Devi Ish'kale'th

Deviylri Ishmonkaleierenth was born to one of the lesser drow noble houses of Menzoberenzan. During a surface raid when she was younger, Devi's family captured a number of surface dwellers as a new crop of slaves. One of the captured slaves, would speak of the surface (when not within earshot of the guards of course, but young Devi had a way of getting around), and of the good accomplished by paladins, a concept near unheard of in drow society, a warrior who fights for good. It fascinated the young girl, enough so that as she was nearing adulthood, Devi snuck off into the Underdark alone, to find her way to the surface. After reaching the surface, having heard tales of its glory and splendor was excited to find a way to become one of these paladins she had come to love the stories of. Thanks to the work of a particular Ranger who shall not be named, the chapel Devi turned up at was willing to take her in for study. After some time with the chapel they felt it was time for her to explore the world while she contemplated what oaths she would take as a paladin. Devi, bright and full of hope and faith set out into the world. Though while that Ranger had bought some good will from more open minded surface dwellers plenty of people didn't share that view. During her travels Devi was faced with no small amount of animosity by those she encountered, culminating with a group of bandits raiding her camp one night, and enslaving her. It wasn't until almost a full year later after suffering no small amount of abuse at the hands of her captors that Devi was able to escape. However the damage was done, what good she saw in the surface dwellers was eclipsed by the evil she had suffered. Just like that the light that burned in the young paladin was snuffed out, the darkness all the darker for the absence of the light that shone there before. Though it was less an escape, and more of an opportunity to kill her captors. After burying their bodies in the woods, Devi found herself in a strange fog covered land. Seeking civilization, she has found herself in the village of Barovia.

## Class information

Devi began her training as a paladin, before she was captured by a group of bandits. After a year of suffering all sorts of depravity at their hands, what light had been in her heart was snuffed out, and she accepted that her people's philosophy and devotion to Lolth was best.

## So far

After burying the corpses of the bandits that had captured her, Devi found herself in Barovia, in the Blood on the Vine tavern, trying to forget the last year of her life with the assistance of copious amounts of alcohol. Shortly after the arrival of the rest of the group, Ireena approached Devi and invited her to join the adventurers. However, at this point Devi was already blacked out. When she attempted to stand, she immediately fell to the floor. She was carried to a room, and left there to regain her sobriety.

Having regained consciousness, Devi came downstairs and was invited to join the group by Ireena, she introduced herself at Tansy's invitation. "Devi Ish.... on second thought, don't bother with my family name, Devi is fine, I was a Paladin of Tyr. . . was, I'm... I have returned to worshiping my former goddess Lolth". Alyssandra and Tansy recognizing the Goddess Lolth, they challenged Devi, and after a short exchange decided that while she may be from an evil race and may worship an evil Goddess, it is to the group's advantage to add another member, and though tentatively they have accepted Devi into the group and set off out of the village of Barovia.

On their way to deliver Ismark to safety, the group set off. As the group was walking Tansy remarked upon the muddy quality of the roads, and Devi to try to spare her the discomfort offered to carry her, though Tansy did not accept. Not too much later, the group was set upon by a group of direwolves which were quickly and efficiently dispatched. The group continued on until they came to a crossroads, with Ismark's knowledge of the area, the group trusted his recommendation of the shorter path. The gallows that stood empty as they approached the crossroad, showed Devi her own corpse hanging as the departed. After a few more hours of travel the group approached a Visanti encampment along the river. Devi no longer comfortable with large crowds, shifted behind Tansy to deflect some of the people. Settling in with the revelers, the party has decided to speak to the mysterious Madam Eva.

Madam Eva having given the party a full tarot reading, the party enjoyed the company of the caravan for a brief span all the while Devi hiding behind her fellows before moving on. The party proceeded rather uneventfully to Vallaki. Upon reaching the gates there was a brief delay as the party convinced the guards to allow the party entry. Once in the town proper, the group proceeded led by Ismark to the house of the Burgomaster, where the Burgomaster's wife asked a favor of Ismark, that he deliver a wreath to the local chapel. Evening having set in the party decided to head to an inn first, and go to the chapel in the morning. As the group settled in to dinner, Devi had a very personal conversation with Alyssandra, where she finally told the bounty hunter of her history, and just \*why\* she had turned from the path of Lathander. A tentative truce formed, the party settled in for the evening.

Having rested, the party set off for the chapel. Upon their arrival, the party found the chapels priest, while thankful for their delivery in an uncomfortable situation, having lost the sacred bones that were kept within. While the rest of the party spoke with the young alter boy whom the priest suspected of being at fault, Alyssandra and Devi kept watch outside, discussing ethics, their backgrounds, and Devi diving more into what exactly her beliefs are. Devi believing at this point, while their views may be different, that she may have found a friend in the bounty hunter.

The group set off from the chapel to find a person vaguely referenced by the alter boy whom Alyssandra and Devi thought they saw leave while they were outside. With a little help from Merlette, the party finds the boy in question who after a little bribery tells them he took the bones on request from the town coffin maker. While the party is heading for the other side of town where the coffin makers shop resides, Devi notices a hooded figure trailing the group. After a whispered warning to the group Devi slipped into the nearest ally and waited to follow their tail. After the group arrived at the coffin maker's shop, Devi attempted to pull the figure forward so the group could confront the person together. However as she made contact, the figure didn't budge. Devi pulled off the figure's cloak as she brushed past, revealing a mammoth of a man, with what appeared to be a demonic arm. Devi demanded to know why the man was following the group, at this point fighting to keep her fear in check, at being alone with a man. A nearby towns' guardswoman challenges Devi, asking the man "Is this woman bothering you." much to Devi's confusion, after all, aren't demon-kin hated by the surface dwellers more even than her own kind. As it turns out the man is in fact the captain of the towns' guard, who explained to Devi that he was not following the group, he was following Ismark who is wanted by the Burgomaster. This being misunderstood by Devi, who manages to while staving off panic convince the man to leave, and that the party will bring Ismark by when his business is completed. The rest of the group arriving as the man departs ask Devi what had happened. Devi relayed to the group her understanding of the conversation, that Ismark is wanted, despite herself being very flustered.