Joy was born in a small village at the edge of a deep, ancient forest, a place where folk tales of dark creatures and ominous curses were whispered among the villagers. From birth, she bore the unmistakable signs of a hexblood—pale green-tinted skin, unnaturally sharp nails, forked ears, and eyes that gleamed with a mischievous glint. Her parents, simple and devout farmers, were filled with fear and sorrow, believing their child to be cursed by dark forces.

As Joy grew, her hexblood traits became more pronounced. Her connection to her hag ancestry began to manifest in subtle but unsettling ways. She would catch herself saying hurtful things without meaning to, feel a cruel delight in the misfortune of others, and sometimes she would dream of dark, twisted forests filled with malicious creatures. Her parents, desperate to save their daughter from what they perceived as an inevitable fall into darkness, sought the counsel of the village priest.

The priest, sensing a spark of goodness in the young girl, suggested sending her to the temple of Pelor, the Radiant Sun, a place known for its teachings of compassion, light, and redemption. There, Joy would be guided by the holy order, far from the shadows that threatened to consume her.

At the temple, Joy was met with kindness and understanding. The priests and paladins taught her the ways of Pelor, encouraging her to resist the darker urges that simmered within her. She learned to channel her innate power into acts of healing and protection rather than harm. Through years of discipline, prayer, and meditation, Joy grew into a compassionate and wise young woman, though the struggle against her blood's innate cruelty was a constant battle.

When she came of age, Joy took an Oath. She swore to Pelor and herself that she would dedicate her life to the pursuit of peace, redemption, and the healing of those who, like her, teetered on the edge of darkness. She chose the name Joy as a reminder of the light she sought to bring into the world and as a rejection of the despair and cruelty associated with her hag lineage. 

Mila's decision to leave the priesthood wasn't a sudden whim, but a slow burn fueled by a growing disconnect between the rigid structure of the church and the restless yearning in her soul. The quiet contemplation and prescribed rituals, once a source of comfort, began to feel like a cage. She found herself increasingly drawn to the whispered tales of the outside world – of untamed wildernesses, lost civilizations, and the thrill of the unknown. The stories sparked a fire within her, a hunger for experience that the cloistered life could no longer satisfy. The sermons about faith and devotion began to ring hollow compared to the vibrant, tangible world that lay beyond the monastery walls, a world she felt compelled to explore firsthand.

The catalyst for her departure wasn't a single event, but a gradual accumulation of small, unsettling realizations. Mila witnessed hypocrisy within the order, the comfortable complacency of some of her fellow priests, and the way dogma often trumped compassion. She questioned the very foundations of her faith, not in a spirit of rebellion, but with a genuine desire to understand the true nature of good and evil, a quest she realized couldn't be confined to dusty theological texts. The answers she sought, she felt, weren't to be found in the hallowed halls of the church, but out in the world, etched into the landscapes, whispered on the wind, and reflected in the eyes of those she would meet.

The final push came in the form of a vision, not of a divine being, but of herself. She saw herself not as a revered priestess, but as a weathered traveler, her face tanned by the sun, her hands calloused from adventure. She saw herself standing on the precipice of a vast, uncharted territory, a look of exhilaration in her eyes. This vision wasn't a directive, but a promise – a glimpse of the life that awaited her if she dared to break free from the familiar. It was a vision of purpose, of a path uniquely hers, one that resonated deep within her spirit in a way the priesthood never could.

And so, Mila made her choice. She didn't renounce her faith, but redefined it. She traded her robes for practical traveling clothes, her prayer book for a sturdy map, and her quiet cell for the open road. She carried with her the lessons learned within the church walls – compassion, discipline, and a deep respect for the mysteries of the universe – but she left behind the dogma and the rigid structure. Mila embarked on her adventure not as a runaway priestess, but as a seeker of truth, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, confident that her journey would lead her to a deeper understanding of herself, the world, and the divine spark that resided within both.

Arden is acutely aware that he is not going to live forever. A human orphan discovered in the forest as a toddler by a kindly elven family in the kingdom of Celene, he grew to manhood surrounded by seemingly changeless people. At only 21 years of age, he already looks older than some of the elves he's known all his life.

Arden's elven family, the House Of Mithrien and its Lord and Lady, loved and raised him as their own child, though the elven youths outside his family teased him mercilessly, calling him Elananfain, meaning "Unlooked For," or "Unsought," as his human parents had obviously abandoned him.

