Aria Migand

[lovedbyyendis]

18-20 years old
Human Female
5'5" tall
Average/muscular build
Deep Chestnut Hair
Icy Sapphire Eyes

Born to Alan and Iana Migand of Rivermoot in the Silver Marches.



Rivermoot is a small village near High Hold where adventurers would frequent. Alan owns a supply transport caravan which obtained and delivered goods to merchants in the local area. Iana often works in her brother's inn doing various tasks such as cooking and cleaning.  The family was not rich, but they were far from poor.  Aria could have stayed at home, working occasionally for her father for the rest of her life with no financial worries.  It was the last thing she wanted.

As a small child, Aria had a lot of time to roam around Rivermoot.  She spent many days in Furin's Forge, learning from the dwarf about the different types of weapons, even occasionally getting to learn of far away and exotic weapons an adventurer found on some poor soul's body.  There was always a supply of common and uncommon weapons and ammunition making it's way through his hands.  When she wasn't there, she'd visit with Rappi in the general store.  The halfling was quite adept at keeping the people of Rivemoot supplied, and though many were unaware, he was also teaching little Aria the basics about trap setting and disarming, lock picking, and allowing your quick movements and flexibility protect you as much as metal armor ever could.  She would bribe regular adventurers into teaching her skills she would have otherwise never picked up.  When she wasn't learning from a person, her nose was buried in a book.  She had several journals hidden about the town full of notes, tips, tricks, and even secrets that she didn't want her parents to find.

When Aria was seven years old she met Mellani Lorata, a bard from High Hold.  She was memorized by her beauty, her voice, and her stories.  They would sit on the cliff behind the inn and talk about whatever Mellani had recently achieved, encountered, or mastered.  Knowing Mellani and hearing the stories straight from her mouth was better than any book could dream of being.  Mellani was a force of nature.  Among other things, she spoke several languages, helped a town survive werechickens, fallen in love with a half dragon, and ridden a Balor.  She made a day for Aria each week and taught her the dragon tongue.  Aria looked up to her more than any other adventurer she'd ever met.  Not only was she a wonderful bard, but she could swing an axe better than anyone she'd ever seen.

By the time Aria turned 15 she'd decided that this was the life that she wanted to live.  She knew that magic did not run in her family, so she'd have to study if she wanted to master arcane abilities.  Studying wasn't a problem, but she dedicated the time she had left in Rivermoot to continue learning bardic abilities from Mellani.  She practiced with the shield and sword, even enlisted the help of the local militia leader, an ornery elf named Jasrin, to help her learn to use the long bow.  Alan and Iana knew about some of Aria's doings, but not all of them. They discouraged her and explained that a life of adventure was dangerous and foolish.  There were people destined to help others from the dangers of the world and we were not those people.  Aria continued her book studying, helping at the inn, and training so her parents could never complain about her neglecting her duties, but she longed for a life away from the mundane.  She wanted a life of duty and adventure.

For years, despite her secrecy, Aria prayed, without fail, daily, to Tyr. 

"Lord of Justice, Tyr, please help me find my place. May you bless me with the ability to help those that are in need and right those that have been wronged. May my voice always offer truth and justice."

On her 18th birthday, after a small celebration at Uncle Sill's she informed her parents she would leave the next day for Cormyr.  Though, they anticipated this day, they were angry.  They refused to financially help her with supplies for her trip or otherwise and asked that if she left, she not come back until she was ready to stay.  Though saddened, Aria's mind was set, in the morning, she would start her way to Cormyr.  That night, she prayed to Tyr for a safe trip, his blessing in her venture, and the will to follow through.

[lovedbyyendis]

Aria's Planned Route of Travel

[lovedbyyendis]

The next morning the sun had just started peeking over the horizon when Aria picked up her bag. Her father was already gone for the day and her mother lay sleeping in her bed. Aria watched her soundlessly for a few moments before walking to the table and leaving a slip of paper behind. She took a deep breath and headed out the door. Oddly, the normally creaky door didn't make a sound as she closed it behind her.

Her supplies were basic, perhaps even limited, but she was thankful for the wonderful people who'd helped her prepare for her journey, even if they didn't know they were. She had a bow given to her by Jasrin, her sword forged and gifted by Furin himself, various bandages and potions from Rappi, several books and journals and her savings as she boarded the ferry.

