Rena+Olafsdottir

=Variska Sturmsdottir=

1374-1376 DR
After helping to free Shaarmid from the Demonic horde, in the Year of Lightning Storms Variska traveled to the Border Kingdoms, intent on claiming some land where she could build a tower and conduct her research into storm magic in peace. After some minor incidents, she decided to clear the [|High Mukshar] region of its monstrous inhabitants -- gangs of Doppelgangers led by a small band of Illithids. With the aid of her Cohort Ultan Haraldsson, a force of Tiefling followers and some powerful magic (gotta love //True Sight//), she accomplished this task by the end of 1374 DR. The inhabitants of the area, sheepherders and covert small-scale miners, rejoiced and for the most part accepted her as their new leader.

For the next two years Variska consolidated her hold, making peaceful contact with [|High] [|Emmerock], the village of [|Dunbridges] and the port town of [|Arthyn]. The people of [|Arnglar], who already worshipped Talos, considered the stormcaster to be an avatar of their god. Between the Arnglarren and the Muksharran, Variska rebuilt the tower of the onetime Lord of the Realm in the ruined village of Tleska and set up shop there, protected by the most powerful wards available to her and longtime colleague Lia Nightbreeze (let's assume she visited at least once). With her personal treasury reduced, she financed her studies by making and selling potions and alchemical items and taking on students interested in learning Alchemy and Evocation magic.

What happens next? She's either the perfect target for the Spellplague, or one of the few Wizards that would survive it nearly unscathed. Arguments could be made either way. A paranoid, berserk Variska [CN Illuskan Human Bar 2/Wiz 5/Stormcaster 10] would be a very dangerous foe, embodying the raw power and chaos of a Class Five Hurricane. And even if she loses her spells, she's still got Barbarian skills and a Legacy Weapon (Rimeheart) at her disposal.

Conclave of Irl
Early in 1376, two powerful mages residing in the Border Kingdoms had powerful premonitions of impending doom. The Water Witch of High Emmerock ([|Scsilda Starshield]) saw the future devastation of The Spellplague; and The Manyfaced Lady of Felshroun ([|Selcheress Mhairtal], one of the four mage rulers) was able to view, through the crystal spheres of the multiverse, the approach of Abeir on a collision course with Toril.

However, their attempts to warn the other powerful casters residing in the Kingdoms met with failure until later in 1376 DR, when two separate Spellstorms struck [|Adaerglast] (almost killing the "Mage Kings" Iraun and Srivven) and [|Bedorn] (ravaging the opulent estates of Oparl). Variska, investigating one of the storms, was nearly driven mad but was able to use her barbarian rage power to save herself temporarily.

Two weeks later, mages from across the Border Kingdoms met in the neutral town of [|Irl] to discuss the coming calamity. Among those in attendance were Selcheress Mhairtal, Iraun, Srivven, Durendair "Greenshadow" Hammask of Felshroun (an Illuskan who had recently taken Variska as his lover), Eddoun Felderstone (master ringmaker) of Irl, Ilcanor of Luthcheq from Bedorn (one of the few mages of note to survive that spellstorm), [|Ilden Garthammus and his wife Faelrae] of Hawkgarth -- and [|Danchilaer the Mad Mage] from Dapplegate, probably the most powerful of them all. Scsilda attended in astral from, and sent over much of the treasure of High Emmerock for the Conclave's use. Each mage brought one champion, leaving the rest of their armies and retinues at home (Ultan attended at Variska's side).

The Conclave decided to send forth four champions to search for means to either undo the Spellplague...or at least divert it so it would spare the Border Kingdoms. The champions were chosen by the most expedient means possible...a combat tournament. Ultan made it to the finals (otherwise we wouldn't be telling this story). Each of the four was given free access to the vast stores of magic items available to the various mages (the "kings" of Adaerglast may be evil, but they're not stupid, and the Spellstorm scared them more than they'd ever admit), as well as the services of Eddoun Felderstone and other magic item crafters. Danchilaer also exerted his...unique power to give each of the four winners a boon and a mission as he had done to so many others in the past (consistent with his backstory!).

In the meantime, as the champions quested the mages would attempt to use their combined power to repurpose and activate on object found in the devastated ruins of a Calishite satrap's estate in Oparl -- a //mythallar// fragment ten feet tall and three feet in diameter that the now-dead fool had mounted as the centerpiece of a fountain. [Actually, according to //Lost Empires of Faerun//, it's big enough to be a complete //mythallar//...now all it needs is an activating source of Weave magic, such as a //mythal seed//.]

