Elduran Tamniel d`e'Nonche (El-Duh-Ron, Tam-Neel, Dey-Not)

"Mutilated? No. I prefer to think of them as a nonconsensual fashion statement"

— Elduran to Eliander Fireborn when asked about her ears after she was rescued following her confrontation with the Sea Princes

 

LORE

 

History

  The High Elf, Elduran is the daughter of the master carpenter, Undanark de'Nonche and a Druidic Priestess named Fyndyllymyr Tu'Et-Sountiou. As the Free City of Greyhawk expanded over time and the woods slowly began to give way to stone walls and farm fields, other artisans were drawn like moths to the flame. Overnight, the city turned into an overcrowded environment where 30 different craftsman were competing with each other. So searching for a better life, Undanark and Fyndyllymyr undertook the dangerous journey across the Azure Sea to the city of Saltmarsh in 550 CY. After a few run ins with pirates and some weather delays, they arrived in the city of Saltmarsh in 551 to begin their lives anew. Undanark took up position as the town's chief carpenter, and Fyndyllymyr took a job at the temple using her druidic skills for healing.   In 552 CY, on the 15th day of Brightleaf, Elduran was born. Shortly before Needfest of the following year, Fyndyllymyr was struck by a runaway carriage while walking home from the docks with Elduran. Though she managed to protect her daughter, Fyndyllymyr was killed in the incident. No charges were filed against the driver. Undanark then took up the task of raising his infant daughter all by himself. Elduran would spend many hours swaddled against her father's chest in his workshop, watching as he built, tinkered, and repaired. Without even knowing it, Undanark began preparing his daughter then and there for her calling as a woodworker. Before she knew how to walk, Elduran could use every tool in his shop, and by age 5 she built her own dollhouse. All things considered, Elduran's early childhood was fairly happy.  

The Sea Prince Raids and Hytham Wyatt

  Following the chaos of the Black Brotherhood's revolt and the subsequent civil wars in the Hold of the Sea Princes, slave raids in the surrounding territories, including Saltmarsh and the Dreadwood, became commonplace. Between 545 CY and 575 CY, the average annual disappearance rate of citizens in Southern Keoland numbered in the thousands. Out of necessity, some prominent members of the raided cities and towns banded together and struck various deals with the members of the Sea Princes who held the most power. Though still an occurrence, slave raids are now much more rare than they used to be, and towns like Saltmarsh are keen to keep it that way. Even at the expense of their own soul.   It was during one of these raids that Undanark was taken by the Sea Princes. In 571 CY a raiding party laid siege to the town and killed most of the town guard. In the largest raid ever conducted on Saltmarsh, over 100 citizens were taken hostage and prepared for shipment to work camps or prostitution rings. The leader of this raid was named Hytham Wyatt. Hytham was a cruel and violent man. He enjoyed torture and seemed to genuinely revel in the suffering of others. The more directly he was involved in causing that suffering, the more joy he felt. Elduran had been away to a neighboring village gathering food for the larder when she saw the smoke on the horizon. Though she ran back to the village, she was too late and arrived just in time to see Hytham's ship sailing off into the distance.   Elduran jumped in a fishing boat and gave chase to the ship, rowing by herself, for three days. Most of the time she could barely keep it in her sights. By the time she caught up she was exhausted, and after boarding, discovered the pirates had spotted her days ago. Admiring her tenacity, they allowed her to live long enough to watch her father be tortured to death over 3 days. When Undanark was dead, his body was thrown into the sea. Hytham cut the tips of Elduran's ears off, but allowed her to live. He ordered her to be thrown in after her father. Without food or water, Elduran clung to her father's corpse for six days before being brought ashore by a random fishing boat.   It was then and there that Elduran swore an oath of revenge against Hytham and his evil band of pirates. Though she'll need quite a bit of help to get it. In return for such aid, she may be willing to provide her services as a master carpenter for the adventuring party that may have need of such skills.