The moon hangs above, my home lies below
Although it be cold, and covered with snow
Foul monsters to stalk, old knowledge to know-
Such is the life now for Vel'duith the Drow!
Biographical information
Zar'Ahal, the Undercity
154
Crobhear Keep, atop the Spine
Physical description
Drow
Female
5' 1"
90 lbs
Snow-white
Garnet red
Charcoal black
Political information
Noct Yaegir
Out-of-character information
Threecups the Caffeinated
9/22/2025
Concocted by MS Copilot
Although it be cold, and covered with snow
Foul monsters to stalk, old knowledge to know-
Such is the life now for Vel'duith the Drow!
Vel'duith Voiryn, Dark Trickster
Appearance
Vel'duith Voiryn [VELDwith VOYrin] is a somewhat short, slender wisp of a dark elf of seemingly indeterminate age. Sharp garnet-red eyes peer from an angular face of tightly drawn charcoal black skin, and her thin lips often curl into an easy grin or smirk. Fine snow-white hair falls from a widow's peak to her mid-back, bound by interwoven braids and pinned in the rear by the split and silver-gilt halves of a seven-inch-long monstrous claw. She wears layers of spidersilk robes in various dark colors, a supple mantle of a strangely mottled dark leather pinned by a silver brooch, a sensible pair of sturdy shoes, a silver pendant whose vines enwrap a carved moonstone eye, and a wide-brimmed spidersilk hat. A short sword, a hand crossbow, and a box of bolts depend from a hip belt, though anyone at all familiar with her folk might correctly suspect that these are not the only weapons she carries.
Her hands, feet, forearms, and calves are enwreathed by intricately interwoven patterns of fine silver and crushed moonstone embedding, resembling delicate tattoos that gleam in moonlight or sunlight, yet wane and vanish in darkness or shadow. When she taps into her luminancy, these embeddings and her moonstone eye pendant pull light, color, and shadow in to weave into her illusionary tricks, distractions, and diversions.
A falcon-winged grey tabbycat named Ilharess is often to be seen nearby, murring curiously at whatever dusty tome Vel might have open, slyly depositing any bothersome loose fur on her robe, trying to spirit away an unattended quill, or some similar mischief.
Her hands, feet, forearms, and calves are enwreathed by intricately interwoven patterns of fine silver and crushed moonstone embedding, resembling delicate tattoos that gleam in moonlight or sunlight, yet wane and vanish in darkness or shadow. When she taps into her luminancy, these embeddings and her moonstone eye pendant pull light, color, and shadow in to weave into her illusionary tricks, distractions, and diversions.
A falcon-winged grey tabbycat named Ilharess is often to be seen nearby, murring curiously at whatever dusty tome Vel might have open, slyly depositing any bothersome loose fur on her robe, trying to spirit away an unattended quill, or some similar mischief.
Skills and Abilities
As a rogue, Vel'duith is adept at stealth, slight of hand, hearing and discerning noises, spotting hidden doors, clues, and traps, picking locks, deciphering ancient languages, deception, and is acquainted with such weapons and tactics of the drow as suit her frame and occupation. She uses light weapons, especially favoring shortsword, dagger, darts, and hand crossbow. In combat, she always seeks to attack from advantage - i.e., from behind, above, or the flank - and if at all possible, in coordination with an ally to hold the attention of their foe.
As a luminancer, Vel'duith can cast various illusions, wear magical disguises, blur her silhouette, momentarily shroud herself in shadows, or snare enemies in a web of light that adheres to their form, making them easier to hit. She does not wield a luminancy weapon per se; rather, she can momentarily create a nearly invisible shadow hand that can fly a short distance, pick up and carry light objects, pick locks or pockets, or perform other similar feats of legerdemain.
As a highborn drow, she cannot be made to sleep, is resistant to magical charms, and can sense the weave of magic at will. Once each day, she can levitate herself or another person or object, or temporarily suppress a magical effect. She can see in complete darkness out to 180 feet, but is seriously hampered in full daylight, and may be temporarily blinded by sudden bursts of bright light.
Vel'duith is well read on the subjects of arcana and history, with a special emphasis on denizens of the nether planes, but this is book-learning much more than practical expertise. She can sing and play the lyre passably well, but is no bard.
Vel'duith's familiar, a fey winged cat, is intelligent, good at hiding and hunting, has a keen sense of smell, and can telepathically communicate with Vel to warn her of bad scents or twists in a trail.
As a luminancer, Vel'duith can cast various illusions, wear magical disguises, blur her silhouette, momentarily shroud herself in shadows, or snare enemies in a web of light that adheres to their form, making them easier to hit. She does not wield a luminancy weapon per se; rather, she can momentarily create a nearly invisible shadow hand that can fly a short distance, pick up and carry light objects, pick locks or pockets, or perform other similar feats of legerdemain.
As a highborn drow, she cannot be made to sleep, is resistant to magical charms, and can sense the weave of magic at will. Once each day, she can levitate herself or another person or object, or temporarily suppress a magical effect. She can see in complete darkness out to 180 feet, but is seriously hampered in full daylight, and may be temporarily blinded by sudden bursts of bright light.
