The "A-Team"

The following aren't full biographies, just short summaries with faces to go with the names, for anyone who is confused about who is who in that assembly of A-named people is who. The "A-Team" is actually four groups of characters, be they related by family, clan, or just a loose association. So, onto the first group...

The Children of Sharlo.
Making their home from Synge Manor in Tradeholm, the Children of Sharlo are the remnants of an old adventuring clan, and the new generation borne from the old. The Children of Sharlo began as a group of travelling troupe of entertainers and adventurers, many of them wolfbloods or full blooded werewolves. Many decades ago, the Children of Sharlo were all but decimated, with only two known members of the original group surviving. The Children of Sharlo of today are those two survivors, and their descendants; although not as numerous as days past, the Children of Sharlo continue the love of adventure and camaraderie of their predecessors.


Alastair Synge grew up as a slave in the aftermath of the second orc war. He escaped that life, and came to Tradeholm. In that small trading post, Alastair met his future wife, Victoria, and her 'family', the Children of Sharlo. As time went on, young Alastair became a trusted member of the Children, even became their leader. A ill-fated adventure in Orcish territory saw the near decimation of the Children of Sharlo, including his wife and young daughter. For decades after, Alastair roamed the lands in a drunken stupor, until he found himself in Valorian's Vale, and rediscovered the joy of living again.

Although crafty and cunning, and still in good physical shape, the Mad Minstrel of Tarnesha prefers to spend his golden years in casual pursuits of a scholar, trader and collector of antiquities, with his most prized possessions being his Cape of the Mad Minstrel, his trusted staff, the Walking stick of the Wanderer, and an enchanted dracolich skull, a link to a boney beast Alastair calls Juniper. He can often be seen walking the roads of Aenea, or riding his favorite horse, Persnickety.

Alastair's story

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The only other surviving member of the old Children of Sharlo, Alex Lunari is nearly as old as Alastair himself. Alex never knew his birth parents, having run wild in the woods until he was found by Alastair and Victoria one summer evening. The Children of Sharlo quickly adopted the rambunctious young wolf-boy. Oddly enough, young Alex was taken in most affectionately by the den-mother of the clan, an ancient and stern willed elven monk named Miranda Lunari, who often had little patience for children or their antics. Although Alex would never shed his hyper and rowdy nature, Miranda did manage to instill into him some measure of discipline, and taught him to speak some common and elvish somewhat successfully. After the disaster in the Orc territories, Alex roamed the wilds again, until finally returning to Synge Manor, the only place he ever really called home.

Although not the sharpest of wits, Alex is far from a fool; no being could be such having lived most of their lives alone in the beast-infested wilds of Aenea. And although he is quite old, Alex still acts much like a young pup, rowdy, always looking to wrestle or play, and his attitude is perpetually cheery. In a fight however, opponents discover his abilities are far from young and inexperienced; with training as a monk, and his shapeshifting abilities, Alex can find a way through any situation, although he would be at a complete loss to explain how. Alex is one to feel, not think.

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While the daughter of Aesclinn, and possessing much of her mother's 'charm' and intellect, Arizona is very much her father's daughter; wild and carefree. As a child, Arizona attached herself more to her father, living with him at Synge Manor, or roaming the wilds with him. In the wilds, she learned bowmanship from her mother, and a love for the woods and glades, and while at Synge Manor, Arizona found herself loved and mothered by her aunt Aerith, where she learned the ways of civilization and learned the way of warriors from her adoptive cousin Audrey... and all the while, following her father around, learning the simple importance of enjoying life as it came at her.

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The granddaughter of Alastair's mentor, Tobias Gainsborough, Aerith was only a young baby when the Children of Sharlo embarked on that last, ill-fated adventure. Being too young to go on the adventure, Aerith and her parents stayed behind at Synge Manor at Alastair's behest. Aerith's parents would soon pass on, leaving Aerith the young mistress of Synge Manor while Alastair roamed away in despair. During her young years, Aerith learned the ways of the priesthood of Asis. She tended to the people of the town as a healer, and taught the children while the parents tended to their work during the day.

As she grew into womanhood, Aerith became a priestess of Asis, and would sometimes travel to other towns and cities to heal those in need. It was on one of these journeys that Aerith came to adopt Audrey, a young girl orphaned in Macedone. And as Alex returned to Synge manor with a young Arizona, Aerith came to love that child as one of her own as well. It was only after the return of Alastair to the manor, and when Audrey came to adulthood did Mother Aerith of Asis begin to adventure the lands in earnest with her family, keeping them mended and healthy through all the trouble they seemed to dig up for themselves.

