Pyrian Stars

The Pyrian Stars are a legendary adventuring party known for saving Pyrias in 2252 from the dragon attack. The Pyrian Stars is comprised of six companions, though only five fight. They sent Cher Amies on their first quest as a group. No one has heard from them in months.

## History

### Pre-Campaign

The Pyrian Stars formed slowly, over time. There was no one moment where the members met. They began as two, then were joined by a third, then a fourth, then a fifth, and finally, a sixth. The group didn't have a name until they saved Pyrias; they just considered themselves a family who travelled and adventured together. The name "Pyrian Stars" was given to them by the very people they saved.

Their story began when Zandryth met Sebastian. When Sebastian was 26, he was sent on a journey south with several other clerics. There had been an outbreak of disease in Nilison, and they had begged the Temple of Auna to send clerics to help. The journey was through the Pyre Desert, a prospect which frightened the entire group. The Desert was not traversed easily, and many who lived in Pyrias would take a long detour – sail around the coast rather than go directly. Time was of the essence, however, and they decided to go through the desert.

It was there that Sebastian met Zandryth. The party – four young clerics, including Sebastian himself – had not prepared themselves properly for the harshness of the desert. They were thirsty, exhausted, and worried that they were lost. Zandryth came across them. He attacked them at first, but Sebastian managed to hold him off until he calmed down. The clerics explained their situation. Zandryth wanted them gone. He agreed to escort them to the other side of the desert – a three day long journey. By the end of the three days, Sebastian found himself oddly charmed by this gruff druid. To Zandryth's surprise, he felt the same way about the Tiefling. He decided to accompany them all the way to the city – after all, the Clerics would surely get lost again on their way back. By the end of the month that the Clerics spent in the city (during which a sulky Zandryth hung around, roped into helping), Zandryth and Sebastian were lovers. They were not necessarily in love yet – but they were strongly attracted to each other, and they gave into that attraction.

Zandryth, true to his word, escorted the Clerics back home through the desert. When it came time for them to part, he realized he didn't want to leave Sebastian – but he also did not wish to leave the desert, and thus bid his lover farewell. They did not see each other again for nearly a year.

Zandryth sometimes wondered what his life would have been like if he had gone with Sebastian. He did not want to admit to himself how much he missed the Tiefling. Sebastian, meanwhile, wanted to go out and see the world – but he knew he did not want to do so alone. He considered asking friends at the Temple, but knew in his heart he wanted to go find the beautiful Sun Elf he had grown to love. And so he did. He offered to pay Zandryth to be his bodyguard for a long Pilgrimage. Zandryth happily accepted. Somewhere along the line, he stopped paying Zan, and the two began going on adventures together as a couple.

In 2243, Zan and Sebastian returned to the temple where Sebastian used to work. Pyrias was at war, and Sebastian wanted to help heal soldiers returning from battle. It was then that he reunited with a young dragonborn he had once known, Pazavur, who had been badly injured as a member of the Pyrian Army. Sebastian helped care for Pazavur in the sixth months he was recovering. By the end, Pazavur declared Sebastian to be his best friend, and asked if he could come with him and Zan. Sebastian and Zandryth (though Zandryth wasn't entirely enthusiastic about this) said yes.

The three travelled together for two years, and found they made an excellent team. On a day spent in Vernas, they met an orphan living on the streets, Aisha. Aisha saw a half elf, tiefling, and dragonborn trio in the marketplace. They looked extremely wealthy. Aisha had not eaten in nearly a week. She attempted to pickpocket the half-elf – only to be caught immediately by the Sebastian. She tried to run – but Pazavur held her where she was. Aisha expected to be handed over to the authorities, where she would be beaten and locked away. It had happened before. To her shock, Sebastian smiled, ruffled her hair, and asked when the last time she had eaten was. He then treated her to a meal from one of the market stalls, and chatted with her. He asked where she lived. She admitted she lived by the docks, with a gang of other street kids ruled over by an older teen. The trio took pity on her – Zandryth explained that he had lost his parents, too. Sebastian had not lost his, but had been turned out of the house the minute he turned 16, moving into the temple. Pazavur was the odd one out – he still had his parents, and was on wonderful terms with them – but still pitied the tiny human girl. Without even speaking, the three agreed – Aisha was coming with them.

In 2251, the group were hired to find a missing couple of hunters from the town of Dragonsmaw in Illuren. Their daughter, an accomplished hunter named Asphodel, went with them to search. Though they were unable to rescue her parents – who had been killed by a giant – they bonded well with the young halfling, and asked her to join their group. Asphodel, who had nowhere else to go, agreed.

