Kelden Lelu'a

Kelden Lelu'a is a dashing, well-kept and spontaneously heroic swordmage -- of sorts -- who will be played by ... under Kephtem's Watchful Eyes.

Description
Kelden is tall and compact, with piercing green eyes and a dazzling smile. His hair, a red-blond, is long and held back in a ponytail. His long fingers are always well-manicured. He remains clean-shaven, despite the half-elven penchant for facial hair. And while he's ultimately descended from a Calimshite, all that's left of this is a perpetual light tan.

The swordmage is dressed finely in threads which would not be out of place in any nobles' court. He leans toward blues, greens and cream colors in his tunics and doublets. A longsword is slung insouciantly at his waist, held by a scabbard with ornate scrollwork and the Lelu'a family crest.

Kelden wears a heavily tarnished pin above his left breast; the silver and blue relic looks as though it's survived multiple wars. While it was obviously once ornate and intricate, its worth is solely sentimental, and any design it might have sported has been buried by wear.

Personality
Kelden is charming, dashing, intelligent and quick with his wit. He is always cognizant of appearances, thanks to his life among the noble houses of Luruar. Those experiences have also given him a keen insight into politics, and his time on the streets has given him some inkling of how unrealistic of a society the highborn have. As a result, Kelden is more comfortable among the low-born.

He is fiercely protective of his friends, and he will charge headlong into danger on their behalf. However, he is also foolhardy in the face of danger, and this can get him into trouble.

Family and Relationships

 * ''see also: House Lelu'a of Silverymoon

Kelden is the youngest son of a noble family in the nation of Luruar. While the founding matriarch of his family has passed on, his mother (Anly Lelu'a) still negotiates the treacherous political waters with ease. His father is believed to be living in Baldur's Gate. His oldest sister, Mara, is set to take the reins of this matriarchal house within the next decade.

Religion
Kelden is not a particularly devout man, and he wears no religious symbols. If pressed to name a patron deity (an uncouth question at best), he'll say he favors Tymora so long as Tymora favors him. Given his studious nature, he'll occasionally make offerings to Oghma, but he'll avoid services and sermons if he can. And his romantic, artistic and rakish sides all appreciate Sune, so he finds it prudent to keep himself in Her good graces.

Fortunate Son
Silverymoon is an egalitarian society, but legend holds that a few eyebrows were raised at the ascension of House Lelu'a to respected nobility. A house born out of Calimshan, funded by a Thayan wizard's death and sponsored by a local legend, the Lelu'ae had conspicuous beginnings. A few scuffles with the Zhentarim notwithstanding, though, their integration into Luruaran society soon smoothed.

Two generations later: Kelden Lelu'a was brought into this world as the seventh child of Anly, grand-daughter of the House founder. The current matriarch had had multiple consorts (a privilege of the wealthy), and both Kelden and his eldest sister, Mara, shared a father: a half-elven adventurer. Anly never spoke his name, though, and Kelden's only knowledge of him were through letters out of Baldur's Gate.

He was a youngest son, and an unfavored child. However, his luck was soon made manifest. Kelden was never the most dexterous of children, and a fall from the third story should have left him paralyzed, if not dead. To the surprise of a small crowd, though, the young lad dusted himself and carried on as though nothing had happened. This sort of thing was not uncommon for the child; between narrowly avoiding daggers and winning broad streaks at dice, the other noble houses soon whispered that the child was blessed by Tymora.

More often, though, they whispered of Keldoc's interest in the boy. The aged Minstrel of the March, now into his 100's, was still as spry as ever ... and he took great joy in the delight and instruction of children. Kelden, being the youngest son of his favorite House, soon fell under his tutelage. Had events continued along these lines, the boy would have quickly become the bard's heir apparent.

Unfortunately, the boy's mother wanted nothing to do with Keldoc and quickly forbade Kelden to study under the bard. Upsetting Keldoc only led to more trouble, though, as politics began to rear its head. Other schooling efforts (and an attempt to send Kelden to the priesthood of Oghma) were quickly blocked.

As a result, when Keldoc passed in 1470 DR, the 15-year-old Kelden was a dilettante at magic, music, swordplay and the arcane arts. He was a quick wit, if impertinent, with a great desire to learn everything and to explore the world. More importantly, he was an honorable boy growing into an honorable man.

Shortly after Keldoc's passing, Kelden began to wear a battered silver-and-blue pin. It was marred beyond recognition, but Kelden refused to part with it, even in sleep.

