Sahani Strongcraft

Born into a family of Archaeologist gnomes I was a happy child. I would spend my days playing around ancient ruins or dank, dirty caves.
As I grew, I began to assist my parents on dig sites and happily learned their trade. We had found many artifacts and long-lost tomes related
to unknown civilizations. We usually sold most of our findings to local museums or wizards and clerics residing in the area. My parents were
well off to say the least. I lived a very spoiled childhood and as such I got to keep items uncovered during digs. One such item was a strange
book that fascinated me for whatever reason. It’s not like I was able to read it or anything. The writings inside were of the strangest language,
yet they spoke to me on some level. During a visit to town that day we were selling some of our finds when an old man took interest in my
book. As my father was about to sell it I intervened and stopped the transaction. I explained I liked the book but couldn’t say why other than the book fascinated me. Thinking me foolish my father prepared to sell the book anyway. Having noticed my fascination with the book the strange man stopped him. He instead offered to copy the book and allow me to keep it though it may take a few days. Though perplexed my father agreed and sent me with the strange man. My job simply to return with the book at the end of every night till he was done. My parents knew we would be in town for at least another week, so time didn’t matter. My time with this gentleman was unique to say the least. I sat and watched amazed as this old man proved to be a magic caster of sort. That first day he cast an incantation over the book and placed a blank book next to it. The blank book began to fill slowly page by page. This gentleman, Taras Onerick, saw the wide-eyed looks from me as this happened and asked a simple question, “Do the writings float above the page for you?” Snapping me out of my revere I looked at him shocked. I meekly nodded my head in a no. “Don’t lie to me child!”, he snapped back. “I can see it all over your face, now do the writings float above the page?” I simply nodded yes. “Good, then let’s begin.” “Begin what?”, I whimpered. “Your training!” He snapped back.” The next several days were a blur. My parents couldn’t understand why I sat and flipped page after page in that book night after night. I understand was all that went through my head as I studied the book. Taras had opened my eyes to the world of magic. Several years later I was a practicing sorceress. I sat on the wagon riding to our next unknown site contemplating this book and the gifts given me by Taras. His last words to me were “Use the magic wisely and for good and remember this old fool if ever you are to return to these parts. I would love to hear of your adventures.” He handed me a small pouch with my name inscribed on the side. “This pouch will simply carry the many items needed in magic.” He patted my head and abruptly slammed the door in my face. I smiled to myself.

One day on a deep cave dig we had uncovered the remains of a strange creature. It was humanoid in nature but with some strange features. As my parents continued digging the site, I explored the surrounding area. Soon I discovered several more long dead humanoids of various races. I excitedly notified my parents. At this point they realized this was a find larger than expected. They sent all the handlers back to town, a trip requiring a few days, to gather supplies for an extended dig. Once the handlers were gone, I magically lit a fire a small fire and the entire area around the cave then we had dinner. Shortly after my parents were digging again and I was right behind them. During the next two days we realized that this was not a normal site. The bodies here were performing some sort of ritual regarding the strange corpse. It appears as if they were attacked during this ritual and most if not, all were slain. My parents were concentrating on the strange body, so I chose to give them space and focused on a corpse a short distance away. While I cleared a century of dirt and debris away, I came upon a strange necklace. It appeared to be a rose-colored stone and it was shaped into some sort of sunrise. Peculiar I thought and placed it aside. Several hours later as we continued our dig there was a commotion coming from my parents. I looked only to see some strange fog rolling into the area of the cave.
As my parents stepped back, I approached it and was suddenly assaulted by a creature from within. It knocked me to the ground and bit me. My parents quickly attacked this humanoid thing with crossbow bolts. This was the only thing that stopped it from biting me. I saw the creature lunge at my parents with bolts sticking out of its body. My father was the first to get attacked as he pushed my mother aside. This creature simply tore out his neck and licked his fingers. “NO!” My mother and I yelled. It immediately grabbed my mother with an astounding speed and as it looked at me it simply broke her neck. Angered welled in me and I launched a powerful spell of fire toward the creature. It just side stepped it and lunged at me again. Before I could understand what was happening it was once again biting me, no feeding on me. This thing was draining me of blood. I had exhausted my magic and was scrambling to remove this creature from me. The light in my eyes was slowly fading. As I was trying anything to push this creature off me, my hand closed around an object. In a last attempt at saving myself I struck this creature with the object. In a brilliant flash of light and then fire the creature screamed. Releasing me it scrambled for the fog. It looked back once in anger then vanished. I placed the object on my chest and held it tight as I passed out.

I awoke several days later in a bed covered in blood. My wounds had healed, and I felt renewed, but what had happened to me. As I walked out of the room, I began to find the dead bodies of my parent’s handlers and what appeared to be the bodies of a farmer and his wife. They all had looks of dread on their faces and were pale as ghosts. At that moment everything that had happened came flooding back to me. The handlers, upon their return, had discovered my parent’s bodies and my barely alive form. They immediately tried helping me and began the long ride back to town hoping to reach it before my death. This farmhouse was just a spot to rest for the night. The farmer’s wife did what she could to help me and unfortunately became my first victim. While she cared for me, I suddenly awoke and all I could think of was feeding. I bit her hard and was in euphoria as I drank her. She pushed me off and ran from the room. I sprang like a cat onto her. As I sat on her back about to bite her again, I saw the faces of all the handlers and farmer in the adjacent room. I instinctively broke her neck and jumped onto the nearest  handlers. Needless to say, I murdered them all and simply returned to bed when done. Upon this revelation I ran and kept running until I came upon a cave. In the morning I realized this was the dig cave. I had run the equivalent distance that a horse and wagon did in a whole day. I noticed what appeared to be two graves and realized them as my parents. I simply mourned and pitied myself for several days, contemplating suicide. As I was on the last hope of trying to save myself, I felt a strange object on my chest. I looked down and there was the sunrise symbol I had found. I grasped it as it was the reason I even lived. I tore it from my neck and as I was about to throw it there was a bright light. What happened next only the heavens know as I would not believe it myself had it not happened to me. A beautiful and glowing humanoid appeared. He grasped my hand with the object and a sudden peace enveloped me. “Normally I smite creatures of your ilk,

but I sense a good in you like no other. I give you this chance, go forth and aid others. I will empower you with my gifts and divine energy. Use both for good or I shall return and finish you” was all he said before vanishing. An understanding enveloped me. I knew the creature that  attacked was a vampire, an undead. It had crossed over from a world known as Ravenloft. I knew that I had met Lathander the god of the
sun. I swore that I would kill the evil undead wherever they may hide. I would help the downtrodden across Faerun. I would fight this curse
that has been placed on me with my entire being. I will become a beacon of good.