| Relatives | Taakat (father), Daya (mother), Kamazor (brother) |
|---|---|
| Languages | Common, Loxodon |
| Affiliations | Protectors of the People (council member) |
| Aliases | Wings of the People |
| Place of Birth | Pteris |
| Species | Loxodon |
| Gender | Female |
| Height | 7'5 |
| Weight | 350 lbs |
| Eye Color | deep brown, nearly black |
Airavata is a Path of the Totem barbarian loxodon, who comes from a farm in Pteris and currently serves as the Wings of the People on the council of the Protectors of the People.
Physical Appearance
Airavata is a female loxodon, so she carries herself at a height of 7'5 feet and a weight of 350 lbs roughly. She has deep grey skin is starting to just show some wear from her 76 years of life. Her eyes are a deep brown that almost always show as pure black, and little to no hair to speak of. She is often found wearing a dress or a skirt made of long slits of fabric for ease of movement and ability to gird so that she may run into action and rage at any time. These fabrics are usually hand dyed with dyes created from plants at her families farm and come in a variety of colors.
Airavata, while tough and ready to serve justice, still cares highly for her outward appearance and has had the tips of her ears dyed blue, as is tradition in her family on the female side, and can normally be found with a warpaint around her eyes that matches whatever color her dress is.
Airavata gained three claw mark scars on her abdomen from a fight with the gold dragon, Bazzniagalvinica
Personality
Airavata is noble-hearted, looking out for the best interest of those who did not grow up in the stable home and comfortable life she did. She has put aside her place as heiress to her family's farm to take time to serve the people of Isonhound to learn how to become a better leader and learn more of the Northern lands to her home. She has a deep sense of calm and often practices meditation and writes letters to her family often of her adventures and journeys.
In battle, Airavata uses either her sense of calm to make level-headed decisions to protect those in her party and other bystanders, but when enraged, she will take justice into her own hands and let righteous anger lead her attacks.
History
When she was only 48, Airavata was out in her family's fields with some farmhands when three bulettes burrowed up from the far end of a field and began to attack a herd of cattle and killed one of the human farm hands. Without a second thought, Airavata took up a stone hammer used for fixing the walls on the farm's border and ran head first into battle, just narrowly defeating all three single handedly in an intense moment of rage over the death of her friend. With this, her first fight, her name began to be whispered among the other workers and nearby farms as "Airavata, the Avenging" and become somewhat of a folk hero in their midst in Pteris.
When she came of age at 60, her father, Taakat announced that Airavata would inherit the family's property and farm when he passed instead of her brother, who had been the expected heir. It caused a rift in their family that drove her brother to leave with no intention to return or to ever speak to them again. It greatly wounded their mother, Daya, and angered Taakat, to the point where he recanted the name they'd given her brother at birth, and only called him Kamazor instead, or "weak".
Her brother's reaction caused Airavata to doubt her worth and position as the next owner of the Khandit land, so she left home while her father was still young, only in his early 200s, and take that name she'd made for herself that day on the farm with the bulettes and really turn it into something that mattered and stood for peace and justice, a name worthy of her brother's approval, that might bring him back.
She spent the first 10 years traveling Pteris, learning the land she'd almost called home. She then spent the next 5 years training under another Loxodon barbarian, learning to fighting and defend and use that rage she felt in battle to her advantage. Her teacher taught her the path of the Totem, the strengths of the wolf, bear, and eagle, and how to apply those into the way she fought.
When her teacher had felt her training was complete, Airavata returned home to have her ears dyed in a ceremony sacred to their family, and then set out for the next continent, Isonhound.
Languages
Airvata can speak, read, and write in both Loxodon and Common.
Powers and Abilities
Like any barbarian, Airavata can rage and attack recklessly, but prides herself on being a team player. Using her connection to the spirit of the Wolf, she can give advantage to any of her allies when she is close to a hostile while she is enraged.
Being at one with nature on her path of the totem warrior, Airavata can use Beast Sense and Speak with Animals as a ritual spell.
Attacks and Weapons
Airavata is a simple woman when it comes to weaponry, but is most proud of her warhammer, an heirloom passed down from her father's father, called Okusala or "judgement". She was gifted it when her ears were dyed.
She also has recently acquired a lightning javelin and has become quite found of it despite not being used to magical weapons. She uses the command word “Shazam!” to call down it’s lightning damage.
Adventures
Mothers III
For Airavata’s first adventure in Isonhound, she found herself on the receiving end of an invitation from The Protectors of the People to come and help them with an issue they were having with a local cult. Airavata came to the then Headquarters of the PotP and met with Archie and a begrudging Brenna who requested that they go out and get rid of an evil cult that had been hanging around their area. Brenna was hesitant to bring in the adventurers after the last group had not delivered on some the goods they had promised or returned the wagon.
