Ella-Beth Stanton

Ella-Beth Stanton is a female human PC and a cleric the Sanlow campaign.

Ella-Beth is a Cleric of Yotia. She is one of the Heroes of Sanlow and a founding member of the Phoenix Hounds.

## Background

### Student of Magic

Ella-Beth was always a quick study and was fascinated with magic from an early age. Her parents managed to scraped up enough coin to send her to the Emeron Wizard's College, where she proved to understand the concepts of magic quite quickly, but was frustrating unable to execute any of the actual spells. The dean of the Wizard's College, Valentina Grafton, took notice of Ella-Beth after an incident where she had borrowed some scrolls to try to practice on her own.

Dean Grafton suggested that in spite of Ella-Beth's excellent retention and theory skills, she was unable to cast arcane magic. She suggested that the girl pray to Yotia, the god of magic, for guidance. Frustrated, she did so and dreamed of nothing but travel. On her way back to school the following day she came across a commotion in the courtyard, and found that Dean Grafton had been ambushed and was bleeding profusely from several wounds. Ella-Beth ran to the dean but could think of nothing to help but to pray to Yotia.

To Ella-Beth's began to feel a warmth flow through her body as she held Dean Grafton's dying form. To her astonishment the dean's wounds began to heal. After this incident Dean Grafton called Ella-Beth to her office, thanking her for saving her life. She informed Ella-Beth that while the girl seemed to hold no talent for arcane magic, it was clear that Yotia smiled upon her. Dean Grafton urged her to pursue religious studies and offered her job as a tutor for the children of the mayor of a tiny village in Rupmon called Sanlow.

### In Sanlow

Ella-Beth made the long journey to Sanlow and accepted a job from the mayor, Talim Alador to tutor his children in language and basic scholastic studies. Although the sleepy little village was a far cry from the bustle of Emeron City, she enjoyed the job well enough and used her spare time to devote her personal studies to the worship of Yotia and improve her abilities as a cleric to him.

## Rescuing Anneth Arcard

While she was in Sanlow, word came to Ella-Beth that a local farmer, Robert Arcard, was offering a reward for the return of his daughter Anneth. He claimed that she had been kidnapped by a traveling minstrel named Balenor Forsend. Though less concerned with the reward, Ella-Beth answered the call to help to ensure the girl was safe.

Securing permission from Mayor Talim, she traveled to the Arcard farm where she met the others who'd answered the call, Xandrik Wharfside, Hatch Brooker, Edwin Drood, Inithabel and Fenton Arrowsmith. After taking a few minutes to speak with Anneth's mother Marger, Ella-Beth was less convinced that Anneth had been kidnapped and suspected the girl may have run away with Balenor on her own accord. Regardless of the exact means of Anneth's departure from the village, Ella-Beth agreed to accompany the party to rescue her and offer Yotia's wisdom and magic to the endeavor.

Upon investing Balenor's activities while he had been in town, they learned that he had spoken of having found the location of a forgotten tower of some long dead wizard in the wildlands southwest of the village. Balenor had bragged of finding his fortune there soon. The Heroes of Sanlow concluded he had left for this tower with Anneth and pursued, followed by the pack of wild dogs they had fed. Ella-Beth and Inithabel continued to feed them along the way, with the young half-elf beginning to train them.

### At the Forgotten Tower

The group made the long journey past the Unwelcoming Hills where they were able to locate the ancient tower. A pack of hungry wild dogs was in the area, however, and it did not seem that they could get past them to access the tower. Ella-Beth and Inithabel advocated feeding the animals rather than engaging them in battle, a tactic which worked. While the animals feasted on the rations the party had sacrificed they made their way into the tower.

Inside the tower they found a long forgotten temple to Yotia, which garnered Ella-Beth's attention for obvious reasons. She helped to slay the flaming undead skeletons found within, but refused to allow her companions to loot the temple, stating to do so would be disrespectful to the deity.

