Illyan Snowmantle
Played by Marc Brown

Name: Illyan Snowmantle
Date of Birth: 24 Greenleaf 200
Curent Age: 17 seasons
Height: 5'7"
Weight: Slight
Eyes: Amber
Hair: White
Skin: White

Character Summary

The offspring of Lyssa Forester and an unknown father, Illyan was born on 24 Greenleaf 200 with the stigma of being a changeling (a half-elf). Illyan's eyes are amber and he has a mane of white hair that descends to his lower back. Throughout his childhood Illyan was the victim of hatred and ridicule from his contempories and those old enough to know better. His own appearance and his mother's madness has led him to be shunned from Bear's Reach. However, Dominic and Caitlyn Dyer looked after Illyan as if he was their own on, and he made a handful of true friends, the greatest of which is Emmaelia Craftwright who has been his constant companion since early childhood. As years passed the two became closer and closer. In Spring 204, Emmaelia gave borth to a son, Dale. Widespread rumour identifies the child as Illyan's but Emmaleia's father, Lorik, denies such "scurrilous lies". Lorik openly hates Illyan and has been seen beating him and chasing him through town with an axe - shortly after it was discovered Emmaelia was pregnant as chance would have it. Illyan is a sensitive soul and feels greatly for his mother's madness. In Autumn 203, the Forester family took in an ageing healer called Rellick. Rellick stayed with them for a season before he died, and taught Illyan the ways of the Healer. Since then Illyan has manifested magical healing powers, the only one in Bear's Reach to possess them. Illyan's skills are still small, but the fact that he has them has led to him being more openly accepted by many members of the community. A cyncical circumstance at best, but Illyan is willing to take what he can get.

Original Character Background

This is the original character background provided by Marc in the run up to the Crucible of Youth campaign. A number of things have been left out from this reproduction as they are not generally known by the village or the other player characters. It should rightly be mentioned that Marc is responsible for the names of many of the geographical features surrounding Bear's Reach (the Wyrwood, the Whittenwood, the Players etc) - although I have altered most of them from all recognition.

Illyan's great great great great grandfather was Morris Forester - who was half-elven like Illyan. Morris ventured into Bear's Reach on a few occassions and tried to fit in despite the prejudice against his kind. He took a wife and had a child, because he had the support and friendship of Caleb Thorn (head of the Thorn family in them-there days). However, he didn't fit in and after Caleb's death Morris was hounded out of the village for being a fey-touched weirdo. This happened so many generations ago that no-one who still lives in the village was present, but Illyan knows the story and Illyan remembers it.

Illyan was born on the 24th of Greenleaf 200LE to Lyssa Forester. Lyssa is a petite and stunningly attractive woman. She is incredibly intelligent, intuitive and insightful, when coherent. Unfortunately she is rarely coherent for more than one hour a day, and the change in her personality then is so marked it is more than a little frightening for the uninitiated. As far as anyone is aware she has always been 'feytouched'

On Illyan's infrequent journey's to town he is ridiculed and shunned by the general populace. His father is unknown and it is often debated in town whether he was actually human, usually in front of Illyan. Caitlyn and Dominic, Illyan's old friends (and almost surrogate parnets) took it upon themselves to care for him when he visits, although their presence did not stop the insults.

Rellick was an elderly travelling ascetic Healer who stumbled across the Lodge four seasons ago. Rellick was dying and he knew it, Illyan hosted the old and gentle healer for the next season until he passed on. During this time Illyan soaked up all the knowledge that Rellick had to give. When, just before he passed away, he handed Illyan his old oak staff and notes and told him of the House of Stone, a hall were the spells were carved into the very rock where the healers of the Stone House learnt their trade. Rellick passed away on the 12th Crispeven 204, and was buried behind the Lodge.

Illyan's Uncle Tobias was a noted ranger whose activities in hunting dangerous predators almost caused the extinction of some of the rarer beasts. He has since discovered a more pivotal role as a Druid of the Norandon Circle. Often used as an example of being too good at something; "If you get as good as Tobias, you'll work yourself out of a job" and as being unequivably the descendant of Dael Forester. When Illyan was younger he would tell tales of his time as a ranger, stories about expeditions to White Bear Peak, events with strange creatures whilst cataloguing the stones of the Wyrwood and then he would be gone. More recently as Illyan has matured Tobias has begun to look at him with a more appraising glint in his eyes. However, due to "recent events" he has been assigned as the sole druid to monitor the conditions in the Arms of Uros, he has spent very little time at the lodge in the past ten seasons. He married another Druid (although no one has met her) apparently after a great disaster. Tobias was last seen on 41 Keenaxe 204.

Emmaelia was a bright light during Illyan's time as a child, they were inseparable. Emmaelia was a tomboy who took almost every opportunity to disobey her father and to pursue her obsession with the wilderness (most particularly the muddy parts). She always took on the active role. At six seasons old and when she found an almost feral half-elf, she immediately befriended him against his wishes and bombarded him with a plethora of nicknames. Eventually he gave in and they became fastest of friends knowing each others intimate serets…. Until puberty… Emmaelia's father found out about who she was meeting on her wilderness jaunts and immediately set a curfew, which she promptly disobeyed. Hormones were raging and the pair became more clumsy around each other, then one stormy night 3 seasons ago they became "close" *ahem*. A season later Dael was born. Throughout the pregnancy Lorik was furious and kept a near perpetual eye on his daughter, and twice almost beating the life out of Illyan.

Emmaelia looks on Illyan as her soulmate, however she is too much of a realist to hold onto the belief that they would ever have a peaceful happy life in Bear's Reach….

Recent Events

The following events can be considered of special significance to Illyan since the beginning of the campaign:

Vítday, 29 Chillbone 204

Along with his companions Kaylas, Arax, Thorn and Nits, Illyan helps hide a box of filled with gold and gems in the bottom of the Von Turnsgate iron mine. He also enters the Whittenwood, helps apprehend Rod Njedelstrom and meets an evil tree.

See Also:

• Arax Chandar
• Kaylas Chiesa
• Krais Brewer
• Thorn Njedelstrom
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