After some convincing, Archie was allowed to give the adventurers, including Airavata, the quest to head into the ruined temple area and seek out cult activity.
They arrived outside of a ruins and were able to infiltrate into the cult's ritual as they summoned some kind of partial demon creature. They defeated the cultists and were able to recover the wagon that the Protectors of the People had lost. One of the cultists recovered was actually the mayor's son.
Upon completing their task, Airavata took the cart and information of what had happened at the cult's ritual back to the Protector of the People's base. She was offered to become a member of the Protectors of the People and stay at their case while she is visiting Isonhound until it's destruction, then she moved to the new base to help form the new Protectors of the People and becoming one of its council members.
Bazzniagalvinica IV / DOS I
Thinking it will be a simple escort mission, Airavata gladly joined her companion from the PotP, Asger, and they traveled together to help the gnome, Yosser, to travel to an archeological dig and help him obtain the artifacts inside. They waited for a night for the gnome's pearl to glow so they would be able to go inside the tomb finally.
Finally, they travelled inside the tomb and had to partake in several puzzles focusing on the cycle of water, which Airavata knows well from her background in agriculture.
Arriving at the final chamber, Airavata and the other adventurers were surprised to find a disturbing look creature inside the large tomb. It was a beautiful burial place, the water following from stalactites in the ceilings, dropping down into horns which then flowed into a pool around the stone casket.
The creature brought itself down to the ground, revealing itself to be Bazz, the dragon, who Airavata knew personally as one of the leaders of the protectors of the people, Brenna. Fueled by her anger over this discovery, and also over Bazz's belief that in order to prevent the pain of the future where the One Who Waits comes and attacks, she should kill the weak so that the strong should survive, Airavata rushed into battle, protected by Asger's Sanctuary, and kept the fight directly in Bazz's face, allowing her companions to all have advantage to attack the enemy. Airavata took heavy damage, gaining three deep scars to her ribs from the golden dragon's claws.
At one point, the dragon sent Airavata to a dreamscape. Airavata awoke in a place she had scene many times in her dreams. She is home, on the farm in Pteris, deep in one of the corn fields. She reaches her hand down and her fingers run through the corn hair that stick out from the top of the cobs. She then hears a voice, her brother, calling her name. "Aira! Airavata!" and as she turns to at last see her brother's face for the first time in years, she is suddenly back in the fight, bleeding from her side, a tear in her left ear, blood running over her eye and she grips her hammer even harder.
Airavata, back in the fight, returned to her spot in the dragon's face, bashing her head over and over again with her warhammer. Finally, while staring the dragon down, Clank let out a stray crossbow bolt and it struck the dragon in just the right place to kill her.
Before her death, Bazz begged Airavata not to let them take the baby and not to let it be destroyed.
Airavata had no intention to destroy the egg, but she did hand it over to them. Them-- the Disciples of Sardior, a ground of shining gem toned warforged, stating they were dedicated to bringing forward the great dragon Sardior who would protect and defend against The One Who Waits when they arrive. They requested the Golden Dragon egg so they could use it to bring back the Topaz Dragon, who is needed for Sardior to come.
They were also warned that black eggs could also be used to bring back the Obsidian dragon, the same way they would be transforming the Topaz Dragon.
The Breach II
Along with Arlin, Dug, Herneldo, D'Kacilius (DK), and Kaba, Airavata ventured out to a mine owned by [redacted] and was seen by [redacted], the assistant regional manager of the [redacted] mine. The mining operation was organized and contracted by [redacted] to get results and deliver the cargo, but something had gone amiss. None of the product was going missing, but the workers were. Those who survived reported of bug-like creatures who, when they appears, caused all the torches to simply go out. Some of the adventurers believed it may have even been a magical darkness keeping the light from getting into crevice of the mine itself where those who worked there usually had dark-vision and wouldn't be bothered if a light or two went out.
While in the office of this assistant regional manager, he made all of the adventurers sign a contract, that they would not share the more intimate details of their excursion down into the mine or the partner that the mining operation was working with to get the ore for. Airavata, with good intention, signed this with every intention to keep her word and not share the details.
The miners were apparently taking out an ore with magical properties which some call [redacted], and can be used to [redacted], and in large quantities, can be used in [redacted] to make them [redacted].
The party of adventurers was given, in order, the following instructions from the assistant regional manager:
1. Deliver the cargo back to the surface. The actual [redacted] was of the utmost important, since it is under contract with [redacted].
2. Rescue any survivors, if found. The employees were mostly dwarven, but also of other races, those that needed work.
3. Clear the mine of the foul bug-like creatures that have been ruining the operation.
The party travelled out to the mine, but took a long rest and made camp outside of it the evening before. While there, Airavata took the time to get some practice in with her newly purchased Javelin of Lightning. She was testing out the timing of which she would call the command word and the lightning would strike. It was quite effective, loud, and may have scared some of the mining employees that escorted them.
