Our story begins in Luskan with a slight, tiefling girl named Sharaz, or Shara, as her friends called her. In spite of her obvious tiefling heritage, Shara was a very popular child around Luskan, making friends with everybody, particularly the kids that others scorned or shunned. Like Zara (short for Zarantha), the daughter of a powerful good sorceror, whom most townsfolk feared for no good reason. And Nyssa, the daughter of druids.

Even as she grew to be a young woman, working in her mother's pub, The Bard's Room, Shara remained a very popular person. No one could resist her smiling face and bubbly personality. And for whatever reason, The Bard's Room was the most peaceful bar in Luskan. It seemed that whenever trouble seemed a brewing, Shara could resolve the problem with a gentle smile and a few well chosen words.

But Shara had the heart of an adventurer, like her mother before her. So, when word of the troubles up in Targos found their way to The Bard's Room, Shara decided that it was time put her shart wit, her clever tongue, and her nimble body to good use.

It was time for an excellent adventure!

Sharaz CG Fighter/Rogue, Tiefling Female STR 10, DEX 20, CON 12+, INT 16, WIS 8, CHA 12 Favored Weapon: Longbow Sharaz has lead a relatively easy life thus far. That is, for a tiefling in Luskan. It's safe to say that her good looks and easy going nature have served her well throughout her young life. Sharaz is quite good looking, even for a tiefling, without some of the scarier tiefling features. However, her dusky skin, orange hair, and jade green cat-like eyes are clear indicators of her heritage. Sharaz's mother, Sharenne, is the owner of one of the pubs in Luskan. Sharenne is completely human and looks quite like her daughter, with the exception of her tiefling features. Sharaz's mother loves her unconditionally and doesn't allow the pub's patrons to speak ill of her daughter in her presense. Sharaz spent much of her youth hanging around the pub, helping out. And while her tiefling heritage was a source of trouble on rare occasions, Sharaz was usually able to talk her way out of the nastier situations. And on those even rarer occasions when some drunkard refused to leave her be, Sharaz was able to nimbly avoid the advances or the blows of any drunken fool. Sharaz's only really useful in battle with a bow. She's more likely to run away from a melee (to open the range, of course) than to pull out her dagger and to fight up close and personal. When Shara learned of the first attack on Targos (the Luskan grapevine travels directly through the Bard's Room), she was determined to do whatever she could to help the people in Targos. She first approached her mother for permission to go. Knowing that her daughter would probably go to Targos anyways, Sharenne gave her permission, provided that she formed a strong party to go with her and that her beau, Kurak, went with her. Sharenne didn't really think that her daughter would really be able to get anyone to join her. After all, who would follow such a little slip of a girl? Shara knew what her mother would think. "Who would follow sweet little Shara?" She would show her mother. Shara had friends, a lot of friends. NOTE: Sharaz is designed to be pure rogue (or perhaps a Rogue X/Fighter 4) who specializes in rogue skills, conversation skills, and depends on archery for combat. I think that she will only fight in melee when pressed. TOP

Hartan Bonecutter NG Fighter, Gold Dwarven Male STR 18+, DEX 12, CON 20, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 8 Favored Weapon: Greataxe Hartan Bonecutter is a veritable chip of the ole anvil. He is the son of blacksmith and quite a good smithy in his own right. And like his father before him, Hartan yearns for the life of an adventurer, at least for a short time before he settles down. And also like his father, Hartan is as strong as an oxe and has the temper of a ill-mannered mule. However, no one could ask for a better person to have guarding your back in a melee. Hartan is a fairly typical dwarven fighter who likes his axes and hammers. And likes burying them into his enemy's skulls even more. After getting her mother's provisional permission to go to Targos, Sharaz turned and yelled across the barroom to Hartan, who was sitting in the corner with his head buried in a pint of ale. "Hey, Hartan, ol' buddy! Wanna go to Targos and kill some goblins?" How could Hartan refuse such a gracious offer? TOP

Zarantha NG Sorceress, Human Female STR 10, DEX 10, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 10, CHA 18 Favored Weapon: Arcane Magics Zarantha is the daughter of the grouchy old mage Zanthar who resides on the outskirts of Luskan. Zarantha learned the arcane arts at her father's knee and learned them well. Although very beautiful, Zarantha has a sharp tongue and few men dare to approach her, usually fearing that she would turn them into toads. She is known in Luskan as "The Black Witch" because she is always seem wearing the darkest of black dresses and robes. Zarantha will carry a quarterstaff and maybe a crossbow. But all in all, Zara would really rather just use only her magics to defeat anyone or anything that dares to attack her. In Zara's mind, her quarterstaff is just a glorified walking stick. After twisting Hartan's beer arm to join her, Sharaz approached her childhood friend, Zara. While they didn't hang out together like they had when they were young, "Shara and Zara" were still the best of friends, even if the rest of the town had forgotten. And unlike most of the town, Sharaz didn't fear to walk right on up to the front door of Zanthar's keep and bang on the door. She knew that Zanthar would know that it was her. When Zara answered the door, Shara asked "Would you like to come out and play?" Zarantha asked where. "Targos." Zarantha could only laugh in that seemingly evil way that only mages seem to know. NOTE: Zarantha was designed strictly to meet the custom edit, pure and simple. I'd made this pic and, by god, I was gonna make a character and call her "The Black Witch". TOP

