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*Agreed to look into Master Ignacio's contracts |
*Agreed to look into Master Ignacio's contracts |
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*Did not encounter Slim Couldry |
*Did not encounter Slim Couldry |
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| − | *Encountered Taliesen, Zevran fought |
+ | *Encountered Taliesen, Zevran fought beside Nell and companions |
*STILL IN PROGRESS |
*STILL IN PROGRESS |
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==== The Stone Prisoner ==== |
==== The Stone Prisoner ==== |
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Revision as of 16:17, 24 July 2020
What could be said about Nell Surana? Before she was a Grey Warden, even before she was a Circle mage, she was just another unfortunate child born in Denerim's alienage. When her arrival was followed by one of the worst outbreaks of the plague the alienage had ever seen, in addition to a string of other unfortunate events not just within the alienage, she was labeled "the Death Knell of Denerim" by a woman who was woefully unprepared for the responsibility of motherhood.
In spite of the grim circumstances surrounding her arrival into this world, Nell left a lasting impression everywhere she went, leading up to her becoming the Hero of Ferelden and a key figure in stopping the 5th Blight.
Overview
Physical Appearance
Nell is a small, relatively unassuming elf who barely peaks above 5 feet tall and weighs perhaps no more than a barrel of ale. At the time of the 5th Blight, she wore her dark hair cut short in a choppy bob just below her chin with an uneven fringe across her forehead that strongly speaks of her own handiwork. Her ears, long and tapered, poke out through either side making it abundantly clear just what she is, to onlookers. Her complexion is warm, olive in tone, and marked by a healthy smattering of freckles across her face. Nell's eyes are a very dark brown that can easily appear to be black in poor or dim lighting, giving her a rather haunting appearance.
Personality
To the surprise of many, Nell is rather lively. She is spritely, outspoken, obstinate, and has been likened to "whiskey in a teacup". Nell is very headstrong and set in her ways, thinking rather highly of herself and her views but she is not necessarily arrogant. She simply had a lot of youthful bravado that tapered out as she matured and grew as a person.
She was something of both a prankster and Irving's prized pupil while residing in the Circle at Kinloch Hold, getting along with the likes of both a young Anders and Jowan. When she wasn't causing trouble, she was nose deep in the many books found in Kinloch's libraries and begging the senior enchanters to teach her more advanced spells.
Despite her sass, Nell enjoys meeting new people and making friends. She has a profound thirst for knowledge and excitement and becoming a Grey Warden has revealed that she has an unexpected knack for leadership. It needs work, but the basis is there.
Talents and Skills
Magic - Of all the classes Nell could have excelled in, it had to be Entropy. There was just something about that particular school of magic that appealed to her and especially to her chaotic nature. Hexes, curses, and everything just shy of necromancy fills her metaphorical spellbook and makes Nell quite the trickster on the battlefield. She is not without other talents, however, and does know both some offensive spells and minor shapeshifting.
- Shapeshifting: Nell has two forms she knows and prefers, that of a black cat and of a crow. She received a little tutoring from Morrigan on how to perfect those two existing forms rather than attempt to learn any others.
Biography
History
Nell was born in the Denerim Alienage to an Isla Surana after a short-lived love affair with an elven mage - Orsino - the (then) future First Enchanter of Kirkwall's Circle of magi. Like many of her people who were not already living among the Dalish, she was just another mouth to feed in an already impoverished neighborhood. Born two weeks early, her arrival was heralded as a bad omen after a string of tragedies swept through the Alienage leaving death and darkness in their wake. Her mother was a superstitious woman and woefully unprepared for the life of a parent. After being spooked by this "death knell" and harbinger of terrible things to come, Isla fled the Alienage to find a new life. It is rumored she went to the Dalish, but those rumors are unconfirmed. Renamed Nell, the child grew up with the other orphaned city elves until her magic manifested and she was sent off to the Circle.
Though Circle life took some adjusting to at first, she ultimately flourished, what with having a warm bed, proper meals, and clean clothes. Who could complain? Nell was gifted in magic from the start and quickly rose amongst her peers to become First Enchanter Irving's most promising student, her nature as a bit of a prankster notwithstanding. She made friends with the likes of Anders who only encouraged her playful ways and Jowan who became something of a reliable study partner, even if he struggled with nurturing his gifts.
Being the bold sort she is, it was only natural she aided Jowan when he enacted his plan to escape if nothing else because she recognized how unhappy he was in the Circle and figured if anyone didn't belong, it was him.
When the Grey Warden, Duncan, chose to conscript Nell, saving her from an uncertain fate after getting caught, she went along willingly, eager to see where this new adventure might lead. Although didn't expect events to unfold quite the way they did...
