The Life of Jastalyn Dragorth Honor - Bard Laureate
The Beginning
Janna Vanlithe Faendryl and her family were steeped in politics. It was her family's tradition through many generations. There was very little privacy in every aspect of their lives, which is why when Janna fell in love with a human warrior that was part of her family's protective detail named Jovien Highwinds, it did not remain a secret for very long.
The two stole away as many private moments as they could before being discovered by her parents. Jovien was sent away and Janna was sent to live in another part of the family's land to avoid a devastating scandal. But, Janna had a secret that could destroy everything her family had worked for, she discovered she was with child after Jovien left. She was never able to share the joy with her one true love.
Janna was kept hidden until well after any signs of childbirth, and her beautiful daughter was left in the care of the family nurse; a giant woman by the name of Kearstan. The name given to the child was Jastalyn, but she unable to receive her family's name due to her shameful heritage. Kearstan raised the girl as her own, teaching her everything she could about cooking, herbs, hunting, and generally basic survival. At night, Janna would visit the child and sing her songs about her father and the love they shared.
Setting out on her own
When Jastalyn was quite young, she grew curious about the outer lands. She knew there had to be more to her life than living in secret in secluded lands she wasn't allowed to explore, so she packed her things, kissed her nurse goodbye, and waited until that night when her mother came to visit her to give her the news. Janna cried softly but understood all too well the urgency in her daughter's heart to live her own life. She bade her farewell and gave her daughter her most precious belonging – a tome of songs about herself and Jovien. The following day, just before sunlight, Jastalyn made her way through the darkness and out of the land of elves.
Her journey was long, but she had been well prepared by her nurse with staples and sound advice. She met many people along the way but was very careful not to talk about her family or where she was from. She knew if she did, they might come looking for her if for no other reason than to silence her. Her own truth could destroy an entire family dynasty. The weight of her secrets weighed on her heart and mind constantly. She was very careful not to get close to anyone, even when she finally reached Wehnimer's Landing. She'd heard so much about the town where everyone belonged. It didn't matter what race or profession one belonged to, everyone was welcome. The best part was the town was so populated, anyone could get lost there – blend in, become invisible. And that's exactly what she wanted to do.
She began her training mostly alone. She joined a few groups here or there, but her strong sense of right and wrong didn't fit in with most of the leaders' itineraries. She even tried to take a few leadership roles, but her fiery temper and feisty personality wouldn't allow her to fall under anyone's control – no matter how hard they tried. Once again, she found herself alone most of the time, but she discovered she didn't mind it for a little while. She made a few close friends to hunt with and this satisfied her nature to a point. She knew it wouldn't sustain her forever, but she was still a bit naive to the ways of the evil some men do.
She helped defend the landing in many invasions, as much as she was able. She always had a heart for those in need. She knew her kindness and soft heart were traits she'd received from her mother. In times of loneliness or fear, she would close her eyes and hear the gentle songs of her mother that lulled her to sleep so many nights.
Adventures and life lessons
One particularly dangerous time in the landing involved a terrible man by the name of Grishom Stone. His wrath upon the lands was great, and he was nearly impossible to track down or try to stop. It was at this time Jastalyn met a group of fighters led by a confident cleric named Demyse. He was the leader of a group Faendryl called the Ta'Mori, and they followed him blindly. Jastalyn didn't understand the devotion of his followers but noticed them taking a big role in trying to stop Grishom Stone. She herself only being half-Faendryl, thought it would be worth a try to align herself with this group who seemed to be constantly busy in this task.
What she didn't realize at the time was Demyse was not all he had seemed. Sure, he had three wives, but he seemed to treat them fairly, if not a bit harsh on occasion. She thought if he treated them badly they would have left so he couldn't be all that bad. She made herself known to the cleric and seemed to catch his eye almost immediately, to the dismay of his closest wife at the time, Maetriks. Maetriks argued with Demyse that Jastalyn could not be part of the Ta'Mori because her blood was muddled with human, but Demyse ignored her contests and took Jastalyn under his wing.
