Cariuwyn

Cariuwyn Danatal'i
Status
Race	Elf
Gender	Female
Guild	Bard
Instance	Prime

Description

You see Cariuwyn Danatal'i, an Elven Bard.
She has a triangular face with laugh lines, pointed ears and wide-set grey eyes. Her black hair is shoulder length and straight, and is worn tousled. She has translucent skin and a lithe figure.

She is wearing a snow white cowl, some faceted crystal hairbeads shaped like glistening dewdrops, an enveloping mantle of heavy night blue silk, an oiled leather instrument case stitched with a small circular badge, a supple suede satchel with tightly-braided steelsilk laces, a polished leather back harness with a gleaming silver claymore strapped to it, a swirling ring of Elven silver set with a cluster of crimson rubies and some soft grey suede boots side-laced with steelsilk ribbons.

History

Cariu was born into a clan of Snow Elves in the icy reaches of the Gash, in a small, unimportant village whose residents negligently owe allegiance to Ilithi, fight for Leth Deriel, and observe the Mountain Queen with a certain amount of distrust and suspicion. Her parents are crafters and hunters.

Long rumored by outsiders to be harsh, contemptuous and reserved, a well-known work described the Snow Elves as "living short and cruel lives, with little room for art and love." However, a witty and curious scribe named Simon Bright was one of lucky few outsiders who befriended the Snow Elves, and he wrote of them, "inside their central hold among their own kin, they live in stark contrast to the perceptions of the outside world. They lead comfortable but simple lives. They surround themselves in the colors of spring and abundant texture, celebrating the joys of life and the arts."

Like a tightly-knit family, they turn their faces inward during their long lives, with plenty of time to hone their skills in art, hunting and crafts to perfection. Their harsh environment ensures they cannot become lazy or petty; they remain strong in their ability to survive and must depend upon each other. Friendships under these circumstances are not made lightly, and sworn loyalty is a serious matter. From this perspective, the petty squabbles and complaints of townsmen often seems childish, which perhaps explains their reputation for reserve.

Personality

Reserve and dry humor provide cover for Cariu's old-fashioned ways, which tend to have little place in the savage cities. She regularly hunts for friends who would rather explore and sample different whiskeys than bash in heads. Her strong sense of irony and sharp tongue hide quite a bit.

Having wanted to be a Bard her entire life, Cariu's love of writing and history gives her a certain awareness of beauty and tragedy. She sees both in her surroundings and in the actions of others, finding all of it endlessly fascinating. Her mind is always creatively busy, trying to find "the good words" to describe to herself what she sees. Her scholarly world is full of complex ideas, where the smallest action may be nuanced with meaning and ancient lore. Her seemingly aimless chatter has driven off more than one hapless adventurer who was trapped by their own politeness into a conversation with her.

In her travels, she tends to view townsmen as full of raging hysteria and petty hungers that never seem to be satisfied, possibly since they all seem to have been orphaned at birth. Since she'd far rather enjoy good conversation and a fine whiskey with clever, informed people, Cariu's good-humored awareness of being a misfit results in sarcasm more often than not. She has strong opinions and isn't shy about sharing them.

Yet, curiosity about the world, a love of lore and an unexplained desire to be otherwise keeps bringing her out of her mountain home. She currently spends most of her time exploring the lands, visiting libraries and hunting down harmless mischief.