Champion of the Raven Queen

Adrasteia Tepes parents died when she was at a young age. A Shadar-kai named Vladislav Tepes took Adra and enslaved her after he murdered her parents in their home. Vlad abused her growing up and when she was old enough, he forced her to do his dirty work with the mercenary company he runs, called The Black Arrow Mercenaries. They are a well-known band of criminals, and slavers in the Shadowfell. Adra couldn't stand the work she was forced to do, but she had no say to her life. Vlad had control over her, for if she were to leave, he'd hunt her down, being even more merciless to her each time she tried. Over the years Adra’s state of mind became washed by Vlad. He had beaten her, violated her, and manipulated her into losing all hope in escaping him, so she could only accept the hell that was her life. Once she became broken, Vlad had Adra go through intense training so she could further serve him as his personal weapon. A dog basically, ready to kill whatever he pointed her to. Vlad was feared with her at his side for she was his killing machine.
While in his service Adra had frequent dreams that were always the same. She would see a strange entity pulling her out of an ocean of darkness, and she would always see a large group of ravens flying towards a fortress sitting in the distance from where she emerged in the water. She thought hard on these dreams and she knew she had to find this fortress in her dreams. It somehow gave her a feeling of hope. For the first time in decades Adrasteia became hopeful again. So, when Vlad would allow it, Adra would go on raiding parties, not because she liked it, but because it got her closer to the outside world. She hoped she would spot this large fortress while on these raids.
Eventually she did find the fortress while accompanying the raiders. She killed them all and fled to the fortress. When she made it there, she was met with an entity that welcomed her. It told her that the fortress in known as The Fortress of Memories, meant to be a church dedicated to The Raven Queen. It also explained that they awaited her arrival and that their Queen is waiting for her inside. When she entered, the entity gestured her on a table she had to lay upon. When she did, she entered a dream like state. She relived her memories and had to battle against demons that plagued her mind. The several battles were hard won, but Adrasteia fought them to the end. She was then greeted by the same entity that appeared in her dreams, revealing herself as the Raven Queen. She thanked Adrasteia for sharing her memories, and she bestowed Adra the title of her Champion. Adra was granted her freedom and a gateway to escaping her slaver Vladislav.
She accepted and her Queen sent her to the prime material plane, where she is mostly out of reach to her now former master. After seeing the blood bath Adrasteia left in her wake with the raiders, Vladislav is using everything at his disposal to search for her. Rather or not he finds out how she got away is up to the DM. Adrasteia enjoys the freedom she was given by her Queen, so she dedicates herself to The Raven Queen faith. From time to time, her Queen gives her tasks that fair no challenge to her. She spends a lot of her time hunting down known slave organizations to put them at an end. She does her own mercenary work and has become an expensive mercenary known as “The Angel of Death” among employers and those who fear her. She completely abandoned her criminal life and she mostly tries to do good, but she still has the skills under her belt.

Skill Proficiencies: She is skilled in Stealth, and Intimidation.

Tool Proficiencies: She is proficient in thieves’ tools, a skill gained from The Black Arrow Mercenaries.

Languages: She can speak, read, and write Undercommon.

Equipment: A symbol of The Raven Queens Champion.

Suggested Characteristics

Adrasteia is slowly discovering who she is now as a free person. She has control over her actions, and can act in any way she wants.

Personality Traits

I am slow to trust strangers. How can I, when all I have known is pain from strangers?

I’ve gained a new appreciation for the little things in life. I take nothing for granted.

Every little thing interests me in this world. The world I know is full of darkness and ruin, and everything out of my own world is alien to me.

I actively try to help people. It has become my own duty to do as much good as I did harm in my past life.

I have a deep love for exploration. The taste of freedom and adventuring has become a new lifestyle!

I don’t want to anything to do with my past. In fact, I actively avoid talking about it.

 

Ideals

I will seek out and slay those that would enslave others.

My desire is to break the chains oppression in any form and destroy it.

I don’t want anyone to suffer the way I have.

 

Bonds

A terrible guilt consumes me from my past. I hope that I can find redemption through my actions.

I am dedicated to The Raven Queen faith, because I owe my life and freedom to my Queen.

I am the Champion of The Raven Queen, and take pride in destroying her foes.

Someone from my past was particularly cruel and vicious. One day, I’ll return the favor.

I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

 

Flaws

I get horribly angry whenever anyone prys me to talk about my past.

I have the worst dreams. I wake up in cold sweats thinking I am still in the past.

I would rather die than be captured again.

I flinch when being touched, from fear of how I was touched in my past life.

I feel no compassion for the deceased. There are worse things in life than death