Every moment Demyse spent with Jastalyn by his side was a thorn to Maetriks. She voiced her distaste at every turn but was quieted harshly by her mate. The unending disdain Maetriks held for Jastalyn soon became a game for the young bardess, one she would play at every opportunity. Maetriks was a constant reminder of her muddled blood and how she would never fit in with any race, so she used Demyse's attachment to her to give rise to Maetrik's temper as often as possible. Once such time was during a visit to a local merchant. Jastalyn had a collar and she asked the merchant to attach the plate to her collar that read, “Property of Demyse”. Every time Maetriks reminded Jastalyn that would never belong, Jastalyn would toy with her collar enraging Maetriks even more. Maetriks was ordered that she could never lay a finger to Jastalyn unless she broke her vow to the Ta'Mori and Demyse. Then, and only then, she would be allowed to blow off Jastalyn's limbs but not cause her death. They all agreed.
Demyse gave his followers a task he believed would help stop Grishom Stone. He was on the search for Mandis Crystal shards to create the weapon that would take down Stone. Jastalyn spent all her silvers buying up the shards from all corners of the lands giving them to Demyse. By the time they had collected all they needed, she still had a handful left, which are stored with her possessions to this day.
Also, during this time Demyse was making her a semi-part of the Ta'Mori. They both understood according to Ta'Mori laws she could never be part of their following completely because of her mixed blood. One of the requirements of her participation was the changing of her deity. At the time, she followed Kai, which seemed natural due to her choice of profession and training, but in order to be closer to the group, she would have to follow Eorgina. Jastalyn didn't really understand the consequences of this decision and allowed Demyse to help her change over. She held the chest that he created and fed it the silvers he gave her when she was told to do so. He kept the chest for safe keeping between the times of the silver deposit. At the end of the process, she was left with a flame pendant and a shame that would follow her for years to come.
Also, during this time Jastalyn had made a few other friends that she spent little time with but had been able to grow closer to. One of these friends was named Sagoth. He was kind and friendly, if not a little too friendly, but she kept him at a safe distance and their friendship was mutually beneficial. One time, in particular, was the invasion of the Krolvin slaver ships. Jastalyn was abducted from the streets of Wehnimer's Landing and found herself locked in a box in pitch darkness. Scared and alone once again, she contacted her friend telepathically to call for his aid. He told her he was coming for her but she would have to break free of the box and try to fight her way from the ship.
She was frantic but knew she had to get herself off the ship before it sailed. She managed to find a crack in the lid and landed herself on the deck of the ship. As a young bardess unprepared for such a feat, she did what she could to try to gain her bearings and fight her way to the gangplank. She wasn't alone for long, Sagoth found her quite quickly and rescued her from the slavers. She vowed her deepest friendship from that moment on.
Soon Stone was defeated, which is questioned to this day, but he was gone and the lands quieted down once again. It was then that Jastalyn realized Demyse's true plans for her and she was none too happy about them. He requested her presence in his private home located on Mist Harbor. Once inside, the whole scene quickly became uncomfortable. There was a blood-colored cloth altar where his bed should be, and he wasted no time in trying to get her on it. She gracefully and quickly made her exit, vowing to never find herself in such a situation ever again.
It seemed he was a collector of women who had obtained the skills and training to put them on the path to being somewhat powerful women. Even though Jastalyn did not see herself in such light, he did and was going to add her to his collection. Her fiery temper and feisty personality once again dictated that this was not how she was going to live her life. She ran to Illistim for safety and broke her promise to the Ta'Mori and Demyse. She would soon learn this would be no easy feat.
Less than a week later she was escorted to a merchant by her friend, Sagoth. She knew he would protect her but wasn't exactly sure just how involved he would want to get. Demyse and Maetriks were present at the merchant, as always, and a confrontation soon ensued. Maetriks seemed all too happy to remind Jastalyn of her promise and how she had broken it. She told Jastalyn she knew what had to happen. Jastalyn was certain Maetriks was going to enjoy it, but she wasn't going to give her any pleasure in it.
