Raven Battlestar
- Mistress of the Northwind

Raven Battlestar is a twenty-two year old human native of Damara. She is a relative of the famous 'Seekers of Faerun' heroine, Swan Battlestar. Since 'Tide of Shadows' is roughly co-incident in time with 'Darkness Rising', she is a cousin.

Raven's destiny was set when her family was attacked and robbed by a mixed band of orc and human outlaws when she was just sixteen. Her father Whimbrel and mother Deneb were killed in the attack. Her older sister Kestrel was abducted by the outlaws. This attack left her with a deep-seated hatred for male humanoids. [Hence the flaw: Intolerance with male humanoids as the target]. Also she has become very suspicious by nature. [Hence the trait: Suspicious].

She has the following mission statement: I will do all in my power to ensure that all of Faerun is ruled by females. Men are either vile or weak. The vile shall be exterminated. The weak shall become castrati and may be allowed to perform useful work tilling the fields, caring for children, and singing in choirs. A very few males will be chosen for their gentleness of mind and physical attributes to propagate each humanoid species.

Raven's alignment is lawful neutral. Like many of this alignment she can be judgemental and believes that it is most efficient if she is judge, jury and executioner.

Raven believes that complete honesty is necessary if she is to attract minions and complete her mission. [Hence the flaw: Compulsive Honesty].

After the attack, Raven was sent to a Monastery of the Sun Soul Order in Damara. Here after hard study and practise she was accepted into the first level of this monastic order. At sixteen, she was already grown to be very tall but was awkward. However, at twenty-two she is even taller, but is graceful, powerful and disciplined.

Physically Raven is a beautiful, fair skinned woman with jet black hair. However, she is 6' 2" and 175 pounds which tends to intimidate potential suitors, not that she is interested in suitors. [Hence the regional feat: Jotunbrud: You are descended from the giants who ruled the mountain spanning empire of Ostoria in ages past, and possess a truly impressive stature]. There is likely some ancient giant blood on her mother's side.

Her teachers at the monastery sent her on a yearlong pilgrimage and she ended up staying a long while in the High Forest. Here she joined a druid circle and began the study of natural magic. A young elven male druid called Gorgonzola is quite smitten by Raven, even though she towers over him. Raven has not even noticed he exists. The elf has strange fantasies regarding Raven. In one such fantasy, they both are in wildshape (in the distant future for both of them). He is the lion in charge of a pride with numerous lionesses. Raven is his favourite lioness, and when the others hunt for him and bring him meat, he allows Raven to share the feast with him before the others are allowed to eat.

But she also spent a lot of time alone wandering through the High Forest. She finds that she likes the company of animals better than the company of other people. [Hence the trait: Uncivilized]. In particular, she has befriended a female raven by feeding it corn. The raven can say things like 'corn, corn, corn!' or 'die, die, die!' Raven has named the bird, Blackheart.

Like many young women, Raven likes to adorn herself with tattoos. She has a small black heart on her right cheek. On her back right shoulder she has a pair of hands bound at the wrist, the symbol of the deity, Ilmater. She only allows black ink for the tattoos. She will likely acquire more tattoos as time goes on.

Raven's monastic and druidic teachers are very impressed with Raven's potential. There is already hope that she will become the next 'Mistress of the North Wind'. The teachers are worried about her mission statement and have counselled her to temper her quest for justice with the gift of mercy. In her travels, she had the good fortune to be able to stop the rape of an innkeeper's daughter by two outlaws. After incapacitating the outlaws she remembered her teacher's advice. She chose to deliver mercy by burying her dagger in their hearts and twisting it as they lay unconscious.

Raven is now on the road to Triboar. Blackheart has been saying 'Triboar, Triboar, Triboar!' over and over again. When Raven reaches the outskirts of the town the raven says, 'Triboar, Triboar, Triboar!' one last time and departs.

THE HUNTERS OR THE HUNTED

Though only a raven, your most recent taste of civilization has you longing for the simple and uncomplicated companionship of Blackheart. It has been three days since he mysteriously flew away.

Triboar's hustle and bustle has left you edgy to say the least. The drunken reveller from Yartar who had the misfortune to stumble out of The Frost-Touched Frog right into your left breast, would probably argue, if he could open his broken jaw, that edgy is a bit of an understatement.

However, that distasteful encounter was fortuitous, as it resulted in you meeting Gracecaryn Sandtracker - a female halfing and silk merchant. She apologized for the rudeness of the male element of Triboar and invited you to her private table in The Frost-Touched Frog to show you that not all residents of Triboar are worthy of the beating the Yartar thug suffered at your hands. You trust her immediately as she wears a daisy - a sign of Ilmater - behind her right ear.

Her private table was actually a private room on the second floor, a comfortably appointed room at the end of a short hallway. Here you enjoyed a simple meal of fruits, cheeses and meats, complemented by a goblet of honey mead and a loaf of crusty bread and the fine company of the Gracecaryn.

She is a talkative diminutive creature, regaling you with tales of Triboar, one of which catches your attention. The tale of the "Lost Guide" resonates with you. His name and the reason he was hauling this treasure have become obscured by time and a generation of drunken retellings of the tale in countless inns and alehouses - but the essence of the tale has always remained - just over 30 years ago, the "Lost Guide" disappeared somewhere between Triboar and Yartar - due to his weak and lustful nature no doubt - his wagon rumoured to be ladened with sacks of gold and other wondrous "treasures". You realize that this treasure could be the impetus for the beginning of your dream of a Faerun ruled by females. You know that change can be triggered by small actions, but with the resources that this treasure hoard represents, the dream could be realized in your lifetime.

You excitedly asked Gracecaryn for all she knew of the "Lost Guide", but alas, she only knew what was popularly known, but she knew that Zandever "Nighteyes" Eyredanus - one of the most famous and beloved of the Triboar based guides - was the person that you needed to seek out. She had heard rumours that he has been delving into the mystery of the "Lost Guide" for years and he - if anyone can - will be able to help find the treasure hoard.

Gracecaryn allows Nighteyes to use her private room on occasion, and this afternoon was such a time. She handed you a silver medallion adorned with the image of an eye - a token to let "Nighteyes" you are a friend.

She suggests you visit Gwareon's Slumber to ease your civilization frayed nerves and return to this room in three hours to speak with "Nighteyes".

And here you are, standing at the opening of the hallway - strangely nervous and on edge. You dismiss your hesitation as weakness and stride purposefully forward. All of a sudden the world goes dark ...