<hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://41.media.tumblr.com/5022001bf3d7e5d052429d91c55a96cb/tumblr_nfbi5rSiLw1qjnipeo1_1280.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Taluya Wevetasun</strong></span><br/><strong>Race:</strong>halfling<br/><strong>Class:</strong>Barbarian 2 / Hunter 2<br/><strong>Sheet:</strong>http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1101168<br/><hr/><br/><strong>Personality:</strong><br/>Taluya is a pagan little creature hailing from a land of trees, stones, and wild beasts. She follows gestures and traditions better-suited for tents than palaces, to be sure, and refuses to heed the words of any tiresome clergy about her "immortal soul" or the likes. She finds animals and the weather more trustworthy than strange perople, but holds those she knows to be loyal as close as siblings or lovers. Closest of all is Sheeldric, her great bird of prey. she exults in competition, whether fierce or friendly, as eager for a game of noughts or a bloody battle. The people she grew up with were not ashamed or reserved; why would she be? She's friendly, cheerful, prone to speaking her mind, and has a strong sense of right and wrong - and a definite inclination to enforce what she feels is right (which, of course, isn't necessarily what is legal...)<br/><br/><strong>Background:</strong><br/>Born to a pair of rabbit farmers in the halfling forest town of Rollyetta, Taluya was always known as an impulsive child, often exasperating her parents and brothers by shirking her part of the work. She would much rather explore the woods or climb into the town and poke about than tend berry vines or herd rabbits. Even among halflings, the child was squirmy, loud, and adventurous.<br/><br/>Part of that was that in aside from very rare visits from far-traveling merchants or explorers, Rollyetta had little contact with outsiders. Every two years though, the tribes would gather at one of the treetop towns  in their expansive territory, to trade, mingle, marry, and celebrate their shared history. When it was Rollyetta's turn to host the gathering, it sounded like the most exciting thing Taluya had ever heard of - possibly, it was. In particular was the prospect of the races; the halfling tribes of the Elzern forest were known for airborne cavalry on birds of prey, enabling fast travel of warriors to where they needed to be, and providing balance against the forest drakes that haunted the wood. And at times of peaceful gatherings, some of the younger and less warlike birds were offered a sport for racing across the treetop.<br/><br/>The only trouble was, only prospective warriors were permitted to fly. The birds were too few in general, and the race was a good way to determine who had the stomach to handle it. And Taluyah, the daughter of ground-dwelling herders, was certainly not a "prospective warrior." her brother, though, was. At least in theory, being an able hunter and strong in his way. She entered his name into the drawing, and with her chest bound and ashes on her face, few could have told the siblings apart when she took his place. it had been a lark, just something to do to see if she could, but sitting astride that great bird's back, the wind tearing at her ears as she and the animal swooped and dove and skirmished other racers was like nothing she had ever imagined, or even dreamed. Only on landing did she discover that the wind had torn her hair free of its binding, scoured the ashes from her face, and left her exhilarated enough to cheer with girlish delight when she came in second among the flyers. Or dead last, since her secret was exposed.<br/><br/>It was a small scandal; her parents and brother were angry over her lying and so dishonoring their names. The other flyers were ego-bruised over having lost to someone who wasn't allowed to fly. And the Silverbark tribe that claimed the bird claimed that her touch had somehow traumatized the creature. Taluya arguing that traumatized birds probably didn't fly so well fell on angry ears. Pointing out that none of the silverbark tribe's prospects had placed certainly didn't help.<br/><br/>The games had come and gone, but the hurt and ill will Taluya caused remained. Frustrated and angry, she resolved to one last act of defiance; she gathered enough food to keep her for a few days, tugged on her shoes, and slipped out into the woods to go as far<em>that way</em>as she could. As it turns out, that was pretty far, with her foraging skills; She made it to the pine barrens in the foothills of the mountains. There, she found a surprise; one of the great eaglets of the region had plunged or been cast from its nest. Unable to aid it, it parents had left it to die, as animals will do. Wary of the young bird's snapping beak and wicked talons, Taluya sought to aid it.<br/><br/>For months, she tended the injured creature, mending its broken bones, nursing its emaciated form back to health on rabbits and badgers she brought down. The two lived as partners in the wilderness. She learned the rhythm of the wilderness and animals, mastered the seasons, and hunted with a great bird of prey overhead. Sooner than she realized it, it had been nearly two years. Cautiously, the wild girl had one last test - reigning and flying her now-mature eagle. her caution was unwarranted, and she was airborne with a shriek of delight once again.<br/><br/>As it turns out, Taluya was not the only exile or wanderer from the tribes - and other people! - in the expansive forest. she fell into a company of wayfarers, part-time raiders and bandits in the forest. Several of her were halfling sky-riders, from numerous tribes, and all together they comprised a formidable force to protect their little band against the depredations of forest drakes, ravenous dire bats, and other dangers from above. But when a strange ship appeared in the skies over the forest, they were also instrumental in an airborne raid. That raid failed. As did the second, the ship's defenders taking (and thankfully giving) few losses, but always able to drive the raider back. The third time the ship came under attack was from a pack of forest drakes, who proved a more adept threat than a band of halflings... at least until the halflings and their brethren came to the aid of the ship's occupants.<br/><br/>That night, feasting on pickled-tasting drake flesh and native berries, the crew of the<em>Majesty's Lance</em>and the rough band of forest bandits struck an accord. some of the ruffians, seeking adventure, struck on with the crew. among their number was Taluya. in the times since, she's traveled to many parts of the world, and even a few places beyond. She saw the high halls of "civilization" and learned to loathe the lifestyles of the poor tethered creatures within these "cities" - even while admitting they made better wine than she had ever tasted, and certainly made better steel. She even met the old man himself... And apparently made an impression on the civilized gentleman, with her heathen ways and love of flight.<br/><br/>when faced with the choice of yet another delivery of opals and silk to yet another decadent city-state, or accept the offer to sail into the very realm of sky itself to honor a dying man's wish... it was no choice for Taluya. Maybe by her example, the "associates" seeking tp carve his winnings for themselves - lower bandits than any brigands she ever robbed with - might learn a fragment of honorable behavior?