Damani Tassinari

Father of both Darius and Talia. Damani succeeded his father Dalzell and became Maester on the same day the Snow Elves decided to leave the Silver Mountains during the event known as the Second Snow Elven Migration. 16 years later he was also in charge during the Third Snow Elven Migration of which he declared would be the last time the Snow Elves would concede ground to an enemy or outside force in a rallying speech. He is the blood brother of Andris Galati. He died during the siege of Athol aged 52 and was succeeded by his son. He was born in the year 464.

**Early life**

Damani awoke his Will of Fire on his fifth birthday which was considered early and thus he was considered a genius he joined his father in the classroom a few months later and finished his studies years before what was expected. Damani took a keen interest in archery from a young age and along with his adopted sibling Andris took an intrest in sword-fighting. An unconventional weapon of choice for a Snow Elf at the time.

**Teen Years**

Due to his fathers long reign, Damani had more time to train and hone his skill with a bow and during his time sparring with Andris became a capable swordsman. A natural born leader, it wasn't long until he became an instructor alongside Andris and spent the next few years training their kin. Often leading the hunting parties, Damani spent a lot of time in the northern reaches until the bounty there became scarce. This bond with Andris would grow and they both shared their views on the world sharing many of the ideals of a land free of the threat in the east and promised each other that they would support each other in marching against tyranny. Their friendship was sealed when Damani offered to make Andris an honorary brother.

**The Ascension of a New Maester**

When Dalzell broke the news to his son about vacating Leuven to due the worsening weather conditions they where facing, Damani consoled his father who looked shaken by what he had to ask of his people. Having lived on the Silver Mountains for generations, Damani feared his father might not have the heart to break such news and thus he offered to speak to the people in his stead. Dalzell, embarrassed by his weakness declined, citing that a leader needs to be strong in moments like this, though his hardship was trivial when compared to the ordeals his forefathers faced. In this moment however Dalzell announced that it was time he stepped aside and that this would be his last speech he would give as Maester. In the coming days, Damani finally succeeded his father but decided he wouldn't bear the black tunic until safely off the mountain as a mark of respect to his father's last act as Maester.

   **The Second Snow Elves Migration**

Damani, Andris along with the Prince and Princess of Kona rode at the front as the migrating Snow Elves approached the mountain pass. A vast tunnel expected to take two full days to clear through. As the caravan stopped for the night a horse approached with a warrior bearing the colours Kona. The rider, dead on arrival was unable to relay the message had had been sent with leaving the Maester forced to make a decision. Was the Garrison, the place chosen to be their new home truly safe. Prince Hadrian suggested that Damani turn back but the new Maetser owing so much of the crown knew that this wasn't an option he could take on his conscious. He decided to ride forward to supply aid to the Kings brother Karadin and the Princess, Astrin who were surely waiting at the garrison for them.

They rode hard and due and quickly came upon the Alpine Garrison. Damani along with Gearldin took his archers to a vantage point he new existed above the garrison whilst Hadrian and Andris rode onwards towards the western gate. Here he witnessed horde of fiends approaching from the north. Numbers so thick it made his skin crawl. Surprised to see the North gate open it was clear Hadrian's intention was to ride north and so Damani ordered his kin to fire slaughtered the fiends that stood before Hadrian below.

As his archers where still firing, a Snow Elven messenger rode up and broke the news that the caravan was ambushed from the rear in his the Maester's absence. There were few causalities but in the hysteria, Darius fled into the caves of which they were unable to follow. Damani left his archers with the Princess and quickly rode back towards the camp.

Unable to find his son. Damani went to the graves in the Elvish Glades to weep and there he found Darius asleep lying at the Elvish Glades. Smelling of smoke, and no recollection of how he got there. the only clue was a strange scaly object found nearby looked like it belonged to a dragons armour. Shortly after relocating off the mountain Damani ordered that all his kin now train also with a sword as they could no longer rely on having the advantage of the forty foot walls at Leuven to protect them.

**The Last Dragon**

Sixteen years after settling in the Garrison, the cold of the north was ever creeping southwards. Damani having agreed to the possibility of Dalzell's theory on climate change tasked Andris to lead the expedition to the north to investigate his fathers fear. An experiment was set up where a rope would be used to measure the distance between a stake in the ground and the worlds edge and a year later, a second party would examine the results. Darius led the second expedition joined by Garcia Galati, but whilst away the garrison was surrounded by waves and waves of fiends that appeared from the mountains. The strange occurrence was very similar to the event that happened sixteen years prior and quickly things go out of hand. Running low on arrows, Damani was forced yet again to fall on the support of Kona and so ignited the smoke signal established for such an occasion.

From the watchtowers, Darius and Garcia returning from their journey were spotted and the Snow Elves fought hard to be able to get the pair into the Garrison safely. There Darius broke the news that confirmed the world was receding and also of their sighting of a dragon. At that moment the Atholian's showed their hand and appeared on the north-eastern cliffs. Mateusz threatened to torch the garrison and thus Dalzell suggested that he try and buy time by talking to the Atholian King. Not liking the idea, Damani was forced to accept and honour his fathers sacrifice as Dalzell approached the enemy.

