A promise was made, a promise to keep,
So Vel’duith returned into Zar’Ahal deep.
She sought a fine ax to return as her prize,
But found there the queen of an empire to rise.
Biographical information
Zar'Ahal, the Undercity
154
House Tor'rahel Compound, Zar'Ahal
Physical description
Drow
Female
150cm/4' 11"
38kg/84 lbs
Snow-white
Garnet red
Charcoal black
Political information
Houseguest/Petty Arsonist
Out-of-character information
Threecups the Caffeinated
9/22/2025
Concocted by MS Copilot
So Vel’duith returned into Zar’Ahal deep.
She sought a fine ax to return as her prize,
But found there the queen of an empire to rise.
Vel'duith Voiryn, Dark Trickster
Appearance
Vel'duith Voiryn [VELDwith VOYrin] is a short, stick-thin wisp of a dark elf of seemingly indeterminate age. Sharp garnet-red eyes impassively appraise from an angular face of tightly drawn charcoal black skin, and her thin lips often curl into an easy half-smile. Her fine, snow-white hair falls from a widow's peak to her mid-back, bound into a single, meticulously even braid. 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 pair of spidersilk slippers, a silver pendant whose vines enwrap a carved moonstone eye, and a wide-brimmed spidersilk hat. A finely wrought, deep-fullered adamantine short sword, an ornately carved and polished darkwood hand crossbow with engraved adamantine furniture, and a matching carved and adamantine-trimmed darkwood box filled with adamantine-tipped darkwood hand-crossbow bolts with a small plug-sealed recessed reservoir of sleeping-poison all hang from a hip belt, meticulously arrayed for quickest access.
Anyone at all familiar with Vel’duith’s folk might correctly suspect that these are not the only weapons she carries. She normally hides a quartet of lightweight flick-holstered adamantine darts within her robe sleeves, a silver dagger belt-scabbarded in the small of her back, and a matched pair of slim adamantine dirks sewn into the inner seams of her lurker-mantle. Lastly, she always carries a handful of caltrops in one pocket and a handful of twisted glass beads imbued to explode with enough magical daylight to fill a 10m/30ft diameter area if smashed or stepped on.
In a hidden middle-robe-pocket, Vel’duith carries a coin-purse containing a few dozen driths, cord-strung thin-stamped electrum trade coins used in Underrealm markets, and a handful of small gems, worth a total of several hundred gold pieces.
Vel’duith’s 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.
Anyone at all familiar with Vel’duith’s folk might correctly suspect that these are not the only weapons she carries. She normally hides a quartet of lightweight flick-holstered adamantine darts within her robe sleeves, a silver dagger belt-scabbarded in the small of her back, and a matched pair of slim adamantine dirks sewn into the inner seams of her lurker-mantle. Lastly, she always carries a handful of caltrops in one pocket and a handful of twisted glass beads imbued to explode with enough magical daylight to fill a 10m/30ft diameter area if smashed or stepped on.
In a hidden middle-robe-pocket, Vel’duith carries a coin-purse containing a few dozen driths, cord-strung thin-stamped electrum trade coins used in Underrealm markets, and a handful of small gems, worth a total of several hundred gold pieces.
Vel’duith’s 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.
Skills and Abilities
As an experienced rogue, Vel'duith is adept at stealth, slight of hand, hearing and discerning noises, spotting hidden doors, clues, and traps, setting and disarming traps of both mundane and magical varieties, picking locks, deciphering ancient languages, deception, and is acquainted with such weapons and tactics of the drow as suit her frame and occupation. She necessarily wields only light, nimble 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. She is not very highly skilled as a duellist and would immediately look to fade away from any extended melee, if possible in the direction of the nearest prepared trap or ally with which to turn the tables.
As a journey-level 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 traditional luminancy weapon; 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. She can also cast a handful of other-discipline spells of minor effect or short duration such as a simple ward or a laughing curse, "first level" offensive spells, and a variety of cantrips for trivial but useful tasks such as mixing or heating and cooling liquids, tidying up, lighting candles or a cooking fire, hiding smoke from a fire, or mending simple rips and tears. She has not learned any of the more powerful sorts of fire, lightning, or ice evocations, impenetrable abjuring barriers, or fell conjurations of terrible beasts and demons most folks think of when picturing a powerful wizard.