Without even leaving the area of the merchant, Maetriks made her first move. Jastalyn's leg was blown away and she fell to the ground, stunned by the blast. Demyse quickly made his exit as to not get himself involved in what he knew to blatantly be unacceptable behavior, in front of a merchant no less. Sagoth immediately became concerned, but Jastalyn was in no danger of dying so he awaited the next move. Once Jastalyn regained her voice she made it clear to Maetriks that she was not afraid of her and nothing she could do to her would ever make it so. Maetriks made her second move, blowing off Jastalyn's other leg. While Jastalyn lay stunned on the ground once again Sagoth decided enough was enough and he blew Maetriks into little tiny pieces of oblivion and straight to the altar of Lorminstra. As soon as Jastalyn could move she stood herself up, straightened her appearance, thanked her protector, and they left the merchant behind. The merchant never once intervened. Jastalyn warned Demyse and Maetriks against further interaction of any kind.
Going home and finding herself
Jastalyn made her way back to the land of the elves, resting in Illistim with a new friend in hopes of leaving the whole Ta'Mori mess behind. She thought some distance might help calm the situation down. One evening while sitting at a local inn she was visited by one of the Gods directly. He approached asking her to reconsider her warned interactions with Demyse and Maetriks, but Jastalyn would hear nothing of it. The God continued to implore her to at least consider lifting her warn against Demyse. Finally, she agreed on the grounds that he would have no contact with her, would not seek her out or attempt to speak to her in any way. The God disappeared and then reappeared a few moments later. He told her that Demyse had agreed on one condition, he wanted the collar with his name on it returned. Jastalyn refused because the item was hers to begin with and she would not part with it. They finally came to the agreement that his name could be removed by the item and she could retain possession of it. The God made it so.
Demyse has held his promise to this day. Even though they have crossed paths on more than one occasion, Jastalyn would never speak to him again. There were reminders left behind of her naive decisions and pursuit of adventure that would haunt her for years to come. She retained the crimson shards on the basis that she'd paid a lot of silvers for them, but the change to her deity would not come so easily.
Starting Over
In search of a new community, she met a charming man named Sabreon who was the leader of the Dreadnaught Alliance. Through his friendship and mentorship, he gave Jastalyn a sense of belonging, a new safe home, and the encouragement to seek out her own destiny. Jastalyn spent many hours alone, contemplating in the Dreadnaught tower. During some of these hours, she found herself searching through the Dragorth family history, and what she found there would change her direction in life altogether. She discovered her father's name among the family tomes and found the name of his brother. She learned more than she had before about her father's history and it gave her life new meaning. Sabreon adopted her into the family, giving her the Dragorth family name. Jastalyn proudly wore this name for many years.
After some time, Sabreon disappeared from the lands. His leaving broke her heart, and once again she felt completely alone. Jastalyn made her way back to Wehnimer's where she reactivated a clan left to her care called Fenog's Regulars. Finding the landing had many such clans, she soon decided to move the clan to Icemule Trace where there was more of a need of such services. She made many new friends and the clan began to flourish. During this time, she was married, but she kept her new-found family name.
Eventually, she even joined the Wehnimer’s militia in hopes to build new friendships and experience comraderies among her peers. She was ashamed of the decisions she made during her naive earlier years, and now hid the shame of her ties to Eorgina. It would be many years of torment before her chance to right this wrong would present itself, and even then, she was unaware of what she was accepting.
Family
Back in Wehnimer’s, Jastalyn reconnected with Kearstan and told her of her recent adventures. Kearstan informed Jastalyn of her mother's arranged marriage to Locien of the House of Illistim who was a politician. Janna came to care for her husband and soon became pregnant, giving birth to twin girls named Jarilyn and Jenea. Janna and Locien were found dead in their home one afternoon when Kearstan returned with Jarilyn and Jenea from an educational outing. It was believed to be the work of an assassin, hired by someone wishing the Chancellor's position. Jarilyn and Jenea were very young, and fearing for their lives as well, Kearstan fled with the twins to Zul Logoth. They joined a band of friends calling themselves The Blackstone Trading Company. The friends took them in as part of the family, even changing their last name to further protect them.
