Lidara Mormaer

Official Art done by Chris (arcanegold on twitter)

> "Can you BOTH get your shit together?"
>
> Lidara, Episode 22: Allies, Old and New

**Lidara Mormaer** is a player character in The Strings of Fate Podcast, played by Michelle. She is a wood elf rogue. Currently, she travels with Azzurum Esen-Carr, Vincent Obra, and Renaer Brandhart.

## Description

### Appearance

Lidara has grey-blue skin, green eyes, and medium length white hair, which is pulled back into a ponytail with two loose pieces at the front. Across her right cheekbone, she has three thin scars. Her ears are not pierced, and she has a tattoo to mark her membership in the Zhentarim.

She wears a black harness over a dark grey shirt with voluminous sleeves, which cinch halfway down her forearm at a black cuff that reaches down to her middle finger and has lace edging on it. The harness has a high neck, the middle of which is cut out into a small V, and his closed with a silver o-ring. From the o-ring, various silver chains, beads, and smaller rings dangle and loop around her neck. The harness has a cutout that shows her collarbone the ruched sweetheart neckline of her shirt, which has a scalloped edging on it.

The main portion of the harness is pointed in the center at the top and bottom and fits snugly around her waist, silver-edged buttons keeping it closed, and has a train at the back that just reaches the ground. There's a belt that goes around her waist over the harness, as well as to loose leather straps that dangle from it on either side. She wears dark grey shorts that have a decorative silver straps following the seams and reach just above mid-thigh, allowing the black fishnet tights and lace stockings she's wearing to show through. Her boots are fitted thigh highs which are asymmetrical at the top, coming to a point at the front and dipping down at the back. Along the inner side of the boots, four teardrop shaped silver pieces pull at some extra fabric for a gathered effect. They have a short, grey heel on them.

### Personality

Lidara is snarky, cold, curious, and won’t hesitate to kill a bitch. She is secretly a softie but has a real hard time getting there with people but will do anything for the people she loves.

## Biography

### Early Life

Lidara grew up in a small village, mostly with her sister and mother. However, when she was five, Lidara's village was raided by Invictus Tome, killing her parents. Lidara woke in the middle of the night to the sounds of screaming, and went downstairs to see her mother killed in front of her eyes. The raid killed more than three-quarters of the village.

Orphaned, Lidara took it upon herself to care for her younger sister. She would steal a potion of some kind to give to her, and would always feel a bit bad watching her take it. Lidara raised her sister for three years before finding a family who could better care for her.

After leaving her sister, Lidara lived on her own until she joined an assassin's guild, the Blood Knights, at age ten. She was found alone in the woods by Hydris, who offered to teach her to fight and defend herself. She agreed, and he took her under his wing as a Blood Knight trainee. She quickly became a skilled assassin, even at a young age. While there, she met and befriended Mikarym and Cymeria. She also became close friends with Chaol, who she started dating when she was 15.

Lidara was exiled from the guild after exposing them to danger from Invictus Tome. When she was 18, she heard that the people responsible for murdering her village were in the woods near her camp, and she went on her own to try to find them. There, she was cornered by Garrick Landstone, and the warlock eventually attacked her guild in return.

Lidara then spent about three years traveling along the Sword Coast. On her last job before arriving in Ciniath, Lidara met Azzurum while they were pursuing the same bounty. They agreed to travel together on the last leg to Ciniath.

### Pre-Podcast

Lidara met Vincent in the city of Ciniath. Lidara worked with them and eventually become friends with the two of them.

Davil's first contact with the party was when he sent Lidara a letter. It was her association with the Blood Knights, which are part of the Zhentarim, that made Davil choose her specifically. However, the party and Davil came into conflict when it was discovered that Davil was working with Invictus Tome.

The first job they were sent on with a member of Invictus Tome was up north. That member was Dresden. As they traveled, they learned that Dresden's goal was to rise in the ranks of Invictus Tome so that he could one day kill Garrick Landstone. His village had also been destroyed, and that was a point of commonality between him and Lidara.

It was during this mission that they ran into Chaol. Chaol had been sent on an opposing mission to SOF's mission, and when pressed, Chaol chose his own mission over Lidara's life, and stabbed her. Later, Chaol tried to get himself back into Lidara's good graces, saying that Lidara was powerful and strong and that he still had feelings for her. Lidara refused.

While in Ciniath, Lidara was also hunted down by her former mentor Hydris, who at this point was a shell of his former self. The way he treated her during the end of her time in the Blood Knights made Lidara realize that Hydris did not actually care for her - she was just a pawn in his game. As a result, being hunted by him was more annoying and frustrating than upsetting. Lidara killed Hydris during the final battle with Manshoon, sending him careening into the Astral Sea.