This was it. She was on her way. The first stop was Gem of the North. She'd never actually been to Silverymoon, but the stories she'd heard and the books she'd read were plentiful. Mellani, herself, had once told Aria of the Moonbridge and all of it's magical beauty.

After a few hours on the ferry, Aria tucked away the book she was reading and pulled out a journal. It was empty. Fresh and full of clean pages - a stark opposite of the several others still in her bag with their aged pages and dog-eared corners. Along with the journal she removed a piece of sharpened charcoal and began to draw. Her shoulders relaxed as she left long strokes on the page, she bit her bottom lip as she drew, focused intently on the page and each mark the charcoal left there as she drew her hand across the page. The sun hand long since gone down as they traveled on. Aria dog-eared the page of the journal, tucking it safely back in her bag.

She leaned her head against the wall and let the gentle motion of the waves lull her into sleep.


Suddenly she was back in her home in Rivermoot. Her mother was in the preparing a meal in the kitchen. She looked over to Aria, smiled brightly, and said, "The two of you go out and play, dinner will be done soon." Aria could feel the warmth of her mother as she looked over to the little boy beside her.

Aria's brother was small, maybe 8 years old. His head barely hit his mothers belly when he'd hugged her before running outside. He laughed and it sounded like a song. Aria was smaller, only 6 years old. She laughed too, as she chased him out the door.

"Arin, slow down! I can't keep up!" she called after him as he ran towards Uncle Sill's inn. She tried, but his legs were longer than hers. By the time they'd reached the circle of logs in front of the Riverwalk Inn, she was tired. She stopped to rest a moment, taking in the sight of the variety of people around the fire. It was not abnormal to see humans, elves, orcs, halflings, or gnomes. Once, there was even a dragon, though she'd only seen it from the window of Uncle Sill's because they wouldn't let her go outside.

She watched Arin run around the town, poking or prodding things with his wooden sword. She giggled as an adventurer clutched his abdomen pretending to be impaled, falling to the ground and surrendering.

Triumphantly Arin began to run again, this time out the other gate. The impaled adventurer was smiling over to Aria and gave her a wink when there was a deafening crashing sound. Everyone was on their feet, armed and at the ready in a matter of moments. Jasrin and Dave asked the others to wait a moment while they checked it out.

They headed out in the direction of the crash and Aria was small enough to follow without being noticed. She darted behind trees, crates, and other obstacles to avoid being seen as she followed them towards the large stream. They went down the embankment and she stayed up top, peering over the edge.

She wasn't sure what she was looking at, only that it looked as if the bridge had collapsed into the stream. Large wooden planks and boulders were piled there in the water and Jasren and Dave were frantically looking for something, though she could no longer hear what they were saying.

A few moments later another elf, who she didn't know, arrived and said to Jasren, "You called, Sir?" as he walked down the embankment.

Jasren nodded and all Aria heard was, "Get Iana."

Aria thought to herself, "Wow, that was a huge sound, look at all of that rubble! Arin is going to love this!" She darted up on the embankment, looking around for her brother and when she didn't see him she went back towards the inn, but couldn't find him there either. Finally, she made her way back to the embankment to see if he'd come to see the noise, too.

Instead, this time, it was only Jasren and Iana at the water's edge. The sun was going down and it made the two of them look like shadows. Aria started down the hill and they both jerked their heads in her direction. Calmly, Jasrin said, "No, Aria, you musn't come down here."

Iana shouted, "Aria! No! How many times have I told you not to play near the water?!" She threw her arm up, pointing a finger back towards town.

Small Aria, was startled, scared, and tears began to well in her eyes, "I was just looking for Arin. I wanted to show him what happened."

At that time, Dave came to escort Aria back to the inn. She saw her mother crumple to her knees with her face in her hands and Jasren with a hand on her shoulder, again, like shadows.

Dave took Aria back to the inn and explained that she could wait inside for her mother to return.

"But, I wanted to show Arin the bridge." she exclaimed, frustrated and confused.

"Just wait inside, Aria, it is important." Dave said as he opened the door for her.

Her face still stained with dirt and tears, she walked inside, though she didn't see the inn before her, she was back in her home, the morning she left, with her bag in one hand and the paper she'd left for her mother in the other.

