Selara bin Rasaad

Selara is the tiefling daughter of the famed human adventurers Cordona of Candlekeep & Rasaad yn Bashir.

## **In Baldur's Gate**

Selara is a native to Baldur's Gate. She is the daughter of High Judge Cordona of Candlekeep and the monk Rasaad yn Bashir, both legendary heroes of Baldur's Gate. As a youth, she always expected to become a servant of Tyr, and spent much time in the High Hall aiding her mother. As an adult now devoted to Ilmater, the Crying God, she can often be found aiding penitents at the Shrine of the Suffering in Lower City.

### **Home**

Selara's family manor, Candlegate, is in the northern area of the Citadel Streets neighborhood in Upper City, between the High Hall and the Citadel Gate. It was donated by the city of Baldur's Gate to Cordona of Candlekeep as recompense for her heroic deeds.

### **Family, Friends, and Contacts**

***Cordona of Candlekeep.*** Lady Cordona is Selara's mother and a former hero of Baldur's Gate. She is a paladin of Tyr and now serves as a high judge at the High Hall of Baldur's Gate. According to legend, she has the blood of Bhaal, god of murder, flowing through her veins.

***Rasaad yn Bashir.*** Rasaad is a monk of the sun soul and a devout follower of Selune. He aided Cordona on her adventures along with her other companions, including her childhood friend Imoen, the gnome Jan Jansen, the ranger Minsc, and the cleric Viconia DeVir.

***Gorion yn Rasaad.*** Gorion is Selara's older brother, named for their mother's ward at Candlekeep. He has followed in his mother's footsteps and is a devout follower of Tyr. He and Selara have a strained and awkward relationship, but both share a love and respect for each other. He is filling in for his mother's duties while she is in Elturel.

***Brother Hodges.*** This warm, pudgy halfling male is the high priest at the Shrine of the Suffering in Lower City. He and his two children, Hansen and Sissa, have been like a second family to Selara since she turned to the worship of Ilmater several years ago.

## **Dark Secret: The Eomane Event**

In one way or another, all of the heroes are tied to the accidental murder of Lady Dolandre Eomane, which occurred roughly two years ago. Whether it was revenge, complacency, or sheer bad luck, each hero is in some way connected to the string of events that led to her death. But Dolandre was not the intended victim...

It is known in certain circles that the Eomane family is fond of hosting scandalous masked revels at their manor. What is less known is that the lady of the manor, Nysene Eomane, likes to extend invitations to hopeful social climbers from other districts with the intent to trap them for the night in a cruel and sadistic game of cat and mouse.

Carmilla Manly was one of these unfortunate victims.

### **Selara's Role**

Several days before the murder, an outraged cleric of Myrkul brought the diary of his daughter, Carmilla, to the High Hall, seeking justice for her assault and hoping to use the diary as proof against Nysene Eomane. He spoke with Selara, who reviewed the diary. It contained entries indicating that Carmilla and a friend of hers were filled with anticipation about attending a party at the Eomane estate. The were no further entries in the diary after the date of the event.

Selara informed the cleric that this was not the first complaint that has been received about these events, and that nothing has been done about them in the past. Initially mistrustful due to the cleric's faith, she asked him if he was able to produce concrete proof that his daughter's current condition was a result of Nysene Eomane and he, frustrated, told her that he would take care of it himself. She honestly cared little. It would be justice that such a cruel flame is extinguished.

But it was not Nysene who felt the cold touch of Myrkul. It was, instead, her sister Dolandre. A search for the murderer followed, but without enough evidence, the case was eventually dropped. The event created quite a scandal in Baldur's Gate for a brief time, however, and it wasn't long before Selara found out that Dolandre Eomane had been poisoned to death instead of Nysene. Thinking back to her meeting with the cleric, she couldn't help feeling that she could've prevented Dolandre's death. But to come forward now might implicate herself as well, which would bring shame on her entire family.

## **Adventure Hook**

Selara has always had a strained relationship with her mother, Cordona of Candlekeep, hero and high judge of Baldur's Gate. Selara has been headstrong since childhood and was determined to forge her own path. Turning from the path of Tyr, the faith of her mother, and Selune, the faith of her father, Selara has become a champion of the maimed god, Ilmater.

Selara's mother left on a visit to the holy city of Elturel just about a tenday ago. She was tasked with accompanying Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard to a diplomatic summit with the High Overseer, Thavius Kreeg. Tensions have always existed between Baldur's Gate and Elturel, and it was the High Overseer's hope that Grand Duke Ravengard would be interested in settling at least some of them. Strangely, Selara has heard nothing from her mother since her departure and now the Flaming Fist has closed the gates of the city due to an influx of refugees from Elturel with little explanation.

