Luanes' Page

On a return journey from Eternal Fires, the mighty celestial paladin called Taevon Ilrya rejoiced in his victories over evil, this day. His heart sang with the glory of the Lady Beneficence as he strode through Tanglewood forest, his large white wings swaying behind him as he walked.

Suddenly, a small cry met his ears, so soft it was that he almost missed it. His eyes scoured the forest, seeking the source of this sound. He paused a moment to listen for it once more in an effort to locate the poor being from which it issued. As he heard it again, he determined it to be the cry of an infant; this added urgency to his effort to find it. Surely, this child needed help.

Hidden in the trunk of a tree sat a small bundle, though just outside it was a horrid and repulsive site. The remains of what must have been the child’s parents could barely be recognized. Their bodies had been ripped into small, bloody pieces; chunks of flesh and bone rested in deep pools of bloody mud, indicating that they must have been dead for at least half of the day. His attempt to resurrect them only revealed that their souls did not reside in the afterlife, where they should have been. He assumed that whatever had done this had taken their souls.

With a deep sigh, he picked up the infant, examining her for any sickness or injury. She was weak and almost certainly cold and hungry, but there existed no wounds upon her. Whatever abomination had committed this atrocity did not touch the child. At that, Taevon was grateful. At least this innocent life had not been touched by this despicable evil. It was unfortunate that her parents had suffered such a horrendous fate, having their souls stolen.

As his large but gentle hands moved over the child, her small hand reached out and grasped at his finger. She gazed up at him, endearing her to his heart. She uttered a small sound, and her voice was like a soft melody to him. It was at this moment that he decided to raise her and teach her the ways of Visaria. He named her Luanes, an elvish name that meant Holy Heart.

Even at a very young age, it became apparent that Luanes had been chosen to walk the path of a paladin. She learned at a remarkable rate and possessed the ability to apply the knowledge. Her skill with the bastard sword gradually yet steadily increased over the years. Taevorn knew she could be a skilled paladin, though sometimes she experienced inner conflict when it came to following the law.

They lived in seclusion within the forest, visiting the city only on rare occasions, and on each of these occasions, Luanes always managed to attract a lot of attention and compliments. Sometimes, much to her dismay, she attracted elven males who craved her affection and company. As intriguing as this was to Luanes, she knew that there would not be time to settle down and have a family, so she made the decision to remain chaste. Those kinds of feelings often clouded judgment, and she could not allow that.

At 136 years of age, Luanes experienced the saddest and most painful day in her lifetime: her father needed to return to his home plane. She begged him to let her accompany him, but he explained that she had work to do on this plane. With tears in her eyes…and perhaps in his own as well…Taevorn said farewell to his adopted daughter by passing down his sword to her. He bought her armor and a shield and gave her a special ring which he said would protect her. With that, he flew into the skies, leaving her alone.