Matalynd

Matalynd grew up in a small cabin south of Leth Deriel, the remnants of which can still be spotted, just beyond the old well alongside the Southern Trade Route.
Her early years were quiet - too quiet, for Matalynd's taste. The tiny settlement was populated mostly with Elotheans and Elves, who worked the nearby fields and forests, or traveled to Leth for employment. Though she adored her Cleric father, and lovely, mysterious Moon Mage mother, she longed for adventure. She would often dash through her after school chores and slip off to ride the ferry to Crossing, where she delighted in the busy streets, bustling shops, and proud guild halls.

One after another, she explored the guilds, imagining her future. Her oldest brother had already joined the Ranger guild, while the second in line, her fun-loving and talented favorite brother Amoselzele, was clearly destined to become a Bard. She knew her father hoped Matalynd would follow in his footsteps and join the Cleric guild, but from the start, she felt drawn to the Paladins. Awestruck and inspired by their creed and tales of adventure, she was heartbroken when her parents denied her request to begin training as a Paladin. They finally forbid her to even visit the guild, as they tired of her constant talk of their exploits, and her teasing to join them.

Dutifully, Matalynd went back to her studies and chores. The Gorbesh Wars soon erupted, though, and her Ranger brother dashed off to join in the defense of Elanthia. His letters home telling of the desperate need for more troops drew Amoselzele and their father into the battle, leaving Matalynd, her mother, and baby sister in their quiet forest home.

Sometimes at night, Matalynd could hear the sounds of war in the distance, and by day she took to skipping school and traveling north, where she hid and watched the scenes of battle from a distance, feeling stronger than ever her call to become a Paladin.

She drew very close to the action one day, and her hiding place was discovered by a young and overworked Empath, who pressed Matalynd into service tending to the many wounded. She worked tirelessly, as the first day drifted into the next, and finally nearly a month had passed. Knowing her family would be frantic at her disappearance, she trekked south, only to find her home in ruins. A neighbor, who now lived in a crude shelter in the nearby woods, told Matalynd that her mother had received news that Amoselzele had disappeared in battle. Baby on her hip, Matalynd's mother dashed to the front in search of her family, just hours before a band of roving Gorbesh torched the tiny, peaceful settlement that had been their home.

Filled with determination, Matalynd returned to war-torn Crossing, and applied to join the Paladin guild. Though many tried to discourage her, feeling such a strenous life was ill-suited for an Elothean girl, she was accepted. She found good friends within the guild who taught and encouraged her, and she worked hard at developing her skills. The Gorbesh wars were long done by the time she was strong enough to take to the field of battle, but she continues to work on her skills to this day. She also continues to wander the lands, looking for her family, and helping the young folks she encounters along the way.

Last Revised: 06/19/03