As a highborn drow, she cannot be magically made to sleep, is resistant to poisons and magical charms, and can sense the weave of magic at will. Once each day, she can levitate herself or another person or object weighing up to a quarter-ton, or temporarily suppress a magical effect. The duration of this is dependent on the load. For herself alone in her typical degree of equipment, she can maintain the spell for up to ten minutes. If lifting a full quarter ton, she can only maintain the spell for a minute at most. She has keen senses of hearing, smell, and eyesight, and can see in complete darkness out to 120 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 the denizens of Pandemonium, but this is book-learning much more than practical expertise. She has recently taken an interest in dragons, Malakath, and especially Neha the Creator/Destroyer. She can sing and play the lyre passably well, but is no bard. She speaks Drowish, Common, Elvish, Undercommon, Pandemonic, and Draconic, as well as smatterings of Malak, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Orcish, and Goblinspeak. Given time and access to a decent library, she can decipher ancient writings in these and related languages.
As a journey-level 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 traditional luminancy weapon; 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. She can also cast a handful of other-discipline spells of minor effect or short duration such as a simple ward or a laughing curse, "first level" offensive spells, and a variety of cantrips for trivial but useful tasks such as mixing or heating and cooling liquids, tidying up, lighting candles or a cooking fire, hiding smoke from a fire, or mending simple rips and tears. She has not learned any of the more powerful sorts of fire, lightning, or ice evocations, impenetrable abjuring barriers, or fell conjurations of terrible beasts and demons most folks think of when picturing a powerful wizard.
As a highborn drow, she cannot be magically made to sleep, is resistant to poisons and magical charms, and can sense the weave of magic at will. Once each day, she can levitate herself or another person or object weighing up to a quarter-ton, or temporarily suppress a magical effect. The duration of this is dependent on the load. For herself alone in her typical degree of equipment, she can maintain the spell for up to ten minutes. If lifting a full quarter ton, she can only maintain the spell for a minute at most. She has keen senses of hearing, smell, and eyesight, and can see in complete darkness out to 120 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 the denizens of Pandemonium, but this is book-learning much more than practical expertise. She has recently taken an interest in dragons, Malakath, and especially Neha the Creator/Destroyer. She can sing and play the lyre passably well, but is no bard. She speaks Drowish, Common, Elvish, Undercommon, Pandemonic, and Draconic, as well as smatterings of Malak, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Orcish, and Goblinspeak. Given time and access to a decent library, she can decipher ancient writings in these and related languages.
Personality
Vel'duith is almost always smiling: broadly and warmly around Vyx'aria, Zathria, and their fellow egg rescuers, an easy smile among scholars, musicians, and those who display common interests, and a slight Mona Lisa smirk for the world at large. She finds her smile sometimes puts strangers off guard, making it easier to read their intentions or influence them.
Vel'duith is an extro-introvert who can be silent as a lamb or loquacious as a bard, depending on her company and the topic at hand. She tends to analyze and synthesize ideas in real-time, thinking them out loud in branches and asides, and she displays the elevated vocabulary and diction of her station whenever speaking. She prefers solitude for reveries or reading.
On the occasions when Vel'duith loses her temper, she tends to uncork a cacophonous outburst sounding somewhat like a raging ferret strangling a pixie with a dandelion stem. Her voice gets shriller the louder it gets.
Vel'duith appreciates beauty, whether natural or artificial, and she yearns for long lost knowledge. She can be easily distracted by things like intricate frescoes, stunning vistas, and shelves of cobwebbed books. She has lately been reading everything she can find about dragons and especially about Neha's earlier creative period.
Vel’duith is pansexual with a distaff leaning and a predilection for partners with confidence and well-defined, powerful arms. She is occasionally attracted to members of other species, particularly ones she finds especially ‘other.’
Vel'duith thinks transactionally by default. While she prides herself on avoiding killing, when it comes to setting traps or planning an infltration, she can be just as ruthless as any drow. From her foray into the surface, she has come to value cooperation for the sake of all, and found a renewed appreciation for the value of mercy in forming and strengthening bonds. Her surface attempts at proactive kindness to others generally failed miserably, so she now reserves her kindness for those she feels have earned it.