She looked down at the paper, at the drawing of her brother and the scribbled writing, "I wish I could bring him back. I will always love you Mom and Dad - Aria"

She woke with a start, opening her eyes wide, at first blinded by the light of the lantern, then taking a few moments to adjust and remember where she was. This was the ferry. That was twelve years ago. She blinks again, rapidly at first, then slowly. She takes in a deep breath and exhales it slowly. She wipes her face with the back of her hand to find it still wet from tears.

For the first time since boarding the ferry, she's thankful she's nearly alone on the ship.

[lovedbyyendis]

Aria wiped a bit of sweat from her brow, noticing now that the sun was just rising. She removed a journal from her bag and began to write. After a few hours, she drifted back off to sleep with the charcoal in hand. She was awoken as the boat docked and excitedly she stowed her things in her bag and made her way outside.

As she disembarked from the ferry, the sun was low in the sky, her stomach grumbled with hunger and her eyes tried to soak in every bit of what she was seeing. Knowing the plan was not to stay long in Silverymoon, she wanted to see as much as she could before heading south.

Leaving the River Rauvin behind her, she ventured into the Northern part of the city. As she walked the streets of Silverymoon, her eyes cast upwards at the delicate, exquisite towers. She stopped several times to sketch scenes of Silverymoon in her journal, making notes of shop locations and offerings.

Aria made her way to A Handful of Stars and purchased a map that covered the Silver Marches, the Sword Coast, and East to Corymr. Before she left, one of the beautiful young women with dark, mysterious eyes quietly pulled Aria to the side. She murmured a prayer and the map that Aria had purchased shimmered under the lantern light for a moment. "Do not fear, the map you may now see in the light and the dark and no natural element can destroy it. May your path be blessed in the moonlight," she smiled to Aria briefly, then returned to her duties. Walking out, Aria smiled and took this as a sign that her trip was indeed blessed.

With her spirits high and her stomach grumbling, she headed over to the Wayward House to grab dinner and take in the sights of the Northbank. After she'd eaten, she sat, reading and listening to the stories told by other adventurers around the inn until the sun started to disappear behind the horizon.

As darkness seeped slowly over the city, magical lights began to shine throughout. Aria headed towards the river, knowing the Moonbridge awaited her.

When she first saw the bridge, she was struck with awe. It was a large, shallow arc over the river, a gentle shimmering silver in the moonlight. The moon was nearly full and lit up the river so that it looked like black honey beneath the bridge. She walked slowly closer, mesmerized by the magic before her. She'd been around various forms of magic her whole life because of the adventurers who'd roamed in and out of Rivermoot, though never anything as beautiful or breathtaking as the bridge that stood before her.

In moments, she was at the edge of the bridge looking towards her feet as the path seemingly disappeared before her. Invisible, yet visible in the sheen of the moonlight, the bridge was undoubtedly gorgeous, awe-inspiring, and, to Aria, untouchable.

She backed away slowly, finding a safe spot to sit on the bank, just realizing that her breathing was now quickened and shallow. She stopped there on the bank and pulled out her journal. She sketched the scene as she saw it, and then several other versions, including one where Lurue was dancing above the bridge. She drew until she was out of charcoal and then with another piece until her hands ached. Finally, when she stopped, she dog-eared the page of the journal, tucked it in her bag, and pulled her knees to her chest. She hugged them close and buried her head there.

For the first time in 12 years, on the bank of the River Rauvin, beneath the majesty of the Moonbridge, she openly wept for her brother.

[lovedbyyendis]

By the time Aria looked up, the moon was high in the sky. She slowly stood, grabbing her things and made her way to the foot of the bridge. The shimmering silver path rose and fell before her. Taking a deep breath, she felt an ache in her chest. Her legs wobbled beneath her and eyes were red and swollen from crying. She stood, straightening her back and pulling her chin higher, again taking a deep breath to try to ease the pain in her chest.

She looked left and then right, only to find that the cloudiness was in her vision, Faster and faster, her heart beat standing at the edge of the bridge. Without thinking she turned away from the bridge, her heart pounding in her ears.

Soon she was running. The rough surface of the streets battered her feet relentlessly. Seconds, moments, hours later, who knows, she collapsed there, just off of the path, kneeling in a patch of grass with one hand on her chest, the other holding up the weight of her body. She'd never felt this heavy, this tired, or this frightened. Finally, several moments later her breathing started to return to normal and she let her bottom fall to the ground where she sat for several more moments.

Suddenly, she couldn't wait to leave Silverymoon. The magic and the life were beautiful, but she couldn't wait to leave it behind. She rose to her feet and headed southeast.