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Audrey was born to a paladin of Macedone, Khristoph Devaraux. As a paladin, her father regularly hunted down evil, and made himself quite an enemy of the Drow. Audrey's father kept his family out of harm's way as best he could, but one night, that protection failed when a drow assassin snuck into the family home and raped Audrey's mother. From this violent union came Audrey's half sister, Alice. Despite her origins, Audrey's parents showed nothing but love to the sullen and reclusive Alice, as did Audrey who protected her little sister with fierceness. The family managed a happy life despite the tragedy until Khristoph came at odds again with the drow assassin and his cohorts. A final bloody conflict at the Devaraux home left Khristoph and his wife dead, Audrey viciously wounded, and Alice taken away by her rapist father.

Audrey's wounds were tended to by Mother Aerith of Tradeholm, and was adopted by the gentle priestess. During her convalescence in the temple of Life in Macedone, Audrey despaired over the loss of her family and the vicious scar across her face. A stranger, clad in silvery armor took pity on the young girl and talked with her. The stranger departed, giving Audrey a white leather hood to shroud her face with, and told her that the scars were no shame, and when she was ready, she could remove the hood and show evil the true face of their doom, the scarred Avenger of their own making who would hunt them down.

Audrey came to live with Aerith in Tradeholm, where she perfected the basic martial training her father had taught her, and followed in his footsteps as a Paladin and Champion of the Warder. To this day, Audrey wears the hood given to her by the stranger, and it has come to personify her mantle as a Protector of the weak.

Very, very nice.

Methinks, manny, that you should have the Dragon put this on the website! Good, good stuff!

The Independants.
Not a clan or family group as the others, the "Independants" are rather a loose colelction of loners, who have no bond to eachother than maybe a passing familiarity with eachother.


Although she looks very young, Angelica is an old vampire, having been turned ages ago. Angelica was born to an elven couple, one of the very few survivors of the great Plague of Ages that decimated the elves of Filen Shenadin. It was during a journey through the southern lands that Angelica's family was captured by a monstrous Lich-thing named Ograhk. The creature killed Angelica's parents, and took the young elf girl as an apprentice and slave back to it's lair in the sands of Calithia.

During this time, one of the Lich-thing's associates, a vampire, took a liking to the young girl. As the lich-thing descended into oblivious madness, this vampire seduced the slave girl, and fed upon her. Knowing nothing of the world or anything beyond pain, young Angelica grew attached to the vampire, even thought she loved the beast. It was only during one night when Ograhk caught this vampire with Angelica did the slave-girl learn how the vampire really felt about her. The confrontation was vicious, the vampire decrying Angelica as nothing more than cattle, but Ograhk saw any intrusion upon his possessions as punishable by death. As Ograhk and the vampire battled, Angelica, in a moment of clarity mixed with fury, found a bow and enchanted arrows in Ograhk's pile of magical treasures, and used them to destroy the Lich's phylactory. As the Lich-thing was sent into oblivion, Angelica confronted the vampire who made her. He too was wounded beyond hope by the Lich's magics, and pleaded with Angelica to save him, promising to take her away and love her. Instead of helping him, Angelica found a pitcher of water, and prayed to the Lady of Death to bless it. She then poured that blessed water over the vampire's writhing body, slowly. She cursed the beast on his way to the Great Hall, asking Zolaras to keep him for all time. Angelica then fled the Lich-thing's lair, taking with her the Lich's familiar, a scrawny crow named Poe. She wandered the deserts during the night, and found shelter where she could during the day.

During her travels over the centuries, Angelica grew to view her vampirism as the only true gift her love had given her. And as much as she reveled in her curse of undeath, she conflicted often with other beings of the night, often viewing them as they in turn viewed the living... things to be hunted, and has made many enemies of other powerful vampires.

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Abigail was a young shadowchild living in a modest monastery of Kalas in the eastern edge of the Calithian desert when vampires attacked. Most of the monks were fed upon and killed, and Abigail would have been among that number had another vampire not come in and battled the attackers. In the confusion of the battle, Abigail did not perceive this lone vampire as an ally, but rather as one of the attackers. She chased this vampire into the sands and into the ruins of Calith's well. Only during their confrontation did Abigail learn that this vampire meant her no harm, if not caring for her well-being either. Abigail and this vampire had all but come to a truce when they were attacked by the other vampires who had tracked them from the monastery. With blade and spell and shadow, Abigail and the lone vampire Angelica escaped their assailants, and spent many years running from the avenging hunters. During this time the two became something of friends. Only after the final confrontation with the last of their hunters did the two part ways, Angelica returning to the sands, and Abigail venturing east to greener lands.