They continued to travel the world, and were in Athadell at the time of the dragon attacks. They had just finished disposing some particularly vicious bandits when they heard that their homeland was in danger. Aisha teleported them back to Pyrias not a moment too soon; the dragons had been destroying the country for just under a day, and much had already been lost. They managed to track the dragons down, and a bloody battle ensued, with the Pyrian Stars barely managing to survive and defeat the pair of black dragons. It was during the dragon attack that they found and saved a newly orphaned little girl, who would become their sixth companion.

The Pyrian Stars were heralded as heroes, and the saviours of Pyrias. They stayed in Pyrias for a time to help heal and protect all those who had lost families, friends, and homes. They eventually began travelling again, ending up in Illuren by 2254. They were staying in the city of Feypass when they were sent a letter asking for their help in Othium. They prepared to leave a few days after Ceruna's festival.

### Campaign

Fiona, unbeknownst to her family, went to the Night of Singing service by herself. While there, she - and the rest of the people attending the service - was attacked by a group of creatures called Derros. She was saved by a group of strangers, and her parents, Zandryth and Sebastian, arrived shortly after the battle. When they learned what had occurred, they thanked the group and offered them rooms in a nice hotel as a way to repay them for saving Fiona. That evening, they asked the group if they could look into the Derros and what actually happened, as they were due to leave the city the next day and did not want to delay their travel.

That night, however, their plans were forced to change. Fiona was kidnapped in the night, leaving them to have to look for their daughter. They assured the future Cher Amies that they'd be fine, and to focus on looking into the Derros. Fiona was indeed found and rescued by the group, as it was the Derros who had taken her, and after reuniting with her family, the group left for Othium.

They have not been heard from since.

## Members

### Zandryth

Zandryth was born on Sunpeak 18th, 2118. He is a sun elf, with bronze skin, curly golden hair that falls down to his shoulders, and almond shaped green eyes. Zandryth is tall and slender, standing around 6'2”. He has a beautiful tattoo of a tree that begins on his back. Branches wrap themselves around his arms and up his neck, peeking out on his cheeks. Zandryth has lived in Pyrias for a very long time, and thus is used to warmth and sun. When in colder countries, he is usually bundled up in a thick purple cloak with little golden flowers embroidered along the hem.

Zandryth has known a lot of suffering in his 136 years. His family had long been worshippers of the Fallen Goddess, Falina. His parents desperately wanted to defect, and leave the cult to return to the Pantheon's light. They fled from Athtaran Island all the way to Pyrias. The cultists did not accept this. When Zandryth was only 18 years old, he watched as a Fallen Aasimar – a priest of Falina who had tracked them down – slaughtered his parents and three older siblings in front of him. Horrified, he managed to escape, and went to hide in the vast Pyre Desert.

At first, the Pyre Desert nearly killed Zandryth. He was dehydrated and starving, and thought of the desert as nothing more than a barren wasteland. In time, he learned. He learned where to find water. Where to find food. How to survive. And as he learned, he began to see the desert as his home – and grew to love it. It was so untouched by people – so wild and free. He became determined to protect it from people. People, he had learned, were cruel – never to be trusted.

Things changed when he met Sebastian, who he fell in love with and eventually married. Somewhere along the line, Zan stopped wondering when he'd go home. Athtaran had been his home as a child. The Pyre Desert had been his home for over 100 years. But now he knew – Sebastian was his home.

### Sebastian

Sebastian was born on Frostgrip 11th, 2211. He has silver skin, very dark red hair that he keeps braided, and red eyes. Sebastian was born and raised in Pyrias to a family of who historically have served Auna. Sebastian is used to scorn – after all, Tieflings are connected to the Fallen Goddesses, and many people are convinced that they are evil. Sebastian's birth caused an uproar within his family – his bloodline had produced *Aasimar* in previous generations, and Sebastian was the great-great-nephew of one of the previous High Priests of Auna. Sebastian's mother, who had married into the family, was blamed immediately. It was only to save face that Sebastian's parents did not immediately divorce – and only thanks to the Temple's intervention that Sebastian was not abandoned on the streets. Sebastian grew up lonely and rather neglected, and found his way over to the Temple regularly as a child. The Priests there were kind to him – Auna was the one who gave him his life, after all, and thus his life had purpose and meaning – and it was as sacred as any other life.