Upon descending into the mine, Airavata found herself immediately at a bit of a disadvantage without dark-vision, so she went ahead and lit The Flame of the People, a Candlelight Claymore that the Protectors of the People keeps in their armory and Airavata will often take with her on adventures since it has the potential to do fire damage in addition to the normal damage that it does, even if it doesn't hit quite the same as Airavata's warhammer.
Throughout the mine, they found several surprises. Boxes of both plain mining tools, very high quality mining tools, as well as boxes that were full of stone, small pebbles they seemed to find. The pebbles, when removed from the box would begin to [redacted]. Also found in the mine were several corpses, the former miners it would be assumed. Finally and probably the least surprising thing that was found in the mine was the enemy they had been warned of, large bug like creatures, that reminded Airavata of if a beetle was awakened, made quite large, and ferocious. She later learned these are called yugoloth. The yugoloth carried with them an unnatural darkness that would fill the whole area, but fortunately for our heroes, they had with the master of daylight, Arlin, who casted his spell several times and ways throughout the mine to guide them in the battle. Airavata attempted to best her foes but every time she would turn to rage and encounter them, they would run away, which began to deflate her rage. In a moment of desperation, she looked to Dug, the poisonous grung, and suggested that he send one of his small darts her way. With no hesitation at all, Dug, on his turn, armed and breathed a blowdart into Airavata, causing her just enough damage to keep the fight going. They killed several of the yugoloth they encountered, but the last few got away, running into a back corner of the mine and disappearing into a dark room with a faint purple glow.
In that final room was the largest surprise of all, something that cause Airavata great disturbance, a large crack of the wall, a rift that showed an exact mirror of the room that she was in, except for her own absence. This, was the Shadowfell that she'd heard the others in the Protectors speak of.
As they word to finish their work and get the remaining magical ore back to the surface so they could complete their shipment.
Upon seeing the rift into the Shadowfell, Airavata completely let go of her reservations of keeping to the contract she signed and informed the other members of the Protectors of the People to the events of the mining shaft, though she didn't mention exact details of the company that the [redacted] ore was going to, though she did reveal that it was in fact aero-crystal, which she had brought a handful of the raw, unhewn stone back to show the others. What did the yugoloth want with the aero-crystal, and did they intentionally cause the rift with the intention of taking it back into the Shadowfell? What were their plans?
Silent IV / Feremedius I
Accepting a curious assignment to escort a professor down the river, Airvata ventured onto the SSS No Sink, a small ship captained by another Loxodon Barbarian, Harold. Airavata is indifferent to this loxodon. The professor, a Dr. Miranda Wright, from the Underdark academy of Catharda, explained that what she was looking for out here is whatever is causing the spike in psionic energy. She is able to track such going ons, which is all much higher learning than Airavata has, so she needed some muscle to help protect her as they seek this out. CathardaAcademy is actually much like a military academy, training up students for the difficult work of preparing for the fight with the returning dragons to this area.
While they continued to travel down the river, the adventurers notice smoke billowing in from the side of the forest. When they docked and headed inland, what they saw was just the purest of chaos, two large hunter cabins and a nearby tree set completely ablaze and the fire was spreading. The culprits for spreading these fires wasn’t far behind either, about a dozen green kobolds with curious emerald green scaling on their faces that didn’t seem natural to their own hides, but instead borrowed or taken from an actual emerald green dragon.
The adventurers fought against the many kobolds while also trying to avoid and manage the forest fire that was growing around them. While they were in the midst of the battle, when taking his rage, the other loxodon, Harold, seemed to go even madder than normal, beginning to talk to himself, seemingly seeing a ghost of his past. While most the kobolds were actively defeated, some of them were noted jumping into a large hole in the ground near a very large tree.
Working together with Harold’s vessel of endless water, the two loxodon filled their trunks with water and were able to put out the remaining fires, trying their best to work from the outside in, getting the whole fire out before it could spread and destroy the complete forest.
Adira, one of the adventurers there with Airavata, was an expert in all things necromancy and therefore brought back one of the spirits of the Kobolds they had slain to ask it questions about why they were setting the forest fire and who sent them.
The Kobolds spirit gave answers to five of Adira’s questions. It stated that they have brains that are strong against Psionic energy, which made Airavata wonder if maybe they were connected to another member of the Protectors of the People, a new recruit named Shnek the Kobold sorcerer, who had a very high intelligence, especially for a kobold. Airavata used the opportunity to ask the kobold if one of the kobold’s among their group was Sneeze, one of Shnek’s missing siblings, which the dead kobold confirmed, was not among their party. The spirit of the dead also confirmed that the one who was leading the other green kobolds is down in the very whole that the Kobolds were jumping into when they were escaping from the fire and the adventurers’ attacks. The last thing confirme by the dead kobold’s spirit was that they were setting the fires because “the fires are the eyes” and “he sees all”, “beware”.