While somewhat mischievous and young, Abigail is also a very capable fighter, and has taken up the life of hunting undead and bringing the balance of Kalas to those who need to be 'balanced'. She darts from shadow to shadow across the land, watching, looking for those evils that need to be curtailed, and has a somewhat macabre sense of humor.

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The 4th husband of Galitha Darkroot... Agamemnon is a rather odd gnome. Unlike the other husbands, Agamemnon tends to shirk his responsibilities and roams the lands in search of adventure. Perhaps his only saving grace that keeps him in good favor with his wife is his expertise at crafting all manner of goods, and the protection his golems provide when the family caravan moves across the lands.

Agamemnon is a jovial type, and can make light of any circumstance, even the loss of his leg and arm to a golem building accident. He is even somewhat of a prankster, and is a decent magician and wizard, but his true love of life will always be fine company, good gnomish rootbeer, and a haywire adventure into places he really shoudln't be.

And no.. he's not going to tell you which of the four husbands is Rose's biological father. They all love the little whipfire as their own

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A half-Orc/Half beastman of Daramok, Angar Bloodbane is a impressive physical specimen. Strong and agile, he is a truly devastating warrior, and despite his beastly heritage, he possesses a cunning and intellect which can sometimes be frightening in one of orcish blood. Raised to be a Destroyer, Angar learned how to fight, but his true path would not be that of a butcher. Forsaking the murderous carnage of Ragnor the other destroyers embraced, Angar took to the teachings of Torgat, and fights for the sheer challenge of battle, not for causing terror or capturing lands.

Although confrontational and prideful of his Orcish heritage, Angar also appreciates courage in others, especially those who would seem at face an inferior foe. While he may not call such friends, he will gladly fight beside them, or with them, honoring the ways of Torgat, combat and challenge without malice.

The Dawnholm Vanguards.
Hailing from Dawnholm, this group of mercenary adventurers makes their base out of Silverbane's pub. Holding to the virtues of justice and knowledge, the Vanguards, as they call themselves, are always willing to lend their skills to the fight of evil across the land.


Though a demonspawn, Axel never cared much for the evil wrought by those of his mother's heritage. Rather, he found enjoyment in the tutelage of his father, a holy magi. It was during the reign of Veleron that Axel, then a young man, took to resisting the scourges that decimated his home. It was during one night's confrontation that Axel met Ariel, a young and newly turned vampire. Though initially distrustful of her, Axel soon found Ariel to be a stalwart companion, and they hunted lone and weaker undead together when opportunity arose. After the end of Veleron's reign, Axel and Ariel travelled farther away from Dawnholm, hunting down any remnants of Veleron's army that hide in the shadows, as they do to this day.

Although skilled with the blade, Axel's foremost love of life has always been exploring the mysteries of magic, learning of any magical artifact he can find.

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The youngest member of the Vanguards, Ailish is an impish little mouseblood girl of possibly draconic heritage. She was found wandering the forests west of Dawnholm by a gruff dwarf named Angus, who watches over her like a daughter.

Although she's easily frightened, Ailish seems quite enamored with "Monsters" and all sorts of wild-life. She carries a notebook with her, in which she draws pictures of every new creature she encounters. She is also a bit of a firebug, and has perhaps an unhealthy fascination with setting things on fire (and sometimes people who are mean to her!) While Ariel may be the 'leader' of the Vanguards, Ailish is perhaps the heart of the group, the reminder to the others that in all life's injustices, the best remedy is new life in all it's innocence and wonder.

Ailish's story

The Darksiders
This, the final group of the "A-Team" are perhaps the most despised. A small cadre of pure evil ruled by the drow witch Aurora, this vile lot brings nothing by loathing and misery to the lands of Aenea.


This Dwarven Lich-Thing has prowled the lands for many years. Auger was a demonspawn dwarf born to the Silverfist Dwarves, but was eventually expelled from that clan perhaps due ultimately to the making of Aurora. As one of her creations, Auger is Aurora's most trusted henchman, and serves her slavishly.

If there is one thing to say about Auger, it's that he is far from right in the head. Although he speaks in a somewhat civilized manner, this creature is mad and deranged. With a mummified dead squirrel in hand, Auger roams the lands, inspiring revulsion and disgust with those around him, all the while speaking of himself as if he were a paladin. Those who find themselves in conflict with Auger learn that this being feels little pain, but enjoys inflicting suffering on others. He is also very much a lecherous sort who makes lewd advances on any female present, and seems to enjoy when such women take offense and slap him.

Auger's story

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A child of rape, Alice Devaraux lived in Macedone with her mother, her stepfather Khristoph Devaraux, and her half-sister Audrey. Despite the love she received, Alice knew she was different, and the darker aspects of her heritage kept her sullen and reclusive. She could have perhaps lived a decent life if not for the return of her blood father and her aunt.

