## Overview **Name:** Thia Moonglade **Race:** Wood Elf (Ketaca Clan) **Status:** Deceased (Killed by [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]]'s Meteor Swarm) **Origin:** Ketaca Forest, [[Karudasos]] **Affiliation:** Ketaca Elven Clans **Role:** Warband Leader, Volunteer Warrior --- ## Background ### The Ketaca Elves Thia Moonglade was born and raised among the **Ketaca elves**, a fierce and reclusive people who inhabit the vast, ancient Ketaca Forest along [[The Road of Burning]] Horizons. These elves are described as "more savage than civilized" by outsiders—a reputation they've earned through centuries of defending their forest homeland from threats on all sides. **The Forest:** - A primal domain where fey, elves, and stranger things move unseen - Shadowed and enchanted, filled with ancient power - Bordered by the hellish Pits to the south and [[The Road of Burning]] Horizons - Sacred sites like the Singing Stones mark their territory **The People:** - Fierce, reclusive, and fiercely independent - Brook no trespass into their lands - Will shadow intruders and strike with poisoned arrows - More connected to primal nature than "civilized" elven kingdoms - Isolated from the "civilized" elves elsewhere in [[Karudasos|the Darklands]] continent - Know little of the outside world beyond their forest - Keep away from other elven settlements in the region **Ketaca Culture:** - Warriors trained from youth in forest combat - Deep respect for sacred markers and fey magic - Suspicious of outsiders, especially orcs (traditional enemies) - Strong sense of duty to protect the forest and its people ### Thia's Role Among the Ketaca elves, Thia Moonglade was known as a capable warrior and natural leader. When her captain—a senior warrior whose daughter had been taken by shadow abductions—led a warband to the Singing Stones to fight devils, Thia was among those who answered his call. --- ## Personality Based on her actions, Thia demonstrated: **Courage:** - Volunteered to venture into the Pits of the Hells - Fought against overwhelming devil forces - Faced a red dragon and survived - Willing to leave the safety of the forest for strangers **Loyalty:** - Followed her captain into dangerous territory - Stood with him when other Ketaca villages sent no aid - Remained committed even when the mission grew more perilous **Open-Mindedness (Rare for Ketaca Elves):** - Willing to work with orcs despite centuries of enmity - Saw past racial hatred when a greater threat emerged - Trusted the Crimson Blade party enough to journey with them **Tactical Mind:** - Part of coordinating forces against devils - Understood battlefield positioning - Contributed to the strategy against [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]] **Sacrifice:** - Knew the dangers of entering the Pits - Went anyway because finding the abducted mattered - Gave her life trying to stop a world-threatening plot --- ## Appearance While specific details are not recorded, as a Ketaca elf warrior, Thia likely: **Physical Traits:** - Wood elf features with darker skin adapted to forest life - Athletic build from years of forest hunting and combat - Scars from previous battles (Ketaca elves fight constantly) - Weathered appearance from harsh forest living **Equipment:** - Bow (traditional Ketaca weapon) - Arrows, possibly with poison - Light armor allowing forest mobility - Elven-made weapons of high quality - Forest camouflage clothing in earth tones **Bearing:** - Alert and watchful (forest survival instinct) - Confident but cautious - Natural grace of a wood elf ranger - Eyes that constantly scan surroundings --- ## Journey with the Crimson Blade ### The Battle at the Singing Stones Thia fought alongside her warband when devils attacked the sacred Singing Stones. The Crimson Blade party arrived during this desperate battle: **The Fight:** - Devils led by horned devil field commander - Elven warband on the edge of collapse - Orcs and elves fighting side-by-side (unprecedented) - A summoned red dragon arrived mid-battle - Together they brought down both devils and dragon **After Victory:** - The elven captain explained the shadow abductions - His own daughter taken by mysterious portals - Other Ketaca villages had gone silent (ominous) - Devil activity increasing from the Pits ### The Fateful Decision When the Crimson Blade decided to venture south into the Pits of the Hells to search for their missing companions ([[Grom]] and Little Wolf), the captain asked if any elves would accompany them. **Four volunteered: Thia Moonglade, [[Tessara]], [[Elenwe]], and [[Aenwyn]]** This was extraordinary because: - Ketaca elves rarely leave their forest - The Pits are one of the most dangerous regions in Solare - They would be traveling with orcs (traditional enemies) - No guarantee of finding the missing or surviving **Why Thia Volunteered:** Likely motivated by: - Loyalty to her captain's mission (his daughter was taken) - Understanding that the devil threat affected everyone - Recognizing that the shadow abductions needed investigation - Respect earned by the Crimson Blade in battle - Belief that the greater threat required unity over ancient hatreds ### Journey Through the Pits Thia traveled with the expanded party: - Left the 800-mile Road of Burning Horizons - Headed directly south into volcanic wasteland - Fought massive purple worms - Continued deeper into cursed lands - Following the path toward devil activity sources During this time, she would have: - Provided elven perspective and skills - Worked alongside ranger Narzag - Built camaraderie with the orc warriors - Proven that elves and orcs could cooperate --- ## The Final Battle ### Discovery of [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]]'s Ritual Narzag scouted ahead and discovered: - A female wizard ([[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]]) performing dark ritual - Sickly green-yellow lantern corrupting ley lines - Devils circling overhead - A massive pit fiend giving instructions **The Debate:** - [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] was reluctant to engage such overwhelming forces - [[Bordak]] and [[Cub]] argued they couldn't ignore this threat - [[Cub]] explained: "The ley lines are like the veins of the world—if they die, everything perishes" - Thia and her fellow elves prepared to fight despite the danger ### The Assault on the Corruption Node **Thia's Role:** - Positioned along cliff edge with [[Tessara]], [[Elenwe]], and [[Aenwyn]] - Provided archery support from elevated position - Targeted devils and the corrupting lantern - Though many arrows went wide, continued fighting **The Battle:** - [[Tarnik]] charged on Shiv, wreathed in flames - [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] struck the lantern - Narzag's arrows found targets - [[Bordak]] and others engaged devils directly - **[[Bordak]] destroyed the lantern** - stopping corruption at this node **[[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]]'s Fury:** Enraged at months of work being destroyed, the wizard unleashed devastating magic: > **Meteor Swarm** - Massive explosions of fire and crushing stone ### Death **How Thia Died:** - Meteors rained down on the battlefield - Massive explosions of fire devastated the area - **Thia Moonglade was consumed by flames and falling debris** - Killed instantly alongside [[Tessara]] and [[Elenwe]] - No chance to escape or defend **Also Killed:** - Her companions [[Tessara]], [[Elenwe]], and [[Aenwyn]] - Narzag's bear Midnight - The dire wolves Lobos and Bolto - [[Tarnik]] was struck down but stabilized **Survivors:** - Only [[Bordak]], [[Cub]], [[Volza Redhand|Volza]], and (barely) [[Tarnik]] remained standing - Fire resistance potions saved [[Bordak]] and [[Cub]] from death --- ## Aftermath ### Zotia's Blessing After the battle, [[Cub]] remained behind to pray for the fallen. **[[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|Aria]]**, [[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|goddess of death]], manifested: **Divine Presence:** - Young woman with brilliant red hair - Knelt beside the bodies of the awakened animals - Spoke words of comfort **For the Elves:** [[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|Aria]] walked to the cliff where the elves lay and **called each by name:** > "[[Aenwyn]]... [[Tessara]]... Thia... [[Elenwe]]... You have earned your rest." **Their Souls:** - Glowing orbs of light rose from the bodies - Followed [[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|Aria]] as she ascended into the sky - **Souls guided to eternal peace** - Physical forms remained as testimony to their sacrifice ### Legacy **What Thia's Death Meant:** **For the Crimson Blade:** - Heavy guilt over leading allies to their deaths - [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] blamed [[Bordak]] for the losses - Question of whether stopping the node was worth the cost - Deep respect for the elves who gave everything **For the Mission:** - One corruption node stopped - Learned the ley line threat is massive (dozens more nodes) - Made a powerful enemy in [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]] - Still no word on [[Grom]] and Little Wolf's location **For Elf-Orc Relations:** - Proof that unity is possible against greater threats - Four elves gave their lives fighting alongside orcs - A rare moment of cooperation in centuries of conflict - Their sacrifice might inspire future alliances **For the Ketaca Clans:** - Lost four warriors in foreign lands - Captain lost volunteers he led into danger - Villages still silent, daughter still missing - The threat from the Pits validated but at terrible cost --- ## Character Summary Thia Moonglade represents a rare bridge between two hostile peoples. A Ketaca elf—raised to be fierce, reclusive, and suspicious—who chose to see past ancient hatreds when confronted with a greater threat. **Her Virtues:** - **Courage** - Volunteered for near-certain death - **Wisdom** - Recognized that unity mattered more than prejudice - **Loyalty** - Followed her captain's mission to the end - **Sacrifice** - Gave her life to stop world-threatening evil **Her Tragedy:** She never found the captain's daughter or the other abductees. She died fighting a threat most of the world didn't even know existed. Her body lies in the volcanic wasteland of the Pits, far from the forest she loved. But her soul found peace through [[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|Aria]]'s blessing, and her sacrifice helped stop one node of [[Anam]]'s world-ending corruption. In a world where elves and orcs are enemies, she proved that honor transcends race when the stakes are high enough. --- ## Significance ### Proof of Possibility In a campaign defined by racial tensions—orcs who hate elves, [[Tarnik]]'s vengeance-driven prejudice, the isolation of Ketaca clans—Thia Moonglade and her companions provided crucial proof: **Cooperation is possible.** They fought alongside orcs not because they had forgotten centuries of conflict, but because they chose the survival of the world over personal hatred. They didn't do it for glory or recognition—they did it because it was necessary. ### The Cost of Heroism Thia's death, alongside her companions, illustrates a harsh truth: **heroism often ends in tragedy.** They did everything right: - Identified the threat - Acted decisively - Fought bravely - Trusted their allies And they still died. Not because they failed, but because sometimes the cost of victory is measured in lives. The corruption node was stopped, but four brave warriors paid with their existence. ### A Debt Unpaid The Crimson Blade owes a debt to Thia Moonglade and her fallen companions. They gave their lives to help find missing friends and stop a threat that would have killed millions. That debt can only be repaid by: - Completing the mission - Stopping [[Anam]]'s ley line corruption - Finding those taken by the shadows - Ensuring their sacrifice wasn't in vain - Building bridges between their peoples --- ## Final Thoughts Thia Moonglade was not a legendary hero. She was not the most powerful warrior. She did not have a dramatic arc or personal quest. She was simply a good person who made a brave choice when it mattered most. In a world of gods and ancient evils, of cosmic plots and world-ending magic, sometimes the most important heroes are the ones who show up, do their duty, and don't expect to survive. **Thia Moonglade showed up.** And that made all the difference. --- _In memory of Thia Moonglade and her companions: [[Tessara]], [[Elenwe]], and [[Aenwyn]]. May their souls find eternal peace in [[Aria, Goddess of Birth and Death|Aria]]'s embrace, and may their sacrifice never be forgotten._