Rylan Baenre

*We're drunk but drinking; sunk but sinking. They thought us blind; we were just blinking. All the stones and Kings of old will hear us screaming at the cold. Remember me I ask, Remember me I sing. Give me back my heart you wingless thing. Think of all the horrors that I promised you I'd bring. I promise you, they'll sing of every time you passed your fingers through my hair and called me child. Witness me, Old Man, I am the Wild.*

*The Horror and The Wild : The Amazing Devil*

Rylan is the leader of The Third Family; albeit unintentionally. An Assassin and Order of the Ancients Paladin multi-class, he has appeared in almost all sessions since the first game (save the two after the attack by The Root of War and one in Paridon). A dreamer that was raised in the pandemonium of the Menzoberranzan Court, Rylan has survived overwhelming abuse and trauma whilst still maintaining a sense of self.

## Description

### Physical

Rylan stands 5'6" tall with a moderate build of 155 lbs. His skin is a pale grey with cool undertones and since his time on the surface a slight purple sunburn is constantly coloring his cheeks and across the bridge of his nose highlighting a faint scattering of freckles. His eyes are an unusual pale blue, leaning almost aquamarine against his complexion as opposed to the red that makes up the majority of his race's features.

Due to his daylight sensitivity, Rylan wears a pair of round lens silver framed sunglasses dating back to his first mission topside with The Rogue's Guild. His hair is pale silvery white including his eyebrows and eyelashes. While he used to keep his hair extremely long hip length in intricate braids, Iimeth hacked his hair off during his captivity once more. After he was rescued Kam evened it up for Rylan during one of the downtimes. On his 112th birthday his sister Brigid regrew his hair and plaited it in Pictish fashion which he kept well into his travels to the Dread Realms. After he was taken from the party, Rylan returned thanks to Ruinfea's Wish with his hair showing about a month of new growth.

He has numerous piercings, all silver; his lower lip on the right is pierced with a hoop, multiple tracing up both ears, and a silver raven's skull on his right ear. His Holy Symbol is an amethyst surrounded by silver vines and purple flower buds, gifted from Queen Titania, Herself. He pairs that with a silver dragon fashioned to look like Brioche on a leather cord gifted to him by Garrett on his 112th birthday. Other adornments include his myriad of rings; two house signets (One of House Baenre and the other of Clan Lovelocke), a Ring of Holding that stores his cane when not in use, as well as a silver twig ring with an amethyst trapped in its branches, and the crest of An Dagdha that can bring him home to the Hunting Lodge of the High King of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Rylan has numerous scars as well; encircling his neck, wrists, ankles, severe deep lashes striping up his entire back, the sigil of House Baenre branded into the back of his neck, and bands around the ankles, wrists and neck from shackles and chains. A series of two slashes across his chest from Civar are the newest additions to the roadmap of pain on his skin. A greyscale Masquerade magical tattoo wraps around his left thigh currently depicting a death's head moth, a Death's Arrow magical tattoo depicting a raven's skull with various poisonous flora and mushrooms on his left forearm, a Telepathy tattoo along his ribcage on the right side displaying a sword and pair of crowns, an eclipse tattoo over his sternum where his Divine Spark was once a raised crystal embedded in his skin, and now his Raven's Queen tattoo depicting two raven's wings from his shoulder blades down the backs of his arms to his elbows. (With this piece especially it was not made to be covering any of the scars on his back but instead almost deliberately softening their appearance into something less garish originating beside them, like all his pieces done to try and heal and offer him aid with art.) His newest tattoo whose innate spell has yet to be disclosed sits over his heart, depicting an anatomical heart filled with pomegranate seeds. His clothing leans towards cool toned grey and black; his adventuring gear kept in as meticulous condition as his royal vestments. But when the opportunity arises and the company is safe to be vulnerable around, he favors soft woven oversized tunics and sweaters to match buckskin breeches and bare feet.

After his abduction; Rylan has taken to wearing leather gloves at all times, avoiding touching bare skin to almost everyone. While he continues to wear his forearm guard and archery glove as practical protection, this very subtle change has become a security blanket. Beyond that, he now walks with a very pronounced limp unless he distinctly chooses to hide it. His right knee was shattered by The First Blade and requires either a leg brace or sometimes even a cane to keep the pain in check. Upon returning to Gael Aethal Rylan purchased an ornate cane and it's matching magical storage, and his knee brace has been replaced with one made by Garrett complete with storage for poisons and other combat necessities.

### Personality

Rylan's personality is a tempest; from ingratiating gentry to scathing wit. Upon first meeting, unless otherwise informed of a person's behaviors, Rylan assumes the best in people and this naivety has caused him extreme pain in the past. He defaults to playful and carefree; fiercely loyal to his loved ones and gentle to those often denied just kindness. His anger can catch like any tinder and flare to a merciless callousness depending on the whys of the situation. Cowardice infuriates him, cruelty doubly so, and betrayal most of all.

He is self-sacrificing to a fault to the point a perfect example being the deal with his mother made in Spriggan come home and marry after the current quest is done. Something that he found a work around in a deal with Graz'zt for his son Kam's hand in marriage. Though Kam and Rylan have amicably divorced, Rylan still holds to the honor of his bond in regards to Graz'zt, keeping up on his end. Despite his youth, he was never allowed the luxury of a childhood or innocence and as such he seems older than his years. When in the presence of attractive men, he defaults to an awkward boyishness that makes his well-earned and practiced eloquence fly out the window.

Rylan has exhibited and blithely referenced extreme trauma he has survived and as such he is and will forever be dealing with it. He self-soothes frequently with touch at his scars, shown a flagrant disregard for his own safety and well-being in his youth that has tempered while traveling with The Third Family, a wariness towards women in power, and a distaste towards those boastful of their own recreant natures. He has a soft spot for children, the closest being Feno and Arun, his niece and nephew through Tiago, and Brioche, his gold dragon paladin's mount and surrogate daughter.

Rylan self-soothes a lot with touch, usually by rubbing at his scars. The only one that is overtly visible is the one at his neck. Other than that Rylan covers up nearly head to toe with the exception of above the shoulders. The most exposed he has become is recently when sitting around with the party after the ball; that level of casual vulnerability no longer something Rylan allows himself There’s a level of control in hiding his appearance that he defaults. When being whipped by Liliahil Stormosin, Rylan remarked that “better than her had tried to break him”. Since then the party has been able to see the scars on his back (including the brand), at his neck, wrists, and ankles only; the work of Iimeth and the clerics of Lolth. Stormosin also grabbed him and yanked him roughly by his long hair.

His hair is a point of pride and sacred, as to his people it is believed to house his soul. After his cousin hacked it off to nigh the root he had been slowly growing it back out. Recently his sister, the goddess Brigid, returned his hair to its original length. Braiding the waves with leather and charms in Pictish fashion that he has been trying to teach himself how to recreate. He doesn’t like being touched on bare skin; it started as touch aversion but has increased to touch repulsion, something that eats away at his fae soul. Rylan visibly freezes when he is grabbed without consent and his reaction has been an uncharacteristic vicious and callous lashing out that even pitches his voice different.

**» LIKES «**

*Foodie* - Rylan prides himself on his cooking and love of food in general; this was a natural progression from his background as a poisoner. Being domestic is expected from male drow in his culture and he is completely fine with this stereotype. He is equal parts a *Chef* as well as a *Poisoner.*

*The Arts & Music* - Rylan has such a love and respect for musicians; it's skills that his training and mother would never allow, so to him those that have been able to express themselves through their art is something almost too wondrous to be real. Until the events of Lymdell, Rylan would have said all bards inspire wonder in him.

*Justice, Freedom, Equality* - The easiest way for Rylan to respect and care for a person is if these truths also resonate in their soul.

*Love* -

* ***Agápe**:* Until someone exhibits betrayal, Rylan is a warm and empathetic person. Lately that has begun to darken and fall away like ash. He once hoped that most people were good, but too often the terrible proved him wrong. And while the Dreamer hasn't given up, there is a level of wary pragmatism he didn't possess before the return to Morad.
* ***Eros**:* For most of his life Rylan's only love was his ex-husband. Rylan grieves him, but knows that he has changed too much since traveling with the party and becoming a paladin trying to lead a extraplanar battle against The Root of War. For some time, Rylan doubted he would be able to love anyone again. After the attempt on his life in Paridon by Flickerflame, Rylan spent a month at (redacted) with (redacted); the pair originally slinging barbs and snark between them before slowly learning more about each other. During the Midwinter Solstice Ball held in the Faedark at the Frost Prince's domain, (redacted) whisked Rylan away from LaCroix to dance before sitting out on a balcony overlooking the frozen rose gardens to stargaze, their evening ending in the pair going back to his room. When the fight with Leshy broke out, (redacted) joined the fight as Rylan's anchor using drow fighting styles. Rylan using *bautha z'hin* & *draa velve* with (redacted) using *z'ress a'thalak* as a Rune Knight*.* It was a small thing, but the fact that he went out of his way to learn how to fight beside him using his people's techniques made a part of Rylan's heart soar in a way it hadn't in some time.
* ***Ludus**:* There are a significant few people in the Empire Rylan has a prior history with and has light mention of their existence. Currently the only officially known are the vampire Lord Cassian Lovelocke and LaCroix.
* ***Philautia**:* When it comes to the Self, Rylan has focused on his duty; he takes his role as a party leader and now Emperor seriously with the gravitas and respect they both deserve. And he needs to be certain of who he is if he's to face The Root of War again.
* ***Pragma**:* Kam was the first choice Rylan ever made for himself. And despite their dissolved marriage, it was once a large part of who Rylan was and is. It is in its own way is a symbol of who Rylan was before becoming a paladin and taking on the mantle of trying to save the world. Love changes, it can never truly be destroyed, and Rylan has focused his main commitment and dedication to fighting against the end of all things and being a leader. The cost weighs heavy but it is what's best for all. But at his core Rylan longs for that connection and commitment with someone. He has guarded his heart carefully, albeit recently been grieving the loss of connection as everyone else in the party has seemingly found someone to share their lives with. It would take someone remarkable to get Rylan to feel that way again.
* ***Storge**:* This is something that he has never truly known and has found surrogate family members he cherishes dearly. A clever person can assume who makes up this assemblage but as of late he has even been given the title of 'son' from a few people he holds in his esteem. Jii was a brother to him, much like Tiago and he has not been quiet about their importance. When blood family is horrible; chosen family is something sacred and Rylan would die for those he considers as such. Now that he has finally reunited with his father, Rylan is coping with a bit of Imposter Syndrome, especially with the intensity and quantity of family members the Dagda comes with. He has siblings now, cousins, uncles, aunts, and extended family reaching outwards in a massive tree of Heroes, Legends, Gods, and Fae. And it's a lot to suddenly have access to.

**» DISLIKES «**

*Injustice, Oppression, Bigotry* - When one faces these truths, they become as raw nerves constantly being struck painfully. The most is when these ugly cruelties are done by those who claim to care. Systemic racism and privilege take root even in the hearts of heroes.

*Spiders* - Rylan is arachnophobic and the heralds of his grandmother are a source of heartache as well as terror.

*Ab\*sive Misandry* - Drow culture is a hell of a drug, man...

*Mother Dearest -* He loved her, but she was the source of nearly all his trauma... and now that she is finally well and truly dead it will take time to recover from the damage.

**» STRENGTHS «**

*Iron Will & Double Edged Sword* - Pain is something Rylan derives strength from; he doesn’t allow emotional pain to throw him off of his senses and he’s found a way to handle the most extreme physical pain without breaking with his inherent masochism. It’s far from healthy, but it’s all he’s got. This was revealed to the party when he leg was reset at Iimeth's camp much to his embarrassment.

*The Queen’s Gambit* - There are few as perceptive as Rylan and his mind has always been sharp as a whip, unfortunately worded as that is. Observing the politics of his mother is a survival tactic and one that he has honed to deadly precision. It is a razor’s edge he is currently walking and the slightest misstep will spell doom and further cruelty, if not death. There is not second chances and his mind is always three steps ahead. And his time as a member of the Seelie Court and a child of The Dagda as one of the Tuatha Dé Danaan has only furthered his necessity to always have distinct protective lines to border his Entropy. It’s not paranoia if you’re right...

*Silver Tongued Devil* - Matched only to his dexterity, Rylan is a charismatic man. His wit was the first thing he showed as a boy and it one hundred percent earned him a lot of pain both physical and emotional. But words can be as deadly as a sword and he will use his entire arsenal to get what he wants.

*Planting Seeds in a Garden You Never See* - Rylan wants a legacy; to do better by his people and deliver them a future they are worthy of it let alone his own very distinct aspiration. It's his ability to not only stay the course to achieve this goal but his long put into place plan to make that dream come true that is his focus. To leave the world a better place than when he got it. Perhaps one day he can think of his own wants and dreams but that cannot be a distraction right now. The closest he will come is the continued reference to the tavern he and Thea will own together one day connected to Fuego's tea shop.

*Mithridatism* - The process of ingesting poison to develop an immunity to it. Through a three-step process, Rylan daily maintains an immunity to the poisons he wields, despite it being some time he's done so in combat. This now includes the poison Iimeth created and used on him during his captivity and torture. After fully stepping into the mantle of the Dark Sun, Rylan has become a poison master equal to if not greater than what Cyric ever was.