In the bloody aftermath, Aurora took young Alice with her back into the underdark. Whereas Alice's half-sister Audrey enjoyed a life of healing and love above ground, Alice endured hell beyond comprehension in Aurora's dark abyss, abused, molested, and tortured by any and all forms of necromatic magic Aurora chose to inflict upon the girl. Twisted and manipulated by Aurora, Alice turned from being just a sullen girl into a hateful murderess, serving Aurora not out of any sense of loyalty, but out of fear for what would happen if she didn't serve.


Born to a prominent Drow family, the drow witch known today as Aurora was the younger of two siblings. She seemed a typical drow girl, devious and treacherous, if somewhat gangly and prone to sickness. When her father was obligated to send a child as tribute to the temple of Sorgath, an honor in Drow society, he wished to send his son Ash. Knowing it was her chance to gain power, this malicious drow girl attacked her brother, wounding him so greatly that he would take months to heal. Left with no other option, the father sent her in Ash's place.

Her time in the temple began typically enough for any drow trainee, which for a sickly female was brutal. But the high wizard sensed the arcane power within her, and rather than training as a priest, she became his apprentice. The wizard underestimated her powers though, and found out too late that her latent talents were not that of a wizard, but as a sorceress, and one he could not handle. She mastered the magics taught to her faster than he anticipated, and proceeded to murder her teacher for the sheer joy of it. This naturally brought the ire of the High Murderer down upon her, but for reasons only known to him, he took the girl on as his protege. The conflict between master and apprentice again grew... The High Murderer used his new protege not so much to advance the causes of the temple, but to secure his own holdings... and his protege knew as much. Fueled by visions from Sorgath himself, the young witch cleansed the temple of all the unworthy, the High Murderer, her parents, any and all warriors who followed the High Murderer rather than Sorgath himself.... As she left the temple, she torched it, and assumed the name Aurora. Setting out into the Underdark, Aurora honed her magic, and served Sorgath as a living example of his will, corrupting and destroying anything she could.

And that's them, all 24 members of the A team

I've never seen some of them, so it's nice to get an introduction!

Great, great job, manny! Simply drowishdelicious!

And I thought I was struggling to keep up the stories of 5 different PC's that all know each other somehow.... and you've got 24 going on, all slightly interlinked..... .. with some great backstories too ! ....

I too have not met some of these guys but I've heard their names often... And now I also see why I get Alice and Audrey mixed up.. never realised they were half-sisters.... ..

I wonder how S'Vair keeps track of his cast of thousands.... .... ....

RustyDios wrote:

I wonder how S'Vair keeps track of his cast of thousands.... .... ....

An Excell sheet. But I think Manny surpassed me some time back. :-)

And the next time my wife says something to me about the time I spend in Aenea, I'm going to point her to this thread .

Hey! I'm not wifemonster bait, you know!

MannyJabrielle wrote:Hey! I'm not wifemonster bait, you know!

Too late, I've already sent her the link!

I'll just tell her I had you make the pics and write the backstories for me

MannyJabrielle wrote:I'll just tell her I had you make the pics and write the backstories for me

No way!

I don't think I can come out and play with you anymore. Something about you being a bad influence on an otherwise (somewhat) acceptable husband.

Throw one free-hooker party, and no wifemonsters likes me anymore... sheesh.

MannyJabrielle wrote:Throw one free-hooker party, and no wifemonsters likes me anymore... sheesh.

Should have heard what she said when Dave set me up w/ Ventrilo.

Svair wrote:

MannyJabrielle wrote:Throw one free-hooker party, and no wifemonsters likes me anymore... sheesh.

Should have heard what she said when Dave set me up w/ Ventrilo.

I dont remember hearing this. Story time!

*chuckle*

http://www.televisiontunes.com/A-Team_%28The%29.html

Hmmmmm... Alex look a lot like Anthony Hopkins. Or is it just me?

Anyway, Excellent bios

heh! The only thing missing is Aurora's dislike for the smell of root beer! *bazinga*

Good job!

buddha5442a wrote:Hmmmmm... Alex look a lot like Anthony Hopkins. Or is it just me?

Anyway, Excellent bios

Thanks, and yes. It's a portrait made. It's available in his first or second Aenea Portrait Pack { edit: and here }. I forget which movie the screencap is from. recolored it to and such to be the portrait for Glacius the icy mage of Aenea (Glacius' ice armor, ect)

It's from "Instinct" 1999.

Pretty good movie. Also stars Cuba Gooding Jr.