Here is a character backstory & background I’ve created for the Pathfinder RPG for the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. The locations mentioned are from the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition – Player’s Guide. I’ll be modifying and/or adding more stuff as I delve deeper into the game.
Character – Lestaari
Backstory:
Galadril (an elf male) from the Mierani Forest found Milith (a human female) who had happened to have lost her way. Galadril escorted her all the way towards Riddleport. But the thieves and pirates ambushed them. That was when both Galadril & Milith realised who each other was; they teamed up together quite well to settle down their problem at hand. After that, Galadril felt and saw her love for him, and they got married.
Galadril was an elven ranger, adept & agile in his ways across the forest. Milith had always been a lone wolf adventurer. But soon after they were married, they decided to adventure and explore the world.
When Milith went with Galadril back to the Mierani Forest, he was exiled from the elven lands, banished forever. Milith knew the only place they could get help settling down for the time being, Nybor.
There they aided people who travelled on dangerous paths, sometimes where their journeys went on for weeks or even months. They made friends with the Gnomes of the Sanos Forest, who guided people to cross the forest to avoid the dangers of the Malgorian Mountains. Nonetheless, it was during one of their journey together through these mountains, that they were caught in a wild earthquake that led the lands rumble far, and both of them were trapped in a cavern of some sort. They felt these to be their last moments, and so they made love, forgetting about the entire world they were in. But it took around two days for someone to find them after they hadn’t met Nygom, their gnome friend. He rescued and brought them back safe in Nybor.
Milith & Galadril soon had a half-human, half-elf girl. And they named her Lestaari, that meant “From the Stars”, or “Star Born”.
Galadril went back aiding and escorting people towards safe travel, while Lestaari grew up to become a young woman. Lestaari’s mother trained her well, keeping her in high spirits, ensuring that nature, and the beautiful world was the first priority over all else.
It was after a few more years that Galadril came back home, and started to act strange. Then on, it was always going downhill for him. Milith, watching her husband become insane & mad, left without notice, and never came back. That was when Lestaari asked Nygom to help Galadril recover from his pain, as all her efforts were struck down. Every time Galadril came home, Lestaari only saw him in his own world.
Both the priests & the townsfolk suggested that Galadril be taken out of town for an atmospheric change. And so, Galadril & Nygom left for Whistledown. But instead of getting better, things became worse. The melodies of the bristling wind through Whistledown led him north. Nygom managed to track him down. It was halfway towards Ilsurian that Nygom managed to get a grip on Galadril. But Galadril was determined to go further north. When asked where his destination was, Galadril said that his calling was in Ashwood. Knowing the troubles of the place, Nygom tried distracting him. But his efforts were wasted. At an isolated border of the forest, a pack of wolves arrived at the tree line. Nygom tried to stop Galadril. But the wolves were focussed on Nygom. It looked as if Ashwood welcomed Galadril with its open arms. Nygom couldn’t do anything besides keep away from the threatening wolves. That was the last of Galadril anyone ever saw.
Nygom arrived back in Nybor, and informed Lestaari about what had happened with her father. She went in shock, and it took a week for her to get back to her senses. But still, Lestaari never became normal. She decided to find her parents wherever they would be. And so, she asked Nygom to take her to where Galadril went into the Ashwood forest.
Neither tracks nor traces were found anywhere nearby. It looked as if this part of the forest had been untouched for years. Nygom attempted to stop Lestaari. Instead, she thanked Nygom, and requested him to go home while she went in search of her lost father. He was all she had after her mother had left them. Days, weeks, and months passed. Lestaari didn’t find anything in the Ashwood. She came back to Nygom, and said what happened, and that she would now be on her way to search for her mother. And for that, Nygom informed her that there were rumours heard about a similar outlook of an adventurer found in Sandpoint. But the news he had heard of was about two months old.
Five things most essential to the character:
1. Lestaari is obsessed with finding her human mother ever since she found out about her father’s mental condition that led him to wander away into the Ashwood.
2. Lestaari has lived along with Nygom, her father’s best friend, after her father died. He has always been a godfather to her ever since she was born to her parents.
3. Milith, Lestaari’s mother, left her & Galadril abruptly in the middle of the night, without even leaving a message behind. Lestaari is curious to know of her reasons to leave them.
4. Being known as “The Caveling Girl”, Lestaari has been underestimated & laughed at by the people who knew her parents. Trusting others has become difficult during her upbringing.
5. Lestaari has kept herself fit and agile like her mother. She knows the downside of being young, attractive, and beautiful.
Lestaari’s goals to be achieved:
1. Lestaari wishes to reunite with her parents, Milith her human mother, & Galadril her elven father as soon as possible.
2. Lestaari wishes to understand why her mother left them both, and what made her father transform into an insane person.
Secrets about Lestaari:
1. Lestaari communicates with all flora, fauna, & the wind. She understands all nature related problems, and receives information regarding anyone in need of protection, and if there is anyone or anything that is threatened while being out in the wild. Nature shows her the path that will aid her along her adventures. But it also tells her that not all paths are safe, and troubles are often to be found.
2. [Lestaari doesn’t know this] Milith, Lestaari’s mother, is a Nolander who has been tasked to create problems & distractions in the south. Her employer threatened Milith with the life of her only daughter. Milith was also indirectly responsible for Galadril’s insanity that led him into Ashwood. She knew how Galadril’s downfall would occur.
People connected with Lestaari:
1. Although Galadril, Lestaari’s father, hadn’t known each other while she grew up, it was when she got attached to her father when his mental habits & behaviours changed forever. Making efforts towards his betterment, Lestaari grew more attached to her father, and got to know him then onwards.
2. Nygom (a male gnome) has been like a godfather to Lestaari. She cares for his well-being at all times. Nygom is a man with contacts that spread out across from Magnimar in the west, to Kaer Maga in the east, and Riddleport in the north.
3. Lestaari has grown up to become a young woman, only because of her mother’s upbringing. Milith, Lestaari’s mother, trained her in all the ways of the nature & wild, & teaching the purpose of life in the world. She may have been a wonderful and perfect mother to Lestaari, but her errands towards her employer have led her life into misery that has cast her mind out towards all evil purposes. There may be some good left within her heart, but her employer has crafted an illusion of deception that goes against the current laws. There is still hope for her revival.
Lestaari’s memories:
1. Lestaari keeps recalling how she spent time with her mother, going out nearby to get trained on hunting & survival.
2. Imagining Nygom’s story of Galadril as he went into Ashwood had Lestaari traumatised, and keeps surfacing in her dreams as she tries to save him, but gets pulled away.
3. Few bold men tried taking advantage of Lestaari in isolated & deserted places after repeatedly being named as “The Caveling Girl”. The horror of what might have happened was explained by Milith long before, and she was trained in self-defence. And yet, there always lurked in corners & shadows of people who searched for such opportunities of chance upon her.
Please feel free to provide any feedback that would help me enrich such characters further in the future. Thanks.
Wired With Words 