Character Stories - Mike LaVella
Imari
Imari is a priest of Partik, the raven god of the Shardik panthenon. She has lived among the tribes of Carnak through her childhood and was chosen to be a follower of Partik at a young age. After becoming a full fledged priest of the god of the winds and the underworld, she decided to join one of the mercenary companies that her people sometimes join. She knows her god's wings will let her travel safely from her home and return her back again.
Imari first found the Dragonslayer company on her journey away from her homeland. She joined and was put into a unit with other new recruits. The group was mainly of other women, a wizard, ranger, fighter, and another priestess. She stayed in the background observing everyone else believing in the old saying that is is better to be silent and let people think you are stupid than to speak and prove them right. After a short training period the company was hired to fight in a war between noblemen, but during the battle a large red dragon flew into view and set fire to the battlefield. The group hid in the cellar of a nearby inn until the dragon was gone. In the cellar they found zombies, gnawed on remains of what looked like a human child, and permanent magic effects. These, coupled with the dragon attack raised many questions in Imari's mind, but she filed them away for later. For now the Corporal had found another survivor, a young, male half-elf thief. The corporal thought it best to find a safe haven for the moment and try and regroup with whoever was left of the company at a later time.
After a short journey to a nearby manor house run by an aging ranger, the group made a quick contract for a week of work in exchange for shelter and supplies. Not the most profitable of arrangements, but one that had to be made lest the badly wounded corporal die in the wilds. During the service to the ranger Mosskin the group was bade to patrol some nearby woods and aid a Treant who Shepherded over the forest. The Great Spirit of the forest asked the group to clear a group of goblins who recently began digging in a home in the middle of the deep woods. This contract led to the rescue of a halfling named Indigo who joined the company and became a good friend of Imari.
After a few adventures centering on the Drillian area Imari felt the tug of Partik's wings and left to rejoin her clan. At home she trained with other priests of Partik and grew in her skills. She also went to the Karnak Mountains and searched for a hippogryph to tame and ride. She befriended one, and brought it home to train. Now, Imari and Artiark are close companions and she brings him with her wherever she goes.
After a time Imari felt the urge to rejoin her friends in the Dragonslayers Company and decided to travel back to Drillian to see if she could find them. As she was preparing to leave one of the clan's priests told her that she needed to find a ranger who hunted werewolves. He did not tell her more than that, but she knew there was a reason the gods wanted this. She flew Artiark back there and found them still there and greatly involved in the area's politics. She also found Shurakai, a ranger who fit the gods' description.
On her next adventure with Indigo she met a wereraven. He offered to give her the gift of shapeshifting, and always eager to be closer to her god, she accepted his offer and was turned. After this she returned to her clan to learn to master her new abilities. When she returned home with her new ability to become a raven her clan began referring to her as "The Raven." While she has not adopted the name for herself yet, she does not object to it. Once she mastered her shapeshifting and learned new spells she returned to Branwyn. As she was leaving the chief told her that she was becoming too important and powerful to let leave unattended. The gods had picked her for a mission they did not know of yet, and she was clearly favored by Partik, so she had to take a bodyguard with her. After arguing that she did not need one, the chief ordered Galduk, a young ravager to escort and protect her. Knowing that the ravager would not listen to her once his chief gave him an order she had no choice but to accept his company, though she does not like it.
Upon her return Branwyn was ordered away as an ambassador and Imari chose to accompany her.
After spending some time in the city and not fitting in, Imari decided she would return home. Her bodyguard had been killed on a fool's errand by one of the other party members and she was not aiding Branwyn in her diplomatic mission. Imari felt that Partik didn't want her to remain stationary in a city with no duties to perform. She bid her friends Branwyn and Indigo good-bye and returned to Carnak to her clan to continue her growing duties as Partik's messenger.