Dr. Wright was beyond curious to get down below to find not only the one who sent these Kobolds, but also the heavy concentration of psionic energy that she could feel coming from within that hole that they were jumping into, which when looking down into, seemed to be some kind of well, filled with water at the bottom of about a 40 foot drop. The Dr. was sent by the headmaster at Catharda Academy to investigate the source of the psionic spike in energy, so down into the well our adventurers delved!
Upon reaching the bottom, they swam to the surface and found a cavern that burned brightly with a wall of fire and lava in one direction and a wall of stone in the other, though the wall of stone looked to be a trick of the eye somehow.
At Airavata’s suggestion, the two loxodon filled their trunks with water and spewed it into the lava, hoping to create some kind of pathway to get across, but unfortunately only causing a mess, making it so the cavern filled with a burning steam that caused almost everyone harm. Airavata felt terrible for this consequence being suffered by so many and left the rest of the ideas to the other members of the party.
They discovered the rock wall to the right side was only an illusion and walked through it, looking into a great cavern that dissected and bisected into all directions. As soon as they began to walk though, they started to be plagued by demons of their own mind’s makings. The first thing they came across was a bullette, which made Airavata tense up, but move to the front of the pack, ready to defend the party like she did the farm all those years ago. She explained to the others where she had seen it before, but it was odd, this one didn’t burrow or more like it had back when. She looked around for signs of other bullettescoming in toward them from under the ground, but nothing came. They threw two rocks at the bullette and it didn’t react, leading Airavata to believe it was just a vision of something from her past to spook her, simply a trial to overcome and so she did. They pressed forward. They came across visions from many of the heroes’ past, Harold once again seeing that same creature that appeared when he was raging before.
One of the most frightening things they encountered while deep in this cavern was a room that had a large dwarven statue. It seemed to imply that this cave system had once belong to dwarves and was used perhaps as one of their mines. As the voice of the one who owned the lair began to speak into their minds, it declared them unworthy and brought forth from their minds the very thing that had been plaguing them, perhaps even who they had all been afraid was potentially the owner of the voice currently in their minds, The One Who Waits. An inky black figure, tall as the room with large horns and clawed hands morphed from the statue before them and in the sticky ooze of its skin, Airavata could have sworn she could see Markoth and Asger, her friends and fellow council members from the Protectors of the People, who were lost in a void months ago.
Confused at the nature of this creature, Airavata, thought, perhaps she could reach into its murk and pull her friends back out of it and rescue them finally, but before she could even take a step forward, a creature that sent shivers down every bone in the loxodon’s body appeared before her. The god, Silent, themselves, stood in front of Airavata in what seemed to be a reflex of defense, trying to come between The One Who Waits and the party. Airavata has not forgotten this kindness of a god she had purposefully ignored up to now and has made a resolve to not harm any of Silent’s followers in return for her protection in this way.
The form of the One Who Waits was in fact an illusion and they were able to leave this part of the cavern without much disruption, but the faces of Markoth and Asger will stay with Airavata from this day forward.
The party continued down the halls and eventually found themselves with the voice in their head asking them to come find him. Harold and another adventurer went down a separate hall for a while, but Airavata followed the others to find a sight she was completely entranced by. A great green glittery dragon stood before them, with scales identical to what they had seen on the kobolds out in the forest fire.
This emerald dragon is upset with the professor, believing she is the one who causing him distress since she was sent by the military academy. The dragon explains to the adventurers that he does not think that any of them are worthy of stopping The One Who Waits. He explains that he himself is not a member of Sardior’s court, but instead the lesser emerald dragon, Smargarg.
Smargarg has taken up his home here in the underbelly of the forest because he believes that Feredemius, the Great Emerald Wyrm, is here in Isonhound. He can feel his presence here and wants to remain close by. It is Smargarg’s very presence and arrival 16 months ago that caused the spike in psionic energy that Dr. Wright tracked to here.
Smargarg now runs a hatchery here in the forest, collecting and nurturing the eggs of the missing and slain dragons, making sure that they find there way back to him. He is currently at odds because an emerald dragon egg was taken and has not yet been recovered back to him. Smargarg tells the party that they can prove their worth to him in the fight against The One Who Waits if they can assure that the dragon egg is returned to him, then they will receive a blessing that will help them in their war.
On the way out of the cave, having heard rumors of a found egg when she was just leaving for the adventure, Airavata stops in one last corridor of the cavern paths and is blessed with a choice, she is able to take one of the two creatures out and will be able to keep it as her companion animal. Airavata chose to take the almiraj, naming it Emerald but calling it Emi.
