Janella Silentread

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Janella was born in the drow city of Maerimydra, and she is the result of surface elves that were taken as slaves during drow surface raids. While most noble families among the drow use surface elves as a sacrifice to Lolth, one noble family kept some of theirs for 'fun.' The matron mother and high priestesses of this particular family secretly kept the surface elves as slaves for many long years.

Janella is the product of that slavery. Male drow were allowed to have their way with the female slaves, since it made the males themselves easier to control. The male drow could take out some of their frustrations on the "faerie" females, as well as experience the unheard act of dominating a female. Fewer of their males were lost to rogue bands, and it helped keep the slaves in line. It had the additional benefit of creating yet more slaves.

Half-breed slaves were trained in combat and a variety of other skills to be put to use, particularly to absorb the brunt of attacks from other houses while they were under magical enchantments that made them look like full-blooded dark elves. The half-breed slaves were also put to use as cannon fodder whenever House Orlyl was carrying out it's own aggression's.

Janella grew up without affection or compassion. She grew up without concepts that many people on the surface take for granted. Her life consisted of cruel conditions and harsh treatment that molded her into a hardened killer and thief. Having experienced trauma and abuse for decades, it has left her with mental illnesses. As a mixed breed, she only ventured away from the House whenever she was under a disguise as a full-blooded drow. And she was only allowed to venture away to perform dirty work for her Matron.

She and her siblings shared a certain bond, but it was tenuous. She had been named 'Zardia' by her masters, and had few recollections of her mother. Their drow masters and mistresses did not want the siblings to form solidarity, to remember anything good in their lives. The siblings were frequently pit against one another, mental abuse twisted their memories and thinking.

Eventually, Zardia was offered the powers that a noble drow possesses. It was a ceremony that was hand crafted by Zardia's Matron, Elva, the vicious Matron of House Orlyl. Zardia was not told what would happen during the ceremony. She was summoned by the Matron, told she would be given this gift, but that she would have to prove herself when she was summoned.

The next night, when she was summoned, her sister Ashera had been sent for as well. Zardia and Ashera both entered the inner chambers of the compound where their House resided. Only Zardia returned. Zardia was altered with magic that day, and it had it's benefits and it's downsides for her. Ashera was never seen again.

House Orlyl was at the pinnacle of it's power whenever they fell. They had struck down all their enemies without fail so far, it was getting more and more risky for anyone to challenge them. A House that had been spotted keeping tabs on the activities of the House of Orlyl was rumored to be plotting an attack. Matron Elva decided to make the first move and sent many of her slaves, Zardia included, to lead the attack, with the priestesses behind them and the soldiers flanking them for support. Having found what they thought what looked like a weakness in the defenses of their rival's compound, they initiated an attack that ultimately failed. What they thought had been a weakness had been a trap.

The spell cast on Zardia to create the illusion of full-blooded dark elves fell as the priestesses died, and her new captors were intrigued with both Zardia's skill and the aesthetic look created by her mixed heritage. She was sold to the Coliseum and forced to fight in the arena. Between fights, she flirted with one of the guards and lured him into her cell. He was found hours later, dead and stripped of his weapons. The half-breed stowed away in cargo being carried to the surface in a caravan, even though it was very uncomfortable and made for some occasional starvation and dehydration. She fled from the caravan after stealing some more supplies, living in the Underdark wilderness for a few years before she traveled up to the surface.

For the first several years Zardia wandered around the wilderness, the extended periods of isolation did not help her already afflicted mental state. She often stooped to sharing the company of orcs or goblins. Human settlements were much more to her liking, especially since she knew that no surface elf would ever accept her. Often mistaken as a full-blooded drow, she rarely bothers with correcting people when they refer to her as a dark elf anymore. The bands of orcs and goblins she traveled or stayed with helped with teaching her broken Common, or some of the smarter members anyway. From there, she used her skills both magical and learned to infiltrate the criminal organizations of human society. She left her old name behind, picking up a new one along the way. It took years for her to make a name for herself among the less reputable social structures of the surface. It also took time to build upon the basic spells that enhanced her abilities as a rogue. Janella has been doing all that she can to please her deity and to advance her own goals since becoming embedded in the underground network of spies, thieves and assassins that consist of thieves guilds.

The first criminal organization she was recruited into was the Red Hand, led by a full-blooded drow by the name of Drovic Claddsek. She worked with humans, other drow and gray dwarves in this group. The group was based in Skullport, and it was much like an anchor for Janella. She solidified her knowledge of Common, learned more about societies on the surface and was able to branch out from there.

Her upbringing, experiences and profession do not allow for love, mercy or compassion. Janella has twisted principles that guide her perspective and actions. She is ruthless, calculating and has very little empathy. Though she is far less prejudiced than the typical dark elf, she still has her biases. Decades away from her trauma have helped her learn to deal with any mental issues, but her abnormalities still lurk beneath the surface.