Manshoon was also killed by Lidara, and his body fell into the Astral Sea.

### Goldstead Arc

Episode 1: Welcome to the Painted Valley

Lidara is out shopping for supplies with Renaer when the O'Donogan Gang arrives at the saloon, demanding they bring out the genasi boy. They hurry back to the saloon to see what is happening, and Renaer boosts Lidara up onto the roof so that she can have a vantage point from above.

When the leader of the gang members goes to shoot Azzurum, Lidara shoots first, sending an arrow through his shoulder. She also jumps from the roof with her dagger to kill the last gang member, ending the battle.

Episode 2: Thievery, Pride, and Similar Sins

As the party rides through the Painted Valley towards the O'Donogan Gang hideout, Lidara notices a movement under the ground - the beast that Doc Berry warned them about. The party is inclined to flee, but Azzurum insists on staying to fight the creature. Lidara and Azzurum argue, and Lidara sarcastically tells Azzurum to just jump off the wagon himself... which he does. Lidara jumps down after him, annoyed but unwilling to let him fight alone.

After the battle, Lidara is the one to chase after the horses, who had bolted in fear. The party continues their journey, and when Vincent asks for requests for a violin song to pass the time, Lidara requests "something light."

When they arrive at Hannigan's Bluff, the O'Donogan Gang camp, the party agrees that Lidara should go in first to gather information, as she is the stealthiest. Lidara is able to deftly and silently infiltrate the camp, disarming traps in the woods and taking a few bear traps for her future use.

When she sees the bag they are looking for in the main tent, she decides that rather than just gathering information, she will take the bag while she is here. She tries to slice the hide of the main tent, but her knife makes a noise and she is forced to go another way. Instead, she skirts along the narrow cliff edge to enter the tent from the rear with the help of her Rope of Climbing. Lidara is able to grab the bag, and bolts out the back of the tent, leaping onto the the suspended Rope of Climbing and skidding down the cliff face, descent slowed only by the scrape of her claws on the stone. O'Donogan returns to the tent, and a voice rings out in the night - "Where the fuck is my bag?" The camp is now on high alert, and Lidara runs back to her party.

Episode 3: Urgency and Frequency

During the fight against the O'Donogan gang as they flee the camp, one rider tries to throw a stick of dynamite towards the cart. **Lidara** sends an arrow flying past Denton's head and hits the dynamite, causing it to explode. Denton is knocked off of his horse and taken out of the fight.

When Azzurum's parasite begins to cause him intense pain on the ride back, Lidara mildly panics. In an effort to keep him calm, she wipes the sweat from his forehead and braids his hair, all the while offering him reassuring words - "Don't worry, it will be fine, don't panic..."

As Doc Berry begins to treat Azzurum, Lidara insists the others go rest and that she will stay up with him, since she would be unable to sleep. Doc Berry asks about the source of Azzurum's magic, and Lidara tells him that he's a warlock. Doc Berry is surprised by this information, and asks whether she knows what kind of being he might have bound himself to. Lidara tells him that it's none of her business, but that Azzurum isn't a bad guy.

Two hours into treatment, Lidara hears noises from outside. She grabs Bonnie and they look outside to see about 15 bandits at the entrance of town. They go back inside to wake the others and plan their next steps. Lidara helps carry Azzurum down into the tunnels towards The Resistance, and when the party is offered the choice whether to have Azzurum awake for the fight, Lidara - although sorry - agrees that they should stop treatment so that Azzurum can assist them.

Episode 4: Shotgun Diplomacy

The party makes their way down the main thoroughfare, where they see the minotaur flanked by three gunslingers on each side of her. **Lidara** stays hidden in an alleyway while the still-disguised Vincent and Azzurum speak with her. As the conversation continues, tensions become higher, and Lidara shoots a poison arrow at the minotaur's head - it skims her ear, but she doesn't even flinch. During the battle, Lidara is mostly able to attack from afar with her poison arrows, doing heavy damage. When the minotaur cancels her Dimension Door spell after being taunted by Renaer, she turns just in time to take one last poison arrow to the chest from Lidara, killing her.

After the battle, two gunslingers remain. Lidara shouts at them to scram and one starts to run, but Bonnie - intent on getting the bounty - manages to lasso him.