Upon returning to the Protectors of the People’s base, Airavatachecks in with all of the other members of the council to see if they’ve heard of an emerald dragon egg that’s been found. Thankfully, Feyjin, the Mouth of the People, has recently recovered this dark egg herself. She is worried to part with it though, afraid that it was cracked and now may be corrupted. Airavata and the other adventurers assure her that she should not worry and that the one they are taking it to, Smargarg, will know how to access and what to do if it is corrupted.
Airavata, the party, and Feyjin along with them, journey back to the forest and down into Smargarg’s lair to deliver the egg. Pleased with the keeping of their promise, Smargarg blesses the members of the original party with a boon of telepathy, so they may search the minds of others and find those that are worthy of joining the fight against The One Who Waits.
Airavata finds that she now is able to speak into other’s minds as long as they are within her line of sight and within 60 feet. She is also able to attempt to read another’s mind once a day.
Raritan Aid
Having heard of a nearby farm village that is in desperate need of help, Airavata is keep to jump on the opportunity. She takes up Emi and they head into Raritan to aid those that have been recently displaced by draconic and fiery creatures. Raritan is south of Seglock and currently a refuge. There has been reports of not only fire but also earthquakes in the forest to the East, as well as raids on those who are just there to seek refuge. Those in Raritan who see Airavata walking the streets seem to be wary of her, which is a new feeling to the loxodon woman, who is used to looks of wonder or curiosity, but usually not fear like this.
The adventurers included Airavata as well as three other members of the Protectors of the People, Felicia, Shnek, and Fejyin, as well as three others. They met first with a Captain Phillips who introduced them to two young ladies, daughters of a local farmer, which immediately made Airavata empathize for them. She too, a daughter of farmers, had seen tragedy strike their fields and farm more than once and she was willing to put whatever muscle or help into this missions that they needed. The two are introduced as sisters, Elizabeth, the eldest who is around 17 or 18, and the other being Sarah, who is only 9 or 10. They explain how they were out in the forest foraging when they fled from being attacked. They are looking for their parents who were left back at the farmhouse at the time of the attack. Captain Phillips asks that the adventurers head back East to the farm with the girls, escorting them and seeing whether or not they can find the parents there.
As they escort the girls back to the farm, Airavata takes Emi out and allowed Sarah to hold onto him as they walk through the woods. It’s peaceful and she’s glad to comfort the young girl. She takes Emi back as they approach the farm though and puts him in her bag, alarmed at the sight of bloody trails leading into both the barn and around the back of the farmhouse. A large hole is also blown through the side of the house.
Each of the girls runs off in a different direction, Sarah to the house, Elizabeth to the barn. Knowing she has the ability to speak with animals, Airavata runs off towards the barn, only Felicia following her, believing that if any animals did survive, maybe she will be able to get them to tell her about what they saw. When they approach the barn, Airavata feels uneasy at all of the animal gore inside. She musters together her serenity and then calls out to Elizabeth, telling her that she’s a big girl and she needs to come out of that barn of death right now, there’s nothing left there for her to be a part of. She needs to be the older sister and they need to go rescue Sarah from the basement. Elizabeth starts to come out of the barn and entrusting that she will follow, Airavata turned, starting back towards the farmhouse until she felt the edge of a blade slicing against her side. One of her allies, Noctus, comes from off the roof of the farmhouse and shoots an arrow at whatever is behind her and just stabbed her, clearly, no longer Elizabeth. Airavataunsheathes the Light of the People as she turns to face the creature who just stabbed her and swings it around to hit the large Draconic winged being that used to be Elizabeth, fighting it face to face. As they battle, roughly a dozen or so other creatures appear around them, including a dangerous looking foe with purple skin and no wings which merely watches the battle as it continues.
Curiously, when some of the draconic creatures died, they are exploding and causing damage to the allies around her. Some of the creatures even kill themselves, shouting “For the Dread Flame” when they do.
From the sounds inside the house, it seems Sarah also was not a young girl, but an enemy and the four that followed her inside are having an equally rough time.
Time passed and even though Airavata took a lot of rough hits, and the surprise of Shnek coming into the fight from the basement in the form of a giant ape nearly gave her a heart attack, they managed to defeat or see destroyed all but one of the enemies who went to the silo after turning invisible. Inside the silo was another one of the wingless, stern draconic masterminds who told the adventurers, “You win this time. We will burn this continent to the ground” and then used a spell to disappear. When the party went to inspect the silo itself, they found it filled with bodies, treasure, and an iron brazier. A deep feminine voice comes from the magical fire glowing orange-red, warning, “Steal from me and I will kill you all.” While Airavata usually sided against stealing, she knew that the treasure there is more than likely stolen from the people of Isonhound and she herself would be using it to help them in return. She is not one to fear the dragon’s wrath any longer.