Again, she pulled her shoulders back and her chin up and strode through the south bank of Silverymoon, headed for Everlund Pass.

[lovedbyyendis]

In the early morning hours the world was quiet, in the lands between Silverymoon and Moonwyvern Inn the only sound was the occasional patrolman. Upon passing them Aria would nod and smile. She wore blue leather armor and her bow at the ready. While it was usually silent, she could still sometimes hear sounds she'd never heard from the darkness off the rough path.

Her legs grew tired and her mind raced. It felt like she'd already contemplated every event of her life when she thought, "What am I doing? Will I ever make it?" She stretched and as her body started to slump with exhaustion she finally saw the lanterns of the inn in the distance. It gave her the motivation to get that far.

As she neared she heard the sounds of pigs and chickens and welcomed the familiarity. She stopped near the pig pen to watch for a moment before heading to the main building. It stood before her, larger than anything in Rivermoot. Three full stories as she stood out front looking up at them. As she approached she ran a hand along the old stone wall.

The light of dawn was approaching as she entered the Moonwyvern. She was greeted by the smell of blackberry candles and the light glow of candles hanging from glass lanterns. She took a moment to take in each item before her. It was old and worn, but there was a comfort about it that made her feel at home.

She approached the front desk and smiled tiredly to the innkeeper. "I would like a room upstairs, please," she said quietly. He nodded. Aria, having heard many stories had the majority of her coin hidden when she pulled out the 75 gold to pay the keeper. He thanked her and gave her the key, pointing to show her the stairs.

Her trek up the stairs was exhausting. Her legs ached and her shoulders burned. Still, she took her time and appreciated each item that lined any shelves or nooks. Upon reaching her room she entered and locked the door behind her. It squeaked almost as if in reply.

Nearly immediately, she dropped her belongings on the table and went to the window. Before pulling the shutters closed, she looked out at the scene below. It was a beautiful morning and the sun illuminated the land as if Tyr himself was shining down on it.

Ruefully, Aria pulled the shutters closed. She undressed to a simple cloth shirt and walked to her bag to grab a journal and a piece of charcoal before climbing in the bed. She turned to a fresh page and started to write. She wrote of her experience at the Moonbridge and her walk to the Moonwyvern Inn. Then she started to sketch the scene downstairs.

It wasn't long before she fell asleep, charcoal still in hand, falling softly back on the rough pillow behind her. Utterly exhausted, she made nearly no sound.

[lovedbyyendis]

When Aria awoke night had fallen, she again, opened the shutters to view the scene by the moonlight. The upper floor gave her the most beautiful vantage point, thankfully, her room faced south, so she could see for miles.

She picked up her journal, noting the drawing she'd not finished that morning and closed the book. She looked around, taking in the sight of her room one final time before packing up her belongings and heading downstairs. It was quiet and she spoke quietly with the innkeeper for a few moments, gathering a few supplies before leaving.

The trip south was fairly uneventful and the sun was rising again as she came upon the Striding Giant Rapids. Her legs ached and she decided it a good place to stop for a bit to rest.

Finding a safe spot, near the edge of the mountains, high on a hill, she made camp. There was a small fire and a thick, cloth mat. She pulled rations from her bag and ate slowly, enjoying each bite so as to not have to stop again for some time. After eating, she pulled "The Perfect Tool", a small knife given to her by the halfling Rappi, from her bag and began to carve a small piece of wood. She worked diligently and quietly, the sound of the rapids below soothing her. When she was finished, there was a small, flat wooden circle before her. Pleased with it, she tucked it in her bag and laid on the cloth mat.

She must have drifted off to sleep and woke with a start. The sun was high in the sky and she was relieved to find that she and her belongings were undisturbed. She rose, kicked dirt over the hot coals, and headed south.

By the time she reached Everlund, the night had come and gone and again the daylight lit the way. Though, this day, the rain was also falling. Her hood pulled over her head and her weapon safely stowed, she ventured into the streets of Everlund.

She visited the Bell Market in the center of the city, surprised to see the bustling of people, she smiled. She hummed quietly as she browsed the open market. She bought several baked goods and preserved foods before finding a spot to sit with a view of the bell. She sat, eating a pastry, and sketched the bell in her journal. She decided to have dinner at the Stag at Bay and ate quietly listening to the stories of adventurers. This felt more like home with the stories and the bustle of people about. With a sadness, she decided that staying the night in the inn was not feasible with funding and that she must instead decide which direction she would go from here.