**» WEAKNESS «**

*Broken, Battered, Bruised* - Rylan has been through hell and back again; the depths of the abuse and trauma he’s been through he had previously kept from the party as a whole from shame. Between his training at the Academy and what he went through being his mother’s son, he’s weathered a lot of wounds both physical and mental. After the events of Iimeth's camp this has only multiplied into chronic pain and a physical disability. As such the man is in extreme constant pain. And he believes he is worthless, something that will take time to start healing from.

*Such a Pity* - Rylan is heavily scarred; something he once hid under his waist length curls and layers upon layers of clothing. For a culture that prizes beauty and perfection, this makes someone lesser. For a prince nor Emperor, impossibly worse. They whisper that he is ruined, and has been told he is as such. His scars list is detailed above.

*History Has it’s Eyes on You* - Rylan will never forgive himself for Jii’s death. Being the person that had to put down the monster his best friend became broke a part of him in a way that will stay with him for the rest of his life. It was his hubris that got them into the fight with Orcus and he couldn’t even be the one to take down the god that killed his friend. He went from being a hopeful person to the broken and extremely lonely person he is now. When Kam was killed by The Root of War, this feeling shattered Rylan psychologically. Partially because he watched his husband die in front of him, partially because his own body failed not once but three times which caused his trauma to echo the sentiment that he was incapable and worthless, and partially because everyone else let their grief and pain be sudden and loud he felt like he wasn't allowed to grieve his now ex-husband's loss however brief it was. When they were young it was Rylan who kept Kam safe when they were imprisoned together, a job he was capable of doing once upon a time. Rylan's recent disability meant his body failed him at the worst possible time and it was one of the factors to his marriage ending. It's unspeakable and unthinkable how much that failure echoes in his mind. Instead of feeling as though he had the space to mentally work through the battle and loss, instead he took up silent sentinel until his mind couldn't handle it anymore, coinciding with the party deciding to go off to deal with Tiamat. It was the battle with Tiamat that was a crucial victory for Rylan whom as a disabled man needed to know he wasn't a liability or worthless in the grand scheme of things and could help and protect his loved ones, though there is much to still work through and heal from.

## History

### Before the Story

Fellnight 27th 7888

He wasn't ever supposed to be born. After centuries of attempting to bear an heir, G'eldaere Baenre had almost given up hope, so when she finally became pregnant the High Priestess of Lolth was elated. Doubly so when Lolth Herself gifted her daughter with visions of the glory her child would bring to their people. She spent the entirety of her pregnancy making sure by both mundane and magical needs to prepare for her heir to enter the world with the best chances possible for her life to be not only pampered but blessed. Imagine then the devastation when her precious daughter was born a son. As with all of the boys born in Menzoberranzan it was Lolth that named him; Omen of all things and the Matron mother was inconsolable with rage and grief. She rejected the creature immediately, refusing to care for it and leaving the babe in the hands of those bound to serve House Baenre. The first of many sorrows to befall Rylantar. And still, even with his own mother's rejection it was his grandmother that would check in on the whelp, ensuring one of his first formative memories was of her countenance leering into his crib confused Herself as to how and why this small little thing was something She instinctively knew held worth. It was the part of her that was still Araushnee trapped deep in the madness of The Dark Mother that protected the infant. Even and most importantly from Herself.

Rylan was a quiet and easy child, never one to fuss or scare despite the exposure abyssal and violent horrors of his mother's court. Once he could toddle about on his own Rylan would trail after his mother, desperate to get her attention and affection and every time he would reach out to her or try and find some form of love from her he was spurned. Kicked off when tiny hands clung to her skirts silently asking to be held, every beaming smile answered with a vicious order to have him taken out of her sight. And still he loved her, still he tried. Without so much as a cry, with patience those so many times over his elder rarely possessed. His first word was *Ilhar,* mother, and still G'eldaere could barely hold her disdain for the creature she had been cursed with. It didn't help that complications with his birth had left her incapable of bearing any more children. No matter how many midwives and clerics she sought out, and dispatched of when they all confirmed this truth, G'eldaere was forced to confront the knowledge that this *thing* was all she had for a legacy. Eventually coming to terms with the situation when Rylan was about a decade old she made up her mind that he would attend *Tier Breche;* her people's academy and bring her glory as a mage of *Sorcere* when he came of age at 20. Lolth at least had to have gifted her the most powerful caster their people had ever known. But as the years passed and his magical aptitude never revealed itself, once more she faced disappointment. How was this creature supposed to be her Omen if he was so unacceptably mediocre?

Rylantar was always a dreamer trapped in his mother's court of nightmares. Wide eyed boundless hope filled his heart. He befriended all of the servants and creatures that called Castle Baenre home. And despite their best intentions he warmed up to them, even the abyssal creatures begrudgingly accepting the young prince's eccentricities and endless questions. He would often pester the clerics about the meanings behind what he would see when he dreamt, and time and time again they would chide him. *Elves do not dream, Your Grace. It is nothing more than your own thoughts attempting to rationalize while you slip into your daily trance.* But how could that be? His dreams should him fantastical things; a mushroom forest at dusk lit by fireflies, a tree so large it housed a city and all the words that could ever and would ever be written, a colorful caravan beside a faerie reveal, a pirate ship that could slip through the planes like an arrow shot from an enchanted bow, a wizards tower that wove space and time like a tapestry filled with laughter that he *knew* belonged to his brother despite the insistence that he would never have such a person in his life. But all those paled in comparison to the dream that played his very soul like a harp; it was so little compared to the others. Only fleeting feelings of a smile he couldn't quite place, the sound of his name being spoken with a softness no one had ever used before. Calling him Rylan, letting him know he wasn't alone. Whenever he woke he would try desperately to remember the rest but it slipped through his fingers like smoke.

When his mama informed him he would attend the Academy he couldn't contain his excitement and he swore to her he would make her proud. That he would bring honor to their name at the *Melee-Magthere.* It also meant he could spend more time with his beloved cousin Iimeth; he had been at his heels almost as much as his mother's and loved him like a brother. The thought of training under him, fighting beside him was the greatest joy he could have ever imagined. Again the Dreamer allowed himself the hopeful fantasy that the pair of them would be fighting side by side to defend The Matron Mother and bring Glory to Lolth. The day he was to move to the Academy was going to be the best of his life and he swore to himself he would make them both so proud.

-----TRIGGER WARNING-----

The following portion of Rylan's background involves discussion of SA and abuse during his time at the Melee-Magthere and his first assignment to a cleric; the contents herein will be implied and not discussed in any form of detail but to protect the reader please skip this section and resume reading at the next page break that matches the above.

Anyone who lives half in dreams should know to be mindful of the nightmares. Iimeth's disdain for Rylantar was undeniable from the moment he arrived. The Academy's tactics in education were brutal and unrelenting; but it was Iimeth's obsession that made it all the worse. The day his cousin shore his hair to the scalp was the same day he learned better than to cry. The cruelty was not merely reserved for the training yard and Rylan quickly learned to be fearful of the night and the sounds of anyone moving in the hall by his door. The only place he could retreat to was his repeated bouts of unconsciousness. There was a comfort to the silent fog and disassociation kept him from turning as cruel as Iimeth hoped he could make him. The more he abused him the more Rylan refused to let his spirit break; instead he learned to play the game while staying within the rules The First Blade set in stone. He allowed himself to become a weapon, but refused to let the sadism his cousin reveled in to possess him. And the more he refused to shatter, the worse Iimeth would abuse him. For ten years The First Blade took his hatred out on the Heir Apparent and his body became a first person account of what he survived. He could still remember when his cousin branded him with their family crest, marking him as a slave and treated him as such. The nigh weekly floggings rending his skin to the spine. The pain eventually became like an ever-present companion and Rylan forced himself to find a way to rationalize the pain to help his mind from shattering. He just needed to make it to graduation and he would be safe.

But that was not to be; his mother hoping to find a good breeding match sent her only begotten son to the cleric Xull'yll. The Red Woman made The First Blade pale in comparison to her sadism, made only worse by the fact that the pair were as thick as thieves with both trying to manipulate the other to suit their own means. Kept in chains and shackles, Rylan lived in a constant state of disassociation. It wasn't until the procurement of Kam that a spark of life returned to Rylan's broken spirit.

Shortly after Kam was taken, Rylan was passed along through all of the hierarchy of The Queen of the Demonwebs. Each priestess tried in vain to secure their legacy in the hopes of becoming the daughter-in-law of the Matron. And each proved to be nothing short of a source of disappointment. Time and again the healers were made to find a reason for why her heir could not seem to produce a grandchild for her, but it was determined that the fault was not his. And while he had to go to extreme lengths to do it, Rylan made good use of his skills as a poisoner. Mugwort became his companion now that he had lost his only friend. Eventually G'eldaere relented that perhaps it was a sign from Lolth Herself. That the repeated torment the boy had endured must be what the problem was and that a change of scenery may help things move along more appropriately. And so the Matron decided that her son would be sold off to the surface for some time. At least that way he could be of use to her financially and perhaps upon his return they could try to find him a suitable bride anew and secure her legacy with a granddaughter.

-----SAFE TO CONTINUE-----

When the Orbryn Family came to House Baenre on a diplomatic mission for the Emperor of Hilan, a perfect excuse was found. The truth of the matter was a touch more delicate but the family sought out the Underdark for their more... unusual exports. They wished to take a young drow close in age to their son home as a companion in all matters for their son to distract himself with until he was to be married off to another High Elf family in good standing back home. Tiago due to his own wanderings stumbled into Rylan and the pair hit it off quite well. At first the family offered to take the young man off of the Matron's hand, willing to pay just about anything she asked since Tiago had taken such an interest in him. But for whatever her own reasons the Orbryn family was not a deal in her favor enough to agree to. They left the Underdark but the boys swore to keep in touch, Rylan for the first time finding another friend and once more having them taken from him.

It was not long after that the Head of the Lovelocke Clan came to House Baenre seeking a new blood doll for his oldest childer, Cassian. Whatever the deal he offered was enough for the Matron to agree and Rylan was once more shipped off to a new place with nothing to his name. However unlike his servitude to the clergy or his matriculation in the Academy, Rylan's time at the Lovelocke Manor was rather content. He was a kept and spoiled pet, with freedoms he had barely known existed before. He was given an education, always at the side of his Regnant; and in his own way Cassian was kind to him. The only expectations of him was to keep the young vampire safe, happy, and well-fed. He was allowed to join the Rogue's Guild, earn a wage all his own, and his loyalty shifted to something of actual affection. Cassian learned quickly how to keep Rylan in line and an easy way to manipulate the young drow was to offer simple decency, it was easy enough to do and get everything he wanted. The more time he spent with them the more some of their traits rubbed off on him, including Rylan developing the same vampiric aura that his Master possessed, albeit to a slightly different degree and application thanks to his own heritage.

It was his time in the Guild that introduced him to all of those he considers allies and connections now; eventually he stopped using the Baenre crest and name Topside instead going by Lovelocke after Cassian gifted him his own signet ring. It was while he was kept by Clan Lovelocke that he once more met up with Kam. It was surreal for Rylan to reconnect to his first friend and their bond fell back into place seamlessly. The pair spent some time as highwaymen with Rylan fully embracing his newfound neutrality now that he was free of his mother. Life was perfect... until Kam left to return to his father.

While he would never understand the why of it, a part of Rylan dimmed. He stopped going out on long missions with the Guild, instead finding excuses to stay at the Manor more often than not. And a good thing too, considering what happened next. The raid on the Manor by hunters was horrific and brutal. He watched as those clad tight in their righteousness butchered everyone in the manor, Kindred and Kine alike. It didn't matter to them that the blood dolls were still mortal, they were damned by association and Rylan was in near hysterics when Cassian all but dragged him out through the secret tunnels to make his escape. It was his promise that he would meet back up with Rylan in Littlegrove that finally got Rylan to cooperate. Despite his better instinct, Rylan fled to the small community, throwing himself upon the mercy of the priests of Eldath.

From their charity Rylan survived the assault, and he waited. What should have been hours became days, then weeks without word. When he felt their charity begin to bristle, Rylan made himself useful by baking bread. Eventually earning enough money to rent and then buy himself a home. When Cassian finally answered his letters, Rylan was no longer under any metaphysical bond but merely his own affection for the man who took care of him for so long. It was not safe yet, not until the manor was repaired for him to return home. That he was to stay safe and keep his head down for now. Cassian continued to send along an allowance for his pet, and there Rylan lived in comfort for a little over a year before a festival to Eldath drew close and the ever-present weight of the collar around his neck began to weigh on him. What was the point of wearing it when the man who kept the key continued to keep him away? While he knew he would have hell to pay for doing so, Rylan picked the lock on his collar and resolved himself to enjoy the festival as a free man, even if it was an illusion. Heading to the first pub he could see, Rylan settled himself at the bar.