Continuing to climb the tower the party eventually found that it had been taken over by a small group of Troglodytes led by a druid named Tasskar. Fighting their way through the tower they found a captured Balenor Forsend, who admitted that he and Anneth had been captured by the creatures but that they learned she was from Sanlow and took her east a few days prior. When asked, Balenlor denied kidnapping Anneth, claiming that they were in love.

The heroes freed Balenor, who joined him in defeating Tasskar. A letter on the Troglodyte leader from Pesska indicated that the Troglodytes had an alliance with the Bullywugs and Lizardmen from the Brokenback Swamps, and had a camp nearby in the Violent Forest. The Tower itself, Balenor and the heroes were sad to learn, had no vast treasure, only a few trinkets.

### The Rescue

The Heroes of Sanlow and Balenor headed into the Violent Forest and located the monster camp. Scouting performed by Xandrik and Balenor located Anneth as well as an old woodsman named Herman, caged in the camp. However the monsters numbered over one hundred, so a direct assault to affect a rescue was deemed impossible.

The group retreated to make their plans. Unfortunately the following morning Ella-Beth stumbled upon a small group of goblins when she stepped away from camp to answer nature's call. The goblins knocked her unconscious and drugging Ella-Beth before taking her back to their nearby warren to enslave her. Fortunately the Inithabel was able to track the creatures and her companions came to her rescue, as the cleric was too sick from the goblin's drugs to fight for several hours.

Once Ella-Beth had recovered, the party planned an assault on the monster camp to rescue Anneth. The plan called for Ella-Beth, Inithabel, Edwin, and Balenor to create a distraction by setting fire to the palisade wall that surrounded the camp while Xandrik, Fenton and Hatch climbed the wall to pull Anneth and Herman out of the encampment.

The plan did not go perfectly, and Herman was killed in the attempt, but Anneth was rescued and the heroes fled north. The monsters in the camp, led by the Lizardman Druzaak, broke camp and gave chase. Edwin sent a warning to Sanlow via his familiar Valor, and made for the village as quickly as possible with the monster army at their heels. At one point the heroes were sure to be slaughtered, but it was only the intervention of the pack of wild dogs that had been following them that saved them. Most of the dogs died, saddening Ella-Beth, but the heroes were able to successfully flee to Sanlow.

## The Battle of Sanlow

See Also: *The Battle of Sanlow*

The Heroes of Sanlow arrived two days ahead of the monster army to find the able bodied men and woman being organized by the tiny town guard to defend the village while the non-combatants were being evacuated. Ella-Beth's employer, Mayor Talim, asked if the Heroes if they should fight or evacuate everyone, as they'd seen the enemy forces. The Heroes all urged fighting.

Unfortunately that night, three travelers to the town, Alton, Hennod, and Bullen, snuck into the homes of the captain of the guard, Menton Myrwood, and Mayor Talim, and murdered them in their sleep before fleeing the village. Ella-Beth and her companions stepped up to take command of the forces there, almost exclusively made up of able bodied peasants and less than half a dozen guardsmen, and led them in the defense of the town.

Ella-Beth commanded a small force of peasants that were to be kept in reserve initially. While the other units engaged the bulk of the enemy army, Ella-Beth maneuvered to try to flank the enemy and attack. Nearly all of the men she was commanding died in fighting and the battle was very bloody, but ultimately successful. The attacking monsters were largely slain with the handful of survivors being driven off. No sooner was the battle concluded than a force of cavalry led by Marshal Gery Geddey arrived to help secure the town.

## Formation of the Phoenix Hounds

After fighting off the forces from the Brokenback Swamps Ella-Beth and her companions decided that they should continue to travel together. Her job working for Mayor Talim was essentially gone, as the mayor was dead and his children had evacuated the village so Ella-Beth was willing to continue traveling and adventuring to expand her knowledge both magical and mundane.

After some discussion, the group decided to name themselves the Phoenix Hounds, after a banner depicting a bird of living flame they found in the forgotten tower and the pack of dogs who saved their lives. As the Phoenix Hounds, they were given their first mission by Marshal Gery Geddey, who offered them coin to travel to Brookhollow to search for a missing bard named Lia Spellsong and her husband Tory the Songsmith. Marshal Gery explained that Lea was a friend of Lord Rivel Donne, who had written of finding "something big" in Brookhollow before seeming to vanish.