Asar Ogalas
It was Airavata’s first time at the festival of rebirth and she began her day in Sneerwell with Pot’tu, playing games, looking at pet rocks, getting heckled by her fellow councilor, Trina, as they enjoyed the beautiful day. It was nice, just getting to experience something new in the city and to travel out with her friends.
But that couldn’t last.
Loud crashes and explosions seemed to come from all sides but the two that seemed most alarming was one very close to them in Sneerwell, coming from the port, the direction of the famed Pendergras Industries factory. The other alarming sight that came out with the explosions, was in the distance, the crests of the Northern Mountains were now covered in mist and smoke. Something there had been disturbed—or awakened.
Airavata took Pot’tu on her shoulders and ran for the factory, worried of what was ahead but knowing she needed to help anyone that might be injured or defend the factory workers from any enemies. In her way though, were large warforged centaurs, not allowing them to pass, firing bolts that did damage and sent them back. Someone else in their groups of adventurers mentioned that the centaurs looked like the same that worked with the Disciples of Sardior. This caught Airavata’s attention greatly. The Disciples were her allies. She told the centaurs that she was there to help them and that she wouldn’t attack and impede the Disciples at all. They were allowed to pass.
Again, they were heading to the factory, when they were stopped by a man who Airavata had seem the face of everywhere in Sneerwell, Tolme Pendergras. He forbade them from moving forward, telling them that warforged strangers were attacking and stealing from the factory. Airavata knew that this must mean the Disciples were there, they were the ones that attacked. Pot’tu used a spell to send Tolme away, far away, so they could make their way to the factory finally.
At the factory, Airavata could see the Topaz Disciple standing atop the factory and asked him how they could help. The Disciples had attempted to make a deal with Pendergras for the Wovenstone they needed to help resurrect Tushello, the Topaz Thane, and eventually, Sardior, the Ruby King, the one who will defeat The One Who Waits; who we would later learn is Feredimius, corrupted.
As they had tried to do it the right way and were denied by corporate greed (or so it seemed to Airavata), she chose to do the right thing and assist MS-DOS with their larceny of the woven stone in factory. Once across a train track, which then was destroyed by Pot’tu with Tasha’s Caustic Brew, Airavata and the others broke into the factory and fought against the automon workers inside in order to make it possible to get the Wovenstone and Fellstone out to be transported to MSDoS. Inside they also discovered a clockwork dragon which was at first, Airavata was working with the automon’s, but later discovered was actually on the side of MSDoS and was subdued by Vessel to ride.
While working through the factory and clearing it out, a loud, heart stopping roar came from the inner city itself. Most of the city was evacuated after the explosion, but with the wovenstone being prepared to be shipped out with MSDoS, Airavata picked up Pot’tu again and headed into the city, met with a sight that shook her to her core. A red dragon, THE red dragon, that Dread Flame Kennedra was here, in Sneerwell, not on the distant island of Kiston where the band of Iron Hawks and the Protectors of the People had once planned to attack her on her own territory. She was here, in the sky, and while Airavata had faced a dragon before, Brenna was nothing like this. Brenna was cunning and used time and space to her advantage. Brenna spoke and could be reasoned with. Kennedra, she was full of fury and fire.
Airavata, bound to earth, was granted flight by Pot’tu’s magic and took to the air to face the dragon head on, in a furious rage she tried to stay close and give advantage to her allies through her proximity. She kept battling, even joined by her ally Delphi and the leader of the Iron Hawks, Vadath, they continued into battle, until Airavata was brought down, a breath of flame leaving her overwhelmed and unconscious for a few moments until she was able to find her way into a fey portal that was opened and allowed for escape.
The portal led to Seglock, a cathedral surrounded being surrounded by mist. After entering the cathedral, Airvata was healed and assisted in defending it from ghouls and shades, the darkness seeming to be seeping inside. While defending there, Kennedra’s roar could be heard again across the city. The son of the crystal thane, Echaemus, sent to assist in fighting the Dread Flame, but those inside the cathedral had a choice. Activating the ancient artifact of the Moonwell would protect from the shadows but it would also either force the dragons out of the city, or keep them locked inside. Airavata and the other determined it would be better to have Kennedra locked into Seglock where they could finish her for once and for all!
Once the Moonwell was activated, Airavata took up her Warhammer and headed into the city, racing through the streets until she was there, again underneath Kennedra and her belly of fire. She joined the fight with Trina, Delphi, Vadath, Sithlym, and Linden, and together they raced the dragon’s will to destroy everything around them.
Working together and with Echaemus, they continued to rage against the Dread Flame until she was weak. Delphi rode up on the crystal dragon’s back and dropped her on the neck of the very dragon that killed her family and everyone she loved. Delphi attacked her from there. Airavata mounted Echaemus to join the Dragonborn above, but there was no need.