### With the Third Family

**Littlegrove**

* Met Jii, Thea Chandler, Fuego Nevermere, and Ruinfea at a local tavern
* After picking a fight with the bartender, he picked the lock on Little One's cage, freeing her

* Fought summoned dire rat in connection with three members of "The Hallow Company"
* While interrogating incapacitated suspects was spied upon by Brynwick Nibnibbler
* Battled multiple summoned types of beholder and beholderkin
* Met Hetzel Sophson
* Spoke to The Great Mother that Ruinfea accidentally gave his name to
* Imprisoned, publicly whipped, and survived smiting by Stormosin, predicted her patron, and caused Torm to abandon her
* Jii asked The Traveler to save Rylan's life and the archfey did so with a miracle for the Fey-Friend
* Foiled the attack on the festival and distracted Jii to keep him from any further rampage

* Comforted Jii away from the party, solidifying a permanent bond with his fellow rogue forged in the acceptance of his misdeeds
* Strong-armed Carrion into joining the party after bidding Comforte farewell, left Little One in the care of the surviving Council Member
* Decided after the attack to hunt down the group responsible (locking up a collection of important mementos of Jii's at his home) and took to the road

**Beggar's Hole**

* Against Jii's advice, the party spent time with a strange group of kids; Rylan cooking for them and befriending the Good Neighbors
* Met War Pig, whom in short work became Hetzel's companion

**Spriggan**

* Forced to accept without comment the blatant racism of the zealots of Oghma
* Traveled into the Dreaming to help Tiago get answers about his unconscious son Arun, stepping into a twisted nightmare of the forest near Lymdell
* Battled multiple chimerical creatures, ending in an altercation underwater in a swamp, and looting the magical cache guarded by The Dead King
* Uncovered that Arun had body swapped with his sister Feno, had been manipulated by his mother to join The Hallow Company
* Snuck about the high priest's office with Ruinfea, uncovering the corrupt necromantic cult of Spriggan
* Barely was able to shoot down two owls that were sent by the high priest with letters addressed to The First Blade, was assumed a runaway
* Was forced to reveal his true name in public, made a deal with his mother to 'return home after the quest to defeat The Hallow Company willingly to chose a spouse of [his] own, in equal or greater rank to [his] own without complaint to make good on the promise of [his] birth and to actively attempt to beget an heir'
* Performed his first healing on Jii after he transformed into an undead ancient black dragon after scrapping with the necromancers
* Arrived too late to stop Orcus from being summoned from the statue in the square
* Blinded Orcus, after Thea had to kill Jii to stop him from attacking the party Orcus resurrected him, and it was Rylan that had to final death his best friend
* Took the death of Jii hard, and during his funeral referenced a few things the pair had spoken of in private, finding comfort that The Traveler came to see his not-so-brother home
* In the downtown had a vision of Torm in which the God acted duplicitous, using disguises and trickery and lies all to claim Rylan as a bloodhunter

**Dewport**

* Still carrying extreme guilt and self-loathing from his failure, was cross when meeting Haidrin during the box and Tabaxi kitten fiasco
* Met the incomparable Jinx, owner of The Drowned Beagle, and fell ill with the Spellplague that left him far too sick to function
* Tracked the culprits through the city both on the ground and across rooftops to a drug den run by a satyr
* Found a fellow drow, Bellaern Mizzrym, and gave him a writ of employment and travel documents under his protection
* Watched as Haidrin caught the building that caved down around them all during their subsequent confrontation with the Master of the House
* Chased down the fey responsible for infecting the town and tackled her to the ground with the help of War Pig
* Rested once more at The Drowned Beagle before heading to the docks to investigate
* Carrion used incense stolen from the satyr's establishment to help those under effects of the plague
* The party took on and killed the summoned god and his summoner cultist that was smuggled into the city in a shipping crate
* Met Tearsson, a cleric of Ilmater, who was able to heal the party members using the gifts of his god's deific portfolio
* Confronted the Merchant's Council with news of the Spellplague, made note of the duplicitous ones and unraveled a connection to the Court of Coral
* Split from Carrion who was to travel to Morad, the party met Captain Loray Lorhalien, who took the party aboard his ship in safe passage to the Court of Coral in exchange for rescuing his sister

**Court of Coral**

* While traveling Rylan saved Loray's life by identifying and capturing a spider that had not only been a spy but was infected by an abyssal worm meant for Loray's brain
* Spoke to the party about his fears that there was too many chaotic paths being taken by their enemies and that it didn't make sense it was only one person, laid out that it seemed as though Civar was the leader of The Hallow Company but someone else was making moves in the divine pantheons. A statement Bryn loudly criticized. This was proven true; Civar the mortal wanted glory, Cyric the God wanted chaos so he could return to Toril.
* While waiting in open court, observed a young selkie who had lost their pelt, Rylan using his position as a member of the gentry took on the young one's case, learned of the massacre of their rookery and the death of their bob
* Took part in the naming of Chandler Sophson Nevermere
* With his insight was able to spot the duplicity of Elias Alastai, Siobhan Alastai, and Leammaru and split the party to achieve multiple goals at once
* Created a distraction with one of the braziers; Chandler, Fuego, Rylan and Ruinfea went in search of the pelts and Bryn, Thea, Hetzel, and Carrion went to break Valendra Lorhalien out of the dungeon
* In the subterranean antechamber beneath the armory discovered the pelts as well as armor of Feywild made
* A shield called to Rylan, upon touching it a ball of light came to him, claiming that she had been looking for him and to claim the shield which he did
* Was revealed to be the Feywild's own Queen Titania and that Rylan was not a bloodhunter but in fact her paladin
* Upon the return of their pelt, Ripjaw Chandler Siphon Nevermere once more got to claim their true name
* Returning to open court, Rylan confronted the Lords and compelled Siobhan to a duel, declaring himself a paladin for the first time
* The duel was intense and while Rylan did slay the corrupt Lord of the Sea whose heart had turned to ice, it was not before she summoned a massive storm
* Gifted Fuego the Name 'Stormbreaker' for his prowess in saving the day
* Deposed Elias from his position, with aid from Calliope named Ripjaw the new Lord of the Seas and performed his first coronation as a paladin; creating a glass tree from the Feywild, a very visible show that he was Chosen for The Summer Knights of the Lady of Light
* Returned Valendra to her brother and the party set sail back to Dewport
* Upon their return, heard the call of Lymdell asking for aid and immediately met back up with Loray choosing to take a sloop to the elven city to arrive in time to spare some bloodshed

**Lymdell**

* Upon arrival, the party attacked the demonic army that held the city under siege, Rylan once more split the party in a triple pronged phalanx to divide and strike simultaneously
* Dispatched the army without any party member getting so much as a scratch and was met at the gate by Ruinfea's brother Gildor Galanodel and was welcomed by at least the army with respect and appreciation
* Once more Rylan was confronted with, and silently accepted, the bigotry and racism of the High Elven city inhabitants; choosing to wear gloves so that the wounded would let him heal them and even then spurned for being drow with Fuego facing the same kind of vitriol at the smithy
* Took a well-earned rest at a local tavern run by a wood elf woman and all but her gave Rylan a wide berth; but it was the bard Baolaon the Wandering Tongue that decided to make a statement, singing the ballad 'How the Dhaerow Earned Their Hue'
* While Rylan held his own and managed to both insult and fluster the bard, Baolaon still made lewd and debasing remarks; questioning if Rylan had the fangs and necrotic venom some of his people were given by Lolth. Thea gave the final fatal verbal blow, not only cutting Baolaon's reputation and talent to bits but also remarking how 'he'd been a dick since bard college'
* Barely held his composure as he dashed outside, once no longer observed allowing himself to cry for the first time since losing Jii and before that whilst under the ownership of The First Blade and The Red Woman
* Was taken aback and quite hurt over not only Hetzel but Bryn's complete lack of empathy over the systemic racism, verbal abuse, and PTSD trigger that Baolaon was the last straw over and refused his room offered at the inn, instead willing to sleep in the stables before compromising to stay in Loray's tent (which he never actually did)
* Spent the night on the ramparts on watch, talking with Bryn, and taking her watch while she slept beneath his cloak when she spoke of how difficult her troubles were without speaking a word of what he was going through
* Slipped behind enemy lines to reach the glen of Fraz-Urb’luu; Ruinfea accidentally completed the cairn's summoning by speaking his name aloud, so Rylan used himself as a distraction by name dropping both Graz'zt and Iggwilv and calling the demon lord "a little bitch", whilst taking potshots with his crossbow as Thea polymorphed him into a particularly yippy pomeranian. Hetzel kicked the dog into a portal to The Demonweb Pits that Rylan using the cairn stones had changed the destination to before sealing the Material Plane with his own blood like he had watched his mother do time and time again back home
* The walk home revealed that the demons the Lymdell army had been fighting in a time loop were their own allies, glamoured, and that even death was not peace as they had been reanimated to continue the 'onslaught'
* Arrested the Lord and Lady Galanodel for their part in the massacre and deception, revealing their aiding and abetting known criminal Liliahil Stormosin and their backing of the Pretender, Rameles Civar for Emperor
* Tiago using a portal brought the party to Morad and the Emperor along with their prisoners

**Morad**

* Reunited with Carrion and Comforte as Heizel left the party
* Spent the day in Morad gaining new gear and preparing to meet with the Small Council, in private spoke with both Sildove and Shantris about his plans for the future of Menzoberranzan before meeting Memeril Orish whom stole the party's hearts immediately
* Met with the Small Council and convinced Luthias (unknown to the party posing as Emperor Adlen Daylnn) to allow the party to help stop the assassination attempt
* For the first time since he was young wore the circlet of the Heir Apparent of Menzoberranzan at the ball; first reconnecting with Meme and her friend Finrich, after clearly stating to Bryn that it would be platonic danced the first dance with the cleric like the fey born prince he is and absconded to Titania's own ball to be introduced to his siblings of The Summer Knights officially, and given a small gold dragon wyrmling as a ward in a charge to 'bring her to her family' and instantly naming the sweet little one Brioche or Bri for short
* Met the Chandlers and became exceptionally emotional when on the receiving end of maternal and paternal affection for the first time in his life
* Intercepted the Pretender Civar and his band of miscreants confirming their identity as The Hallow Company and the heartbreak of seeing Meme and Finch stand beside them against The Third Family
* Rylan's focus was on Civar as the battle broke out, having Brioche use her breath weapon for the first time. Rylan brought him into near death but paused, with his hand wrapped around Civar's throat and chose mercy with a lay on hands before having him and Glyn arrested and Meme brought in for questioning once more leaving a battle unscathed
* Waiting to leave for the Plane of Knowledge, the party went into Morad for a day of shopping as a distraction. Whilst in the marketplace, Rylan caught sight of Kam and immediately sprinted over to him, skidding to a stop in front of him and awkwardly rubbing at his neck beyond ecstatic that Kam had found him once more. He convinced both him and the party to take Kam back to the Mage's Tower to talk unobserved
* Once in the tower, Rylan caught up with his oldest friend and discovered that the reason he had been looking for them was that he believed another person had been running around using his name and performing out of character heroism. With their goals aligning, Rylan invited Kam to join them on their trip to the Plane of Knowledge, making note of the party's fascination and dismissal of various magic items.
* Tiago agreed to holding a portal open for them while they left the Material Plane until their return.

**Plane of Knowledge**

* Labelas Enoreth was the one to greet them and Bryn for some reason lauded the Seladrine with praise and adoration. Rylan was cool and clipped with the Philosopher; The One-Eyed God was complicit in Correllon Larethian's condemnation of the Drow and abandonment of the Alu-Tel'Quessir (Sea Elves), Avariel (winged elves), Lythari (Lycan Elves), Teu-Tel'Quessir (Moon Elves), Ar-Tel'Quessir (Sun Elves), Lossë-Tel'Quessir (Snow Elves). Araushnee and her children acted as shield for as best they could before the six races fell into nigh-extinction and she twisted into Lolth. Rylan stated that the only reason he was not going to take action against the coward was due to his former friendship of Araushnee and said so out loud as well as the reason for his frustration. It was Bryn's decision to not only ignore these facts but to deem them unworthy that caused the rift between them to deepen as he implicit bias and racial prejudice coupled with her privilege had her taking sides with the oppressors.
* Kam and Rylan displayed their closeness in little ways, showing a familiarity with touch and not needing to speak yet still communicate silently as they fell back into their partnership mirroring one another and being there even for things unspoken.
* In his lodge, Oghma dressed down his failing cleric; Bryn not only acted as if a divine caster for some reason didn't have a direct link to their god in their subconscious but acted petulant when it was shown all the ways she had betrayed the dogma of the god she made the choice to serve. This clearcut example of Ego over Duty made Rylan's opinion of Bryn change especially after how in the past she acted superior towards him because of her 'calling' as a cleric. As a divine caster himself as a paladin, Rylan couldn't rationalize what kind of hypocrite would demand so much power without being willing to do the hard work in exchange. And when Oghma confirmed the ugliness and cruelty of how little Bryn thought of him after everything he had sacrificed and done for her, Rylan tried to explain himself and once again Bryn ignored him. This shut down the drow, who resolved to only speak on things important to him with Kam alone. The bitterness Bryn displayed at the gift of a penance Oghma once more gave her, a far too lenient one at that, boggled his mind more that further showed the depths of her character that he had misinterpreted. This moment was one of the more defining ones in terms of inter-party relationships and showed Rylan how someone he cared for thought so little of him. The party was told how to summon a celestial to serve as guide to Eilistraee.
* Were waylaid by a celestial that took swipes at Kam. Rylan warned the man three times before attacking him; it was discovered this man was a servitor to Corellon Larethian that had murdered their original guide. A pair of celestials showed up, Ophiel and Aniel, to offer aid in the fight but were not needed as the party dealt with him in short order. Despite wanting to kill him, Rylan showed mercy; instead of taking the man's wings simply dislocating them and taking his sword as punishment and leaving him trussed up and alone.
* Upon arrival to Arborea, met with his aunt Eilistraee. Her guidance and help was interrupted when Corellon attacked and while Ophiel stayed behind Aniel and the party were sent to a special place after swearing an Oath to never speak of where they were being sent.