He also asked them to travel to Lyzol while in the area, as the ruler there had not answered the call to arms ordered by her liege, The Red Wizard. They were asked to find out why Lyzol had not responded and report back.

Ella-Beth and the rest of the Phoenix Hounds agreed and made for Brookhollow within days.

## In Brookhollow

Ella-Beth and the Phoenix Hounds arrived in Brookhollow, a tiny village, and immediately began their investigation. The local innkeeper, Trill Cutter, revealed that Lia Spellsong and Tory had stayed in her establishment, but had checked out earlier than expected and left, though she admitted that it was during the lunch rush and she did not actually see them, simply found the key returned and the room empty.

The Phoenix Hounds split up, and Ella-Beth went to the nearby church to speak with the local cleric, Arris the Younger. Unbeknownst to her, "Arris" was actually a secret cleric of Baraxus named Kor Bloodaxe who digging under the ruins of a nearby castle for reasons unknown. The inquisitive Ella-Beth began asking too many questions and Kor attacked her, rendering her unconscious.

Ella-Beth awoke in a dark pit surrounded by a number of other kidnapped townsfolk guarded by a score of undead skeletons. Among the fellow prisoners was Lia Spellsong, who explained that Kor had been kidnapping and enslaving people and using undead and a nearby pack of goblins as miners and was digging under the ruins of the castle in search of some sort of treasure or power.

While Lia and Ella-Beth began to try to figure a way to escape, the rest of the Phoenix Hounds arrived and engaged the undead, destroying them. They explained that they'd come looking for Ella Beth and tracked her to a tomb under the castle ruins, where they found a crudely dug underground tunnel where they'd found Tory the Songsmith and now she and Lia. Of Kor, there had been no sign, however.

Ella-Beth helped to gather the rest of the slaves and exit the tomb where they found Kor Bloodaxe along with half a dozen goblins and a local halfling named Otis Benbough who was working for Kor. In the battle that followed Ella-Beth focused most of her efforts on keeping the townsfolk/former slaves unharmed and healing her companions.

Kor Bloodaxe and most of the goblins were slain, with the rest of the creatures fleeing. Otis Benbaugh was arrested, and it was decided that he would be given over to the authorities. To prevent further meddling they disabled the door that accessed the tombs before leaving the village. Lea and Tory returned to Myjdun to report to Lord Rivel and Ella-Beth and the Phoenix Hounds continued on to Lyzol.

## In Lyzol

With matters in Brookhollow settled, the Phoenix Hounds made their way to Lyzol. They arrived without major incident, but were puzzled as the town did not seem to be preparing in any way for the war. Further, as they continued to investigate, they learned that the lord of Lyzol, Eber Gawan, had been killed with most of his family the previous year while on a tour of the estate and that his daughter, Kathel, now ruled. However, the people quietly complained of excessive taxes and brutal guardsmen, but were reluctant to voice these concerns very loudly, seemingly afraid of reprisals. Worse, they were able to determine that much of the court had quickly changed after Lord Eber had died.

Armed with a letter of inquiry from the Red Wizard that Gery Geddey had given them, Edwin and Hatch went to Harley Keep and managed to secure a meeting with the new chamberlain, Blaine Fordin. Ella-Beth, for her part, decided to visit the local temple to interview the cleric there, Finney Cottlefoot, but she found the man terrified and unwilling to risk himself to assist them.

By then Edwin and Hatch returned from the keep concerned that Blaine Fordin was a malicious figure, and Hatch swore he was a man who moved like he knew how to fight. After a quick discussion they decided they should leave town immediately, lest Fordin have them apprehended.

