished for death. People that hated him were still people that wished to live and to act. He merely offered the dead their only remaining salvation. He retaught the words he once learned through Mavarick.

The Mission
The nine of them became the first nine children of Eshkabel. Through these years, he has gained a few more in different locations. Eshkabel had managed to use a force received by Lord Mandalax to use the power of the Knights of the Everlasting Dragon to help train Lyra in the ways of the paladin. Eshkabel and others trained those in the ways of divine and arcane arts for the means to complete different missions.

Lyra was among the most taken by his philosophy. Since she truly believed that Eshkabel cared, she had not lost sense of a emotion, but found different ways to channel it. She looked down on most people and saw little to no reverence doing anyone that did not involve the interests of her father or his master, Lord Mandalax.

By the time, they turned, Ehskabel started to tell them more about his purpose and why he needs their help. Each child was isolated from each other. Lyra was curious, but Eshkabel made it clear that many things needed to be done, and that his children often worked with other Cyricites or alone. Lord Mandalax displayed an interested in the MI Trading Company founded in Innarlith. By the present, she was well immersed in Innarlith life and the religion of Cyric. Aside from a dependency of his care, Eshkabel wanted to have his children have a strong nationalistic pride for Innarlith, the Cyric sponsored nation.

Lyra remembered her original plan to escape and that is when she had realized what had happened. She looked at herself closely and then realized that Eshkabel taught her to be strong, and that is all she really needed. She knew that after what had happened, there is less of a chance where she will be left alone while others go into combat for her. She knew she could escape, but she had no will to defy Eshkabel anymore.

Connections
Well, I would fill this part out, but there is lots of DM consoling before I should fill this part out.

(TBD)

Current Whereabouts / Activities
She arrived in Shaarmid in plate armor bearing the holy symbol of Cyric to find that Shaarmid was definetely not Innarlith, and definitely not the Dalelands. She was disgusted with what she saw and saw no reason for these cut throat savages to be alive, but she hid discontent and looked onward to the mission at hand. She knew that she would have to allow herself to take orders from someone who worked for MI Trade. This angered her, but she knew it was Eshkabel, it was for Innarlith, it was for Cyric.

She found purpose in her actions that allowed her to be patient and passable as someone who would work in a team to help. Her mission was simple and she knew that she was there to aid the the mercenaries of MI Trade. Lyra believes that if she needs to do more, she knows that he has the means to reach her.

Miscellany
I tied a character to one of Keith's characters in my Campaign. I really like the concept, but this does not seem like the kind of character who is into self preservation. I have a problem with doing that with my second characters. Fanaticism is just more fun sometimes. As long as I don't purposely play her in a stupid way, this should still be a lot of fun.

I actually made Eshkabel make a slight reference in Lyra's back story to Vhail’Crux. I do remember asking Keith a little bit about that at some point during A Bridge Between Troubled Waters, so I felt the need to have a similarity between two children of Eshkabel that were both worshipers of good deity. Admittedly, the I would have liked to a more detailed version of the story to write and give to Jorge that goes more into the character and the experience, but I personally would need to talk to Keith before I could make a reference more tied with the actual story and to be sure that I am speaking in an Eshkabel kind of logic since he is really the second most important character in her back story.

She is also my first "debatable" evil character in a non-evil campaign. I wanted to make it so that he was almost and pretty much evil, but very subject to "good" advice. Without that, she would be fit in as an evil worshiper of Cyric, but she still lacks the motivation to do true evil that most Cyricites have. With the party as it is, she will most likely turn completely evil.

Only the words of Gynthaxx have swayed her towards good.

She also really really enjoys "pancakes" and "waffles". She really enjoys it with lots and lots of syrup.

Side Note: While trying to make a character who becomes evil, I might have actually have made my most good character. Despite my constant anger for Jorge being the most Evil DM in all the group, I must say that I really enjoyed the opportunity to have my character concept fly in a complete 180 from my original destination. I shouldn't only thank Jorge though, Keith and Dan made it possible when I originally thought that Ignacio was the only one that could do it. At the same time, Neenan probably would have most likely helped me become evil. I suppose it is still possible, but highly unlikely at this point.