**Gael Aethal**

* Immediately upon arrival and meeting with Sinanna, Rylan and Kam turned in to their room early while the party bonded over drinks in the common room. The conversation led to Rylan confessing how their opinions of him were a weight, the guilt over Jii's death, and how he was weary of mind, body, and soul. Kam offered insight and comfort and the pair confided in each other, bantered, and playfully flirted before Rylan turned in for the night. Curled up on his side and staying in physical contact with Kam all night while Bri curled up on the warlock who spent the eve corrupting the celestial's sword.
* After a night of terrible nightmares Rylan fled the room before speaking with Kam and ran into Aniel. The pair shared a warm conversation before Aniel offered Rylan with a bit of his lost history and identity and Rylan showed Aniel his poison immunity ritual, the first person to have that knowledge. The conversation ended when Aniel took Rylan to Sinanna's and the pair were put to work making breakfast. Rylan took the opportunity to test culinary theory and surprised the party with a warm meal. Breakfast was joyful and playful, punctuated with teasing innuendo that sent Kam and Rylan back up to their room where Rylan got ready for the day.
* The party chased mushes for a bit to give Ruinfea opportunity to have them as wild shapes and they set off to rescue her brother. Finding him at a necromancer's tower, they arrived in the middle of an incident with a lich. The party closed the rift and dispatched with the lich before a battalion from the Melee-Magthere arrived. Rylan, realizing who it was, froze in fear dropping his crossbow and Holy Avenger; not from the situation at hand or what would await him but with the knowledge that he would never be able to tell Kam what he had carefully avoided labelling for decades. Rylan was stabbed through the back with a poisoned blade and kidnapped, his last image of his party was seeing that Kam never stopped fighting to get to him. In the struggle his holy symbol slipped from his neck and onto the ground.

**The First Blade's Camp ((TW: Reference to abuse, with implied further content. To avoid, skip to next section))**

* Along his forced march, Rylan was stripped of all his gear, which was left by the roadside in a heap as he was forcibly thrown into a wagon and driven off into the night.
* Bryn sent a message to Rylan; apologizing, saying that she meant what she had said, confessing that she loved him and that they were on their way.
* While bleeding out, Rylan's hair was butchered off before he was thrown into the training circle before being forced to hold his own against the students Iimeth brought with him. While he was able to stay standing for awhile, eventually due to blood loss he tired and made mistakes and under Iimeth's instructions the students began to savagely beat him into unconsciousness.
* A mistake on the part of his captives as the training ground was outlined with a mushroom ring, allowing Titania to come to him and offer sanctuary. He refused, instead begging his goddess to 'protect him', a promise Titania gave him without question before returning him to waking.
* Rylan awoke, chained in a cage, before his leg was savagely shattered by a war hammer at the hands of Iimeth. He was then hoisted up by his shoulders to just barely hang above the ground as the abuse continued. Ending in a broken cheekbone, swollen shut eye, several broken ribs, shattered patella and femur, dislocated shoulders, deep and infected laceration above his left kidney, neurotoxin poisoning, superficial abrasions and lacerations including a split lip, severe internal bleeding, and further traumatization akin to his previous captivity.
* With few memories of the main action of his rescue, Rylan remembers pieces through the haze of an intense fever; mostly involving Fuego, Ruinfea and Thea before Kam reset his leg and teased him mercilessly about it.
* Made his first cane from the remnants of one of the bars that held him prisoner as he insisted on a bath and rinsing his mouth out thrice with the wine at Iimeth's dinner table insisted he be allowed to walk home.
* Stumbled upon his mother's 'rescue party' and with shoulders back and head held high with pride despite his beaten and broken body ordered her back home. This was the first time the party outside of Kam heard Rylan use his real accent. She nearly struck him, her hand being caught by Kam, as Rylan again ordered her home. The hostility continued and a part of Rylan broke, pleading with her in the High Elven lilt he adopted to please stop this as one last attempt to reach his mother and not damn them to only one way this would end. And the last straw was when she moved to cast a spell at Kam. Using his Channel Divinity Rylan bound her arms to her side with a wave of two fingers. Realizing her misstep she tried to backtrack but Rylan was unreachable. He ordered her home a final time before turning his back to her and walking away and after calling Bri to his side fell into step hand in hand with Kam leaving what he once felt for her in his past.
* Returning to the necromancer tower, Rylan immediately ran himself a bath before confessing to Kam he loved him, the pair sharing a moment together away from the world outside.

**Return to Gael Aethal**

* Rylan gave Kam something he had found in the tower.
* The return was brief; replenishing supplies with Rylan purchasing a cane and magical ring set, various alchemical supplies to craft pain killers both topical and ingested, and supplies to build a leg brace that Kam offered to help craft.

**Return to Morad**

* On the road beyond Eilistraee's influence over Gael Aethal the party ran back into Carrion and N'yyk, within Comforte as host, bringing news that the party had been missing for months instead of days and how Civar had destroyed everything; murdering Tiago, obliterating Comforte's mind, Cassian helping the coup for his own vengeful needs, Civar taking over the Empire and setting everything to ruin under his thumb with Stormosin at his side as Empress. The party traveled on horse or hellhound to Morad.
* Through a series of disguises with in Rylan taking on Cassian's visage through his new tattoo, Kam's wiles garnering them papers of passage as well as pieces of a broken magical crown of suspect origin, Nere Chandler's words of warning; the party slipped into the city proper. Other things of note were Rylan claiming his allowance, immediately handing over the four months of pay to Kam without a thought.
* A few clipped conversations were held between party members on the way to the Tower; most importantly to Rylan was Bryn calling Kam an 'abyssal creature'.
* At the tower Tiago's angry spectre offered aid to help the party, possessing Rylan to rebuild the Gate and enact Carrion's plan to send them back through time to stop the attack before it happened. The plan worked, the party coming back in time to shake off any magical disguise and set a trap for the Usurpers. Rylan's role in the assault involved trapping the door with a force charged warding glyph and finally making good on a plan he had mentioned to Sildove and Shanties the first time he was in the city.
* As soon as he was in his sight, Rylan used Channel Divinity with augmented magical theory to pull Civar to him; having the spectral vines latch to his soul as opposed to his skin. From there Rylan reached into his chest, closing his hands around the divine spark of Cyric, ripping it from Civar and shoving it into his own chest. The Omen of Araushnee using his body as a flesh acheron configuration earning him two deep slashes across his chest from the Usurper's rapier. After Kam was able to grapple him to the floor Rylan slayed the now mortal Civar in four strikes; twice by holy Avenger in a mirror of what he had done to him and two bolts from Last Word in the heart and throat. And since Civar had been S*ilenced* by the weapon, he was able to not only steal the man's final words but his soul trapping it into a crystal embedded in the stock.
* A planar shift cast by Glyn scattered the party to all ends of the planes

**Planar Shift**

* Kam and Rylan staying together due to [redacted], with Keres shortly behind
* [redacted]
* Rylan "had to make good on a deal [he] made with divine implications"

**Return to Morad, The Second**

* The three reunited with the party in drastically different appearances from last they were together
* After finding out about Thea's deal and with the introduction of someone new to the party as a whole, Rylan made it clear in no uncertain terms that there would be no more acceptable bigotry, racism, passive aggressiveness, or antagonization towards those he swore to protect from that moment forward or the offending person would be forced to leave at the very least
* Doted after Keres, the pair moving in tandem in a different way than he mirrors Kam but with a familiarity and and deep affection
* Used multiple venues to commune with first His Lady of Light and then His Lady of Night to try and get Loray back for Ruinfea eventually settling in on a modified version of Find Steed and a sacrifice of a tear of love lost too soon to return love lost again. And instructed Ruinfea to wake her hoarfrost covered love with a kiss. Comparing himself and Loray as one being of the Seelie and the other Unseelie and how kiss held different meanings to them both. A callback to breakfast in Gael Aethal.
* By Blade, Breath, and Blood retrieved Loray's hat, the only belonging that was his to actually have and gently teased Ruinfea and Loray as they went off to be alone.

* Once he was back, Rylan asked after Tiago and Civar's belongings; once he was certain all his loved ones were safe he wrapped Tiago into a tight hug chiding him about dying and vowing to bring him back from death with his own bare hands, looting the belongings of the man he killed, and once Tiago got onto a tangent about magical theory excusing himself stating Ruinfea had the right idea with Keres and Kam on his heels.
* Six hours later Rylan followed Kam to an illicit cage fight, betting $250,000 platinum on him winning, watching with rapt awe at Thea's introduction, Keres and Thea pestering Baolaon, and Kam's fight.
* As soon as he had won, Rylan leaned over into the ring crooking his finger at Kam before being grabbed by the back of his neck and kissing him in view of the party and the underbelly of Morad with a soft murmur in High Drow before heading to collect his winnings.
* After a young half elf named Juli was offered as collateral for his winnings, Rylan bought the girl's contract; the party gifting her clothes and kindness before deciding to take the party to the Chandler's tavern. Making plans to personally escort Juli and Meme back home on the way to Ruinglast
* Rylan had a heart to heart with Fuego over how far they had come, what lay in the past, and where to go from here over an entire bottle of wine. And while it's obvious there is a lot Rylan is still keeping close to the chest for a little while with Fuego he could relax a moment. The pair made sure to speak the inferred aloud; that they would do anything for the other and thought of the other as a brother.

**The Road to Ruinglast**

* After purchasing a horse since the caravan was full beyond capacity, the trip to Ruinglast was a tense affair with the first real ribbons of tension snaking through the party.
* Stopping for the evening the weight of unspoken thoughts and personal pains rose again and the usual joyful downtime was fraught with palpable conflict; everyone setting up camp in near silence or short dismissive responses when questioned about it.
* Kam was able to hunt down a stag that Rylan set to quietly field dress and the watch was determined; it was while Keres and Thea were on First Watch that the Silver Robins appeared, the wood elf in their company making extremely offensive comments towards the women that Rylan and Kam melted out of the darkness to offer back up against.
* Tensions were barely settled enough for everyone to go about their night but the party chose to wake early in the hopes of putting distance between them, and the Robins without invitation returned to attempt peacemaking as they were also followers of Oghma. Bryn tried to double speak about knowing about them and being told to keep an eye out for them by Oghma.
* Rylan offered Hospitality of Salt and Bread (a fae custom) but the Robins couldn't hide their true intentions and hatred towards Kam and despite three warnings they didn't back down
* Following Keres and her lead the pair created a wall of wings, bat and raven, to shield the party from the interlopers that were sent by Oghma to kill Kam for Bryn.
* Rylan assassinated Mara Swordbreaker, stealing her Last Words (but not soul) and after Bryn summoned Aniel with the order to 'End this quickly' Rylan laid on hands the revivified Glor Sadez.
* When Oghma possessed Nala Dag, Rylan swore a blood oath of war and vengeance upon the divine spark in his chest against the god for attempting to have Kam killed. Promising the god of knowledge's demise at his hands with his blood covered outstretched hand, and Oghma chose to take his belongings with him and left.
* After the altercation the party set about trying to find normalcy at the camp, Rylan focusing on his ledger before Bryn asked to speak with him about everything that had happened that day as well as the events leading up to it. The conversation involving Rylan confessing in exact words what Iimeth had done to him as well as everything that had been hurting him. It ended with Bryn crying, Rylan comforting her, and eventually offering spiritual guidance as a paladin to help her find her way now that her magic had been stolen.
* Thea and Ruinfea came to speak with Rylan next and almost the same things were brought up as well as how deadly things have become for the drow now that their previous quest had ended and what his people would expect of him and refuse to stand for as a leader let alone the rest of the Gentry. The conversation ended with Thea excusing herself extremely upset, Ruinfea apologizing equally upset, and Rylan staring emotionless into the fire stoking the coals with a mantle of icy isolation around him.
* The rest of the trip to Ruinglast Rylan spent quiet, eventually taking point in the sky with Keres and Aniel despite not being able to fly very well yet.
* When they arrived outside of Juli's hometown, it was revealed the town had been taken over by the Black Hand (a cult dedicated to Bhaal) and after a lot of the party talking over one another Rylan threw his vote behind Kam's plan to return to the city with an army so they could handle the numbers better.

**Ruinglast**

* With tensions running exceptionally high, the arrival at Ruinglast was bittersweet considering it was Fuego's homecoming. The party agreed to split so that Meme and Fuego could have some time alone and Rylan took to the exceptionally long walk up the mountain despite how much pain he was in to meet with The Dragon Fathers, a group of drow run by male elders that fascinated on the interbreeding of drow and dragon blood. His only companions were Ruinfea and Aniel, once pleasantries were dispensed with and Rylan revealed his intents towards taking power from his mother the conversation switched to High Drow as Rylan threw a symbol of Oghma onto the table.
* After his meeting, Rylan took the long trip back down the mountain but not before refusing a healing spell from Aniel.
* Rylan met back up with a portion of the party and after asking after Kam's absence, decided to go up to his room to try and get his pain down to a manageable level.
* Rylan waited up all night for Kam to come home and it was Keres who finally came for him late into the morning, picking the local at his orders. It was Keres that found Rylan on the floor in extreme pain and after being open about not only how he looked but how he felt Rylan used his tattoo to appear as normal and the pair arm and arm went down to meet the others. All the while Keres acting as a cane for him.
* The party left the tavern to head to the troops waiting at the front gates and Kam reunited with the party. After Rylan gave his people their marching orders and attempting to back up Kam while he gave Juli the more detailed orders to stay put, Rylan fell uncharacteristically silent for the rest of the trip.