Kearstan and the twins lived for a time among their new friends while the girls learned how to use their magic. Kearstan watched the girls grow with a heavy heart, knowing they needed to be with their only remaining family. The band of women then made their way to Wehnimer's Landing where they found their long-lost sister. Hearing the story of her mother's demise devastated Jastalyn, but she vowed to protect her sisters until her last breath.
Kearstan brought Jastalyn the manual that her mother kept in secret. In the manual were the songs Jastalyn's mother would sing to her as a baby. The songs contained information about Jastalyn's father, Jovien. Jastalyn was never able to put together the information about her father until she joined the Dreadnaught Alliance and started reading the Dragorth history. Kranar and Jaston Highwinds (Jastalyn's Father) were two brothers from Riverwood, who were usually up to no good.
The Royal Wedding
There was a huge announcement that there was to be a royal wedding. Jastalyn wanted to see what all the fuss was about so she stepped through the portal in Wehnimer’s to the area where the couple was to be wed. There was a beautiful chapel and an area to overlook the wedding ceremony. There was to be a ceremony before the wedding where Prelate Chaston would give his blessing to the couple and anyone that wanted to attend. Little did Jastalyn know how her whole world would change.
She got dressed up and attended the blessing ceremony alone. After the blessing, Prelate Chaston announced that if anyone wished to pledge their lives to the Godking Koar, he would make it so. She hesitated for a few moments, but she stepped forward and fell to her knees as Chaston asked her the questions of the pledge. Tears streamed down her face as she thought she could finally be free of her past, be free of Eorgina, and be free of her long-lasting torment. She pledged her life to Koar, she didn’t care about the consequences. She knew nothing of Prelate Chaston’s history. Following the Godking couldn’t be any worse than having to hide behind the shame of Eorgina. Little did she know, she stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
The wedding came and went, with a little royal drama. After the wedding, Jastalyn was so exuberant about her new life that she dressed all in white and gold – proud of her new deity, but a short while later, the trouble started. Prelate Chaston first visited Wehnimer’s under the guise of searching for a location that he might place an altar to the Godking. He toured the landing with Mayor Puptilian and the Wehnimer’s militia. Jastalyn approached Chaston as he arrived at the north gate and fell to one knee. She welcomed him but said that she hoped he wouldn’t make her sorry for her new path in life. He gave her a gentle smile and remembered seeing her at the blessing ceremony. She stayed by his side during the tour of the city.
Prelate Chaston was a zealot. His ideas of cleansing the whole humanity of Elanthia was madness. Anyone that didn’t follow the Godking was found in need of cleansing and shown the way of Koar. Many people were accused of having a serious fault in their ways of thinking, but the accusations were a lie. Prelate Chaston brought The Blameless with him to dispatch the unclean. Jastalyn was again living the despair of her choices, but she stood with her militant brothers and sisters in the battles against Chaston’s armies, bled and shed blood. Eventually, Chaston was defeated and the landing was once again at peace.
The Next Stage
Jastalyn made her home in Icemule among friends. Her group, Fenog's Regulars, had grown with leaps and bounds. She carved out a piece of the land just outside of town and built an expansive lodge. Having a newfound purpose for helping the citizens of the cold tundra, she found ways to keep herself occupied. She still served Twilight Hall, now as house Arbiter, but longed to be near the hearth of her comfortable loft. She made herself a home, had good close friends she could count on, but still, she felt an emptiness she couldn't fulfill with good deeds and well wishes. She felt as if she was floating through life, unable to find the anchor.
Some months later, she was promoted to Chairwoman of Twilight Hall and has found new purpose to her life. She now shares her time between Twilight Hall and Fenog's Regulars, taking every day as it comes.