The Lady Mithrien, Arden's adopted mother, was a mage of some talent, and took the human boy under her wing, frequently allowing him to explore her library while she studied arcane lore. Though he had some talent for magic, Arden could never really grasp the finer points of the art, and grew frustrated by his inability to master its complexities.

Until he discovered archery. The Lord Mithrien, his adopted father, was one of the most renowned archers in all of Celene, often winning contests at tournaments. Arden loved learning the way of the bow, and as his mind grew more disciplined learning it, he found that he began to understand magic better, too.

Tradition forbade Mithrien from passing their titles onto non-elven heirs, so Arden was formally trained as a personal guard to the House, allowing him to be close to his adopted family without flustering too many elven conservatives at festivals.

The mystery of his origins has always troubled Arden. He loves the Lord and Lady Mithrien dearly, but never felt truly at home among the wider elven community. Upon his 21st birthday, the Lord Mithrien gifted him an heirloom longbow named Ek-Thornen, "the Brother," a sign that though tradition forbade it, the family considered Arden a true son of their House. Lady Mithrien explained that The Brother was a mystic tool as well as a weapon. If Arden used it to maintain discipline in his archery, he would eventually begin to master his magical talent as well.

Their gift came also with a revelation. Lady Mithrien's divinations had finally revealed a single bit of Arden's past: if he wanted to learn his origins and find his birth family, his path must go through the Free City Of Greyhawk. The choice was his, as he would always be welcomed and loved at House Mithrien and its lands.

Arden chose to follow the call of his unease, and set out for Greyhawk that very day.

Name: Khessa Cabbagefield
Class: Fighter 1
Background: Farmer
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Ability Scores: Strength: 18 (16+2) Dexterity: 10 Constitution: 16 (15+1) Intelligence: 16 Wisdom:  13 Charisma: 15
AC: 17 (Chainmail + Defence) / 22 by casting Shield.
HP: 15.

Resourceful.
Skillful (Arcana).
Versatile (Magic Initiate(int) - Fire Bolt, Light, Shield).
Farmer Feat: Tough.
Farmer Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Nature.
Fighting Style: Defence.
Second Wind (2).
Weapon Mastery: Greatsword(Graze), Maul(Topple), Pike(Push).
Fighter Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Perception.

Twardens was a tiny hamlet, near the border between the Shield Lands and the domain of Iuz.

Tobar Cabbagefield, Khessa's father was not so smart, but really handsome, athletic and strong. He used to be courted by most women of the village. He used to bed them only to lose interest after a few. Bored by the other women, he finally got charmed by Eshta Finegarden's intellect. A woman not so beautiful, but with a sharp mind was something new to him.

One night, after some "activity" on sheaves of straw, they spoke for a while, like they were used to. Tobar was always impressed Eshta’s curiosity and intelligence. She was always able to find something interesting to speak about. That night he said to Eshta: "You truly are amazing, Eshta, I never met a woman like you. I think we really should marry. Can you imagine what it would be, to have a child with my body and your mind?"

Eshta replied: "Tobar, my dearest… and can you imagine if the child gets my body and your mind?"

And Tobar: "I’m not very good at imagining or thinking" and started kissing her again. He might have not been good at thinking, but he must have been good at something, for Eshta accepted his proposal, in the end.

Now… Eshta was right... Things could have got like she said... But Tobar was lucky. And things went like he said. Sometimes, to be lucky it is more important than to be right.

So Khessa was born in Twardens - and during the following years her many siblings were born as well.

But at the age of 20 Khessa is kidnapped, with her family, during a raid of drow slavers.
Her village, Twardens, is wiped out. One of her borthers, Anator, is killed in front of her for having tried to resist. Khessa, her parents and her remaining siblings Yassa, Rethos and Larrya (@DM: I have more details about them - just ask if you think you need them) are enslaved and brought underground, towards an unknown (but certainly not very pleasant) destiny in the Underdark.

The brutal behavior of the drow leaves a deep mark in her soul: from that moment on, she always has deep distrust and contempt for the drow. "I'll show the drow the same mercy they have shown me" she thinks. Also, from that moment on, she always feels uneasy, anxious when she is in complete darkness.