Vel'duith has recently taken to rationalizing Vyx'aria's more violent behavior and finding common cause with these rationalizations.
Vel'duith is an extro-introvert who can be silent as a lamb or loquacious as a bard, depending on her company and the topic at hand. She tends to analyze and synthesize ideas in real-time, thinking them out loud in branches and asides, and she displays the elevated vocabulary and diction of her station whenever speaking. She prefers solitude for reveries or reading.
On the occasions when Vel'duith loses her temper, she tends to uncork a cacophonous outburst sounding somewhat like a raging ferret strangling a pixie with a dandelion stem. Her voice gets shriller the louder it gets.
Vel'duith appreciates beauty, whether natural or artificial, and she yearns for long lost knowledge. She can be easily distracted by things like intricate frescoes, stunning vistas, and shelves of cobwebbed books. She has lately been reading everything she can find about dragons and especially about Neha's earlier creative period.
Vel’duith is pansexual with a distaff leaning and a predilection for partners with confidence and well-defined, powerful arms. She is occasionally attracted to members of other species, particularly ones she finds especially ‘other.’
Vel'duith thinks transactionally by default. While she prides herself on avoiding killing, when it comes to setting traps or planning an infltration, she can be just as ruthless as any drow. From her foray into the surface, she has come to value cooperation for the sake of all, and found a renewed appreciation for the value of mercy in forming and strengthening bonds. Her surface attempts at proactive kindness to others generally failed miserably, so she now reserves her kindness for those she feels have earned it.
Vel'duith has recently taken to rationalizing Vyx'aria's more violent behavior and finding common cause with these rationalizations.
Biography & Lore
Vel'duith was born into the lowest cusp of the noble houses of Zar'Ahal, the Undercity. House Voiryn, named quite literally for its commodity - books - 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 graduated cadre and came of age to learn her ordained trade as a book thief, she was mercilessly drilled by her sadistic, perfectionist mother 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.
Vel'duith grew up smaller and weaker than most of her peers - 'a useless runt' in her mother's words- but she was also nimbler and cleverer. She delighted in besting rivals with bamboozling displays of cunning, legerdemain, and spelltrickery. In the penultimate act of deception of her youth, Vel'duith passed her cadre's blooding trial not by actually slaying a surface dweller - indeed, she passed up on several opportunities to finish off those she saw hiding or fleeing by her - but by sneaking through the tower of the most powerful wizard in the town the blooding raid had targeted, stealing the biggest spellbook she found there, and simply letting the priestess who had ordered the raid draw her own assumptions about how she had come to claim such a trophy.
Vel'duith took pride in how neatly and discreetly she could complete missions, almost never bloodying her weapons save on the various dangerous natural predators she sometimes encountered while skulking through the bowels of the Undercity. She gained something of a reputation among Zar'Ahal's spellcasters as a person to seek out if a given tome needed to be found and acquired as discreetly as possible, such as from a rival's bookshelf. Her reputation and success at obtaining salable tomes and artifacts helped her avoid many of the less savory duties he might have otherwise owed to her house. Her exasperated mother has nearly given up on matching her with any higher house males, for example.
A century into her career as a book thief, Vel'duith stole a demonic tome from an old ruin deep in the bowels of the Undercity. Ever craving arcane knowledge and ancient lore, she foolishly tried reading it, leading to the book imprinting itself upon her and attempting to dominate her will. Whether by dumb luck or divine intervention, on the way home, in mid-mind-wrestle with the evil tome, Vel'duith tripped and fell through the weakened, ruined roof of a hidden antechamber. Here she discovered a very different tome, bathed in a weak ray of moonlight, though miles of bedrock lay between the chamber and the night sky above: The Light of Sse'ellah. This book was the dogma of a forbidden cult, 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 assailing her thoughts and broke the demonic tome's imprint upon her. She resealed the tome with a ward and delivered it to her mother for sale to the buyer, but she also secreted away the forbidden dogma for herself.
Further reading and reflection on the dogma and how it had saved her led Vel'duith to a moment of epiphany, questioning who truly benefited from her existence, exploring why she had cheated her blooding in the way she did, and why she had been so fortunate to find this book whose inscription had saved her. Ultimately, Vel'duith decided she owed nothing more to her mother, the Undercity, and the bloodthirsty, power-mad wizards and priestesses. She chose instead to embrace the forbidden teachings of the moon-goddess whose serendipitous intervention had saved her life. Under the guise of a new mission, Vel'duith deserted her House and the Undercity, and started the long climb up to witness the true light of the moon for the first time since her blooding raid.