Vel'duith is well read on the subjects of arcana and history, with a special emphasis on denizens of the nether planes, but this is book-learning much more than practical expertise. She can sing and play the lyre passably well, but is no bard.
Vel'duith's familiar, a fey winged cat, is intelligent, good at hiding and hunting, has a keen sense of smell, and can telepathically communicate with Vel to warn her of bad scents or twists in a trail.
Personality
Vel'duith is almost always smiling: warmly among fellow scholars who can discuss arcana obscure detail for obscure detail with her, an easy smile among those who she considers friends, a slight Mona Lisa smirk for the world at large, and a gleeful ear to ear grin whilst perforating a monster's thorax from a direction that it mistakenly thought was unoccupied just a second ago. Well, until she loses her temper at some foolish action and uncorks a cacophonous outburst of drowish cursing sounding somewhat like a raging ferret strangling a pixie with a dandelion stem.
Vel'duith appreciates beauty, whether natural or artificial, and craves long lost knowledge. She can be easily distracted by things like intricate frescoes, stunning vistas, and shelves of cobwebbed books.
As a young drow rogue, Vel'duith was raised to think transactionally, ruthlessly, and without much regard for morals or ethics. Thus, she struggles at times with her newly embraced dogma to 'be kind to all save in battle with evil.' Part of the attraction of hunting monsters is finding a bit more evil to not have to be kind to...
Vel'duith appreciates beauty, whether natural or artificial, and craves long lost knowledge. She can be easily distracted by things like intricate frescoes, stunning vistas, and shelves of cobwebbed books.
As a young drow rogue, Vel'duith was raised to think transactionally, ruthlessly, and without much regard for morals or ethics. Thus, she struggles at times with her newly embraced dogma to 'be kind to all save in battle with evil.' Part of the attraction of hunting monsters is finding a bit more evil to not have to be kind to...
Biography & Lore
Vel'duith was born into the lowest cusp of the high houses of Zar'Ahal, the Undercity. Her noble house, named quite literally for its commodity, maintained its precarious perch at the edge of the highborn caste by procuring and selling arcane tomes to noble-born priests and wizards. Once she came of age to learn her ordained trade as a book thief, she was drilled in the requisite methods of research, investigation, and skullduggery to acquire such tomes. Sometimes she had to acquire them from forgotten crypts and ruins; other times from the wary, grasping hands of proud ownership. She also learned the trickster's art of luminancy, warping light, color, and shadow to disguise her form and cloak her passing.
Shortly after stealing a demonic tome that sought to dominate her will, by either dumb luck or divine intervention, Vel'duith discovered a hidden antechamber in the bowels of the Undercity. Here she found a very different tome: The Light of Sse'elleth, the dogma of a forbidden religion, forgotten for over two thousand years. Their creed was repentance of the ancient sundering of the elven races through word and deed, and ultimately achieving reunion with the elves on the surface. Reading an inscribed prayer on the margin silenced the infernal whispers that had been plaguing her thoughts and dreams. Further reading and reflection on the dogma led her to an epiphany, questioning her existence, and choosing to embrace the forbidden teachings of the moon-goddess. Under the guise of a new mission, Vel'duith deserted the Undercity, and started the long climb up to witness the blessing of the moon for herself.
Guided by Ilharess, a fey winged cat sent to aid her, Vel'duith emerged onto the surface atop the Spine, near the Noct Yaegir stronghold of Crobhear Keep. There, she met a dwarven axe-maiden who fiercely accosted her and a stoic human warden who mysteriously greeted her in her mother tongue. Offered shelter and succor, she rests, awaiting the reckoning of her fate on the surface.
Shortly after stealing a demonic tome that sought to dominate her will, by either dumb luck or divine intervention, Vel'duith discovered a hidden antechamber in the bowels of the Undercity. Here she found a very different tome: The Light of Sse'elleth, the dogma of a forbidden religion, forgotten for over two thousand years. Their creed was repentance of the ancient sundering of the elven races through word and deed, and ultimately achieving reunion with the elves on the surface. Reading an inscribed prayer on the margin silenced the infernal whispers that had been plaguing her thoughts and dreams. Further reading and reflection on the dogma led her to an epiphany, questioning her existence, and choosing to embrace the forbidden teachings of the moon-goddess. Under the guise of a new mission, Vel'duith deserted the Undercity, and started the long climb up to witness the blessing of the moon for herself.
Guided by Ilharess, a fey winged cat sent to aid her, Vel'duith emerged onto the surface atop the Spine, near the Noct Yaegir stronghold of Crobhear Keep. There, she met a dwarven axe-maiden who fiercely accosted her and a stoic human warden who mysteriously greeted her in her mother tongue. Offered shelter and succor, she rests, awaiting the reckoning of her fate on the surface.
References
DnDwise, inspired by an arcane trickster/illusionist multiclass character. Concept wise, kind of a cross between Evie O'Connell and Lara Croft.
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