In-game
Lothering
The small village was their first stop on what would be one hell of a journey to stop the Blight, one to remember for the ages.
- Drove away the overcharging merchant
- Chased away the doomsayer
- Recruited Leliana
- Recruited Sten - got key from Revered Mother
Redcliffe
Once they heard about what happened with the Arl in Redcliffe and at Alistair's encouragement, they set off for their first major location.
- Promised Owen she would rescue his daughter - convinced him to work
- Aided Redcliffe in the battle against the undead
- Found and rescued Bevin - Bevin ran off and did not give Nell the sword
- Sprung Jowan from the dungeon, greed to do his ritual
- Mages were recruited to save Connor.
- Found Alistair's mother's amulet
- Freed Owen's daughter and sent her home
Broken Circle
Upon returning to the Circle to request aid for young Connor, Nell found the tower in shambles and was determined to solve this problem with as few casualties as possible.
- Refused to annul the circle.
- Recruited Wynne
- Found black grimoire (gave it to Morrigan)
- Braved the fade - got the Litany of Adralla from Niall - saved First Enchanter Irving
- Refused Cullen's request to kill everyone
- Mages saved Connor / allied for the Blight
Nature of the Beast
With Redcliffe secured for now and the Circle recruited, the next logical step was to find the Dalish elves and acquire more allies.
- Nell was able to calm the Halla so the source of the infection could be found
- Helped Cammen & Ghenya come together
- Brought the injured hunter Deygan back to camp.
- Returned wife's things to Arthas, told him the truth
- Successfully bartered with a crazy old hermit for the Great Oak's acorn
- Convinced Zathrian to lift the curse - established peace between the Elves and Werewolves.
- Elves recruited for the Blight
Haven & Urn of Sacred Ashes
The more they heard about this Urn of Sacred Ashes, and how Eamon's Knights had been sent to search for it, the more it became clear that it was something they had to find.
- Confronted Weylon in Denerim - killed the imposter
- Found Genitivi's notes
- Discovered Haven
- Confronted Father Eirik in the Chantry - killed him in defense
- Saved Genitivi and traveled with him to the Ruined Temple
- Killed Kolgrim and his followers
- Did not disturb the High Dragon
- Nell saw Jowan at the start of the Gauntlet
- Did not defile the Sacred Ashes
Paragon of Her Kind
The last of the treaties happened to be for the Dwarves and so the party ventured to Orzammar where they found yet more unrest and in the midst of their own succession crisis.
- Met and recruited Oghren
- Convinced Zerlinda to raise her son on the surface
- Found the stolen tome for the Shaperate
- Convinced the Circle to let Dagna study with them
- Found evidence linking Orta to a noble house - got her into the assembly
- Took Rogek's lyrium deal only to find out what he and Godwin were doing with it
- Infiltrated the Carta's base - killed Jarvia
- Nell mercy killed Ruck in the Deep Roads
- Fought against Branka - sided with Caridin and destroyed the Anvil of the Void
- Bhelen was crowned King in Orzammar
Denerim > Landsmeet
with all the treaties acted upon and allies secured, they returned to the newly healed Arl Eamon who was ready to start preparations for the Landsmeet. It was off to Denerim again where they handled a few more loose threads before kicking things off with the landsmeet.
- Successfully tricked Ser Landry into thinking she wasn't a Grey Warden
- Handled the Crimson Oars and rowdy customers in the Pearl
- Visited Goldanna with Alistair - hardened Alistair
- Agreed to look into Master Ignacio's contracts
- Did not encounter Slim Couldry
- Encountered Taliesen, Zevran fought beside Nell and companions
- STILL IN PROGRESS
The Stone Prisoner
On the road to one of their various stops, the crew ran into a merchant. Taking the opportunity to stock up.
- Shale was awoken and recruited
- Saved Amalia from Kitty, neither she nor Matthias were possessed.
Warden's Keep
TBD
- TO BE DETERMINED
Post-game
WIP
Relationships
"Family"
Anders: He was one of the very first people she attached herself to when she arrived at the Circle. He was great with the younger apprentices, despite his feelings towards the Circle, and went out of his way to look after them. She unofficially adopted him as her older brother and they became practically inseparable. The two were essentially the "twin terrors" of Kinloch, named for their devious nature and tendency towards pranks. She adored his tenacity and boldness, and although she admired every escape attempt, she didn't want him to leave her behind. When they reunited in Amaranthine, she was overjoyed and quickly defended him against the Templars who dared to come sniffing around.
