Ariel Val'Sarghress
From The Orthorbbae Library
Ariel Val'Sarghress was born one year after the Nidraa'chal War. She is believed by many to be the youngest daughter of Quain'tana Val'Sarghress. Only a few individuals within the clan know the truth. In reality, she was born to Mel'arnach, eldest daughter of Quain'tana, and Zhor, an Aware. Ariel is actually Quain'tana's granddaughter, a fact that has so far been kept from her.
Ariel's Early Childhood
Ariel spent the majority of her childhood in slave-like conditions, imprisoned in a cell with bare furnishings by her designated caretaker and supposed sister, Syphile. For the first decade of her life, she was abused and bullied by Syphile, never treated with kindness or love. Restricted to a few areas within the central tower, she had no companions or friends.
Despite the abuse, Ariel grew into a dreamer. Often, she would escape into books, reading about Quain'tana's exploits and fantasy stories. Reading these stories, she grew up hoping and dreaming of the day she would meet Quain'tana and be freed from Syphile.
As her tenth birthday neared, Ariel sought help from Kelnoz, sneaking out of her allowed zone within the Sarghress Fortress. Syphile had demanded she read a history book from beginning to end and Ariel found the task impossible. Kelnoz read the book to her until she fell asleep, then took her back to her room. Later, as an early birthday gift, he gave her a small gray kitten as a companion. She would name this kitten Fuzzy.
Later, after Ariel took Fuzzy snuck into the kitchen for some snacks. Ariel would meet Mel'arnach when Fuzzy ran away, startled by a noise as they were returning to Ariel's room. After wandering down near Mel'arnach's level, Ariel took Fuzzy and ran back to her room. Unfortunately for Ariel and Fuzzy, their time together was short-lived. Syphile awaited in Ariel's room and scolded her for leaving as Ariel tried to hide Fuzzy behind her back.
The kitten proved too much for Ariel to conceal and Syphile snatched the poor thing from Ariel's arms. Acting out of self-defense and rage when Fuzzy bit her, Syphile threw the kitten against a wall and then to Ariel. Fuzzy's death had a profound impact on Ariel and only further cemented her hate for her caretaker. After Syphile left, Ariel threw a tantrum and destroyed much of her room. Some days later, Syphile came to get her and bring her before Quain'tana. Finally, Ariel hoped she would be free of Syphile.
Ariel had grown up hoping and dreaming of the day she would meet Quain'tana, but the meeting did not go as she had dreamed. Shaken by both Quain'tana's intimidating appearance and harsh demeanor, Ariel found herself facing a mother with impossibly high standards. This was especially clear when Quain'tana asked what she would like to accomplish before death. Ariel had one desire; she wanted to kill Syphile. However, Quain'tana expected her to do so on the spot. Unable to handle the pressure and afraid to be cared for by Syphile any long, she fled the throne room in tears.
However, thanks to Kelnoz's efforts, Ariel was finally free of Syphile's torment. He suggested she be taught within the towers of the Orthorbbae, away from any outside influence of other clans, especially the Vel'Sharen. However this new journey would prove to be just as harrowing. Before she could leave the Sarghress Fortress, Ariel encountered Mel'arnach. Despite Mel'arnach's sincere attempts at kindness, Ariel escaped, terrified by the tales Syphile had fed her throughout her childhood.
For reasons she couldn't understand, she was asked by Kelnoz to pretend to be a boy so she could go to school. The reason being that Quain'tana did not want Snadhya'runes Vel'Sharen to have access to Ariel, nor did she want to risk that Ariel would come under harm as Ariel, being of her bloodline, is intended to become her heir.
Ariel's Education
School would prove to be rather hazardous. While the first day proved to be exciting, the next day Ariel would be found out in the groups' physical education class. During what was suppose to be a friendly sparing session, Ariel's true gender was discovered by Mir'kiin Vel'Vloz'ress through a rather unconventional combat move. As class ended, Ariel found herself confronted by Mir'kiin, Khal'harror Val'Beldrobbaen and Nau'kheol Vel'Sharen. After being abandoned by Yafein Val'Sullisin'rune, a boy she had befriended the day before, Ariel tried to stand up to the three boys.
After Mir'kiin stabbed her, she began to panic and fled as fast as she could on one of the school's hover-platforms. Mir'kiin gave chase and as they reached the shaft of the tower, he stole her keystone, causing her to fall into the depths of the school. By the miracle of the Sharess (and instinctive use of Wind Sorcery), Ariel survived the fall, but was badly wounded both physically and mentally from the incident. She may have died down at the bottom of the tower if she had not been found by Faen Val'Sullisin'rune.