Swords and Strings
The duty of younger sons is to support the family. With inheritance barred from him, the most logical choices are often the clergy or the guard. Kelden continued his education at his own pace ... in unorthodox places: with the soldiers of the Silver Guard, who taught him rudimentary swordplay, and in the trade districts, where money rather than honor ruled the day. Kelden made many acquaintances down by the river; and either his skill or his luck ensured he left without a dagger between his shoulder blades.

Staff at the University, having heard of the young man, invited him into a new discipline: that of the swordmage. Kelden quickly learned to forge a bond with his weapons, and he soon integrated magic into a flashy (but effective) style of swordplay. He would immediately put this to use in local plays, teaching actors how to fence with style; a few turns on the stage left him with a few admirers.

One such was Elyda Morrow, a beautiful commoner two years his senior. What began as a tryst between shows turned into a years-long courtship, and things progressed in a not-so-unusual fashion.

--that is, until the rumors reached Anly and Mara. Hearing that a wedding was in the works, they orchestrated a double-edged attack: they bought Elyda's silence with a trip abroad, and arranged for Kelden to be wed to the daughter of another noble house upon the reaching of his majority. The noblewoman, regarded as a notorious spinster, quickly made it plain that she would tolerate no foolishness from her future husband, even if he was a half-elf mongrel.

It quickly became apparent that Kelden's days of adventure and exploration were nearly over.

A lavish ceremony was planned for the afternoon of Kelden's twenty-first birthday. A good portion of the Luruaran nobility were invited. Anly pulled her son aside and assured him that he was fortunate, to have these opportunities.

Dawn rose on the happy day and discovered that the half-elven swordmage-bard was nowhere within the walls of Silverymoon.

His family found a letter from Elyda on Kelden's bedside stand, entreating him to come to the city of Berdusk. Her family, she said, was held in more esteem there, and they would protect him from the repercussions of his travel. Missing from Kelden's room was all of his gear, his favorite flute, the new scabbard meant for his marriage ceremony ... and, of course, the pin.

A month of investigation followed. Kelden never left by the north or south gates, as he knew the Silver Guard would recognize him. Instead, he was smuggled down the river by associates from the docks. The trail led his family to the town of Everlund ... and the doors of Moongleam Tower. There the trail went cold, as Kelden never emerged from that place.

Adventures On The Silver Way
Since leaving Silverymoon, Kelden has been on many exciting adventures. While he sometimes (usually) embellishes (or lies) about his goings-on, he doesn't reference places he hasn't been. Here are his known points of venture since leaving home.

Silverymoon to Berdusk (1476 DR)

 * Questions following his disappearance: how did Kelden gain access to Moongleam Tower? What did he do in there? And what happened in Berdusk, that he didn't stay there?

Asbravn (1476 DR)

 * TBD

Suzail (1476 DR)

 * It is known that Kelden has met Lieta Rakuris before. Just how well he knows her is a matter of some debate.

The Dalelands (1477 DR)

 * TBD

Myth Drannor (1477 DR)

 * TBD

Hillsfar, Tantras, Lyrabar (1477 DR)

 * It is known that Kelden had to leave Hillsfar "in a hurry." He claims it has something to do with "the town guard and the Rajah's daughter." While Hillsfar's Red Guard are notoriously violent, especially toward non-humans, the city has no political figure called a Rajah.

Telflamm, Phent and the Golden Way (1478 DR)

 * Public record and casual conversation will reveal that Kelden has been in Thesk for about a year, and in Phent since the beginning of 1479 DR. He is known to the Order of the Golden Hammer, and is on a first-name basis with the paladin Ovrin Namthis.

Current Whereabouts / Activities

 * see also: Kephtem's Watchful Eyes

Kelden is currently located near the future stronghold-town of Kephtem, southeast of Phent, in Thesk. He is accompanied by a lot of strange folk, but feels he is the company of people who give him exceptional opportunities to be awesome.

Statistics
Kelden is a new character in an Active campaign; he should not be used as an NPC at this time.

Inventory
Other Inventory Items:
 * Adventurer's Kit
 * Climber's Kit
 * Torches (10)
 * Bottle of Luruaran Wine

Powers
''Swordmage powers come from Forgotten Realms Players' Guide, unless marked with an "AP" for Arcane Power. Bard Powers come from Players Handbook 2. Wizard Powers come from Players Handbook 1.''