After being healed by his fiancé, Linden, Vadath used his boots of flying to race up to the dragon and with two critical hits, back to back, he brought lethal vengeance to the dragon who had haunted him and escaped his wrath for so long and Kennedra, the Dread Flame was slain.
But there was no time to rejoice. The dragon had ruined three cities, the top had been blown off the Northern Snowy mountains, where now the shadows of the one who waits were flowing out to cover the whole of Isonhound. Only Seglock with its Moonwell, Gammelgard with the Astrolabe, and Synara with an artifact of their own are safe havens from the shadows now. And there, in those cities, the heroes waited, planned, toiled, rescued. The five become the four. To rid the world of shadow, to defeat the one who waits, we need the five artifacts and five thanes, to bring back Sardior.
The Wings of the People
After accepting Archie’s offer to become a member of the Protectors of the People, Airavata decided to stay in town until she heard of the relocation of the Protectors to a larger base where she could make her temporary home while she is staying in Isonhound.
After Brenna’s fall and Archie’s passing, Airavata, along with several others, decided to take up the mantle of a council of nine members, which they decided on during the first council meeting. Airavata takes up the position of the Wings of the People, helping those in Isonhound to find their purpose and own strengths to keep themselves in the air and promoting self-sufficiency.
Airavata appointed four helpers for her part of the guild.
Evelyn, who is a half-elf paladin, she is a worshipper of Sune and is on a similar path of Airavata, taking time in her life to do community service and better herself before performing the ultimate service to her people and joining the local military. Evelyn is a young adult half-elf with bright white hair, deep tan skin and freckles of gold on her shoulders and over her nose and cheek bones. She mostly follows whatever Airavata gives and is her right-hand on all things, though she only plans to stay with the Protectors for a year before joining the service. She is often found leading meditations for travelers and at the work areas where they travel to help establish farms, helping those who are working hard to provide for their community with rest between job.
Rolzire is a tiefling carpenter who is a bit more on in years. When she was just a girl, Rollie taught Airavata everything there was to know about taking wood and making it into something more exciting and new. When deciding who to take under her staff at the Protectors of the People, Airavata could think of no one more brilliant with a saw and a chisel. From fence posts to small animal carvings to ornate chair backs and carved table legs, Rolzire's skill with his tools is well known down in their town in Pteris. He's unwed and in his retirement years, so he decided how better to spend that than to travel about Isonhound and bring those people a new skill to help them build better tables, barns, lean-tos, and more so that they can pass those skills on down to the next generation and their peers. Rolzire has deep red skin that his carpentry shop, Scarlet Shavings, is named for, and has long black hair, speckled with silver streaks that show his age. His horns, like that of a ram, curl over twice and he wraps his hair around them when he works to keep it from getting tangled in his projects.
During Airavata's first trip out into Isonhound as an ambassador and councilor of the Protectors, she encountered a plucky young woman who was obsessed with growing everything she could out of the ground. The daughter of farmer's herself, Maellery was obsessed with Airavata's mission to bring the joy and security of learning to farm to the underprivileged communities of Isonhound and has asked to become Airavata's protege, hoping to one day take over as the Wings of the People and continue the work of teaching agricultural independence. Maellery is 19, has bushy red curls and freckled tan skin, normal of that of a human who spends too much time in the sunlight. Mael spends her days at the office cultivating plants so that when they take them to the villages, they are already seeds that just need transplanted instead of making the new farmers start from seeds.
The last of Airavata's staff is a simply wood elven druid named Evindal. Evindal is a bit of an amiss wanderer who has no true purpose or desires other than to simple continue to travel along their way. They have deep brown hair that cascades down a slender figure of bronze skin and their most significant feature is a pair of golden eyes that seem to follow you wherever you are in a room. Evindal has not mentioned where they have come from or when they intend to leave, but has simply stated that while they're in Isonhound, they will continue Airvata and her mission, lending their magic to aid in the growth of plants, moving earth with ease, and burning out old weeded fields.
Airavata has taken one of the rooms at the Protectors of the People's not-so-secret hideout as her office, at first just using it for storage of rich soil, seeds, pumpkins that they're drying out to use for seed or fertilizer, and various tools such as shovels, spades, and large fence hammers. Airavata also keeps her warhammer in this room when not in use, having it hang on the wall with a wooden mantle she made for it and above it, two wooden knobs hang for the Javelin of Lightning she uses as well.
Once she came to use the office for managing more paper work and permits and setting orders for her staff, Airavata determined she wanted to have an approachable space that felt like her room back at home in Pteris. Though the office is small, and almost all of the Wings' work is down outside of it, in the towns and fields of Isonhound, it is still a welcoming area. A large round cushion meant for Airavata occupies the middle back area, while four smaller cushions sit in front of it, one for each of her staff, and then a small pillow immediately to the side of Airavata's cushion, where Emi rests.