Faen's kindness was something new and foreign to Ariel, but she welcomed the kind girl as a friend. Over the next few weeks, Ariel's physical wounds would heal but the emotional scars refused to close. She became fearful and timid in class, fearful of the boys. Her only comfort came by sneaking down into the Crescent to see Faen. Fortunately for Ariel, her gender remains a secret to Snadhya'runes due to the rule that the male students may not leave the towers for five years.
It was also during this time that Kelnoz offered to help Ariel learn how to shapeshift. On the first day of class, Ariel had a strange reaction to some blood when it stuck to her finger and wouldn't come off without the instructor's help. Kelnoz, knowing Ariel's true heritage, offered to help train Ariel personally to utilize this power for her own use so she could become stronger.
At the end of the fourth year, the towers held a competition. Ariel would meet another Val'Sarghress, Sarnel, who told her that the Clan comes first. Even though he was from another tower, he spared her during the competition. Unfortunately, Snadhya'runes was watching the battle and took notice of Ariel, the "son" of Quain'tana. Khal'ess, a demon under her employment, noted that there were rumors of Ariel being a female hidden within the towers. After the competition, Ariel is notified that she must transfer to the Crescent. At first, Ariel was thrilled as this meant she could be with Faen, but Kelnoz expressed disapproval. Eventually, she chooses not to go to school, wanting to prove her loyalty to the Clan and Kelnoz.
New Allies
Ariel would face a new challenge after choosing not to go back to the school. Quain'tana commanded that she defeat Mir'kiin and bring him to her. Kelnoz recommended she seek out help, new allies to aid her in her goal. With Faen's help, Ariel went out into Chel'el'sussoloth to get help. At first, they purchased a Light Elf slave named Maya. This purchase immediately was realized as a bad move as it seemed all Maya knew was housework. Ariel gave Maya to Yafein, who had tagged along, and continued to look for a suitable slave capable of fighting.
Help would come to them in the form of a strange looking slave, Liriel. Her master attempted to rob and murder Ariel and Faen, but Faen inadvertently rescued everyone when her empathy took over the riding wolf they had borrowed and the wolf killed the man. Liriel proclaimed the bewildered girls her new masters and offered to help for a beer. She led them to the Black Dragon Tavern which held gladiatorial fights.
Here, Ariel purchased Vaelia, an Emberi gladiator. Unfortunately, Vaelia was badly hurt so she wouldn't be able to help Ariel much. After watching Rikshakar, a half-dragon/half-drow win his fight, Ariel decided to ask for his help. After being denied access to him by herself, Ariel disguised herself as a gladiator and entered a fight alongside Vaelia to gain access to the gladiator's quarters.
Once she gained access to the lower levels, she met Rikshakar and asked for his help. After being rejected, Ariel attempted to gain his trust by taking the form of a half-dragon herself. Confused by his request for a kiss in exchange for helping her, Ariel reluctantly said okay since she felt she needed his help. However, he attempted to get more than a kiss from her and may have succeeded had Vaelia not started causing a scene. So instead of a kiss, Rikshakar made Ariel prove she had dragon blood like him, kicking her down into the dragon pit where a winged dragon rested. Again, wind sorcery saved Ariel and it gained Rikshakar's word that he would help her.
Leaving Faen, Ariel returned to the Sarghress fortress with Vaelia and Liriel, although the latter slipped out of her sight upon arrival. Making her way back to her room, Ariel was confronted by Jer'kol, a soldier who had loaned her the riding wolf. He claimed to be her father and tried to gain her trust. She quickly realized he was trying to suffocate her and began to struggle. Again, Vaelia saved her life by attacking Jer'kol. The commotion drew another soldier to the area, Kor'maril.
As Kor'maril questioned Jer'kol, Ariel found herself a hostage. Thinking quickly, she used her shapeshifting powers to grow claws and struck Jer'kol in his eye. She freed Vaelia after this, thanking her for saving her life.
The next day, Ariel went with Rikshakar and Vaelia to face Mir'kiin. After Rikshakar made quick work of Mir'kiin's body guard, he told Ariel to deal with Mir'kiin herself. She attempted to use a mana attack but it fizzled out. As Mir'kiin charged her, Ariel used wind sorcery and knocked him off his feet, possibly inspired by Vaelia's encouraging words. Getting him in a headlock, Ariel realized she was stronger than Mir'kiin.