Variska's Origins
Rana Olafsdottir comes from a northern barbarian tribe settled on the coast in the Dessarin Vale near the Spine of the World. The tribe traded with both the nomads and hunter/gatherers from other tribes and several Dwarf outposts in the foothills.

Her father, Olaf Magnusson, was a tribal elder and accomplished trader by northern standards. His grandfather Harald once did a great favor for the Dwarves, and received a magnificent Human-scaled Battleaxe made from rare Blueice in gratitude. The axe, called Rimeheart, passed from Harald to Magnus to Olaf to his eldest, also named Harald. Harald and his brother Bjerk both died during the Time of Troubles, fighting an Orc incursion from the Spine. Rimeheart was recovered.

Rana, a half-sister to Harald and Bjerk by a different mother, was but a child when they died (as did her mother, slain by the White Dragon Arauthator on one of 'Old White Death's' periodic forays). Rana was raised by her father's sister, but was quiet and withdrawn.

So many things happened during the Time of Troubles...what was one more storm, even a powerful one? Turns out this storm in early 1360 was caused by the passage of Talos himself, on his way someplace to do something. The details have never been recorded, and are not important save for their effect on one little girl in a small coastal village. Rana Olafsdottir, eldest surviving child of Olaf Magnusson, awoke. She was alive, even wild, and always curious. She shunned the traditional female tasks (except braidmaking, she liked that) and developed as a warrior, fighting with the boys and channeling her rage.

Paradoxically, Rana also showed great aptitude for and interest in the ways of magic. She spent years persuading her father to send her to school in Waterdeep...a school for Wizards. A half-brother named Wulfgar (in honor of the hero of Icewind Dale), a year younger than Rana, was set to inherit Olaf's trade and holdings. In keeping with tradition, Rimeheart was given to Wulfgar...and Olaf consented to pay Rana's way to Waterdeep and the school.

Her time at school was difficult, even traumatic. She was called the Wild Child and was mostly shunned by the other students. Her familiar, a weasel named Uther, nearly killed two other student's familiars. Refusing to specialize in a school, instead Rana seemed drawn to spells that echoed the power of the northern cold and storms at sea. The highlight came when she and several other students were trapped in a real tomb, with real traps. Separated from their teacher, her barbaric background saved them that day. At the school, she learned alchemy, and showed promise as a maker of potions.

An incident at the school a year later caused her to drop out. She had never shown interest in romance or boys (nor in truth had any shown interest in her), but an instructor charmed her...literally. He used magics to rape Rana, but arranged things so it appeared consensual. She left and traveled as far from Waterdeep as she could go. Rana joined with an adventuring party exploring a pyramid tomb complex in a jungle south of Anauroch. Over the course of a month, they fought dozens of battles and found many treasures, most of which she turned into expendables like potions and wands. In the end, though, they awakened something that should have been left asleep -- a Phaerimm. Half the party died, the rest scattered. Tired of the heat, Rana headed northwest, towards home.

At home she learned that her father had died, leaving Wulfgar in charge of the family holdings. A drunkard and fool, he squandered everything on bad deals and his personal vices. Worst of all, Wulfgar had lost Rimeheart to a rival in a game of chance. The rival, a Half-Orc called Baldir Obouldson, was known to be in league with the Orcs of the Spine. Realizing the game had been rigged, and recalling the deaths of her two older brothers, Rana confronted Baldir -- during a storm. The storm did something to Rana, power flowed through her that she'd never felt before. When it was over, Baldir's minions were dead, Baldir himself was left for dead, and Rimeheart was in Rana's hands as she left home for the last time.

She headed south along the coast, hiring onto a pirate vessel as ship's mage. The vessel prowled the Moonshaes, down to Nelanther.

Rana has gray eyes and fiery long red hair, which she for a long time kept tighly braided in an elaborate cornrow pattern with beads and bits of filigree (the braids actually hold two 0-level spells as in a spellbook -- Detect Magic and Ray of Frost). Like many Illuskans, she is tall and sturdy, with scars from many battles. Rimeheart and Uther are never out of reach. To most, she appears crude and uncivilized. She says what she thinks, and suffers fools not at all. On the ship she knows her job and does it well, and spends her free time with any Illuskans and Dwarves on board, drinking and practicing. But she mostly works in her cabin, which contains an alchemist's lab, producing firebombs, sparkstones and thunderstones for the ship's defense. Her demeanor completely changes when a storm rises. She becomes excited, wild, even reckless -- but also more powerful. Sooner or later she'll leave the ship to pursue her destiny as a Stormcaster...a destiny set on that stormy day in 1360 when Talos passed through and awed a young girl (she never knew, and the deity never cared).