**Reclaiming the Lost Town**

* It was what Keres suggested that guided Rylan's next actions and when the army came to a halt, Rylan deferred leadership to Kam as he and Keres would be sneaking in to take out the leaders, even so far as meeting up with a contact inside the walls, while the rest of the party dealt with the army proper.
* Before they left Rylan risked having his emotions visible to not only Mauzzkyl Jaezred but the army when he doubled back to crane into Kam, resting his forehead against his chest with the plea "Please, *Come Home*." visibly anxious that he would be pushed away or denied. At Kam's reassurance, Rylan visibly relaxed and he cast Warding Bond upon them both before slipping off with Keres.
* In the city proper they met up with a man they both had a history with and LaCroix bantered playfully with the pair of them as they settled into a hayloft to lay in wait for the rest of the party to mount their assault.
* Once the opportunity rose, Rylan attacked their leader, slaying the man in two strikes while Keres and Lacroix made equally swift work of his compatriots. When one of them got a lucky strike against Keres, Rylan tackled the man and with a clever application of Misty Step that he modeled after Thea and her making quick work of Stormosin teleported the pair of them into a group of enemies. Using Last Word, he punched at the ground and unleashed a powerful effect that ripped them all apart with psychic and necrotic damage before Misty Stepping away once more to use Lay on Hands on Keres. When the battle ended, Rylan unharmed sauntered out from the commander's tent to toss the creature's head at the base of the desecrated statue of Chauntea before immediately going to Kam's side to make sure he was safe and in one piece

**Return to Ruinglast**

* Upon returning to Ruinglast, Rylan silently supported both Kam and Keres as the pair dressed down Juli, only until Kam wrapped an arm around Rylan and pulling him close did the drow toss over his shoulder a biting remark that other people had to pay Juli's debts.
* Once they made it back to the tavern, the energy seemed to shift; Ike was made a permanent employee at the tavern, he made a boundary exceptionally clear, and after a bit of teasing banter at Kam was promptly picked up and carried upstairs.
* The next morning Rylan answered the door when Thea knocked looking exceptionally worn out and exhausted before using his tattoo to hide any signs of his chronic illness. Once everyone gathered downstairs, they spoke with the Traveler before he opened a portal. Taking Keres by the hand and Kam by the arm, he told them this was the god that saved his life back in Littlegrove, while Kam decided to stay behind the rest of the party followed the Archfey into the Feywild.

**Feywild**

* The journey into the Feywild was a relatively straight forward one. After joining The Traveler at a small revel, Thea was asked to help him with an issue at the edges of his territory and the party agreed to help her in this endeavor.
* Upon striking out on their own they ran afoul of a strange sort of far between the Low Fey, sparrows and rabbits waging a brutal war between each other that only stopped when the party entered the fray.
* It was revealed that a blight witch was the cause of the disturbance and after defeating her the ensorcelled adventures in her thicket were released from enchantment, including Garrett and his mechanical feline companion Ash. However this battle was not without it's casualties as Bryn was struck down by an Enfeeblement spell.

**Again to Ruinglast**

* Exhausted, Rylan reunited with Kam grateful to have not only worked through their previous fight but to have his partner, his rock, his home to come back to.
* That night however, Rylan decided to end something that was a long time coming. Taking Keres and Shantris with him Rylan snuck into the Underdark, making his way into the palace and assassinated his mother in her sleep. Making the Matron Baenre finally pay for the crimes against the people she had brutalized for years, himself included.
* Returning to the tavern at Ruinglast, Rylan fell back into Kam's arms before washing the blood off and trying to scrub the old memories from his skin and from his mind.
* The morning dawned with a panicked knocking on their door that Rylan and Kam answered, a robe and pillow for privacy confused at the early rousing. It was then the party discovered Bryn had been brutally murdered in her sleep and Rylan mechanically began the process of shutting down before tending to the mortuary needs. Not wanting any other party member to have those memories haunt them and knowing he had always been proficient at compartmentalizing horror.
* The investigation into Bryn's death lead to the party revealing a population of Oblex had taken up residency in Ruinglast, forsaking their Underdark home for reasons never disclosed. And while Rylan was terrified of losing Kam, his husband took it upon himself to enter a building with one, Chomper, to try and find a way for the dragonborn and oblex to live together in harmony. It was through Kam's negotiations that a armistice was formed and upon returning to the tavern the party was given word that G'eldaere Baenre had died and Rylan was to return home at once. Without any semblance of rest or a break, Rylan turned back towards the home he had left decades ago.

**Menzoberranzan**

* Heading through the mountain was a complicated time for Rylan, torn between the horror and the joy his past and home held for him and knowing the agony and trauma it held for Kam. It was the flumphs that they encountered on the way that gave a moment of lighthearted joy for a moment and it meant everything to Rylan to be able to have at least one thing about where he came from be a good memory for his loved ones.
* Menzoberranzan pulled at Rylan's heartstrings; seeing the city with overlays of all the different moments of his life stacked on top of each other, some terrible and some wonderful in a bittersweet mess. Mostly before he was recognized he focused on the people, taking note of things that needed to be changed or provided so that the quality of life for his subjects (not only drow but all denizens of the Underdark) would improve now that his tyrannt mother was gone. The first thing being outlawing the slave trade and tearing down the associated buildings.

* The return to the palace itself was surreal but less bittersweet when he was reunited with Tasseleq and he was finally able to start enacting the plans he had been working on for months during whatever freetime he could find. Once finished passing along his plans for the infrastructure and economy, Rylan sat about sending off invitations by fastest means necessary before retiring to speak with Tasha and Graz'zt with Kam, Keres, and Thea.

* Even he however couldn't stop the fiasco of the arena fight for the crown and his hand and with it, came the champion Triss-vyrae Mizzrym. It was then Rylan informed all that she would become his High Priestess and Mistress of Prayer as he was already married to Kam who would serve as Valsharen A'zil at his side. The move was political and necessary, something Rylan understood was unfortunately inevitable; so that there would not be a war with the Church of Lolth and a schizm in the Underdark that would ripple out for generations in which not only he and his would suffer but the common people as well who did not deserve it, Rylan chose to simply let her bitchy attitude go. Especially after the murder of Lolth's Beloved Daughter G'eldaere (by his own hand that he knew some suspected) but with the coronation of her son, the first male ruler the drow had ever had. Much less then that he had taken a husband on top of it all and the son of Graz'zt no less, there was a lot Rylan was pushing so he could be a good ruler whilst the pipe dream of being in a loving marriage to Kam, to push any more would have been not only folly but potentially deadly. A rash dismissal would only end in the exact thing he was trying to prevent; all out war. The only thing Rylan had wanted for decades was a unifed Underdark that required the whole picture to be taken into account beyond personal feelings. It also opened Triss up to the manipulation he needed to ply later, but political wars were his expertise after all. With her being the head of Bella's family, it put him in mortal peril as well and could have ended in the man being put back into the only type of slavery Rylan had no say over, that within the families themselves. And for her part Triss had to act in a way that was expected of her from both the church and how G'eldaere would have expected and rewarded. But as in much, Rylan was not his mother. So he would let her would be pissed for a day at losing the crown, a slight that would be easy to let go of when there was something still to be gained and it was something she would owe him for in the long run. Dozens of decisions like this were what he needed to be able to recognize and strategize his way out of not only as a party leader but now as Valshar and he was willing to make them.

* The coronation itself went off surprisingly without a hitch with Rylan naming his Small Council, each chosen for a specific political reason to further his position as Valshar that cared for all his people, no longer only centering the drow but all that dwelled beneath the surface as was the spirit of the crown now put into practice. Members from all different races, genders, and social standing united as equals.
	+ Shantris 'Foundling' - Hand of the Valshar
	+ Luthias Dylann (Kaa) - Majordomo
	+ Nasstyn Steelshadow - Mistress of Coin and mines
	+ Kaden Faith - Master of Magicks
	+ Triss-vyrae Mizzrym - High Priestess of Lolth and Mistress of Prayer
	+ Div-irahc Jaezred - Master of Whispers
	+ Billat Pelletbones - Master of Travel
	+ Feno Orbryn Mizzrym - Mistress of Ceremonies
	+ Tasseleq - Master of Psionics
* After a quiet bit of peace with Kam the next morning, Garrett and Tasha reunited with the party over breakfast. It was his connection to Toril that fascinated Rylan, remembering the answer he got from Oghma oh so long ago that his father was in Faerun. Almost as if the man in question could hear his thoughts, there was something left behind for Rylan as a gift. A legendary sword, one of the treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann; *Claíomh Solais* the Sword of Light, with a note from his father that it was a gift. It was when Rylan touched it whilst touching Keres at the same time that the pair were gripped in a prophetic vision warning of the end of all things by a being known as The Root of War.
* For the sake of security, Rylan united everyone in a telepathic bond to not only explain the vision but also the ideas he had on trying to stop it as the Great Wheel of the Cosmos was in danger. Once the party was outfited with a gift of bracers from the Menzoberranzan armorers, Keres plane shifted the party to the Abyss.

**Return to The Triple Realm**

* Returning to the Argent Palace, this time with the party in tow was a surreal experience for Rylan whose exhaustion and pain were beginning to compound into one another as a flare threatened to be emminent. They all discussed the plan of attacking the Demogorgon, Rylan once more the keystone when it came to removing the Divine Spark from within the creature to transfer to Kam. After Garrett felt comfortable enough to open up a bit of his style of combat also in use of a crossbow, albeit with significantly larger ammunition, Kam and Rylan mused on a plan of tethering the beast down to what was already being discussed so Rylan could get at it's chest. With that, they all set out each with orders on what role they had to play.

**The Gaping Maw**

* The travel to the Demogorgon was easy though tense, and Rylan offered Brioche's bag to Garrett so Ash would have somewhere safe to be during the battle proper. It was far from the first critter that had been in the fray with them over the last few months and Rylan had seen enough death to not want to see a life snuffed out quickly, even a mechanical one.
* Perhaps it was a good thing Rylan had so long ago plunged the Divine Spark of Cyric into his chest oh so long ago in Morad, for it was him being the Mad God that kept him safe from the Demogorgon's first insidious attack on the party. Rylan watched helpless as all of those he was supposed to protect and lead fell into different kinds of madness. For now though, all he could do was try to warn them. But when did anyone pay heed to or listen to someone Mad, after all?
* The battle was chaotic and though he was able to carve a hole into the creature's chest and retrieve the Spark to plunge into his husband, it was shortly after the madness that had begun to infect the party lead to them turning on one another. Taking swipes at each other instead of the Demogorgon, even going so far as Keres dropping Garrett to fall to his death. For the first time since he had become the God of Murder and all else Cyric had dominion over, Rylan pulled on that divine authority and issued out a command for the party to "Get it together, NOW!" shattering the madness that had been cast over them all. Something within his chest fluttered at the first use of what he had been terrified to think on let alone imploy and a part of Rylan realized nothing would ever be the same again. Once they found their way back to themselves the fight was short work left to it, with Kam killing the creature once and for all. They then began to flee as the tower they were upon turned to salt and ash and began to crumble into the roaring ocean below.
* Once back at the Argent Palace Kam, Rylan, Keres, and Thea retired to sleep whilst the rest of the party was given instructions to go to the ever moving tavern with a letter that they were not to be disturbed or hasseled in any way.

**Return to Menzoberranzan**

* The next morning they all made their way back to House Baenre before heading to the marketplace to gather up supplies for their journey to Faerun. Rylan suggested everyone get clothes to withstand the cold, as the only way he had ever traveled to Toril wasn't the same balmy warmth that Menzoberranzan tended to default to.
* Before leaving for Toril, Rylan made sure to put Shantris in charge in his absence. The only other major political machination in place was a discussion after the shared vision; Rylan with a combination of quick thinking, a knowledge of the dogma of the church of Lolth, and his genuine desire to save his grandmother to return her to Araushnee and an application of his divine aura on a zealot was able to convince Triss that he and the party were destined heroes for her goddess. While it was mostly a calculated move, Rylan did genuinely mean that he wanted to help his grandmother though like all fae he knew what to say to sculpt the outcome he desperately needed at the time. It was seedlings to overturn a religion that caused centuries of pain and suffering in the only language they would understand for actual change. He left Aniel behind to continue this subtle dogma tweaking as the celestial oathsworn to Eilistraee not only understood what he was trying to do but agreed with the plan and methods.
* Once they were ready to go, Rylan made his was down to the hidden harbor and the boat he had traveled upon with his mother when he was a child. It was thanks to Loray that they would be able to do anything with it and once he realized Keres also suffered from brutal sea sickness he made sure to pass along his potion to her as well as Thea and himself. Rylan also informed Loray that should he want it, the position of Admiral was his as well as the boat proper and the fae gave him a huge hug with his deepest thanks before setting sail to the Forgotten Realms.