Selara has decided to accept conscription in the Flaming Fist to help aid in the crisis and hopefully find out more about why refugees are flooding in from Elturel. It his her hope that this may help her discover what happened to her mother. Her first instructions are to meet Captain Darmin Zodge at the Basilisk Gate for orders.

## **Character Questionnaire**

***Which emotion best describes you?***

Self-doubt. Selara cannot help but second guess her decisions and motivations, which only furthers her guilt.

***What are your goals in life?** **What do you need most?***

Selara cannot rest until the suffering of those around her has been relieved. What she needs most is this reminder of pain and anguish to propel her forward. She nurtures her discontent, as much as she hates to admit it.

***When did you grow up?*** ***What are your roots?***

Define 3 important things you learned growing up.

* ***Tieflings cannot be trusted.*** As a rebellious teen, Selara flaunted her tiefling heritage. Her whip tail was the source of endless mockery by kids she'd thought were her friends. That dark summer taught her a lot about the perception other humanoids hold toward her kind. Though she has since come to embrace that which she was born with, Selara has kept her tail hidden away ever since.
* ***No one is looking out for the poor.*** While training to become a paladin, Selara participated in evening street walks with the local militia. These marches through the slums of Baldur's Gate were a sobering reminder of the living conditions of the poor, a feeling worsened at the end of each night, when Selara returned to the warm comforts of her family's noble villa.
* ***Peace and patience will prevail.*** Hard hearts can be softened through wisdom and care. All people begin life in an innocent state. It is their environment or the influence of dark forces that drives them to evil. By setting the proper example, and working to heal the wounds of a deeply flawed world, Selara can set wayward souls upon a righteous path.

***What do you look like? How do you dress?***

Selara keeps her black hair cut at shoulder length. Stern, arched eyebrows shadow a pair of dull amber eyes. Her chin is sharp and angular, much like her father Rasaad.

***What are your personal tastes?***

* ***Dark ale.*** Selara often likes to wash down the day's torments with a double of black bottom or Old One Eye.
* ***Slow music.*** Selara has no ear for the more modern musicians, but any minstrel who can play a dirge or a mournful elven ley, she will quickly lose herself in thought.
* ***Sweet Tooth.*** Selara likes to punish herself in many ways, and chief among them is avoiding her love of dark chocolates, spun sugars, and candies.

Define 3 dislikes.

* ***Citrus.*** Selara cannot stand the smell of oranges, limes, or lemons. She knows that this is perceived as odd by most, so she tries to keep it to herself.
* ***Fancy dress.*** Clothing is a necessity for survival. It should not be used for statements of vanity or wealth.
* ***Extravagance.*** Those with gold to spare should turn toward charitable works, not self-honoring vanity projects. Many paladins have forgotten this once solemn rule.

***What are three of your worst fears?***

* ***Public Speeches.*** Paladins are often expected to give rousing speeches. Selara wants none of that. Let her actions of sacrifice be her words.
* ***A deeper meaning to her devilish heritage.*** When she was young and still ashamed of her tiefling parts, and when the tales of her mother's own dark heritage still filled the streets of her home with gossip, Selara often had troubling dreams. Dreams where she was home, not in Baldur's Gate, but in the fiery depths of Baator. Was she, like her mother Cordona before her, cursed by birth?
* ***Familial shame.*** Selara would be mortified if she ever brought bad light to her parents. Her family has never been able to live much of a private life due to the legends of her parents, and it feels like one wrong move could cause it all to come crashing down.

***What is your deepest regret?***

An innocent life was lost two years ago, and Selara blames herself. No one can ever know.

***What are your opinions on the issues of the day?***

* ***The Flaming Fist are misguided organization.*** A closed fist can make no real peace. If Selara is to be pressed into their service, She will use it as an opportunity to show justice through humility, not pain.
* ***Instability.*** The land of Faerun seems to be plagued by greater instability with every passing day. Selara is wary of anyone who proposes too simple a solution.
* ***Injustice will corrupt our youth.*** Children today see a lack of just application of the law in Baldur's Gate. This will only make things worse in the future.

***What is your comfort zone?***

Solitude or company with one or two close confidants. Strangers are exhausting, and only present new opportunities to prod at Selara's buried guilt.

***Who has had the biggest impact on your life?***

Selara's father, Rasaad. While her mother was often called away by the Lord's Alliance, it was Selara's father who raised her and taught her the ways of his order, the way of the Sun Soul.

***What are some of your unexpected quirks?***

* ***Woodcarving.*** During extended periods spent out in the wild, Selara likes to take up a wood carving project of some kind.
* ***Baking.*** Selara is a talented bread maker and enjoys crafting small cakes for family and friends.