Nyssa NG Druid, Human Female STR 12, DEX 14, CON 16, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 6 Favored Weapon: ??? Nyssa is an human druid who lives in the forests around Luskan. Nyssa is rarely seen in town, prefering her beloved forests to the hustle and bustle of the town. Nyssa is so mysterious, even to her friends Shara and Zara, that nobody knows what her favorite weapon might be or how she prefers to fight. After getting Zara to laugh, Sharaz and Zarantha headed into the woods to seek out Nyssa at Zara's suggestion. Climbing to the top of a fairly bare hill near the forest, Sharaz started clanging a cowbell that she'd borrowed and yelled, "Nysssssssssssaaaaa!!! Come on out! It's Shara and Zara!" After a few minutes, the young druid girl emerged from the deep wood. "I haven seen you two in many moons. When to we leave for Targos?" Shara and Zara looked at each other and laughed some more. NOTE: I was determined to try an IWD2 druid and Nyssa is the result. TOP

Lady Valeria LG Watcher of Helm, Aasimar Female STR 18, DEX 10, CON 18, INT 8, WIS 16+, CHA 10 Favored Weapon: Greatsword Lady Valeria is a very "devoted" cleric in the service of Helm. At times, Valeria can be a bit overbearing. However, that it not an uncommon trait for Helm's Watchers. There are some who think that Valeria 's ambition was to be one of Helm's paladins, but that her arrogance was unbefitting for one of Helm's champions. Instead, Lady Valeria has been "limited" to serving Helm as one of his warrior-clerics in Luskan. In battle, Lady Valeria fights with all the enthusiasm of a warrior borne. While she prefers to be closest to the heat of battle with greatsword in hand, Valeria will do as ordered. One of the frictions in the party is Lady Valeria truly has the heart of a warrior and she has a hard time taking orders from Sharaz. As one who both follows orders and is grateful for such a glorious opportunity, Lady Valeria is caught in a conundrum between her loyalty and obedience to Helm and her disdain for taking orders a tiny slip of a girl and a rogue besides. It wouldn't be so difficult if only Shara, Zara, and Nyssa weren't giggling so often. After speaking to Nyssa, Sharaz and Zarantha returned to town and headed straight to the temple of the Order of Helm. After all, any good adventuring party had better have a good cleric. And although none of Sharaz's many friends were clerics, she had met one who had come into the Bard's Room many times over the past few months. Sharaz remembered that the woman has a stern look to her and her older sister, Kerytha, had said that she was Lady Valeria, one of the Order's battle-clerics. Shara thought that she seemed like a bit of a sour puss, but this "Lady Valeria" did seem to enjoy the ale and the merry-making. So she couldn't be all bad. Sharaz and Zarantha walked in the Order's front door and politely but firmly asked to speak to the High Watcher. The cleric tried to give the Shara and Zara the brush off. Before Zara could slice open the cleric with her sharp tongue, Sharaz quickly responded "My good Watcher, my friends and I will be on the Wicked Wench when it sails to help defend Targos from the attacking goblin hordes and we are here to request the services of Lady Valeria, one of your order's battle clerics, if I'm not mistaken. NOTE 1: I chose the Watcher of Helm domain for Lady Valeria mostly for role playing reasons. I didn't want to play another cleric of Tempus, Lathander, or Tempus, and still wanted a cleric that had more of a "warrior feel" than a Lorekeeper or a Silverstar. I was also trying to play a cleric that would fit the portrait of a woman in silvery plate. I'm not a big fan of the Watchers' domain spells, but I'll try to make it work because I like the character of "Lady Valeria" that I've built to this point. NOTE 2: Valeria is not a paladin in waiting, despite what her description might seem to imply. Lady Valeria is strictly a paladin wannabe, largely due to the fact that her attitude is not one befitting a paladin. TOP

Kurak CG Ranger, Human Male STR 16, DEX 18, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 12, CHA 6 Favored Weapon: Bow Kurak is a ranger who has spent his entire life in the area around the towns of Luskan and Targos. He has made a decent living as a hunter and guide. While Kurak prefers to not stay in the town, there are a goodly number of people in Luskan that he calls "friend". Kurak's best friend is Sharaz, the youngest daughter of Sharenne, the owner of The Bard's Room, a popular pub in Luskan. Despite her tiefling heritage, Kurak has become very attached to pale skinned beauty and will be very protective of her in any battle. Kurak is a very nimble warrior who relies on cunny and guile (and some stout leather armor) to defeat his enemies. While his prefered weapon is a trusty longbow, Kurak is also skilled in the use of the sword. Although he is skilled in the use of a shield, he prefers to fight in melee with a dagger in his off hand. When Kurak returned from his aborted hunting trip in the woods north of Luskan, he immediately warned the town leaders of the goblin attacks on Targos and of the reinforcements that he tracked. Although they knew nothing of the reinforcements, the leaders were aware of the attack on Targos and had put out a call for any able bodied adventurers. Kurak then headed on over to the Bard's Room to find Sharaz. Strangely, Shara was seated a corner table with an oddly assorted group of folks. Hartan, he knew to be a regular customer of the pub. The stern-looking woman was a total stranger, although she had the look of one of the Order's Watchers. The druid, Nyssa, was no stranger to Kurak, although they rarely spoke and Nyssa was almost never seen in Luskan, let alone the Bard's Room. But it was the woman in black that brought a shudder to Kurak. The Black Witch! "Shara, what is the Black Witch doing here?", he asked. "The Black Witch? Oh, that's just Zara. Ya know. Shara and Zara?!", Sharaz replied while giving Zarantha a big hug. "Zara? ZA-rantha. Oh, gods, I'm in trouble now." Kurak thought. "Hey, Kurry, we're heading up to Targos to help out and you're coming with us, right?" Kurak rolled his eyes and replied, "Whatever you say, Shara. Whatever you say." NOTE: "Kurak" is another character based on a a custom portrait edit. I liked the result of this specific edit and really wanted to make a ranger to match. Thus was born, Kurak the Ranger. He was originally gonna be the leader of this party, but as things evolved, he became the boyfriend of the leader. Oh, well. TOP