**Journey to Fäerun**

* The journey was a lovely one, smooth sailing between the realms in a still sea sparkled with the fairy lights and the rich cool tones tapestry of darkness that only the Underdark could boast. It would not stay peaceful for long however, soon the floating moats of distant light became large orbs that when some other party members brushed against them stung like a live wire
* It was Ruinfea who became fascinated with these orbs and through a misremembered memory thought these malevolent Will o' the Wisps were benevolent creatures and reached out to pet one affectionately. And with that the creatures began to attack with lightning strikes.
* The ensuing battle was brutal in a way the party hadn't faced in a long time; most taking near fatal hits and struggling to hold their own against the creatures before all but Kam, Loray, and Rylan retreated below deck. With the three pressing their backs together to try and hold the line it the sounds of cannons that heralded aid in the form of a person Rylan hadn't seen since he was in single digits. His uncle Jarlaxle Baenre; the person that inspired so much of who Rylan grew to be.
* Rylan joined his Uncle Jar aboard his ship for the rest of the journey to Waterdeep. Keres and Rylan spoke to LaCroix who immediately set off to do something for Keres and pass along a message for Rylan. It was one of his uncle's favorite taverns where were the party rested for the night before pushing on to Ardeep Forest where Jar said Rylan's father lived currently midmorning the next day.

**Ardeep Forest & The Lodge of the Dagda**

* The journey through Ardeep Forest was a cautious one, but an accidental misstep by Kam woke a young Shambling Mound, alerting it's mother and a small skirmish broke out. It was through various fire based attacks and brutal martial combat that the creatures were destroyed though Jar was caught in the blast of some of the spells. Still they pressed on deeper into the unknown.
* Eventually the party was led by Jar to a lodge in the heart of the forest to a large hunting lodge with many fey mingling about in comfortable companionship. Confused and frankly terrified of the unknown or worse yet more of the same Rylan cautiously inquired about his father before the man himself made an appearance. An Dagda, Chief of the Tuatha Dé Danann and foremost high of the Gods welcomed his son home almost too good to be true and the Dreamer found at last another dream fulfilled as his Da wrapped him in a tight hug. In a matter of moments he went from the only son of a woman who despised him that he took great joy in killing to a beloved brother, an uncle, a nephew, a son to the people he had been drawn to so long ago. He could barely keep track of all the names he was told, doubly so when he asked to see the family tree and his place among them all. That yes while he was drow and proud of it, he was also Tuathan and it was and continues to be a mindboggling and imposter syndrome inducing fact.
* It was later that night in the hall where Thea played for all the gathered assemblage, his sister beautifully weaving their story with its triumphant highs and heartbreaking lows for the High Court of the Fae all who sat enraptured for three hours as she played. Once the majority of the fae took to rest and The Dagda asleep in his chair, the party stayed up by the fire to tell their personal stories. Finally confessing things they had all kept close to their chest in what Rylan hoped was a kind of unifying bond.
* The next morning the party all gathered, save Kam, in his nibling Ecne's library to come up with their next plan of attack. It was then Rylan realized fa too much time had gone by before LaCroix had checked in and once mentioned to the party Ruinfea scryed upon his whereabouts. It was then revealed that he was held prisoner and tortured when one of his severed dragonfly wings materialized in her hands.

**Rescuing LaCroix**

* After deciding to take to the air instead of by land, Rylan begged his father to help those who couldn't fly under their own power for wings to rescue one of the important people in his life. Once the Dagda was told that LaCroix was responsible for helping Rylan during one of his darkest times when he was younger he offered the gift of no charge saying that he was paying back the man who helped his son and offered the lodge for him to recover in when they brought him back safely. And with that the party flew to the mountains.
* The journey to get to LaCroix required some quick thinking, Rylan using Misty Step to get the party past an ice wall and into the mouth of the cavern proper. After silently assassinating the first guard, Rylan motioned to the party that there were more and that they should progress carefully and stealthily as possible. But what he first predicted were four guards deeper in in truth became a dozen and the sight of one of his oldest friends bleeding out on the floor lit that righteous flame in his soul from a spark to an all consuming inferno.
* LaCroix's captors had set up a golden idol as well as wore the masks of the goddess Waukeen, the cult Keres had set LaCroix to investigate the location of for her back in Waterdeep responsible for her own abuse and trauma. The party as a whole swept through the cultists with a level of righteous fury that made Rylan's paladin heart quite proud while he stood stalwart over LaCroix's body, protecting him and healing him before death could fully claim the fae. Brutally and efficiently they took them out using a combination of brilliant tactics and creative casting before the last two were incapacitated with Rylan's Channel Divinity vines and he deferred their interogation to Keres.
* Before the interrogation could begin in earnest, Waukeen appeared summoned by the blood of her fallen cultist painted across her idol said cultist was killed by. After a back and forth between the pair Waukeen hauled off and slapped Keres who slowly turned her face back and replied her brother would hear about the slap. Rylan took a swing at the deity with *Claíomh Solais* and though he was hurt from the strike, Waukeen was injured far more gravely. Feigning a blaise boredom, Waukeen left to lick her wounds.
* Now that he was stable, LaCroix lamented that his home was in such a state and the party rid the place of the bodies before Rylan scooped LaCroix into his arms and they all flew back to the Lodge. Once there Kam and Keres came up with a plan to take the fight to Waukeen and Rylan suggested using the Goblin Market instead of somewhere she would hold more deific power and potentially legendary sway over or would have nearby deity allies close at hand to call to her side.

**The Goblin Market**

* Disguised as Rameles Civar, Rylan was led in chains by Kam to the Goblin Market with the rest of the party dressed as her cultists save Ash and Garrett who hid in Rylan's Pet Bag of Sanctuary with Brioche. Rylan's only job was to make sure to get the first strike on Waukeen poisoning her with his dimensional lock affliction and then merely focusing on supporting the rest of the party with defense or any type of magical aid in his paladin arsenal until Keres was ready. It was during this fight that Brioche took an arrow to the side and was gravely hurt and Rylan felt immense guilt at his ward and mount being wounded in battle for the first time.
* When the moment was right Rylan once more reaching into the god's chest to rip out her Divine Spark and then shove it into Keres who then made Waukeen choke on her own coin. It seemed as though all was well until the last bit of underhanded trickery of the no longer goddess blessed some of her power to Fuego instead of settling in its rightful place within Keres. Despite it all Keres turned to the remaining living followers of Waukeen and released them, giving them the gift of autonomy and freedom to live the lives they would choose.
* Kam however was furious at Fuego for what happened and made it known that the stolen divine grace was just that and Fuego immediately insisted that he wanted them returned to Keres as soon as possible.

**Return to the Lodge of the Dagda**

* Taking a gate back to the Lodge, Fuego immediately collapse in distress from his body being unable to handle the divinity that was cursed upon him. His nose began to bleed as his intercranial swelling nearly killed him and Thea sought out a cleric with the aid of The Traveler as nothing the party seemed to do was enough to stop his deteriorating condition. Thea was introduced to Scáthach, one of Rylan's new family members and informed that they along with his Father were going off to protect the Feywild border near Garrett's home where The Root of War had been attacking. As she painted on her woad, Scáthach introduced Thea to Ari, her priestess and cleric who could perform the surigical intervention that Fuego so desperately needed.
* Whilst Ari worked, Kam and Keres went into the yard to train with her new bladed sword whip whilst Rylan prayed and the rest of the party merely waited anxiously. The tension was high and Rylan eventually decided that it would be easier to give Ari help with the surgery than be left with his feelings and thoughts as he was of no use to anyone at the moment.
* Eventually the party spoke on what they could do to try and rid Fuego of the Divine Spark his mortal body currently couldn't tolerate and Rylan suggested one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann they were already questing for would be the answer. As Rylan already bore the Sword of Nuada (*Claíomh Solais)*, the Spear of Lugh (*Lúin of Celtchar*), and the Stone of Destiny (*Lia Fáil)*, and the Cauldron of the Dagda (*Coire Ansic)* would be just the thing. The party in company with Uncle Jar made it back to Waterdeep before taking to the sea to Whitefish Bay. During the journey Rylan beseeched Garrett if he would make armor for Brioche after the scare she gave him. In payment Rylan gave him the rifle that first Jii and then he had born with them since the beginning back in Littlegrove as well as a collection of raw materials for his own use. Rylan then shyly went to Kam first to ask if there was anything he would part with for Brioche's armor and his husband gave the Greatsword of Wounding that had been Iimeth's. A poetic end for the blade that caused Rylan so much pain now being smelted down to protect his mount. Eventually all of the party gave a little something for his dragon, and Rylan trusted Garrett's artificer genius with the details before they reached the edge of the Drowned Forest.

**The Doomed Quest for the Cauldron**

* Ruinfea and Keres began leading the party into the mire, eventually finding the ruins of a desecrated cairn. Using one of his paladin spells, Rylan led the party into the cairn itself, standing guard as Keres found the cauldron attached to the corpse within.
* It was the sound of hoofbeats that announced the presence of an anathema abomination known as the Nuckelavee as a harbinger to The Root of War. And whilst they tried to find a way out of the cairn as a dimensional lock had crashed down upon them all in ambush. It was then Néit ripped the roof off of the cairn and a terror began to gnaw at Rylan's insides, fearing for his dad's life as he was supposed to be holding him back leagues from where they were.
* Ruinfea attempted to find a way out through the swampy ground as a mudskipper, Keres taking to the air as first Kam then Rylan tried to hold the line and attack the Titan. *Claíomh Solais* skipped against his skin harmlessly from a fumbled attack, it was a bolt from Lost Word that barely snuck into the Godking's skin. Rylan cursed his inability to wield the legendary sword, the first of three times his body would fail him in this fight much like when it failed Nuada when he bore the same sword. Kam again gave the order to fall back and flee and Fuego attempted a spell that fizzled out and failed as a furious lighning storm began striking down into the pit they were corraled in. Garrett took to the sky with Keres and Ruinfea scrambled out of the mud to flee as well as fast as she was able. It was then The Root of War struck Kam a fatal blow and Rylan watched as his husband fell unconscious and began bleeding out. At first he tried to haul Kam into his arms and flee but his body simply refused to work. Thankfully, Thea came in to do it for him before she moved Kam out of the front line of the fight. Rylan struggled to climb over the ruined wall but it was the knee that Iimeth destroyed so long ago that buckled beneath him and Rylan fell hard to the ground below at the mercy of the Godking Titan's feet helpless.
* Keres then cried out for her father, using the favor Kam had held on to since he bartered to help Rylan back in the necromancer's tower. As the sky parted by Tasha's hand, Graz'zt entered the battle to distract The Root of War. Blood began to pour from Tasha's nose from the effort and Graz'zt had his arm shattered by a half-hearted swing of The Root of War's hand before Rylan used Misty Step to get to the rip in reality and their entire party crashed to the ground in Hades.

**The Grey Wastes**

* It was there on the floor in absolute agony that Rylan watched as Graz'zt healed Kam, cradling his son tight in his arms and Rylan felt himself disassociate in abject terror. He barely registered much of what happened next as Graz'zt and Tasha interogated the party angrily saying they felt Kam die and Keres cry out to them in fear. ***Die*** repeating over and over in Rylan's mind as dozens of voices began to echo in a cacophonous refrain from not only his abuse back when he was young but after his leg was mangled; that he was a liability, that he would fail and it would cost Kam dearly. It was everything he had been petrified of since he was disabled, every hateful fear and self-loathing destructive echo that had been with him since Iimeth shattered his knee. That yet again like when Orcus murdered Jii it was his failings as a leader, his worthless and crippled body that stole someone so precious to him from this mortal coil. And as his hatred soured and curdled in his heart Rylan couldn't stop himself when he cruelly lashed out at Ruinfea for how she was speaking to Tasha. Immediately regretting speaking to one of the gentlest souls that way and doubly so since he had tried for decades to not be the man he was after what the clercy of Lolth had tried to make him into.
* He managed to bite out a prickly but politic response to Tasha as to what all the party members had done when her children were hurt in the same tone he remembered using with The Red Woman. Nothing but facts, stripped of emotion or bias because to do otherwise would only end in his back gaining new scars. And again deep inside Rylan hated that he couldn't stop himself from being this way, from falling back into his broken tactics to protect himself from the fear and trauma. His fists were shaking at his sides wanting nothing more than to go to Kam but to his perspective both literal and psychological he didn't think Kam wanted him anywhere near. So he exhaustedly, brokenly climbed up onto his feet, an echo back to The First Blade's camp, to Menzoberranzan, to every time his body was shattered again and again to wait for what he would be told to do. And eventually falling silent and following behind as Tasha and Graz'zt led their children back into the royal chambers, Rylan unblinking and unthinking fell into subservient step behind. Lost to his own trauma and soul-consuming guilt and grief.

**Caught in Self-Acrimonious Vigil**

* During the entirety of the next few days as the party trained with Kiara, Nesryn, Reiner, Soren, and Zasalamel Rylan knelt in quiet prayer and meditation in Kam's room, claiming the corner for his own and not moving or eating. Caught in a constant unending plea to his goddess for Kam and waiting to see if he would need him or want him close. Too terrified to touch him for fear that it would be triggering; something he was always hyperaware of since they were children but also thinking about his own phobia of touch and sheer terror that Kam might not want him close because of his failure. So he tried to respect the boundary and wait... and pray... and blame himself...

**Slaying the Dragon Queen**

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**Return to The Grey Wastes**

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**Return to The Dagda's Lodge**

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**Return of the Archmistress Konstantinova**

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**Skuld**

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**Oghma's Demise and Rebirth**

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**The Battle of the Tower**

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**The Wild Hunt**

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**Chult**

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**Zombie Dragon Jamboree**

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**To the Shadowfell**

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**Paridon & Bloody Jack**

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### The Third Family

***Luka:*** His handsome stranger; the man he spent a month with waiting out the attempt on his life in Paridon in the most amicable kidnapping one could have endured, the man who swept him off his feet at a Midwinter Masquerade like some kind of dark faerietale, the man that he felt safe enough to touch and spend an incredible night with. There is much that Rylan is unpacking in regards to not only him but what they mean together but instead of dwelling on those questions, Rylan is letting himself feel and be happy. A first in some time. A chance to begin to heal what had while barely scarred over was still a tender wound, something precious and lovely and fragile.

