Background for Faela of Blackstone Church in Fallen? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Background for Faela of Blackstone Church in Fallen? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kntshade
01-26-08, 04:28 PM Currently in my campaign Faela has become a major NPC and I want to come up with a cool background for her. I figured I would check here and see if anyone had any ideas or has already come up with something. How did she come to be at the Blackstone church? Why does she stay? What are her motivations? What types of hardships has she faced in her life? Where is she from? Etc. etc. etc…. Any and all ideas are appreciated.
Hellcow
01-26-08, 11:03 PM Well, I can add one idea to the mix.

I overwrote my sections for Sharn, and Faela's extended background was something that got cut. Of course, depending what you've done with her, you may not want to use this path. But since this is just possibilities, here's one to consider. DMs only, please.

Faela is not part of the church hierarchy of Sharn; she is a wanderer who has seen a need, and taken up residence in the abandoned church. The Silver Flame is dedicated to fighting the evil impulses of humanity as well as surpernatural evil, and Faela does her best to counter the darkness she sees in Fallen. She provides nonmagical healing, acts as a mediator, and tries to defuse violent situations. While the Fallen don't always listen to Faela, she is the only priest that has not abandoned them, and they generally look out for her. She devotes most of her time to the poorest and most wretched people of Fallen, trying to help these unfortunates rise up from squalor and find a better life. With her guidance, a number of the worst cases have even managed to leave Fallen and start a new life elsewhere in Sharn.
But Faela the caring missionary has a terrible secret. Her innocent façade hides a deeply disturbed mind, twisted by the horrors she witnessed during the Last War. She honestly cares about the people of Fallen and she will do everything in her power to help them. But she also believes that there are lost souls – people for whom there truly is no hope. Worse still, she believes that these lost souls have the power to infect and corrupt others. Killing these unfortunates is not enough – the tainted soul must be completely expunged. Faela has a number of disturbing contacts in the Cogs. When she takes people from Fallen, it is usually to end their lives, not to help them start anew. Faela sells these "lost souls" to various cults and other horrors in the Cogs, turning them over to be sacrificed or devoured by the beasts that lurk below. She uses the gold she receives to support her mission, providing food and other necessities for the other people of Fallen. While it may seem odd that Faela does not have an evil alignment, she truly believes that what she is doing is for the good of everyone involved. The deaths are a necessity and a mercy, and the dark sacrifices are the only way to destroy the tainted spirits – letting the forces of evil feed on their own. A party that discovers will be left with a difficult descision. Despite her horrific actions, Faela brings hope and help to far more people than she kills. If she is stopped, who will look after the rest of the Fallen?
kntshade
01-27-08, 03:43 AM Wow, that's awesome, and just the sort of thing I was looking for, I will definitely use that in my game. It fits in perfectly. It’s a shame it got cut from the books, but it’s great that you are on here to share such little gems with us!

I did a picture of Faela that you can see here: (click on it for a full size image).

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/2573/Faela2.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=Faela2.jpg)

I tried to capture her innocence piety and deep concern for those in her care, and I picture her as being somewhat soft, and non-threatening, though perhaps a bit haunted.

The rest is for DMs eyes only:

Your further description of her just makes me more curious about her past. Where is she from? What was her life like before Fallen? Was she ever happy? Married maybe? What horrible things did she see during the last war that has made her so devoted to fighting the darkness in Fallen and so devoted to helping those who dwell there? I gotta say, she is one of my favorite NPCs in Sharn.
Rauric
01-29-08, 08:56 AM This is interesting since I just used the Blackstone as part of an adventure, Daask had taken it over and turned it into a shrine to the Mockery as well as a Dreamlilly lab. Faela was basically kicked out but she lived. The pcs beat down Daask and burned the place out. The structure still stands though. I figure Faela can get back into the place and start her "dark healing" all over again. ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kntshade 01-26-08, 04:28 PM	Currently in my campaign Faela has become a major NPC and I want to come up with a cool background for her. I figured I would check here and see if anyone had any ideas or has already come up with something. How did she come to be at the Blackstone church? Why does she stay? What are her motivations? What types of hardships has she faced in her life? Where is she from? Etc. etc. etc…. Any and all ideas are appreciated.
Hellcow 01-26-08, 11:03 PM	Well, I can add one idea to the mix. I overwrote my sections for Sharn, and Faela's extended background was something that got cut. Of course, depending what you've done with her, you may not want to use this path. But since this is just possibilities, here's one to consider. DMs only, please. Faela is not part of the church hierarchy of Sharn; she is a wanderer who has seen a need, and taken up residence in the abandoned church. The Silver Flame is dedicated to fighting the evil impulses of humanity as well as surpernatural evil, and Faela does her best to counter the darkness she sees in Fallen. She provides nonmagical healing, acts as a mediator, and tries to defuse violent situations. While the Fallen don't always listen to Faela, she is the only priest that has not abandoned them, and they generally look out for her. She devotes most of her time to the poorest and most wretched people of Fallen, trying to help these unfortunates rise up from squalor and find a better life. With her guidance, a number of the worst cases have even managed to leave Fallen and start a new life elsewhere in Sharn. But Faela the caring missionary has a terrible secret. Her innocent façade hides a deeply disturbed mind, twisted by the horrors she witnessed during the Last War. She honestly cares about the people of Fallen and she will do everything in her power to help them. But she also believes that there are lost souls – people for whom there truly is no hope. Worse still, she believes that these lost souls have the power to infect and corrupt others. Killing these unfortunates is not enough – the tainted soul must be completely expunged. Faela has a number of disturbing contacts in the Cogs. When she takes people from Fallen, it is usually to end their lives, not to help them start anew. Faela sells these "lost souls" to various cults and other horrors in the Cogs, turning them over to be sacrificed or devoured by the beasts that lurk below. She uses the gold she receives to support her mission, providing food and other necessities for the other people of Fallen. While it may seem odd that Faela does not have an evil alignment, she truly believes that what she is doing is for the good of everyone involved. The deaths are a necessity and a mercy, and the dark sacrifices are the only way to destroy the tainted spirits – letting the forces of evil feed on their own. A party that discovers will be left with a difficult descision. Despite her horrific actions, Faela brings hope and help to far more people than she kills. If she is stopped, who will look after the rest of the Fallen?
kntshade 01-27-08, 03:43 AM	Wow, that's awesome, and just the sort of thing I was looking for, I will definitely use that in my game. It fits in perfectly. It’s a shame it got cut from the books, but it’s great that you are on here to share such little gems with us! I did a picture of Faela that you can see here: (click on it for a full size image). http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/2573/Faela2.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=Faela2.jpg) I tried to capture her innocence piety and deep concern for those in her care, and I picture her as being somewhat soft, and non-threatening, though perhaps a bit haunted. The rest is for DMs eyes only: Your further description of her just makes me more curious about her past. Where is she from? What was her life like before Fallen? Was she ever happy? Married maybe? What horrible things did she see during the last war that has made her so devoted to fighting the darkness in Fallen and so devoted to helping those who dwell there? I gotta say, she is one of my favorite NPCs in Sharn.
Rauric 01-29-08, 08:56 AM	This is interesting since I just used the Blackstone as part of an adventure, Daask had taken it over and turned it into a shrine to the Mockery as well as a Dreamlilly lab. Faela was basically kicked out but she lived. The pcs beat down Daask and burned the place out. The structure still stands though. I figure Faela can get back into the place and start her "dark healing" all over again. ;)