To the east was Sundabar, west was Yartar, and south was the Greypeak Mountains.

[lovedbyyendis]

Deciding to go with the most unknown, Aria decided to go west to Yartar. Knightbridge at the west side of Everlund at nightfall was not nearly as beautiful as the Moonbridge, but equally as terrifying.

Standing there, waiting to cross, she took a deep breath and said to herself, "This bridge is just a bridge. It is just a bridge. It is well built. Sturdy. Strong. Safe." She repeated the words as her heart rate increased. They came faster and faster in her head. "It is well built. Strong. Sturdy. Safe. Wellbuilt.Strong.Sturdy.Safe. WellbuiltStrongSturdySafe"

She fidgeted with the symbol of Tyr on her wrist. She watched the moon drift over the sky in what felt like agonizingly long moments. Finally, she sprinted. She ran across the whole length of the bridge at an impossible pace. Upon reaching the other side she gasped for breath her chest aching from the lack of oxygen and the terror that had risen in her throat. She held a tree truck to support her weight, crumpling at the waist, her head near her knees as she sucked in the cool night air. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it back down harshly. In slow motion she pulled a canteen from her bag, slowly rising and taking a long pull. The liquid felt like lava going down her throat and she winced at the pain.

Her breathing now mostly normal, she looked around. She was on the south side of Everlund and as the wind from the river blew across her face it hit the sheen of sweat that had formed on her skin and she felt a chill go down her spine. Her eyes closed she spoke in a nearly inaudible whisper, "Thank you Tyre. I know that is not the most difficult task I will face, but I am thankful it is over."

She gathered her things and continued South out of Everlund and bordering The High Forest. The next two hundred miles or so were nearly uneventful. The patrols kept the path mostly safe and as long as she stayed on the path of Evermoor Way, she felt relatively safe. Long days of travel allowed for heavy sleep when she stopped, though her mind raced when she wasn't walking. When she stopped to rest, she drew and wrote in her journal interesting things she'd seen or faced that day. Rations had only just begun to thin as she spotted the inn at Calling Horns in the distance.

[lovedbyyendis]

Upon reaching Calling Horns, it was not much more than the inn itself. There were a few traders and one other adventurer there that she could see, but there were no rooms available, so Aria decided to trek further toward Yartar.

Yartar was busy, even in the night, the town buzzed. Traders were coming and going in all directions. Aria visited the docks and made arrangements to ride with a cargo ship down past Goldenfields. She would depart the next morning. She made it to The Coin Toss and had dinner before booking a modest room. Again, she drew in her journal and recounted the last few days before passing out on the cot. The next morning she woke before the sun rose and worked on the wooden pendant she'd been carving for a bit. It now was not just a flat circle, but bore a war hammer that raised about 1/8 inch above the rest. When she was satisfied with the progress and the sun threatened to break through the treeline she decided to head to the docks.

She found the captain of the ship with ease and he allowed her aboard just before they untied the tethers. She was shown to a place below deck in the dark and damp hold. She was unsure of what they were hauling because there was no distinct smell and everything was tucked away neatly in large crates.

She laughed to herself quietly, "At least it doesn't smell." After writing in the journal and working on the carving, she fell asleep to the gentle caress of the waves. It was not long, though, before her dream returned and she woke with a start in a cold sweat. After taking a few moments to regulate her breathing, she climbed on deck. The crew was tending to their tasks and barely noticed her as she made her way to the railing. She looked out at the dark, tar-like water, then out over the land that stretched to either side of the River Dessarin.

The ship was travelling quickly, which made her hair flow in and out of her face. She reached her hands above her head, pulling all of her wavy, brown hair into her palm, she wrapped the locks around her wrist and tied them with a leather tie. It wasn't neat, but it was no longer in her face. The breeze tickled the back of her neck and she placed her palms on the railing and closed her eyes. Before she'd realized it, she began to hum softly.

When she opened her eyes, she immediately stopped. In front of the ship, 400 foot in the air, there was a huge stone bridge. As they got closer, she could see that it was in fact, granite. The river must have been at least two miles wide at this point and she felt her heart begin to race again as they neared. Instead of staying to watch, Aria ran below deck to the spot she'd left behind. She busied her mind with her journal, reading and re-reading several books and didn't surface again until well after daylight.