Janna Vanlithe Faendryl and her family were steeped in politics. It was her family's tradition through many generations. There was very little privacy in every aspect of their lives, which is why when Janna fell in love with a human warrior that was part of her family's protective detail named Jovien Highwinds, it did not remain a secret for very long.
The two stole away as many private moments as they could before being discovered by her parents. Jovien was sent away and Janna was sent to live in another part of the family's land to avoid a devastating scandal. But, Janna had a secret that could destroy everything her family had worked for, she discovered she was with child after Jovien left. She was never able to share the joy with her one true love.
Janna was kept hidden until well after any signs of childbirth, and her beautiful daughter was left in the care of the family nurse; a giant woman by the name of Kearstan. The name given to the child was Jastalyn, but she unable to receive her family's name due to her shameful heritage. Kearstan raised the girl as her own, teaching her everything she could about cooking, herbs, hunting, and generally basic survival. At night, Janna would visit the child and sing her songs about her father and the love they shared.
Setting out on her own
When Jastalyn was quite young, she grew curious about the outer lands. She knew there had to be more to her life than living in secret in secluded lands she wasn't allowed to explore, so she packed her things, kissed her nurse goodbye, and waited until that night when her mother came to visit her to give her the news. Janna cried softly but understood all too well the urgency in her daughter's heart to live her own life. She bade her farewell and gave her daughter her most precious belonging – a tome of songs about herself and Jovien. The following day, just before sunlight, Jastalyn made her way through the darkness and out of the land of elves.
Her journey was long, but she had been well prepared by her nurse with staples and sound advice. She met many people along the way but was very careful not to talk about her family or where she was from. She knew if she did, they might come looking for her if for no other reason than to silence her. Her own truth could destroy an entire family dynasty. The weight of her secrets weighed on her heart and mind constantly. She was very careful not to get close to anyone, even when she finally reached Wehnimer's Landing. She'd heard so much about the town where everyone belonged. It didn't matter what race or profession one belonged to, everyone was welcome. The best part was the town was so populated, anyone could get lost there – blend in, become invisible. And that's exactly what she wanted to do.
She began her training mostly alone. She joined a few groups here or there, but her strong sense of right and wrong didn't fit in with most of the leaders' itineraries. She even tried to take a few leadership roles, but her fiery temper and feisty personality wouldn't allow her to fall under anyone's control – no matter how hard they tried. Once again, she found herself alone most of the time, but she discovered she didn't mind it for a little while. She made a few close friends to hunt with and this satisfied her nature to a point. She knew it wouldn't sustain her forever, but she was still a bit naive to the ways of the evil some men do.
She helped defend the landing in many invasions, as much as she was able. She always had a heart for those in need. She knew her kindness and soft heart were traits she'd received from her mother. In times of loneliness or fear, she would close her eyes and hear the gentle songs of her mother that lulled her to sleep so many nights.
Adventures and life lessons
One particularly dangerous time in the landing involved a terrible man by the name of Grishom Stone. His wrath upon the lands was great, and he was nearly impossible to track down or try to stop. It was at this time Jastalyn met a group of fighters led by a confident cleric named Demyse. He was the leader of a group Faendryl called the Ta'Mori, and they followed him blindly. Jastalyn didn't understand the devotion of his followers but noticed them taking a big role in trying to stop Grishom Stone. She herself only being half-Faendryl, thought it would be worth a try to align herself with this group who seemed to be constantly busy in this task.
What she didn't realize at the time was Demyse was not all he had seemed. Sure, he had three wives, but he seemed to treat them fairly, if not a bit harsh on occasion. She thought if he treated them badly they would have left so he couldn't be all that bad. She made herself known to the cleric and seemed to catch his eye almost immediately, to the dismay of his closest wife at the time, Maetriks. Maetriks argued with Demyse that Jastalyn could not be part of the Ta'Mori because her blood was muddled with human, but Demyse ignored her contests and took Jastalyn under his wing.
