"I really have no recollection of my childhood. All of what I am about to tell you I learned from my older sister, Kyeve." Callyste's face becomes troubled and taking a deep breath she continues. "My mother was destitute after my father, a paladin, was killed in an invasion of death spirits. She was going to search for work in the town called Crossing and with no one to watch Kyeve and I, she was forced to take us along. Kyeve says she remembers the journey seemed to take several days, and we rode on boats twice, so we believe we came from somewhere in the northern lands of Therengia."

"Crossing back then was smaller, though no less wrought with danger, as we were soon to learn." Taking a moment Callyste pauses to pour tea, and offers you a delicate cup filled with Riverhaven special tea. Inhaling the cinnamon aroma of her own cup she goes on.

"Just outside of Crossing we were attacked by a band of thugs, near a rocky trail. Kyeve says she remembers watching me fall as mother tried to save us. She says the last time she saw her, she was being taken dragged away down that trail. At the time, Kyeve was 11 and I was 10 years old. I had been struck a blow that luckily had been staved by my brave mother, but the force of the blow threw me into a rock." Cally smiles at you, sensing your discomfort and reminds you, "I have no recollection of this."

"Kyeve, being a a quick thinker, yelled for help, but when none came, headed down the Northern Trade Road, dragging me behind." At the gate someone told her where to seek help for me, for I was grievously wounded from banging my head upon the rocks. At the empath guild someone healed me, but the memory of that terrible day was lost forever to me. This, I now know, happens often. We looked for mother for days afterwards, but she was never found.

Curling her legs underneath her, Cally sets her cup down. "With nowhere to turn Kyeve went to the paladin guild. There she convinced Beren, who was guild leader at the time, to let her join. Her hunting managed to help feed us, though I suspect that the grocer took pity on the two waifs he often found at his back door each morning." Smiling briefly at you Cally goes on. "Kyeve took care of me and hunted until I was old enough to join a guild. Kyeve talked me into joining the Barbarian guild." Chuckling Cally exclaims "What I mistake!"

"I never really understood the concept of killing things. I still do not. So suffice it to say I was a horrible barbarian. Everytime I killed something it made me ill. In one day I was terribly wounded, because I could not bring myself to swing that sword! It proved to be a wonderful day. I trudged off to be healed, with Kyeve's taunts in my ears. Once there I was enraptured. The empath that healed me probably got tired of my silly questions, but once my wounds were healed, I was ready to give up a warrior's life forever."

"I loved being an empath and I worked very hard to learn quickly, often spending time in the paladin guild healing my sister's friends. One day I was sitting in my guild though when I heard an empath talking about how much Haven needed empaths. I went home that night and found Kyeve and convinced her we should go.

We went that night and it was a move I have never regretted. In Haven I found many friends and soon a wonderful family. The priest Mechantdieu took me in as his daughter and I found another sister in the wonderful empath Soleille. Soon half the realms was my brother or sister or aunt or uncle!

We all had many wonderful adventures and times together. Soleille and I would heal our wild brothers and sisters and uncles, often aided by your younger adopted sister Damaria or the volatile Aaalyara. Often Mech, and or uncles Slaughterangele and Devoursoul would drag one of us to a raise. Soleille and I would sit and heal Ralpho and Steeler while chatting on idyllic warm days in the temple of Haven.

Soon I met Macdowald while in Shard and knew he was the one I was destined to marry. Mac and I have been married since and have a daughter, also an empath, named Hodryn. Now I am alone, Mac having left to study languages in a far away land. You might see me about, but often I pass my time designing wedding clothes, and remembering those golden days and my cherished time with Mac and awaiting his return to Aesry and me.