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 meditated out the sun's fury in a dark corner, before being roused from her reverie for an important meeting about a mysterious relic. Detecting a plume of unknown magic leaking from a broken ward, she warned those gathered, and formally offered her services. Warden Gabriel accepted her offer, naming her a Yaegir-in-training.
After her first training mission nearly ended in disaster, Vel’duith returned to the Underrealm with the intent to steal back and return a jeweled dwarven ax she had stolen during her cadre’s blood raid 133 years earlier. On the way to Zar’Ahal, she encountered a motley band of surfacer misfits led by the former Queen of Zar’Ahal, Vyx’aria Tor’rahel, and her general, Zathria At’arel. Realizing that the discovery of the queen’s presence would hopelessly complicate her own mission, Vel’duith revealed herself to them and helped them infiltrate the complex of House Suulet’jabar in the upper circle of Zar’Ahal. Along the way, Vyx’aria took a liking to the daring, diminutive trickster, offering her safe passage and a future place in her household. She even entrusted her with the most crucial part of the mission; a daring rescue of the only known egg of Neha the Destroyer.
While Vel’duith was still smitten with her Noct Yaegir trainer Sigrun Flintfeet, Sigrun had deeply hurt her feelings by questioning the sincerity of an oath she offered. She was already beginning to doubt her new faith, and the harsh reaction she received in Quarry Hill prodded her to reconsider her choice to live on the surface, as much as she loved its wildness and beauty, and as fond as she was of the budding friendships she had started within Croghear Keep. After receiving another invitation from Vyx'aria, Vel'duith chose to return the ax as promised, write her farewells, and slip back into the Underrealm to find out whether she might fit in the place Vyx'aria had promised her.
Some Drowish Words/Phrases Vel'duith Uses Often:
"Abban/abbanen" - acquaintance(s)
"Abbil/abbillen" - very close friend(s)/lover(s) (usually a pejorative, though Vel'duith embraces the term a la "me and my bitches")
"A'ni" - general
"Cretok" - orc
"Co'nbluth" - non-drow
"C'rinti" - noble
"Darthirii" - light-elf
"Dwen'del" - dwarf
"Iblith" - shit, filth
"Ilharess" - House
"Ilythirii" - drow
"Ja'luk" - Male (pejorative)
"Lu'oh eyyil!" - How exquisite!
"Mal'ai" - moron
"Rivvil" - human
"Rothe" - an underdark ox, slang for "slave"
"Shebali" - commoner
"Vallabha'Ilhar" - Beloved Mother (ALWAYS with a bitter tone)
"Valsharess" - queen
"Waela" - idiot
"We'ha-whol'aknen" - dick for brains
"Yathrin" - priestess
Vel'duith grew up smaller and weaker than most of her peers - 'a useless runt' in her mother's words- but she was also nimbler and cleverer. She delighted in besting rivals with bamboozling displays of cunning, legerdemain, and spelltrickery. In the penultimate act of deception of her youth, Vel'duith passed her cadre's blooding trial not by actually slaying a surface dweller - indeed, she passed up on several opportunities to finish off those she saw hiding or fleeing by her - but by sneaking through the tower of the most powerful wizard in the town the blooding raid had targeted, stealing the biggest spellbook she found there, and simply letting the priestess who had ordered the raid draw her own assumptions about how she had come to claim such a trophy.
Vel'duith took pride in how neatly and discreetly she could complete missions, almost never bloodying her weapons save on the various dangerous natural predators she sometimes encountered while skulking through the bowels of the Undercity. She gained something of a reputation among Zar'Ahal's spellcasters as a person to seek out if a given tome needed to be found and acquired as discreetly as possible, such as from a rival's bookshelf. Her reputation and success at obtaining salable tomes and artifacts helped her avoid many of the less savory duties he might have otherwise owed to her house. Her exasperated mother has nearly given up on matching her with any higher house males, for example.