Overnight, Lidara falls asleep beside Azzurum, holding his hand in the operating room as Doc Berry steadily chimes the tuning fork. In the morning, Azzurum wakes to the last chime of the tuning fork. Doc Berry tells him that he has pretty good friends, and - looking down at Lidara, asleep and still holding his hand - Azzurum agrees.

Episode 5: A Camaraderie of Closed Books

As they load into Bonnie's wagon, Lidara jumps at the opportunity to sit up front with Bonnie. As the party talks about fashion, Lidara reveals that her ears aren't pierced, and that she didn't understand wanting to get tattoos for fun since her first experience getting her tattoo with the Blood Knights was pretty traumatizing. She also mentions that she didn't have a permanent place to sleep before they had the tavern in Ciniath, and that although she lived in the woods, she still took care of herself well.

That night, Azzurum and Lidara take watch. After a brief conversation in which it is clear neither Lidara or Azzurum understand astronomy at all, Lidara checks in on Azzurum, admitting that she was worried about him. Azzurum is touched, and asks if Lidara would indeed like to get friendship tattoos of a "constellation" (random clump of stars) and says that he can make this experience less traumatizing than her last tattoo by holding her hand. Lidara is flustered by the mention of the hand holding, and Azzurum inquires further if she was feeling lonely due to the Chaol situation. Lidara brushes the topic aside. They spend the rest of the night trying to (unsuccessfully) count stars by punching holes in a piece of paper.

When Azzurum tells the party of his guilt over Elliot Carr's death, Lidara sympathizes, since she also carries guilt about the death of her own parents. She says that while it doesn't get easier, by surrounding herself with people that she cares about and who care about her in turn, it is easier to bear.

In the field of pink chrysanthemums, Lidara is reminded of one of the last really good memories of her hometown - her and her younger sister found a place similar to this, and they got in trouble since they weren't supposed to have been there. She thinks especially of her sister's laugh. Following Bonnie's story, Lidara cries silently.

### Wheldon Arc

Episode 19: A Toast to Unity

The episode begins with Lidara dancing with Jarlaxle, who had passed himself off as "Lord Apollo." Jarlaxle asks **Lidara** if he had her fooled, and she says that although seeing him here is a surprise, she knew something was up when a stranger wanted to dance with her. Jarlaxle accuses the party of stealing "the stone" and keeping it from him, but Lidara is insistent that they do not have it. She is clearly angry with Jarlaxle, and digs her fingers sharply into his shoulder, although she maintains a dancer's posture. But Vincent, watching from nearby, can see the anger in her face.

After some back and forth on the topic, and Jarlaxle revealing that he has the genasi family held hostage, Lidara and Jarlaxle agree that Lidara needs to consult with her party. The song ends, and they part ways into the crowd. Later, they confront him at his table, and the party agrees to help Jarlaxle find the stone in exchange for immediately calling off his people who are watching the genasi family. Jarlaxle agrees, and they separate to meet back up later when they have more information.

Later, Lidara goes to investigate the kitchens. She spots a room in the back filled with kegs of alcohol, and confidently walks through the kitchen with purpose, even stopping to taste test a meal one of the chefs is preparing. Inside, Lidara does find one stray bottle at the back - sparkling white grape juice (fantasy Welch's) labeled "Tasha." As she picks it up, an genasi server with short dark hair walks in. He is very nervous, and Lidara bluffs that she was sent back here by Valentina. The server slips up, intimidated by Lidara, and reveals that the bottle was supposed to be a secret from Valentina, and was Tasha's private bottle, and he cannot let her take it. Lidara relents and leaves the bottle with the server.

When the toast by Tasha is being given, Lidara notices that "a Walsh" is not in the room before all hell breaks loose.

Episode 20: A Malediction of Red and Gold

While Azzurum fights Tyron, Lidara moves stealthily towards Tasha, Valentina, Vincent, and Renaer. When Vincent and Renaer Dimension Door out and the path to Tasha cleared, Valentina goes to attack her true target... but Lidara is faster. Her thrown dagger buries itself into the back of Valentina's head, killing her in one hit. Lidara grabs Tasha and tries to calm her down as they move away.

The party converges on the balcony. They discuss their options and decide to use Polymorph to turn Lidara into a giant eagle (black, with silver wingtips). Arriving at the Thorn Manor, Tasha points out the window where the genasi family would be staying. Azzurum leaps from Lidara's back into the building, crashing through the window. Lidara follows, crashing through the wall in her eagle form with the others before reverting to her normal self. Azzurum continues forward, running into the hallway with Lidara on his heels. However, the smoke in the hallway is too thick for Lidara to breathe, and at Azzurum's urging, she turns around after lending him her Rope of Climbing.