As he grew older, Sebastian was invited to become an Acolyte. Though some who attended the temple voiced their discontent, Sebastian was allowed to help out at smaller services. The Priests also began to teach him to heal. By the time he was 20, Sebastian was a Cleric who was utterly devoted to Auna. It was through this work that he met and fell in love with Zandryth, who became his husband.

### Pazavur

Pazavur was born on Leafturn 29th, 2226. He has shimmering golden scales and piercing green eyes. Pazavur was raised in a rather luxurious setting. His parents were Pyrian nobles, and they had a large estate in Nilison where Pazavur grew up. His parents were devotees of Auna, and several times a year would go with their three children to her High Temple. It was there that Pazavur first encountered Sebastian. He met the tiefling a few times in his childhood – Sebastian was already an acolyte by the time Pazavur was old enough to attend services. Pazavur thought Sebastian was really cool looking – not having seen too many Tieflings – and would hang around after services, pestering him and asking him questions. When Sebastian ended up leaving the temple when Pazavur was only a teenager, it disappointed him greatly.

Pazavur, at the age of 15 (an adult dragonborn), knew it was his calling to serve in the Pyrian Army. At that time, Pyria was at war with Aspal, and Pazavur ended up being sent over to fight. He was injured during the war, and sent home when he was 17. After being reunited with Sebastian, and meeting Zandryth, he ended up joining them. He and Sebastian are very close, and consider each other brothers.

### Aisha

Aisha was born on Dayrise 1st, 2233. A human, Aisha has tanned skin, long black hair usually tied into a bun, and dark brown eyes. She is short, standing at about 5'3". Aisha was an orphan growing up on the streets of Vernas. Her parents died when she was only 6, and she had nowhere to go. She lived among street kids for years, learning how to pick pockets, beg from the right people, and survive. She spent years in a state of near starving, and endured many awful things from awful people. Her life changed when she met Zandryth, Sebastian, and Pazavur at the age of twelve, and was allowed to go with them. In time, she began to refer Zandryth and Sebastian as her fathers, and Pazavur as her uncle. When Asphodel later joined the group, she and Aisha took to each other immediately, and eventually became a couple.

Aisha was secretive and cynical when she first met the trio. In her days with them, she has become friendlier and a bit more optimistic (but not quite to Sebastian or Pazavur levels), though still shy.

### Asphodel

Asphodel was born on Dayfall 24th, 2230. She is a halfling with pale skin, curly strawberry-blonde hair, and pretty blue eyes. Asphodel is an extremely kind young woman, and loves her friends more than anything. She was born and raised in the mountains of Illuren, in the town of Dragonsmaw. Her family were hunters, originally from Oston until they decided to wander. Asphodel learned to use a bow and arrow from a young age, and loves to hunt. When her parents went missing when she was 21, she desperately hired a group of adventurers to try and find them. They were unsuccessful - her parents had already been killed. Asphodel was invited to join the group of adventurers she had hired, having bonded with them and working well with the group during the search. The Pyrian Stars became her family. She converted to the worship of Auna – she had been a more neutral follower of the Pantheon before, not worshipping any particular God – and fell in love with the group's second youngest member, Aisha.

### Fiona

Fiona was born on Deepsnow 9th, 2246. She is a half-elf girl with light brown skin, very long brown hair, hazel eyes, and many freckles. She is a sweet, energetic girl with a rebellious streak who is *very* good at sneaking away to explore. Fiona lost her parents two years ago, when the dragons attacked Pyrias. She lived in a tiny village outside Wistari (on the shores of the lake) that was completely destroyed. Her parents knew of a silver dragon who lived nearby. They took their daughter and made their way to the dragon's lair – but it was too late. The black dragons had found and slaughtered the silver dragon, leaving only her tiny wyrmling behind. Fiona insisted that they take the poor wyrmling with them. Moments later, the black dragons returned from the village that they had just burned to the ground. Fiona was shoved inside the dragon lair with the wyrmling, and did not see her parents being killed. The dragons did not see her or the wyrmling, and thus, she survived. She was found screaming and crying over her parents' bodies by Aisha and Asphodel, who brought the girl back with them to their camp. The Pyrian Stars were tracking the two dragons at that point, and planning on taking them down. Realizing that the little girl and wyrmling they had found were safest with them, they let them stick around.

Two years later, Fiona remains with the Stars. Sebastian and Zandryth are her new parents – though she still loves and remembers her deceased mother and father – and the Stars are her family. The Wyrmling, who named herself Aevaly, stays with her always. Aevaly is curious, kind, and bright, around the same maturity level as Fiona despite only being two.