Combining all of her self-confidence, physical prowess and sharp mind, with a fighting spirit that she discovers in those circumstances, she manages, with careful planning and some luck, to free herself.
She takes the drow completely by surprise and this allows her to accomplish a few tasks she would not have otherwise been able to:
- She avenges her brother, beheading the drow that murdered him while he sleeps.
- She strangles to death the slaver's wizard, also stealing his spellbook to be able, maybe, someday, to do the same wonders he was capable of.
- She pushes the drow priestess who was in charge of the expedition into a ravine (she doesn't know if the fall kills her, but it is the chaos that follows that allows her to escape).
- She steals some equipment and flees, freeing some other villagers in the meantime.

Sadly, she has no chance to free her family: they have not been kept near her and she does not have the time to find them.

After a dangerous journey in the Underdark, during which she is forced on several occasions to defend herself in the hostile and unfamiliar environment (risking her life, but also honing her fighting skills), she manages to lead the freed villagers to the surface, then back home.

But she decides NOT to rebuild the burned home of her family. What would matter to her a house, without the family that lived there with her?

She chooses to put to good use her newfound talents instead: she will live free, as an adventurer, she will satisfy the curiosity of the world that, after all, she has always had and will also, when possible, help the defenseless... for deep is her sorrow for not having been able to free her family. She will, one day, go underground again and free her family, among other unfortunate drow slaves.

Corani's sister. That was how just about everyone knew her. And that was fine with Lusia Varusk. She had always aspired to be just like her big sister. Though it always seemed like she fell short. Corani always seemed to have numerous friends, lots of energy, and was quite talented musically. As a result, Lusia tried to follow in her footsteps, but she was quiet and tended to be a bit awkward around people. She tried to learn to play several instruments and attempted to be a performer. She actually really enjoyed playing, but she just didn't have her sister's talent, nor her presence on stage. Lusia never stopped playing music, but she knew it would be more of a personal hobby than a profession. 

The two had lived all their lives in the town of Twp Ford. Their parents were not wealthy, both working hard to support their family living in the poorer parts of the city.  Not that they suffered; the family always had a sturdy roof over their heads.  Just nothing fancy and they just seemed to barely make ends meet.  Their father was a laborer, taking whatever jobs would pay him.  And their mother worked as a seamstress, though she just never really made much money in that endeavor.  They also had a brother, Luca, who was between the ages of the two sisters. But Lusia was always closest, or at least most enthralled by, Corani. 

With Corani's talent for music, she became a fixture in many of the taverns throughout town.  As time went by, she made a name for herself in some of the fancier establishments. Those gigs tended to be more lucrative and with her personality she made a lot of contacts with a lot of people. As Lusia got older, she tried to follow in her sister's footsteps, but she had none of the same success. When not performing, Corani was spending a lot of time gambling in the taverns, yet another thing she seemed to be fairly good at.  Their parents were already unhappy with Corani's pursuits, and they certainly tried to curtail Lusia from following suit. 

They weren't completely successful.  Lusia still spent time with her older sister, but it certainly was not as much as she would have hoped. In time, Lusia found out that Corani was using her contacts she made to find various jobs within and around the city for her and her friends. Lusia of course wanted in on these 'adventures' as she thought of them. Initially, Corani put her off.  But in time, she agreed to help train her some. She helped her train to fight a bit and to learn a few useful skills. Corani still made sure her little sister was not subject to much risk, keeping her away from participating in any real jobs. 

As time when on though, Lusia pressed more and more to actually join Corani.  But just as it seemed her older sister would finally relent, it dawned on Lusia that her sister was working with criminal organizations. She ended up asking her about it. Corani tried to explain it away and at first Lusia was just going to accept the explanations. But she couldn't get herself to do that. The two ended up in a bit of an argument and Lusia left, refusing to do any work with Corani.  It really upset her, but she felt convinced that it was right to stand up to what her sister was doing. 

She wasn't about to tell anyone about any of this; though the thought of turning in her sister did cross her mind in the heat of their argument. She saw her sister a bit less often after that, though she didn't completely stop visiting with her. But the conflict had left her at a bit of a loss as to what to do with herself.  She considered becoming a town guard, even enquiring about how to do that. But so far she hasn't taken any real steps to follow up on that.

What she really wants is to join groups for these 'adventures' that she imagined Corani was doing. But she wants to do something positive. Something to help people perhaps. Or at the very least do an honest job to earn her pay.  Now she just has to figure out how exactly to go about doing that.