Kaseira Kinthala
Name: Kaseira Kinthala
Alias/Title(s): Wandering Playwright, The Green Bardess
Location: Far away from the angry mob
Birthplace: The High Forest
Age: 212
Race: Wood Elf
Gender: Female
Deity: Oghma, The Seldarine
Alignment: CN
To those unwelcome strangers whom sometimes wander too close, the High Forest can be a dangerous, dark place, its mysteries hidden to those not familiar with the many intricacies of a land so ancient. Monuments or ruins ages-old, brimming with archaic magic, deadly guardians, and long forgotten treasures surrounded the Forest, and it would be no small task for any experienced band of adventurers to explore. Which is precisely why places such as the Star Mounts, with its rumored dragons, or the Dire Woods, with its tales of massacres and undead, didn't see visitors too often. Those that did come typically met a terrible fate, finding their stay to be quite less than temporary, as the case may be. Conversational tea with a mix of generous, welcoming hospitality was not something in abundance here, nor was the friendly atmosphere, if it even existed at all.
Growing up in such a place was no daunting task for Kaseira, however. It was bred into her blood as a wood elf. She grew up to the parents of the Kinthala bloodline, one of questionable purity as it was often rumored that there were perhaps human or fae influences in it, long, long ago, but to the accuracy of such statements one could only guess. This was, however, a plausible way to describe the family 'curse,' as it may be, something that struck every few generations. Called the 'Itch', affectionately deemed by those of the other elves, a Kinthala would inherit the unrelenting urge to explore and make their way unto the world, perhaps one day returning after lasting mark has been left. The High Forest was self-sufficient, after all, and to leave the seclusion of its embrace was something few Wood Elves ever deigned.
The girl grew up fast, as would be expected amongst such a place. A carefree state of mind, or a blissful ignorance; both have been descriptions of those naive in the ways of the world. Only an adolescent yet, one might say her naivety wandered far into the forest and was never seen or heard from again, lost forever to the ever-enveloping foliage and its twisting branches. Truely, with the lurking presence of the demon-elves of Hellgate from the North, and the orcs and goblins and all manner of things scattered in between, how could such an innocent ideal be expected to stay with her for more than a scant few decades? It was with her for only as long as she was old enough to become aware of the world she was brought into, and then it flitted away. And with its death came the ability to survive. Such is life of the elves in the High Forest, always moving, always vying for control of the land, ever in their seeking to re-establish the Kingdom.
But all shadows in the Forest are not without their redeeming rays of sunlight to give chase temporarily. Life was harsh, but not dissatisfactory; unforgiving, but not unfulfilling. The elves had their community, and like the branches that were tightly woven, so were they. Much time Kaseira spent with others, and the elder elves treated her as they would their own. It is how such societies operate, only serving to strengthen the bonds of such a graceful people. It is their lifesblood that holds them together.
With her voice strong and her memory sharp, she was a good practitioner of the elven tales. High culture was not something they shared here, but instead tales of heroes, of the Crown Wars, and of the Fall of the Kingdom. Music, artistry and poetry, heartfelt tales of woe and joy alike; these were things they held dear, and her flourishing creativity with such was encouraged. She took part and relished in the many nights dancing, the festivites, and the mating communions. Such things were a part of their essence, and they were encouraged as something fun and joyous, each moment of life a treasure more valuable than any material object.
Strong, too, was she in body, for through strength of spirit and mind, the body becomes more resolute. Naturally, she was handy with self-defense, treating the sword as though it were no less graceful than weaving a melancholic song through crisp air. She took up the weight of her weapon quickly and bore the responsibility proudly. Many times she accompanied the scouts on their journeys, even relinquishing the fate of death from a companion by the timely thrusting of her sword through the abdomen of an enemy.
And so, Kaseira was taught in the way of the sword from blademasters, the way of the lore from loremasters, and the way of the Life from her parents. As she blossomed into beautiful womanhood, becoming a capable adult in her own right, she was struck by the indelible 'Itch.' The stories did nothing to extinguish the fire of exploration inconsolable in her heart, and oft-times she would study the map of the known continent of Faerun, one she had 'retrieved'(among other things) from a human whom, along with his adventuring company, had apparantly died in the harsh conditions of the forest. Inevitably, it would only be a matter of time until another Kinthala set off into the known world to leave a lasting imprint upon its history.
Upon first leaving her home of the High Forest, Kaseira travelled due south, looking for the city of Baldur's Gate. She had always kept a letter which she had found on the body of an adventurer in the High Forest. It was addressed to Baldur's Gate, and so naturally that was the only indication of where she would go. Typically, travellers would take to the roads, but she felt the shortest distance would be straight, and having lived in the harsh environment of the Forest, it would not be troublesome to her kind.
Baldur's Gate was her first true experience with a city built by mortals. The size of it was much different than those huts or tree houses she had called home in the Forest. It made her feel very diminuative in scale, as if nothing more than a pebble in the rockbed of a flowing stream, timeless and grande in its bustling march, ever-onward. It was here that she was first introduced to humans, and indeed, other races. Keeping her wits about her, and understanding that danger could lurk in every corner, she no doubt was still quite intrigued with the sheer mass of it all.
She quickly discovered the center of wisdom in every city to be its taverns. With no money, and no place to stay, a tavern owner, calling himself the Sal, hired her as a serving wench, noticing that more than a few had taken notice of her comely looks. While flirting and perhaps a slap on the rump here and there were in frequent supply, the advances were mostly not unaccepted and taken in good fun. She was, after all, a wood elf, and while perhaps such behavior was not something she was used to in her culture, the attentions of potential male mates was. And so it was that she made her wages there at the Sal's Fine Ales, often getting into 'trouble' as she listened to tale after tale of far away lands or rumors of the nearer locale. Sometimes she would even join up with a crew or two and go out exploring, sometimes bringing back gold or treasures, and sometimes not, but always bringing the ire of the Sal.
She never did figure out why he was the Sal rather than just Sal, or perhaps his name was actually 'The-sal'; she had never seen him actually write it out. Nevertheless, she continued to listen to tale after tale, ask questions, and serve ale, until the day the Sal discovered her voice. On that day, she became part of the tavern's entertainment, and, not surprisingly, was responsible for more than just a slight business increase. For years it went on like this. Still, though, Kaseira longed for travel, and her heart would not be placated. She kept hearing of The City of Splendors, and longed to experience its wonders. When she found a group heading this direction, she went out with them, and never did return to the fine city of Baldur's Gate.
It was in the City of Splendors that she came upon the gnome inventor Galawag Kibblescrunch. Not only did she learn of gnomish inventions and machinery (and to always be ready to run when around such), but also of Oghma, The Binder of What is Known. She found the ingenuity of the gnome and his people to be unmatched both in scope and ambition, even if everything did not always come to a non-vitriolic fruition. The epiphany here taught her to dream big, dream far from reach, and in doing so the effort may not hit the bar that was set, but great things would indeed come to those who try.
Kaseira also inadvertently met Calucious Twohands, a bard of some steadily growing reknown. As was his forte, he was quick to jump on the opportunity presented to him in the apparant skill and exotic look of the wood elf, and in doing so hired her to work with him as an actor. In return, he would take her under his study as a tutor. From working street corners with his other troupe-members, drawing in crowds, and pickpocketing would-be onlookers, the group made quite the bulk of coin. Eventually, they would be able to afford the opening and operation of The Emporium for Mellifluous Theatrics, where she would spend the next fifty years of her life acting tales of despair and comedy alike.
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