Jowan: Surprisingly, Nell considered Jowan to be a very good friend. Sure, she thought he was a bit of a mess and something of a walking disaster, but Maker-be-damned if he wasn't a very supportive person during her time in the Circle. She knew he wasn't happy in the tower and that the life of a Mage really didn't suit him (not just because he had little in the way of natural talent) but she did encourage him to try anyway. When it came to his plan for escape, she helped him, taken by his plea and clear feelings for Lilly. While the reveal of his blood magic practice was a punch to the gut, much as was his involvement with Loghain and poisoning the Arl of Redcliffe, she still took pity on him and insisted he be released into her custody as a Warden - only for her to later let him go when they left Redcliffe.
Romance
Zevran: The slow burn romance that almost never was. Theirs was an unexpected relationship that developed very organically over the course of the year Nell spent with her companions. Initially, she spared Zevran's life after the assassination attempt because she felt like he could be a useful ally and seemed genuine in his desire to help the efforts towards the Blight, that he had no loyalty to Loghain and had simply taken a paid job. The more she got to know her fellow elf, the more she found his companionship perfectly pleasant, and his skills on the battlefield indeed useful. Yet somewhere in the middle, the precise nature of their dynamic changed. Sure, he was charming, alluring, persuasive but Nell was never really interested in any of that. What she enjoyed was his macabre, yet easy humor and that he was so genuinely, unapologetically himself. Their feelings for one another didn't really progress from mere adoration until after affairs were settled in Orzammar and they returned to Denerim to begin preparation for the Landsmeet. By the time they encountered Taliesen, it was a little more clear just what they meant to each other.
Velanna: Perhaps the most unlikely of relationships - Nell saw something in Velanna that she hadn't seen in anyone else (apart from Zevran anyway). While Nell is rather partial to other elves when it comes to romance, charming the prickly Velanna was certainly a challenge. They had their differences, what with Nell being an elf born in the Alienage who spent most of her life in the circle, while Velanna hails from a Dalish clan. Still, they bonded as two elves and as mages and found appreciation in their very different upbringings. Being that Nell had already entered into a romantic relationship with Zevran, she had to be upfront and honest about these circumstances, which meant addressing her growing feelings for Velanna to Zevran and making a decision to benefit the three of them. After some deliberation and soul searching (at least on Nell and Velanna's parts) they came to an acceptable agreement that resulted in them forming an intriguing little triad.
Companions
Alistair: She loves his goofy sense of humor and deeply appreciates his friendship. He was an odd sort at first, to her, but Alistair quickly grew on Nell and they became fast friends, prone to having each other's back throughout the Blight. When he informed her about his lineage and his strong desire to remain in control of his own life, wishing to have nothing to do with the throne, she wasn't about to go against her friend's wishes and was all too happy to support Anora's claim so Alistair could remain with her in the Wardens.
Morrigan: At first, Morrigan was a little prickly towards Nell's very inquisitive nature but she managed to wear the witch down with enough time, and eventually they found a common ground and hammered out an unlikely companionship that ended with Morrigan helping Nell further refine her skills in shapeshifting.
Leliana: Completely unexpectedly, there wound up being a surprising amount of chemistry between the two of them, but it wasn't something either of them ever chose to pursue. While she found Leliana pleasant, sweet and attractive, Nell felt they were far too great of opposites to really be a good match romantically.
Wynne: At first, Nell was a little wary of having someone from the Circle - a senior Enchanter of all things - tagging along. While she had never been Wynne's student (the healing arts weren't her forte), the woman was still something of an authority figure and rather devoted to both the Chantry and Circle. Yet, it turned out to be less awkward than she initially feared and found Wynne's presence to be a comfort, someone relatively familiar she could trade stories with about her times in the Circle who would understand. Not to mention, someone had to be there to balance out Nell's chaos.
Sten: While very much opposites, she still considered Sten to be an interesting sort considering she knew nothing of the Qunari people or anything about the region from which he hailed. Here was this sheltered little Circle mage meeting all sorts of characters for the first time. His taciturn and abrasive nature wasn't a deterrent for the inquisitive elf who had no qualms picking his brain at every opportunity until he found himself strangely endeared to her. They share a love for all things sweet and crumbly, like cookies and cakes and she has convinced him to let her ride on his shoulders once or twice.
Oghren: The two of them never really became close during the Blight, but
Shale: If Shale had been an elf, Nell swears they could have been related. Shale is very much her kindred spirit - they both have a grim sense of humor, both have snark and sass for days and she was able to charm Shale pretty quickly. Having never seen a golem before (nevermind a golem who used to be a dwarf) she was of course very curious but took to Shale's blunt personality immediately and was determined to be their friend. Fortunately, it worked in her favor.
Warden Companions
TBD
Nathaniel:
Sigrun:
Justice:
Miscellaneous
WIP