### Journey to the Reikland

Ella-Beth and the journeyed to the Reikland, where they reasoned they could report directly to the Red Wizard, the liege lord of Gery Geddy's master, Lord Rivel Donne, about the events in Lyzol. The Red Wizard himself, however, was south of the city rallying the armies of Rupmon to fight against an invasion of monsters under the command of Vossk. His chamberlain, Marian Aben, however accepted their report. Citing the Red Wizard's attention south, she asked them to return to Lyzol accompanied by an agent of the Red Wizard and armed with a writ to return to Reikland with Lady Kathel or resolve the matter as they saw fit. They agreed, and soon departed with that agent, Mera Ingola, though Edwin remained behind at the Red Keep to partake of the Red Wizard's libraries. This disappointed Ella-Beth, as she had a great deal of respect for Edwin as a practitioner of magic and she feared they may need his abilities in the mission to come. She understood, however, that Edwin's reasoning was to expand his magical knowledge, for which should could not fault him.

### Return to Lyzol

Accompanied by Mera the Phoenix Hounds returned to Lzyol to find the populace seemingly now preparing for war and soldiers training the townsfolk to be a viable force of conscripts. Ella-Beth advocated traveling to the temple to secure the aid of Brother Finney and urging him to begin evacuating the people who would be willing to leave, as they feared a possible open and violent conflict with Chamberlain Blaine and whatever forces he could gather. Fearful, Brother Finney stated that he would make preparations to leave the town as soon as possible but would bring with him those who were willing to evacuate, no matter how briefly.

With that the heroes headed straight to Harley Keep where Lady Kathel granted them an audience, though her throne room also held Chamberlain Blaine, Justicar Leonard Salt and Marshal Joane Arnhelm and a half dozen guardsmen. Mera presented Lady Kathel with a written dictate from the Red Wizard to determine why forces had not been sent to the war effort and to take whatever steps to remedy the matter that she and the Phoenix Hounds saw fit. The negotiations rapidly broke down, however, and Blaine Fordin ordered an attack.

The battle was fierce, and Ella-Beth spent much of it healing her allies and also trying to make sure that the guardsmen merely following their lady's corrupt orders did not pay for it with their lives. This made little difference to Marshal Joane, however, who bludgeoning her into unconsciousness with her massive flail.

Ella-Beth awoke while the battle was still raging, and she was able to help Inithabel convince Lady Kathel's chancellor, the good hearted Ewis Mollen, to view the writ that was brought in an effort to cease hostilities. Ewis did so, and ordered his men to stop attacking (in spite of the commands of Lady Kathel herself). Cite that the lady had violated the orders of her liege, Ewis ordered her confined to quarters while he launched an investigation. The battle was a victory for the Phoenix Hounds, albeit a costly one. Mera Ingola was dead, murdered by Blaine Fordin who subsequently managed to escape, and all of the Phoenix Hounds suffered some form of injury, including Ella-Beth.

Chancellor Ewis' investigation soon showed that Lady Kathel had paid Blaine Fordin to hire goblins from the Brokenback Swamps to slay her family in 1158 so that she could inherit Lyzol. With this damning evidence, Ewis sadly declared that Kathel must face the baron's justice and asked if the Pheonix Hounds would assist.

Ella-Beth wished to aid Ewis, as Lyzol was now in disarray, and sentiment that we echoed by Fenton and Hatch. Xandrik, however, pointed out that the reports of a large force of Troglodytes and undead in the nearby town of Redwyne could not be ignored, and that marshaling all the strength of Lyzol to march out of the region (as the Red Wizard had ordered) could leave Lyzol defenseless should those creatures march north towards the town. He advocated heading to Redwyne to reconnoiter the situation, a suggestion that Inithabel supported and Hatch admitted he saw the wisdom of.

Ultimately they decided that they would be best served to split up, with Ella-Beth remaining in Lyzol with Hatch and Fenton, while Xandrik and Inithabel recruited a few volunteers and marched to Redwyne to investigate matters there.

## Becoming Lyzol’s Cleric

The Phoenix Hounds agreed that Chancellor Ewis Mollen should take over as acting Chamberlain. It quickly became apparent that there was no cleric in town, as Brother Finney Cottlefoot had fled as soon as he realized the Phoenix Hounds were going to confront Lady Kathel. This left the people of the village without healing or clerical guidance. Ella-Beth offered to step in and took over the town’s temple and administered to the people of Lyzol.