A century into her career as a book thief, Vel'duith stole a demonic tome from an old ruin deep in the bowels of the Undercity. Ever craving arcane knowledge and ancient lore, she foolishly tried reading it, leading to the book imprinting itself upon her and attempting to dominate her will. Whether by dumb luck or divine intervention, on the way home, in mid-mind-wrestle with the evil tome, Vel'duith tripped and fell through the weakened, ruined roof of a hidden antechamber. Here she discovered a very different tome, bathed in a weak ray of moonlight, though miles of bedrock lay between the chamber and the night sky above: The Light of Sse'ellah. This book was the dogma of a forbidden cult, 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 assailing her thoughts and broke the demonic tome's imprint upon her. She resealed the tome with a ward and delivered it to her mother for sale to the buyer, but she also secreted away the forbidden dogma for herself.
Further reading and reflection on the dogma and how it had saved her led Vel'duith to a moment of epiphany, questioning who truly benefited from her existence, exploring why she had cheated her blooding in the way she did, and why she had been so fortunate to find this book whose inscription had saved her. Ultimately, Vel'duith decided she owed nothing more to her mother, the Undercity, and the bloodthirsty, power-mad wizards and priestesses. She chose instead to embrace the forbidden teachings of the moon-goddess whose serendipitous intervention had saved her life. Under the guise of a new mission, Vel'duith deserted her House and the Undercity, and started the long climb up to witness the true light of the moon for the first time since her blooding raid.
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 meditated out the sun's fury in a dark corner, before being roused from her reverie for an important meeting about a mysterious relic. Detecting a plume of unknown magic leaking from a broken ward, she warned those gathered, and formally offered her services. Warden Gabriel accepted her offer, naming her a Yaegir-in-training.
After her first training mission nearly ended in disaster, Vel’duith returned to the Underrealm with the intent to steal back and return a jeweled dwarven ax she had stolen during her cadre’s blood raid 133 years earlier. On the way to Zar’Ahal, she encountered a motley band of surfacer misfits led by the former Queen of Zar’Ahal, Vyx’aria Tor’rahel, and her general, Zathria At’arel. Realizing that the discovery of the queen’s presence would hopelessly complicate her own mission, Vel’duith revealed herself to them and helped them infiltrate the complex of House Suulet’jabar in the upper circle of Zar’Ahal. Along the way, Vyx’aria took a liking to the daring, diminutive trickster, offering her safe passage and a future place in her household. She even entrusted her with the most crucial part of the mission; a daring rescue of the only known egg of Neha the Destroyer.
While Vel’duith was still smitten with her Noct Yaegir trainer Sigrun Flintfeet, Sigrun had deeply hurt her feelings by questioning the sincerity of an oath she offered. She was already beginning to doubt her new faith, and the harsh reaction she received in Quarry Hill prodded her to reconsider her choice to live on the surface, as much as she loved its wildness and beauty, and as fond as she was of the budding friendships she had started within Croghear Keep. After receiving another invitation from Vyx'aria, Vel'duith chose to return the ax as promised, write her farewells, and slip back into the Underrealm to find out whether she might fit in the place Vyx'aria had promised her.
Some Drowish Words/Phrases Vel'duith Uses Often:
"Abban/abbanen" - acquaintance(s)
"Abbil/abbillen" - very close friend(s)/lover(s) (usually a pejorative, though Vel'duith embraces the term a la "me and my bitches")
"A'ni" - general
"Cretok" - orc
"Co'nbluth" - non-drow
"C'rinti" - noble
"Darthirii" - light-elf
"Dwen'del" - dwarf
"Iblith" - shit, filth
"Ilharess" - House
"Ilythirii" - drow
"Ja'luk" - Male (pejorative)
"Lu'oh eyyil!" - How exquisite!
"Mal'ai" - moron
"Rivvil" - human
"Rothe" - an underdark ox, slang for "slave"
"Shebali" - commoner
"Vallabha'Ilhar" - Beloved Mother (ALWAYS with a bitter tone)
"Valsharess" - queen
"Waela" - idiot
"We'ha-whol'aknen" - dick for brains
"Yathrin" - priestess
References
DnDwise, inspired by an arcane trickster/illusionist multiclass character. Concept wise, kind of a cross between Evie O'Connell and Lara Croft, with perhaps a Tyrion Lannister sprinkle.