When returns through the hallway after rescuing the genasi family, the ceiling collapses on him. Lidara, who was still nearby, casts Longstrider on him, and they are able to make their way to the main foyer. When Vincent goes to rescue Archie, Lidara accompanies him. However, on the second floor, Lidara is once again strongly affected by the smoke in the air and is forced to turn back.

When the party meets up with the genasi family on the grounds and find out that Selk has died, Lidara attempts to calm the group down, reassuring them that Vincent will be able to do something to help.

Episode 21: Brilliant Diamonds and Wretched Gold

At the gardenshed, Lidara spends most of her time outdoors, taking first watch and then sleeping outside.

The next morning, as the party decides on their next steps, they hear a terrible noise from outside the Sanctum. Outside, a large, fleshy bat-like creature with a proboscis (almost like a leech) sniffs around. Although the party wants to remain in the Sanctum, Azzurum insists on fighting this creature. They argue, but again, Azzurum steps out into danger and Vincent and Lidara follow. As they come outside, Lidara gets the first shot, dealing a critical blow to the creature's head. Azzurum quickly dispatches it with two additional Eldritch Blasts from his whip.

In Wheldon, as the four fanged nobles jump down from the rooftops to attack their victim, Lidara is the first to act, preparing to shoot. However, before she can fire, the ringleader's head is blown clean off by Bonnie.

Episode 22: Allies, Old and New

During the fight against the vampires, Lidara is able to strike several of them with Splintershot. Then, Lidara notices that one of the pools of blood beneath her feet shifts, and suddenly bubbles up to wrap a hand around her ankle - with a small slice in her skin, it takes control of the blood in her body and controls her like a puppet, forcing her to take swings at Vincent with her dagger. When the vampires turn to run away, the blood creature begins to run as well, taking Lidara with it. Azzurum uses Lightning Lure to pull her backwards, and Lidara is able to rip free from the creature. With a few more hits, the blood puddle is destroyed.

Later, as the party escorts the genasi family through the streets of Wheldon, Lidara gets the vague feeling of being watched, and when she takes a second look around, she notices Finnegan Walsh standing on a distant rooftop, just watching them.

At the headquarters of the Tempest of the Unheard, Lidara assists Astrid in chopping vegetables and preparing food. Lidara asks how long Astrid has been in the area, and Astrid explains they do not live in Wheldon but have been in the general area for a few years. She then asks Lidara if Lidara has a sibling, as she reminds her of someone she knew a long time ago - they have the same smile. Lidara questions her further, and Astrid says that she used to be "more acquainted" with the Church of the Morninglord, though not of her own accord. When she broke out, she asked the other girl to go with her, but she didn't come. She guesses that if she was still with the Church, she would maybe be a nun now. Lidara thanks her, saying that she had been looking for her for a while and that this is more information than she had gotten in the last few years.

Vincent consults with Lidara about Elysian Lily and Crimson Lily, and, from her background, Lidara recognizes the name Elysian Lily as an upper that originated in Wheldon.

Episode 23: Much Ado About Submersibles

When the group has a small disagreement about whether to contact Jarlaxle, Lidara and Azzurum finally convince Vincent to contact him with Sending. In the late night/early morning, Vincent, Azzurum, and Lidara make their way to the overcity, where Lidara uses Pass Without a Trace to keep the group from being seen. She is then polymorphed into a bat by Vincent to cross the molten gold.

Lidara keeps a silent, stealthy watch on the kitchen as Azzurum, disguised, goes in to fetch Jarlaxle. When Azzurum and Jarlaxle then emerge from the wine room with the head chef in hot pursuit, she fires an arrow at the chef. A battle-in-motion ensues, with the party attempting to make their way down the stairs as the chef pursues them. The creature turns to charge at Lidara - and the momentum of his charge sends him crashing into the wall of the stairwell and through it, straight into the dining room. The music stops, and vampiric eyes begin to look their direction.

Vincent grabs Lidara and casts Dimension Door to move them outside the tower at the edge of the molten gold. At the base of the tower, the four regroup. Vincent and Lidara work together to slice the chains that bind Jarlaxle while they decide how to get back across. To escape, Vincent once again polymorphs Lidara into the giant black eagle, and they fly away - but they're seen, and soon a screeching swarm of vampiric bats is on their tail.

## Relationships

### Azzurum Esen-Carr

Although she shows near constant annoyance with Azzurum, she is protective over him and cares for him a great deal, evidenced by how she stayed at his side and held his hand when he had a parasite during the Goldstead Arc, and allowed him to cuddle with her as they shared a bed one night in their hotel during the Wheldon Arc.