With no way of knowing what was being said, Damani could only watch on from the watchtower as his father was kicked to the dirt. At that moment the dragon that his son had told him about appeared in the sky and torched the archers who were threatening the city. The blast blast blew Saturoz back and quickly Mateusz showed his hand as strange looking djinn appeared that cast a dark art that struck the dragon causing it to whimper in pain. The dragon swooped down and its gaze caught Dalzell's and then it flew off as if it was commanded to retreat.

    **The Roar of House Cilbaen**

A horn sounded that was distinctly the roar of the horn of House Cilbaen and quickly the Knights smashed into the fiends by the western gate. Damani ordered the gate open as he greeted Galiron Galati who had rode to the aid of his people. With a fresh cache of arrows Damani ordered the ammunition handed out and that his kin start fighting back. When the fight was over it was clear that the Atholian's had fled with Dalzell as a prisoner. By the time more reinforcements came the death toll had more or less been counted including the loss of Damani's fallen blood brother Andris. Among the second wave of reinforcements included the royal family of Kona including Tobias who had ridden despite illness to their aid and Prince Hadrian who joined Damani in mourning an old friend.

Tobias told Damani that they should head west and take refuge in Kona and Damani agreed. Despite the pleas of Darius and Galiron, Damani decided that his fathers sacrifice would not be in vain and so began ordering the retreat citing that honouring the dead was equally as important and that the Tassinari's will of fire would protect Dalzell who's choice of sacrifice should be respected and should the will of fire fail, he would not that he promise. He also promised that this would be the last time his people would concede any ground in a rallying speech declaring war on Athol and so began the third Snow Elven Migration.

**The Burial of Andris Galati**

On the road to Kona, Damani announced that a small group would visit the elvish glades to bury the dead. Galiron questioned that it was too dangerous and why was time being taken for his father and not Damani's own. The Maester replied that Andris forever walked as one of us and so he shall lie forever as one. There was another reason why Damani insisted on visiting the Elvish Glades and it was to collect the mystical spring water that was deemed more precious than gold. An emergency stash of barrels lay nearby just for this very reason and where filled to be brought to Kona.

Damani lectured Darius on the importance of the water that exceeds everything even if at the cost of the Maester's life itself. He explained that he believed the water itself is truly the will of fire. Darius asks to seek out the Alami who might have answers on why a dragon is still present in the world. Damani agrees citing that the dragons appearance to Darius on various occasions must be accepted as a sign and agrees that Darius should undertake an expedition to locate the last of the Alami tribe. He only asks that they wait until they reach Kona so they can consult with the King. Damani bestows a gift to Darius, a necklace containing the dragon scale he had found beside Darius all those years ago which he kept hidden.

**Preparation for war**

Pending

**The Battle of the Silent Valley**

When it was clear that Nakari's betrayal had failed and Angara had assumed command from his step father, with a boosted morale, Galiron ordered his men to charge at the fiends and thus was the sign Damani needed to order his archers to release slaughtering many before the horses of the Knights of Cilbaen smashed into the enemy horde.

**The Dragon and the Twin Stars**

Damani orders his Kin to drop their elves and lift their swords to join the ranks in the front line citing this was their time to avenge the tragedy of the Elvish glades, generations in the making and so Damani made his way to the front line which had already seen it's numbers thinned due to the previous battle.

When the dragon soars overhead and carries out several raids burning through the fiends, Damani spots his son on the back of the beast as it lands letting Garcia off. Damani has a few quick words to Darius and reiterates his promise that he would see the safe return of his grandfather, even if it kills him. Darius takes off and heads telling Damani he has a way to save the world. Damani tells Darius to take Garcia with him but Darius says for his father to trust in the will of fire.

**A Promise Kept**

As they storm the castle of Athol. The order to execute the prisoners is made. Damani knowing he hasn't got much time to find his father is shot by two arrows. Despite his injury. He curses his luck that he should die like this so close as he tells Amadeus and Galiron to go on without him. At that moment elsewhere Darius unleashes the power of alchemy and Damani blast wave he so strong that his heart rekindles and it is said he roared like a dragon snapping the fletching of the arrows with his new figour continues onwards to look for his father.

Relieved to find his father alive, he tells of the dragon, the new dragoon and off dragonfire. Dalzell knowing his son doesn't have much time embraces his sons story as Damani passes away in his arms. His last words are to Andris with Damani citing, I told you I would do it, didn't I... brother. This was a reference to the fact that as a teen Damani had once told Andris that when he became Maester, he would see the tyranny in the east defeated. Dalzell can hear Hadrian's voice above ordering his guards to look for him, citing check the dungeons I want them found, Hadrian rushes in and unchains Dalzell and upon seeing Damani apologises to his old teacher for being too late.