Every moment Demyse spent with Jastalyn by his side was a thorn to Maetriks. She voiced her distaste at every turn but was quieted harshly by her mate. The unending disdain Maetriks held for Jastalyn soon became a game for the young bardess, one she would play at every opportunity. Maetriks was a constant reminder of her muddled blood and how she would never fit in with any race, so she used Demyse's attachment to her to give rise to Maetrik's temper as often as possible. Once such time was during a visit to a local merchant. Jastalyn had a collar and she asked the merchant to attach the plate to her collar that read, “Property of Demyse”. Every time Maetriks reminded Jastalyn that would never belong, Jastalyn would toy with her collar enraging Maetriks even more. Maetriks was ordered that she could never lay a finger to Jastalyn unless she broke her vow to the Ta'Mori and Demyse. Then, and only then, she would be allowed to blow off Jastalyn's limbs but not cause her death. They all agreed.
Demyse gave his followers a task he believed would help stop Grishom Stone. He was on the search for Mandis Crystal shards to create the weapon that would take down Stone. Jastalyn spent all her silvers buying up the shards from all corners of the lands giving them to Demyse. By the time they had collected all they needed, she still had a handful left, which are stored with her possessions to this day.
Also, during this time Demyse was making her a semi-part of the Ta'Mori. They both understood according to Ta'Mori laws she could never be part of their following completely because of her mixed blood. One of the requirements of her participation was the changing of her deity. At the time, she followed Kai, which seemed natural due to her choice of profession and training, but in order to be closer to the group, she would have to follow Eorgina. Jastalyn didn't really understand the consequences of this decision and allowed Demyse to help her change over. She held the chest that he created and fed it the silvers he gave her when she was told to do so. He kept the chest for safe keeping between the times of the silver deposit. At the end of the process, she was left with a flame pendant and a shame that would follow her for years to come.
Also, during this time Jastalyn had made a few other friends that she spent little time with but had been able to grow closer to. One of these friends was named Sagoth. He was kind and friendly, if not a little too friendly, but she kept him at a safe distance and their friendship was mutually beneficial. One time, in particular, was the invasion of the Krolvin slaver ships. Jastalyn was abducted from the streets of Wehnimer's Landing and found herself locked in a box in pitch darkness. Scared and alone once again, she contacted her friend telepathically to call for his aid. He told her he was coming for her but she would have to break free of the box and try to fight her way from the ship.
She was frantic but knew she had to get herself off the ship before it sailed. She managed to find a crack in the lid and landed herself on the deck of the ship. As a young bardess unprepared for such a feat, she did what she could to try to gain her bearings and fight her way to the gangplank. She wasn't alone for long, Sagoth found her quite quickly and rescued her from the slavers. She vowed her deepest friendship from that moment on.
Soon Stone was defeated, which is questioned to this day, but he was gone and the lands quieted down once again. It was then that Jastalyn realized Demyse's true plans for her and she was none too happy about them. He requested her presence in his private home located on Mist Harbor. Once inside, the whole scene quickly became uncomfortable. There was a blood-colored cloth altar where his bed should be, and he wasted no time in trying to get her on it. She gracefully and quickly made her exit, vowing to never find herself in such a situation ever again.
It seemed he was a collector of women who had obtained the skills and training to put them on the path to being somewhat powerful women. Even though Jastalyn did not see herself in such light, he did and was going to add her to his collection. Her fiery temper and feisty personality once again dictated that this was not how she was going to live her life. She ran to Illistim for safety and broke her promise to the Ta'Mori and Demyse. She would soon learn this would be no easy feat.
Less than a week later she was escorted to a merchant by her friend, Sagoth. She knew he would protect her but wasn't exactly sure just how involved he would want to get. Demyse and Maetriks were present at the merchant, as always, and a confrontation soon ensued. Maetriks seemed all too happy to remind Jastalyn of her promise and how she had broken it. She told Jastalyn she knew what had to happen. Jastalyn was certain Maetriks was going to enjoy it, but she wasn't going to give her any pleasure in it.