Becoming the heir
Bringing him back to the Sarghress Fortress, Ariel expected to be praised by Quain'tana, but instead was told to kill him. At first she refused, having never killed before in her life. When faced with the alternative of killing Sarnel, a fellow Sarghress, Ariel knew that the Clan comes first and chose to kill Mir'kiin. Her first kill was neither quick nor pretty. It took many blows from the mace that Quain'tana gave her to end Mir'kiin's life.
Ariel, though shocked from what she had done, quickly recovered when Quain'tana declared her the heir to the Sarghress Clan. She also was allowed to have Vaelia remain as a personal guard as a way of thanking her for staying by her side. Everything happened so fast for Ariel, she was given new guards from the Fallen Legion, lands that use to belong to Syphile and she had finally won the approval of Quain'tana. She quickly sought to find Faen at the Orthobbae to tell her the wonderful news. However, this brief moment of happiness was quickly snuffed.
Arriving at the school, Ariel and her guards find the courtyard full of students. Ariel overhears the students talking about someone killing a teacher. She learns from Chrystel Vel'Sharen that Faen went looking for her at the towers. She runs to the tower to encounter Tralyn, one of her teachers. It seems he sent Faen away to the surface, but Faen had time to write Ariel a letter apologizing for not being there and going away forever.
Later, Ariel moped in her room. Liriel attempted to cheer her up in her own special way, but Ariel was inconsolable. Yafein came and demanded she apologize for earlier remarks that he was useless. Ariel refused to apologize and called him a coward when he trapped her feet with earth sorcery. She used her shapeshifting powers to free her feet and grow claws on her toes and fingers. Yafein, starteled called her a monster. Haunted by years of being called the same by Syphile, Ariel flew into a rage and attacked him with a mana blast. However, Maya moved between them as Yafein fled. Again, Ariel had killed. Shocked that she could kill so easlily, Ariel left her room to wander. She eventually found her way to Vaelia and collapsed into her lap.
Awaking, she did not want to return to her room quite yet and decided to go to the Black Dragon Tavern, having been invited earlier. She enjoyed herself for a while though Myo'na expressed some concern that they should leave. As Ariel was about to leave, Rikshakar ran to her, asking for her to return the favor and save him after he failed to take a fall in the last fight.
Ariel commanded her guards to help Rikshakar, a move she quickly regretted. Thakfully, Ariel was being followed by her elder sister, Laele'ell. Ariel didn't know what had happened, but Laelle was a mindless killing machine, only heeding the orders of her Clan. Ariel had been told that Laele had once been the pride and joy of Quain'tana and Ariel was afraid she might end up like Laele'aell as she followed her sisters bloodbath through the tavern.
A month later, she had hardly slept or ate, becoming despondent and weak. However, with some encouraging words from Vaelia awoke a desire to find Faen. She devised a plan to seek out Chrys'tel and interrogate her about what had really happened to Faen. With the Fallen Legion's help, she located her and made her way down to the street. Disguising herself as Faen, Ariel lured Chrys'tel into an alley and confronted her after a brief distraction from Chrys'tel's friends and the warden Chirinide Val'Kyorl'solenurn. Learning the truth, Ariel took Chrys'tel captive and brought her back to Quain'tana to be judged.
Later, she went to Kelnoz and Tralyn, demanding to know her whereabouts. She also displayed the first real act of anger against Kelnoz, accusing him of treating her like an adult only when it suited the Clan's need and demanded to know why she should serve the clan at all. After Kelnoz agreed to allow her audiance with Quain'tana to ask for permission to go to the surface, Ariel went to rest.
Awaking from horrible nightmares, Ariel went for a walk, running into Syphile in the hall. After standing up to Syphile, Ariel was attacked by Syphile's blood-drinking whip. Attempting to use her shapeshifting powers, Ariel absorbed the whip and attacked Syphile. She was rescued by a strange shadowy being and whisked away. She awoke within the chambers of Mel'arnach.
Mel'arnach proved to a kind and caring indivudual, nothing like what Ariel had assumed. Mel'arnach gave Ariel a biogolem as a gift and told her a story to help gain Quain'tana's permission to go to the surface. This story would help, and Ariel soon prepared for the surface. During her shopping trip for supplies, Ariel would purchase a new companion, a feral she would name Melodia. She would also acquire several unwanted travel companions; Liriel, Chirinide and Shan'naal Val'Kyorl'solenurn, Kyo'nne Val'Illhar'dro, Kiel'ndia Vel'Vloz'ress and Naal'suul Val'Beldrobbaen.
Arriving at Machike'Shikumo and a Sarghress outpost, Ariel's journey has just begin and a new world awaits her on the surface.
First appearance: 1
Appears in chapter(s): 1-13