A large oval pot with a wide opening sits in the far rear left corner, inside it is filled with water and aquatic vegetation and every once in a while, the leaves and lilies on top of the water seem to move, giving notice of the small fish that are dancing and playing in their roots.
The delicate scent of jasmine incense fills the whole room except for directly by the entrance where the rich soil and lumber sits.
Airavata can often be found here in her office, leading meditation, counting seeds, watering seedlings, or even napping with Emi, though it is hard to tell since she is sitting the same way she does when she meditates.
After the spread of the Shadowfell left the Protector of the People base compromised by being outside of a Sanctuary City, Airavata and Emerald are currently taking refuge with the Iron Hawks at their base in Seglock.
Airavata's Companion
While down in the great caverns of Smargarg’s lair, Airavata and the other adventurers discovered two creatures in one of the small rooms. An almiraj and a jackalope were sitting together, and while the decision was difficult, Airavata could only save one and took the almiraj with her out of the cave.
Once they returned to the Protectors of the People’s base, Airavata named her new companion Emerald or Emi, because she found him in the lair of an emerald dragon.
Emi is an almiraj of roughly 10 inches in height with 8 inches of ears that lop off to the side of his head. He has a 5 inch horn that resembles that of a unicorn. His fur is a grey-beige in color and he has white on his neck, belly, and the ends of his front paws.
He has quickly made his home on a large pillow that sits in Airvata’s office beside the grand cushion where she sits to meditate.
Emi’s purpose on adventures is for Airavata to cast beast sense and connect with his mind to look into small areas where she would not be able to fit and where he may not be noticed because of his very small size. When out on adventures, Emi rides in Airavata’s pack, having a small mesh cage built into the underside so he can see and smell the outside while they travel. Emi has custom chainmail armor that keeps him safe and still light enough to stealth around, since he has very little health.
Legends of the Loxodon
When given an opportunity, Airvata will gladly sit down and tell the others the legends of the Loxodon that were passed down to her from her family.
Dysian Creates the Loxodon
One night, as the gods gathered in their celestial plane to determine the places and the ways that their new creations would have access to water, one of the very essences of life itself and a necessary resource for all, they began to argue over where the water should be that sat on the land. There was pools of water that would sit on the land that they called lakes and ponds, but their creatures would have to travel far and wide for such, giving power to some and little to others. The gods argued and determines that lanes of water called rivers and streams would connect the larger bodies to one another and out to the oceans that surround their continents. They reached down with their large fingers to sculpt the rivers but it was destroying careful mountains and valleys that they had crafted and their forests of trees. Such delicate work, drawing down these water paths, would require delicate but strong work.
So Dysian, in his power, reached down and picked up a few large boulders, blowing upon them until the outer layer blew away and what was left was a humanoid creature, strong, skin crackled like dry earth, four fingers on its hands, a long trunk on it's face for carving out the water ways, and large ears to blow the dust away. He put these creatures down and gave them their instruction, to design the rivers to flow from lake to stream to ocean, over the mountains, deep into the ravines, and on all continents so that water would be available to all creatures. He called these creatures the loxodon. He blessed them with strength but also serenity, an internal peace, that they would be able to spread through the world in their travels.
Quotes of Airavata
“A good way to get to know yourself is to be more mindful. We take for granted so many things in our lives, like breathing and eating and taking steps. Today was a good reminder of that for me. For me to walk from my office to the door, usually is not something I have to think through; it’s a path I’ve walked a million times, but today with the kobolds hurrying about, I have to be aware of each step I take and how heavy it is and how I balance myself and where the next step will be after that.
When I find myself engaged at injustice and the battle is over and I need to calm down, I focus on my breathing. I think of the air that comes through my trunk, into my throat, down to my lungs, and then the release back up my chest into my mouth and out. That thought process, that awareness of where my air comes from and how I process it, brings me to my center and I am able to relax and be still again.
If you die, your body will float, right? If you feel you are drowning, stop struggling, lay on your back, and float. Be still, stop training, stop relying on your strength to carry you. In those moments of quiet stillness, your center, your soul, will speak to you at last. We just must quiet ourselves enough to hear it.” -on the matter of Corbie’s loss of self.
“We are protectors, they are mercenaries, and they have stakes in it. If we withhold the information, those involved may take it personally and the enemy of the enemy is my friend.
When did become our missions to, like dragons of old, hoard information, glory, and wealth for ourselves? This will not be a day for lining our pockets and spreading only our name across Isonhound.
We are to protect the people. That includes those of us in our room [the council chambers]. If anyone else wishes to endanger our guild at the stakes of not having to share with the Iron Hawks, then I ask them to reconsider their position as Councilors, for if we vote and we withhold this information from [the Iron Hawks], then I will leave the guild. This is not what we promised upon oath when we recovered this guild from Brenna.” -on the matter of sharing the knowledge of the location of the Dread Flame.