Without even leaving the area of the merchant, Maetriks made her first move. Jastalyn's leg was blown away and she fell to the ground, stunned by the blast. Demyse quickly made his exit as to not get himself involved in what he knew to blatantly be unacceptable behavior, in front of a merchant no less. Sagoth immediately became concerned, but Jastalyn was in no danger of dying so he awaited the next move. Once Jastalyn regained her voice she made it clear to Maetriks that she was not afraid of her and nothing she could do to her would ever make it so. Maetriks made her second move, blowing off Jastalyn's other leg. While Jastalyn lay stunned on the ground once again Sagoth decided enough was enough and he blew Maetriks into little tiny pieces of oblivion and straight to the altar of Lorminstra. As soon as Jastalyn could move she stood herself up, straightened her appearance, thanked her protector, and they left the merchant behind. The merchant never once intervened. Jastalyn warned Demyse and Maetriks against further interaction of any kind.
Going home and finding herself
Jastalyn made her way back to the land of the elves, resting in Illistim with a new friend in hopes of leaving the whole Ta'Mori mess behind. She thought some distance might help calm the situation down. One evening while sitting at a local inn she was visited by one of the Gods directly. He approached asking her to reconsider her warned interactions with Demyse and Maetriks, but Jastalyn would hear nothing of it. The God continued to implore her to at least consider lifting her warn against Demyse. Finally, she agreed on the grounds that he would have no contact with her, would not seek her out or attempt to speak to her in any way. The God disappeared and then reappeared a few moments later. He told her that Demyse had agreed on one condition, he wanted the collar with his name on it returned. Jastalyn refused because the item was hers to begin with and she would not part with it. They finally came to the agreement that his name could be removed by the item and she could retain possession of it. The God made it so.
Demyse has held his promise to this day. Even though they have crossed paths on more than one occasion, Jastalyn would never speak to him again. There were reminders left behind of her naive decisions and pursuit of adventure that would haunt her for years to come. She retained the crimson shards on the basis that she'd paid a lot of silvers for them, but the change to her deity would not come so easily.
Starting Over
In search of a new community, she met a charming man named Sabreon who was the leader of the Dreadnaught Alliance. Through his friendship and mentorship, he gave Jastalyn a sense of belonging, a new safe home, and the encouragement to seek out her own destiny. Jastalyn spent many hours alone, contemplating in the Dreadnaught tower. During some of these hours, she found herself searching through the Dragorth family history, and what she found there would change her direction in life altogether. She discovered her father's name among the family tomes and found the name of his brother. She learned more than she had before about her father's history and it gave her life new meaning. Sabreon adopted her into the family, giving her the Dragorth family name. Jastalyn proudly wore this name for many years.
After some time, Sabreon disappeared from the lands. His leaving broke her heart, and once again she felt completely alone. Jastalyn made her way back to Wehnimer's where she reactivated a clan left to her care called Fenog's Regulars. Finding the landing had many such clans, she soon decided to move the clan to Icemule Trace where there was more of a need of such services. She made many new friends and the clan began to flourish. During this time, she was married, but she kept her new-found family name.
Eventually, she even joined the Wehnimer’s militia in hopes to build new friendships and experience comraderies among her peers. She was ashamed of the decisions she made during her naive earlier years, and now hid the shame of her ties to Eorgina. It would be many years of torment before her chance to right this wrong would present itself, and even then, she was unaware of what she was accepting.
Family
Back in Wehnimer’s, Jastalyn reconnected with Kearstan and told her of her recent adventures. Kearstan informed Jastalyn of her mother's arranged marriage to Locien of the House of Illistim who was a politician. Janna came to care for her husband and soon became pregnant, giving birth to twin girls named Jarilyn and Jenea. Janna and Locien were found dead in their home one afternoon when Kearstan returned with Jarilyn and Jenea from an educational outing. It was believed to be the work of an assassin, hired by someone wishing the Chancellor's position. Jarilyn and Jenea were very young, and fearing for their lives as well, Kearstan fled with the twins to Zul Logoth. They joined a band of friends calling themselves The Blackstone Trading Company. The friends took them in as part of the family, even changing their last name to further protect them.