After some time Rylan finally opened up to the party about Luka and accidentally let slip from pure joy that he loved him in the heat of the moment after he defended his family and showed his true colors with his heart on his sleeve. The pair began openly showing their feelings with casual touch and affection in a way Rylan hadn't allowed himself since the beginning with Kam when everything was still beautiful and good and that playful drow the party chose as their leader finally started being himself again. The fact that Luka also sought out The First Blade to learn *Draa Velve, Luth Alur,* and *Bautha Z'hin* fighting styles meant everything to Rylan, the same sign of devotion Kam had gifted him as well that Rylan would forever treasure.

During the final fight in the heat of the chaos, Rylan telepathically proposed to Luka and with his acceptance he shouted across the battlefield for Thea to marry them, hasty albeit romantic as Rylan wanted them to be wed before he sacrificed himself to once and for all kill his grandfather Corellon Larethian who had become corrupted by his followers. Though that obliteration was thankfully only temporary for Rylan, it signified the final piece of his vow to avenge Jii for the mistake he made oh so long ago with Orcus. The following Samhain, Rylan finally got what he always wished for and wanted; to have a full and proper wedding with all his loved ones, something he had missed out on twice over.

*Fuego Nevermere:* Rylan looks up to Fuego as a fraternal figure; grateful to have someone else in the brother category after what he survived back home in Menzoberranzan. Fuego's patience, empathy, and stalwart fortitude in the face of everything he has had to deal with is forever a source of inspiration to Rylan. Especially as the dragonborn warlock seemingly has a handle on his justifiable fury. And while he knows it bothers Fuego that his past is an absolute mystery thanks to his amnesia there are days Rylan is envious of the thought of his past not being able to sink it's claws into Fuego as much as Rylan's does to him. While he has yet to say it, he knows that once he is forced back to Menzoberranzan The Third Family will be safe in Fuego's hands and has subtly tried to put him into situations where the party can see him in that light as well. Rylan knows his time is borrowed and there is no one else in this realm or the next he trusts his family with than Fuego.

Time and again, it is Fuego's pragmatism blended with cautious optimism that has left the greatest mark on Rylan's sense of self. Even through what must be a horrific compact with his patron, Fuego continues to do the right thing despite the odds and it is something the drow shares a like mind with. And while Rylan refuses to show the damaged parts of himself to anyone, Fuego's capability to help the rest of the party with their own hurts has made the assassin contemplate the risks which in and of itself is a big deal. After sharing a bottle of wine at The Gentleman's Flute, Rylan and Fuego have grown closer sharing stories of their pasts as well as deciding the party's next adventure as brothers.

Since traveling to Faerûn and having his memories restored, Rylan has been in awe of seeing Fuego heal and fall back into himself fully. Fuego is one of the few people he still trusts himself to not mask in front of and his loyalty runs deep as he will do anything to protect Fuego.

*Garrett Seiger*: Since traveling with the party after being rescued from the Faewild, Garrett has finally opened himself up to the party. Standoffish and aloof, Rylan genuinely tried to welcome Garrett into The Third Family since it seemed Time had stolen Garrett's original party and his biological one from him. It took some time but once they became friends Rylan truly enjoyed spending time with his fellow Fae. Trusting the Harengon with Brioche as well as physical touch and proximity multiple instances including sizing and creating his new leg brace. If someone were to ask him, Rylan would have sworn he and Garrett were close friends and confidantes, especially after all of their heart to hearts or the times Rylan tried to boost Garrett's confidence and self-esteem.

That was before Garrett seemingly became close with Reiner for reasons Rylan was not privy to or can remember rightly the start. There is a strong connection between the vampire and the Harengon that to the drow seems to have come out of nowhere. It was around then Garrett started isolating himself from the rest of the party, Rylan especially, for Reiner's company and for the life of him Rylan cannot frankly trust this personality 180. Garrett has begun to show signs of arrogance and callousness that were not in his character previously, watching him take swipes at Ruinfea, Fuego and Rylan and it has made Rylan no longer trust his once friend.

Doubly upsetting because as the only two fae in the party Rylan appreciated having someone to spend time with as he explored this new part of himself he had been denied thanks to his mother's machinations. It's a bittersweet memory of the plans and inventions and designs they were going to work on together but Rylan has let go of more precious things before so their loss is nothing he can't bear. Chalking it up to vampiric compulsion, some ill-thought crush on a married man, or simply a empty-headed fool blinded by the newest person who gave him an ounce of attention; Garrett has all but pledged his eternal devotion to the Briarwood Heir with his hero worship and fixation and with said choice Rylan has washed his hands of it all and written Garrett off.

*Keres*: Lovely, deadly, regal Keres held such a large part of Rylan's heart; the fact that they have been in each other's life for such little time is of no consequence to him. If anything because of what they have survived there is a profound bond between them that feels timeless. There is a part of him that wishes she could have grown up with him in the Underdark knowing how much Menzoberranzan would have loved her beyond compare. After losing Jii there was a huge hole in Rylan that nothing could truly fix and without meaning to the rogue tiefling fell right into where his sorrow had taken root with a befanged smirk. She allows him a chance to be the caretaker his heart cannot help but be, as seen when she first trusted him enough to show him her wings, but most of all because they come from the same school of thought in regards to their trauma. It is Keres that has helped Rylan come to the rationalization that he is not Ruined but Ruination, and they have a doting, playful, and distinctly affectionate relationship.

Since his divorce, Rylan has tried to give Keres space respecting that the situation is nuanced so as not to make it more difficult. It has been painful, and in a way that Rylan can't truly move on and heal when his ex-husband's sister is still a party member and his own sister's girlfriend.

*Reiner*: Rylan's opinion of Reiner is measured at best; he trusts that the vampire will do whatever he must to serve his own needs and to save his own hide. Beyond that, Rylan doesn't trust him worth a damn. Something Rylan truly regrets but feels as though there is nothing he can do about it. His sadistic, occasionally caustic attitude is the foil to Rylan's own and it serves as a stark reminder of what way Rylan could have gone if he let his past change him. There is a part of Rylan that genuinely feels sorry for Reiner; it must be exceptionally lonely to deliberately isolate oneself the way he does and to not have anyone, or claim to not want anyone, around to offer comfort or confidence save his wife and maybe those he traveled with before. To the drow that is a fate worse than death. Having loved ones and confidantes that you allow yourself to lean on are crucial for a person’s well-being and it is a lesson Rylan recently had to learn.

The more Reiner blithely takes swipes at the party as a whole the closer Rylan comes towards suggesting he simply return to Barovia and leave the saving the world to them. It is clear he is distracted by something or someone or perhaps he just doesn’t want to deal with the apocalyptic consequences. Which is fine and something that The Third Family have already agreed to carry the burden of a long time ago. It seems as though Reiner is ultimately lost without his wife, and because of that Rylan tolerates the coldness and holier (ironically) than thou temperament chalking it up to him missing her. But it’s not something that can continue for the sake of the rest of the party and morale as a whole and the allowance of Rylan's empathy has its limits. The Third Family have done nothing but attempt to be kind and include him and trying to find harmony in the party is not something worthy of contempt.

When Reiner does let a crack in his shield open him up, Rylan can honestly say he likes the man beneath the put upon aura of untouchable malevolence. There is a sharp wit that paired with his intelligence makes Reiner someone Rylan would truly enjoy getting to know and becoming close to. But Reiner continually puts roadblocks in the way and cooly mocks any attempt to establish friendship. He appears to look down his nose at everyone in the party and doesn’t hide that he thinks they’re worthless, stupid, and pathetic. So as far as Rylan is concerned, sadly Reiner is an asset and ally on the field of battle against The Root of War and nothing more.

Recently Rylan attempted to reach a hand of friendship out to Reiner one last time and was pleasantly surprised that Reiner accepted it. The usually brusque facade melted away and Reiner actually opened up about what he was feeling to show what was behind the mask he presents to the world. The talk was soft, the pair offering both vulnerability in showing a bit more of why they are the way they are to each other as well as advice back and forth. It ended with Rylan promising that he would do what he needed to do to bring Reiner home and Reiner requesting Rylan honor his final wishes should he fall in battle and what to do thereafter. A responsibility he's happy to bear as leader and one he is doing for many members of The Third Family.

*Ruinfea:* Rylan loves Ruinfea more than he could ever explain. From the first day they met, despite having every reason to, Ruinfea never once made Rylan feel lesser or evil. That simple act of humanity immediately endeared her to him and a day doesn't go by when he doesn't try to make her smile at least once. There is something special about Ruinfea's gentle heart that Rylan so desperately is trying to shield from the ugliness of the world and while he knows there is pain there, he has always tried to be a safe place to turn to. Usually the pair are together; Rylan has even taken to braiding his hair (or having Thea braid his hair) in a way for her to safely hang onto whenever she needs to slip into her lizard persona and is singlehandedly responsible for Rylan becoming used to having party members literally attached to him in combat.

Having women in his life that aren't like the ones back home and in his past is still something Rylan is coming to grips with and the only reason he's been able to trust that not all of them are wicked. And that is absolutely because of the High Elf druid and her boundless acceptance and love. In Lymdell, Rylan felt a near murderous rage at how Ruinfea was treated by her parents. It was unfathomable to him how a parent could be that cold to their child, and even his own incredibly flawed mother at least loved him in her own way. So this betrayal of blood sat sour to him and directly informed his actions taken against the two traitors. Her brother Gildor embodies all the best of his sister, despite their parents, and because he is precious to Ruinfea so the new general is to him. Currently he has pledged to help Ruinfea find Gildor's twin; the point being nailed home more so when it appeared that he had found his way to Gael Aethal. Now that she has shown an interest in Loray, Rylan has privately in not so many words explained to the eladrin all the ways he will suffer if he ever makes her feel anything less than precious.

Rylan is so proud of the person Ruinfea has become and has caught himself smiling softly whenever he catches her meditating like her mentor Kiara taught her.

*Theodosia Chandler:* Thea is a gift. There's little else to it than that; his bard is a wonder and a blessing from the gods and Rylan loves her dearly. There is a maternal kindness to her that is completely foreign and that welcoming warmth has steeled Rylan's belief that what he had known all his life was wrong. To say he is constantly inspired by her would be putting it lightly; Thea is the perfect balance to Fuego's quiet strength with her bright and boundless joy. The pair of them are truly the glue that holds the party together and Rylan is certain that when the time comes and he is no longer going to be with them all, that it is Thea's heart that will make it easier for them all to accept it. To him, Thea is pure light; she embodies what beats back the darkness and comforts those suffering nightmares that it's safe again with the first rays of the sun. She is so much the opposite of him and there is a bit of wonder in his heart that Thea actually cares about him.

The moment that Rylan knew he would do anything in his power to make sure her light never went out was in Lymdell. Baolaon's callousness and disgusting proposition made Rylan feel like prey again despite his outward appearance of indifference. The immediate way Thea came to his defense meant so much to him. And while he has yet to tell a soul how it all made him feel and why it effected him so deeply, Thea's immediate action was to wrap him into a hug with Ruinfea and let him cry. Hell, a weakness he has never risked letting even Kam see for his own reasons. It was something he trusted only Thea with, knowing that she wouldn't think he was ruined and worthless because of it. She allowed him to be vulnerable and didn't spurn him away or punish him for it, and that gift will never be forgotten. And while their relationship has had it's bumps, Thea is the person Rylan counts on above all others. She is his sister in all but blood and he wants nothing but joy and happiness for her.

### Other Characters

Adlen Dalynn - Upon meeting Adlen, Rylan was temporarily distracted, finding the Emperor in hiding attractive to the point of not remembering exactly how the first five minutes of making his acquaintance went. After he was able to get past his initial attraction, Rylan came to find the soft spoken elf both lovely and entirely fascinating. There is a strong affection there and if situations lined up differently he could have seen a potential for a future with him. Rylan however self-sabotaged this opportunity; instead trying to matchmake a pair between His Excellency and Tiago.

An Dagda - Rylan loves his father dearly, still in shock over both him and all the new family he has gained now that his mother's obfuscation has broken. Rylan is beginning to realize how much he is like his Tuathan family and has grown exceptionally close to his Da. As of his 111th birthday, Rylan has taken up more of his family's culture including the Pictish braids in his hair, learning how to wear woad and plaid, all thanks to what his father has been teaching him. Rylan has been like a sponge, desperate to make up for over a century that was lost to him and what could have been.

Aniel - Much like Adlen, Rylan's initial interaction with Aniel was colored by his distraction over the handsome celestial. The difference mainly coming from Aniel's side of things; for some reason the paladin of Eilistraee continues to poke at Rylan with shameless flirtation much to Rylan's chagrin. The banter now has turned to more snark than anything else, with Rylan giving his new friend direct orders if only to watch the momentary fluster and immediate bratty retort. Aniel was the first person Rylan confessed to about his poisoning ritual every day and there is a deep affection between them.

