Saralas Alderheart
| Saralas Alderheart | |
|---|---|
 A portrait of Saralas | |
| Basic Information | |
| Race | High Elf |
| Class | Ranger |
| Age | 170 |
| Sex | Male |
| Weight | 160 lb |
| Height | 6'2" |
| Alignment | Neutral Good |
| Organizations | |
| No known associations | |
Background
Saralas, born as Ara Alderleaf, grew up in a small town on in Sword Coast region near Neverwinter. He had a happy childhood, for an elf, and studied crafts including carpentry and clockmaking. At adulthood he took the name Saralas, and at 112 decided it was time to see the world and traveled to Neverwinter to see the city for himself. While exploring neverwinter he decided to visit a local college library to study more carpentry history, particularly historical styles and methods, as he had a mind to set up a shop to sell bespoke furniture to wealthy locals. While exploring the library, he met a young human woman, Eleanor. She was training to be a librarian at the college. They quickly became close, spending as much time together as their pursuits would allow, and within 2 years they were married.
Saralas set up a small carpentry workshop and began to make a small name for himself with some discerning customers. Eleanor continued with school, and after she finished her studies she was hired full time as a librarian for one of the wealthier private societies. They were happy together, and eventually had two children, a son Aestos, born when he was 122 and Eleanor was 35, and two years later a daughter, Elodie. Their life was ordinary but happy, and eventually Aestos and Elodie grew up and started their own lives away from home.
His children, though half-elves, had few difficulties assimilating into the human world they both chose to live in. They both stayed in Neverwinter, and both met and married humans. He had three small grandchildren out in the world, Elodie's young girls Mari (5) and Willow (7) and Aestos's son Aenar (8).
Eleanor passed when Saralas was 160. Though in his heart and eyes she was still young, she had grown frailer and weaker through the years and one winter she took to bed with illness and soon was gone. Though he knew it was nearly inevitable he would outlive her, he was heartbroken and thought he would never love another. Though he loves his children and grandchildren deeply and visits often, his grief still feels endless years after Eleanor died.
After a few years, at 168, he decided he must do something new. He was still young. He had hundreds of years of life left and could not spend it all in grief. He sold his home, took the name Alderheart, stopped again to see his children and grandchildren, gave them his love and split almost all the money he had between Elodie and Aestos. He hugged them goodbye, took the sword and bow he recently bought, and trekked out to the wilds. The realm needed rangers to protect its people, and he would take up the responsibility. So what the solitude and wilderness and danger? He was strong and clever. He was willing.
He carries a small locket with a portrait of his family, his weapons and gear, and little else. He keeps a journal, and writes home to Elodie when he can. He tries to make it back to visit at least once a year.
Why Icewind Dale?
After a few years in the wilds, learning the wilderness and survival and how to fight, he started hearing rumors of strange occurrences from fellow rangers. Campfire talk included strange weather in Icewind Dale, and strange creatures wandering into more civilized lands. Every story was third or fourthhand, but clearly something was up. Intrigued, and concerned, he sent letters to his children telling them it might be a while before he could visit again, and starting preparing for a journey.