Kearstan and the twins lived for a time among their new friends while the girls learned how to use their magic. Kearstan watched the girls grow with a heavy heart, knowing they needed to be with their only remaining family. The band of women then made their way to Wehnimer's Landing where they found their long-lost sister. Hearing the story of her mother's demise devastated Jastalyn, but she vowed to protect her sisters until her last breath.
Kearstan brought Jastalyn the manual that her mother kept in secret. In the manual were the songs Jastalyn's mother would sing to her as a baby. The songs contained information about Jastalyn's father, Jovien. Jastalyn was never able to put together the information about her father until she joined the Dreadnaught Alliance and started reading the Dragorth history. Kranar and Jaston Highwinds (Jastalyn's Father) were two brothers from Riverwood, who were usually up to no good.
The Royal Wedding
There was a huge announcement that there was to be a royal wedding. Jastalyn wanted to see what all the fuss was about so she stepped through the portal in Wehnimer’s to the area where the couple was to be wed. There was a beautiful chapel and an area to overlook the wedding ceremony. There was to be a ceremony before the wedding where Prelate Chaston would give his blessing to the couple and anyone that wanted to attend. Little did Jastalyn know how her whole world would change.
She got dressed up and attended the blessing ceremony alone. After the blessing, Prelate Chaston announced that if anyone wished to pledge their lives to the Godking Koar, he would make it so. She hesitated for a few moments, but she stepped forward and fell to her knees as Chaston asked her the questions of the pledge. Tears streamed down her face as she thought she could finally be free of her past, be free of Eorgina, and be free of her long-lasting torment. She pledged her life to Koar, she didn’t care about the consequences. She knew nothing of Prelate Chaston’s history. Following the Godking couldn’t be any worse than having to hide behind the shame of Eorgina. Little did she know, she stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
The wedding came and went, with a little royal drama. After the wedding, Jastalyn was so exuberant about her new life that she dressed all in white and gold – proud of her new deity, but a short while later, the trouble started. Prelate Chaston first visited Wehnimer’s under the guise of searching for a location that he might place an altar to the Godking. He toured the landing with Mayor Puptilian and the Wehnimer’s militia. Jastalyn approached Chaston as he arrived at the north gate and fell to one knee. She welcomed him but said that she hoped he wouldn’t make her sorry for her new path in life. He gave her a gentle smile and remembered seeing her at the blessing ceremony. She stayed by his side during the tour of the city.
Prelate Chaston was a zealot. His ideas of cleansing the whole humanity of Elanthia was madness. Anyone that didn’t follow the Godking was found in need of cleansing and shown the way of Koar. Many people were accused of having a serious fault in their ways of thinking, but the accusations were a lie. Prelate Chaston brought The Blameless with him to dispatch the unclean. Jastalyn was again living the despair of her choices, but she stood with her militant brothers and sisters in the battles against Chaston’s armies, bled and shed blood. Eventually, Chaston was defeated and the landing was once again at peace.
The Next Stage
Jastalyn made her home in Icemule among friends. Her group, Fenog's Regulars, had grown with leaps and bounds. She carved out a piece of the land just outside of town and built an expansive lodge. Having a newfound purpose for helping the citizens of the cold tundra, she found ways to keep herself occupied. She still served Twilight Hall, now as house Arbiter, but longed to be near the hearth of her comfortable loft. She made herself a home, had good close friends she could count on, but still, she felt an emptiness she couldn't fulfill with good deeds and well wishes. She felt as if she was floating through life, unable to find the anchor.
Some months later, she was promoted to Chairwoman of Twilight Hall and has found new purpose to her life. She now shares her time between Twilight Hall and Fenog's Regulars, taking every day as it comes.