Arun Orbryn - Tiago's eldest; Arun is very important to Rylan, seeing the boy as his blood nephew and as such was extremely frustrated at him when he allowed his mother to manipulate him past all reason. He believes the kid is troubled and that perhaps with some actual guidance and support he might be able to become a better person and man in time. There is a deep familial love here and has been the children's *Honadar* or Uncle Rylan since their birth. Much to Lillahil's dismay. The young man is a son to him and nothing will change that.

*Brynwick Nibnibbler:* Rylan's relationship with Bryn is complicated. It seems as though every step forward of their closeness has a bittersweet consequence that quickly follows. At it's core, Rylan has sacrificed a lot for Bryn since they met. There have been times that she has hurt him deeply with the way she speaks to him but he has tried to let it roll off of him and take it in stride. It was for Bryn that Rylan first openly used his name and title since being told to flee the Lovelocke Manor. This declaration caused his mother to come find him topside and he was forced to sacrifice his freedom, though quick thinking on his part and a marriage arranged to Kam was enough to undermine her machinations.

Rylan, for his part, always made sure to give Bryn all he had never had in an attempt to make sure someone else didn't feel the way he does. However recently the interaction with Labelas Enoreth really hurt the drow; all of the horrors Rylan has suffered over the years and the blood soaked legacy of his mother and his people can be traced back to the Seldarine and Rylan naturally believes that the gods be culpable for their sins. The reason he allowed The Philosopher a chance to explain himself was his closeness to Araushnee. It was when Oghma confessed that Bryn thought he unnecessarily harangued the deity that Rylan's explanation was ignored. Couple that with how Bryn acted as though Rylan's intelligence is lesser has caused a significant pain for him. This was exacerbated upon with how Bryn treats Kam, going so far as to call him 'abyssal creature' and show open disgust and jealousy towards him. After the events of the failed assassination attempt on Kam, Rylan was put into the position of a religious mentor with Bryn, offering guidance as a paladin now that Oghma has forsaken his cleric.

Bryn's death was a complicated thing for Rylan to work through emotionally and the entangled emotions are something he is not sure he will ever work through. Her loss is felt heavy in the party especially by Thea and it breaks Rylan's heart every moment she grieves her.

Carrion - Rylan thinks very fondly towards Carrion, grateful to have spent time with the tiefling mage and considering him a friend and ally-at-arms. While they do not have as deep a confidence as say, him and Tiago, Rylan knows that he can speak to Carrion in regards to just about anything and that he genuinely cares after him. It's why he petitioned Tiago to take him on as an apprentice and seeing the pair of them together helps ease Rylan's guilt towards being far below Tiago's brilliance and wasting his time when his brother waxes on about the time space and magical continuum.

Cassian Lovelocke - The Lovelocke Patriarch purchased Rylan for Cassian decades ago, taking him in after a series of misery down in the Underdark. Cassian never mistreated him; if anything Rylan being so starved for affection and decency was easy enough to manipulate into the perfect blood doll with the bare basics and a little doting. Through his tenure at the estate Rylan was better taken care of since his time with the Melee-Magthere, his only responsibility was to keep Cassian safe and well-fed. Because of this Rylan has associated being bitten and fed from as a twisted expression of affection, even more so when the scrap of being called the vampire's 'boyfriend' was given as a tactical manipulation. He spent decades enthralled and as of the most current events after the second return to Morad, Rylan hasn't been bitten by another and still very much property of specifically Cassian. Although Rylan has since not only taken his collar off and left it discarded on his bedside table back in Littlegrove, but has been behaving as if he is a free man. Despite any allowance from his undead 'sugar daddy' as he is want to call him.

Comforte Roselid - Rylan holds a lot of affection in his heart for one of his first ally-at-arms back in Littlegrove and there is a shared history with Comforte that Rylan has extreme compassion for. A part of him is very glad that Hetzel is no longer anywhere near the Captain of the Guard considering the dwarf's uncomfortable fixation upon the human woman. Seeing the Alternate Timeline Version of Comforte as simply a host for N'yyk was complicated for Rylan but he has yet to truly process all that that entails right now.

Feno Orbryn - Tiago's youngest child, though Rylan was the one after speaking with Arun that pieced together her birth father was actually Civar, Feno is extremely important to Rylan. While his brother aimed to keep her from the world for her own safety and Dead Wife spoiled her rotten, Rylan wanted to make sure that Feno ended up a lot like him. That she would maintain her innocent heart while being capable of whatever she needed to so the world wouldn't be able to break her down. Feno is the daughter of Rylan's heart, so beyond proud that the High Elf spitfire takes after him so much. It was Rylan that suggested she become an arcane trickster, seeing as how she bonded so closely with Jii and Thea during her body swapping nightmare. Once he uncovered her possible connection to Civar, Rylan had Shantris help smuggle her out of Morad to a place he trusts implicitly. Away from Civar, G'eldaere, and any other whose machinations could cause her harm. It is interesting to see what might happen to her considering she is the child of a bound god, doubly so as Rylan now possesses that god's essence within him.

G'eldaere Baenre - Rylan loved his mother, with his entire heart. But Rylan knew she was a lost cause. Originally he hoped she would abdicate her throne to him but he knew her ego would never allow it. And while he carries around her blood on his hands, Rylan does not regret being responsible for her death. He mourns her, though mostly who he thought she was than her actual memory.

*Iimeth Baentlar* - When Rylan was a child, he loved his cousin with his entire heart. They were oft compared to brothers and Rylan was under the assumption that Iimeth loved him as dearly as he loved him. That however couldn't have been further from the truth. The abuse he suffered at his cousin's hand was nothing short of extreme sadism and even now after his death Rylan mourns for him. For the person he could have been if he wasn't made into a monster and the idea of the cousin he loved that was a lie.

Jii - Rylan's dearest friend, beloved brother not of flesh but of fae soul. Rylan's grief for the loss of his friend that saved his life with a prayer to The Traveler and subsequent miracle has changed him for good. Jii is the reason Rylan not only changed his morality but refuses to return to his more base and evil instincts. Jii's legacy is too precious to him and he is forever thankful for how long they were in each other's lives. However Rylan has turned from sorrow to trying to look upon the memories of his fey friend with joy to spare him any misery in the Feywild, going so far as to chastising the party about their own sorrow.

*Kam:* For 80 years, Kam was Rylan's keystone. The pair have known each other for most of their lives and they've each witnessed firsthand where almost all of their collective pain and trauma stems from. When they first met it was Rylan who took it upon himself to try and pull Kam back from his feral nature. Teaching him to talk and bonding together in their imprisonment. Rylan spent decades of his life doing everything he could to protect him from any excess suffering. When they were parted after The Red Woman, Rylan disassociated from himself to deal with the parade of people his mother sold him off to. This hardened his resolve and further impounded a sense of worthlessness during his time with The Guild; the word 'ruined' becoming more common than his name, so when the pair reconnected topside it was only natural for them fall back into their bond. This time together solidified the way they would come to mirror each other in and out of combat as well as the familiarity of touch and closeness that became second nature. Their second parting left a hole in Rylan's life and heart. In fact it wasn't until Kam left that Rylan really realized he was holding a bit of a torch for him. It meant that once Kam returned to his father, the loss of his companionship and their flirtatious banter ached at Rylan's heart, no matter the why of it in the end.

It was because of his connection to Kam that made Rylan wall himself off to other men. To say otherwise would be dishonest. Anyone else that he has let close has fallen into a few camps; they either want him until they learn the depth of his damage and leave, they pity him or otherwise treat him like a fragile thing, or he refused to give them a chance to even come close to him in the first place. Perhaps it was because the trauma of his past, but nothing else had ever felt as real. If anything it's why the Lovelockes machinations worked so well, the vampire lord easily filling in the role of importance that had been left behind. When they were reunited, Rylan originally tread overly cautious; too afraid to pick at what their connection meant to him even as they fell comfortably back into their old closeness. It wasn't until Kam was with him again that even his old fighting style returned in full with vicious banter and brutal bloodlust of blending the *Draa Velve, Luth Alur,* and *Bautha Z'hin* fighting styles with Kam acting as anchor.

The first few days of being back together had a small needling little moment that reared it's head whenever Rylan was distracted. It was a small moment, inconsequential really, but in trying to not take advantage of him Kam kept Rylan at arm's length so as not to take advantage of his past as a Blood Doll. It was a sobering moment, one that lay very heavy whenever he thought on it, and the unconscious rejection paired with his past trauma was a discordant mess in Rylan's mind whenever his thoughts turn ragged and loud. There were some moments that passed that spoke to something more being between them; most notably Kam teasing Rylan when resetting the bone of his right leg and when the pair faced off against G'eldaere taking direct action to not only protect the other but to hold hands in front of her. After the events of his kidnapping at the hands of The First Blade, Rylan has confessed to Kam that he had loved him since he was thirty years old. Kam's response was that Rylan "had all of him" and the pair shared their first kiss behind closed doors.

After returning from the planar shift the pair became impossibly closer (especially considering the visible time that had passed for them), with Rylan no longer trying to hide how he looked at Kam as well as not hiding small displays of public affection (kissing Kam on the cheek in the dark timeline version of Morad), openly using terms of endearment, and referring to Kam to other party members as 'the man [he] loved'. It wasn't until Kam won the pit fight in Morad did the pair openly show their relationship to not only to the party but in public; with Rylan crooking his finger to call him to his side and Kam gently pulling him in to kiss before the cheering crowd.

Against the Silver Robins of Oghma Rylan angrily declared new titles unheard by the party before and declared war on Oghma Himself for attempting to kill his betrothed, letting that fact slip a touch sooner than he originally intended. After the death of his mother, Rylan publicly called Kam his husband and during his coronation reached his hand out for Kam for him to join him as equals.

Rylan took Kam's death at the hands of The Root of War badly, falling into himself to allow everyone else a chance to grieve. He knelt sentinel in Kam's room, doing nothing else save praying wanting to do for Kam what he did for him after Iimeth as one of his love languages was acts of service. When they parted for Rylan to go help battle Tiamat, Rylan left a part of his heart behind with Kam.

And while they have since dissolved their marriage Rylan will always love Kam; the love may have changed now but Kam makes up so much of who Rylan became that to do otherwise would be impossible. Their relationship taught Rylan how to love and that is a precious gift he will be grateful for for the rest of his immortal life. However formative Kam was in his life, however, hearing his name or him being mentioned reopens so many old wounds and loss and there is a part of Rylan that is believes he will never be able to move on and heal with Kam's memory and the last harrowing few weeks of their marriage refusing to soften and fade.

After the end of The Third Family's adventuring and the creation of their pantheon, Rylan has healed from everything with Kam and worked through the stages of grief from losing him. Again, there is a forever part of Rylan that will always love Kam but the pair changed and grew in ways that wouldn't work with one another. There are things Rylan needs to say for closure, things that caused him extreme pain and grief but the chance of ever getting said closure will never come and that in and of itself is another along his tapestry of scars. Perhaps Kam will be happy now, with the path he chose to walk but in the end the choice was his and his alone. Just as Rylan has made his. Love cannot die or be destroyed, it changes...

Lilahil Stormosin - Dead Wife. Rylan has hated this woman since he was told that she had married Tiago. She publicly whipped him in Littlegrove, used smite on him while he was unarmed and bound, and because of her heresy was stripped of her powers by Torm Himself. The Traveler saved his life when she attempted to murder him in cold blood, all because he took offense to her lecherous demeaning comments towards him. Her death and the circumstances of have brought Rylan nothing but extreme joy.

Loray Lorhalien - Rylan holds the Gloaming Captain in high regard, considering him a close friend and confidante. Much like with Alden and Aniel, Loray was another incredibly attractive man that made Rylan lose track of his senses and the playful tease and flirtation disarmed the drow for quite some time. But it was seeing a bit of a spark in Ruinfea's demeanor that made the choice simple for him and he's completely encouraged the pair of them to find their joy in each other. He has, however, threatened inconceivable torment extending far past the domain of death and the gods themselves if Loray hurts Ruinfea or if he fails to give her everything she deserves.

Rameles Civar - Rylan fixated on Civar, the mortal shell of the Faerun god Cyric, for some time. The pair functioned as a foil to the other even down to their class breakdown and had Rylan's circumstances changed just a hairsbreadth the pair could have been an unstoppable force together. Rylan bears two scars from his final encounter with Civar, the only time the man was able to lay a hit on him after Rylan ripped the divine rank out of his soul. Rylan killed him in the Mage Tower of Morad using his gift from Queen Mab, Last Word, *silencing* the man's final words and stole his soul into the weapon itself. Keres fashioned his soul into a stone that she gifted to Rylan that he still wears.

Shantris 'Foundling' - Rylan's Hand and Master of Whispers, Shantris was the first to bend the knee to Rylan after he revealed to her his overall plans and dreams for their people and Menzoberranzan as a whole. Currently she is with Feno, keeping his daughter-in-all-but-blood safe and negotiating ties with The Fathers. A group he has only mentioned by those two words and even then only to a select few.

Tiago Orbryn - Rylan's beloved brother. Tiago and Rylan have been friends for the good part of a century and by this point they consider the other one to be family despite how awkward that makes their initial flirtation when they first met. To Rylan, Tiago is the most brilliant person he has ever known and he loves him all the more because he has never made Rylan feel lesser for it. Even before she died, Rylan was attempting to play match maker first with Luthias (short-lived as he seems to be smitten with another member of the court) and then with Adlen, believing Tiago and his children deserve nothing short of an empire and a loving Emperor to spoil them all rotten. The only person in his life near the importance of Tiago is Kam and he will burn the heavens down if anything happens to either of them.