.I have to thank Virvaldin for DMing my PC through this significant period of her life and ... well you'll see..
Btw.. I probably dont need the disclaimer but theres a bit of artistic license with some of the dialogue due to my shoddy memory.
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She grew up living on the road with her family on the highways and byways of Tethyr and Amn. Generally speaking life was hard because at each new place the extended family (of 85 or so gypsies) would stop somewhere they would be moved by cries of "witches!", "theives!", "adulterers!" or just plain "Die! Gypsies"...
The family would roam from town to town, finding their best places to stop, just outside big cities. When Adalina was just 16, she would steal from the markets to help feed the family, she struggled to find meaning in her life through her formative years as she struggled for her place in the family and struggled to differentiate herself from the world.
her internal struggles and curiousity led her to a cult of Bast/Sharess when the family had an extended outside Riatavin. Some of the men/women actually managed to get some farm work as it was a good year for crops.
The woman would often pick flowers to sell at market, reading fortunes or engaging in the occassional prostitution (well away from the family of course) and the families fortunes were good. While a follower of Sharess she learnt about her sexuality and the how to gain power through it. She became more confident and wily, seeing life in a new light and discovering new & exciting opportunities.
As it turns out, it was around this time, where the youthful Adalina was 'discovering' herself through the worship of Sharess, that the head-man of the caravan began paying her more than a little attention, buying her gifts and generally becoming affectionate.
The men & boys would be off working in the fields and the women would be off working the markets with the children in tow. The headman began to come back earlier or sneak off on workbreaks to find Adalina about the camp. They began to engage in an illicit affair.
Eventually the family moved on.. toward Beregost.. Adalina the youth, with her head full of the realisations of Sharess and an illicit lover to prove it moved with them. Alot of the time on the road, in villages she stole, or talked young men out of their money for the pleasure of her company. When she could, she and the headman would 'enjoy' each others affections.
She developed an affinity with the natural world over this time as she would wander far in to the wilderness as a release and escape for her from the adrenalin rushing life she normally lived of scamming, stealing, lying and hiding.
Eventually the family began to head north where they struck camp in Beregost, once more the men managed to find work and the women began to ply their trade in markets and taverns.
Adalina and the headman began to see each other frequently again. The headman's wife through all this had begun to be suspicious about the pair's relatiionship since they rarely spoke to each other when others were about.
One day, the head woman, snuck back to camp earlier than usual, to find Adalina in her husbands arms.. Adalina was sorely beaten and driven from the camp. That night she spent in the wilderness afraid of what may happen if she returned. The elders of the caravan went to council and the head woman vocally advocated driving her into exile.
When Adalina tried to return to her family, her mother and father had to tell her she had to leave, they were extremely upset, angry and disappointed in her. Eventually the head woman discovered her in camp and drove her off, telling her parents that she dishonoured them by even speaking to them. Adalina, sadly left the only home she had known, feeling bitter and betrayed, by herself.
She roamed far and wide, finding work where she could, as a tavern dancer here, an escort for wealthy gentlemen there. There were times when there was no work, where she would steal and swindle for a living or roam alone in the wilds, eating what she could since her grandmother had many moons past taught her herblore and the fruits of the wilderness, since there were long lean times where the caravan had to eat what it could along the way.
She roamed on, running from the law here, running from the wives of wealthy gentlemen there, running from abusers until she no longer knew what she was running from. She roamed to the dalelands in search of a peace she could never find. Sharess seemed to toy with her as a cat to a ball of string at times, but still followed the only truth she knew.
In the dale, she found work for a woman of her skills and an acceptance of the restless adventurous soul that dwelled within her. Many young adventurers courted her affections, all were led a merry dance.
Until one day, feeling extremely curious as is her wont, she snuck into the upper rooms of the temple of Tymora. She snuck into the temple libraries, introducing herself to the clerics there, acting as if she was meant to be there. No intention had she of stealing, she was merely 'curious'.