### Chaol

Lidara and Chaol were in the Blood Knights together for eight years - five years as friends, and three years as lovers. Lidara considered him her best friend, but when she grew up more, she realized that the feelings she had for him were more than simple friendship, and that Chaol had had a crush on her for a long time. When Lidara was fifteen, Chaol took the initiative and they loosely started "dating." This relationship continued for the next three years, until Lidara is exiled from the Blood Knights. For Lidara at this time, she really felt like she had found Her Person - her equal, someone she could fight against and fight with, and she really trusted him.

Following Chaol's betrayal, he found Lidara in Ciniath and asked her to go with him. Lidara realized that things had changed, and that she would never be able to trust him the same way she had before. She refused him.

### [Lidara's Mother]

Lidara loves her mother and misses her very much. She was very close to her mother as a child and looked up to her. Her mother cared for her children dearly, and, since Lidara's father was often gone, raised Lidara to be a caretaker when her little sister was born. Lidara loves her mother's baking, and enjoyed helping her mother out around the house.

Having her mother's notebook has been a comfort to Lidara - by reading it, she can see the kind of her person her mother truly was. She feels inspired to follow in her footsteps, to see the places she had seen. Lidara also feels like she would disappoint her mother if she saw her now, since she is not the person she used to be.

## Character Information

### Stats

* STR: 8 (-1)
* DEX: 18 (+4)
* CON: 10 (+0)
* INT: 14 (+2)
* WIS: 14 (+2)
* CHAR: 13 (+1)

### Proficiencies

* Saving Throws
	+ Dex +6
	+ Int +6

* Languages
	+ Common
	+ Celestial
	+ Elvish
	+ Thieves Cant
* Acrobatics (+8)
* Arcana (+6)
* Deception (+5)
* Insight (+10)
* Perception (+10)
* Stealth (+12)
* Survival (+6)

### Racial Abilities

As a wood elf, Lidara has the following traits/features:

* Darkvision 60ft.
* Fey Ancestry
* Trance
* Keen Senses
* Elf Weapon Training
* Fleet of Foot
* Mask of the Wild

### Class Abilities

Lidara is currently a level 10 Assassin Rogue. As such, she has the following abilities:

* Expertise
* Sneak Attack
* Thieves Cant
* Cunning Action
* Steady Aim (Optional)
* Bonus Proficiencies
	+ Disguise Kit
	+ Poisoner's Kit
* Assassinate
* Uncanny Dodge
* Evasion
* Infiltration Expertise

## Trivia

* Lidara does not have a label for her sexuality, but is attracted to everyone.
* Her love languages are acts of service and quality time.
* Lidara's favourite colour is red. She shares the sentiment that people who like brown are untrustworthy with Azzurum.
* Lidara owns (owned?) a notebook that used to belong to her mother. It is very important to her, and upsets her greatly when she loses it in Episode 12.
* Lidara once had a dog. Lidara and Vincent killed the owner in "a freak accident," and decided to keep the dog.
* Chaol was the first person that Lidara really trusted, and he betrayed that trust. As a result, Lidara has a lot of anxiety around romantic relationships, and the next person is going to have to try REALLY HARD.
* Lidara is blue because Michelle said so. Now, there are blue wood elves in Aphra.
* Michelle would choose the song "A Long Time Ago" by First Aid Kit to describe the relationship with Chaol and Lidara when he asks her to take him back.
* Lidara's cheek scars are from a wolf in the forest when she was younger and fending for herself.
* Lidara's perfect day would be spent mostly alone and quiet. She would meditate, draw, go for walks in the woods, and maybe hunt.
* If Michelle had to cast Lidara, she would choose Cara Delevingne, who was the person Michelle had provided to Chris as a reference for Lidara's face when they were making the original character art.
* Lidara's name came from a random name generator.
* Lidara is based on the strong heroines in fantasy novels, like the protagonist from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. She wanted her to be someone strong willed, even if they had their issues.
* When asked about the kind of story that Michelle wanted to tell with Lidara, Michelle said that Lidara's story was originally one of revenge, but as the character progressed, it is now a story of learning to trust and believe in herself and others. Lidara must learn that she can be loved by her friends, that she can have a group of people around her that believe in her, and that she won't have to be alone in the end.

## Quotes

* "*Beans?*" - Ep. 12 ("Discrepancies"), in which Lidara discovers coffee.

## References

1. ↑ Episode 5
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.instagram.com/p/CDezJs0hfcQ/