She searched every upper chamber, greeting who she spoke with heartily and cheekily, noone really knowing what to say. She was about to leave until she noted an inlaid door she hadnt seen on the way in, she tested the handle, a locked inlaid door.
It was here that her curiousity got the better of her. She pulled two of the pins from her hair and began to work on the lock, quietly. Little did she know, Erressea had been preparing for a ritual on the otherside of the door and was in a deep state of contemplation, the door opening silently startled her and she saw an unfamiliar face come through it. Adalina tried to say "I think theres been a misunderstanding" but only got to "I think..." . Summoning the will of Tymora, she called a great column of flame instantly throwing Adalina like a rag doll at the wall, breaking her neck and instantly killing her.
Adalina was on a stark white plain.. of wailing worshippers, wringing hands, offering prayers of supplication, at times there were collected by their dieties chosen, at others, the were left to wait, as she was.. all the while the devils circled, waiting.. to see if their soul would carry the weight of faith. Some were dragged screaming and crying from the plain by barbed or bloated devils.
Adalina began to pray to Sharess, to spare her and to take her into her pleasure domain on the shores of the lake of beauty... No answer. She tried a new prayer of supplication and abandonment of all inhibitions.. No response.. she waited on the plain.. cold and alone.. devils leering at her.
A Hamutula stood above her leering mouth dripping acidic saliva, barbs bristling, as she cringed crying out to Sharess to save her.. then she awoke.. in immense pain.. as if from a dream.. on a soft pallete in a room vaguely remembered.. a room that she had seen ever so briefly.. a split second before she had died. Had she died? What was happening here? she passed out.. into comforting blackness....
She awoke, laying on cold stone. A commanding female voice called out briskly "Get up. Stand before me."
She opened her eyes slowly, every muscle aching to see a woman's face.. a woman that had KILLED HER! She gasped back-pedalling across the floor. Erresea's stern face spoke "Stand child. You have nothing to fear here. I brought you from the fugue. I only hope you are deserving of such a boon from Tymora." She shrugged "time will tell and your soul will show its worth in time".
She picked up a robe and presented her with it. "put this on" It was a robe of mottled Blue and Gold.. she looked around.. a ring of clerics stood about her wearing the same robes..
"You want .. me to worship .." Adalina said weakly in her thick Rashemi accent, puzzled and fearful. Erressea snapped "Tymora does not enforce worship my dear.. but you will serve her for now to repay the debt you have incurred with your foolishness."
Two men in white clothing, which she gradually came to recognise as the livery of the White Stars adventuring company came up behind her and to either side, taking her elbows firmly. The cold steel gauntlets of the one know as Hadrian on her right and the softer hands of Hannen, the pipe-playing sorceror, that she had travelled with on some clear nights.
Erresea spoke.. her voice betraying anger "Charney Ricpeth has spoken on your behalf, as have others. I see you took nothing from our chambers and that does bode well for you. It seems lady luck smiles upon you in more ways than one" She said without mirth.
"You will wear the robe in your hands for three months, while you serve the temple, the dale and any adventurers that we deem require your aid. If you try to leave, you will be exiled. If you commit further crimes, you will be arrested and taken to the dungeons and none shall speak for you again."
"What have you to say for yourself?" snapped Erressea.. clearly annoyed and frustrated also looking a little ashen faced and weary for her labours.
"I.. a.. I'm sorry.. I was just.. curious.. I never had an intention to steal from you.." tears came to Adalina's eyes unbidden. "I will do as you ask. I will do anything.. only thank you for saving me.. I will never repay that."
Erressea shook her head at this point still looking darkly at Adalina. "Three months.. then you shall return here and tell me what you have learnt."
"Yes.. milady."
"Take her Hadrian.. see that she does not get into further trouble.."
Adalina bowed stiffly and Hadrian and the young sorceror of the windwalker steered her out of the temple.
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