<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/6/6a/5e_PC_1.jpeg)</div><strong>Tania Duskspell</strong><br/><hr/>The way of the warrior was to always be alert, forever on guard, perpetually searching for each hidden danger. Not a leaf could twitch without a hand moving to the handle of her sword, not a tendril of smoke curl into the horizon without her shield arm stiffening for the coming fight. A trained soldier, a knightress of the legendary Order of Myth Drannor, a guardian dedicated to her cause…<br/><br/><strong>zzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzhhhhhrrrrrrkkkkkksnortzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz</strong><br/><br/>…was snoring like a rough-toothed saw cutting a knotted log. The heavy fur cloak Tania had folded onto her lap was warm, the buzzing excitement she’d felt as she packed for the journey had given way to the rhythmic rumbling of the wheels, and somewhere a few miles north of their destination, the graceful dueller had lost the battle with drooping eyelids and ended up insensate, legs wide, a thin string of drool working its way across her cheek.<br/><br/>Tania jerked awake when the chaise pulled up at Twin’s exclamation of surprise, but rather than leaping from the chaise along with her ward, or taking immediate accounting of the dangers the ambush site posed, it took her a long groggy moment to wake herself. She announced herself in grandiose style.<br/><br/><strong>“Bluh?”</strong><br/><br/>She eased herself out of the chaise and, still shaking off the sleep, ambled up to join Twin. A string of black hair had glued itself to her drool-glistening cheek. The elegant lady knight wiped it away with a gloved hand, which then returned to rest on the handle of her sword as a woman in a strange mask –<em>she definitely <em>wasn’t</em> dreaming, right?</em>– brandished a rapier at the wizard. Who had just introduced her as…<br/><br/><em>Tabia Duskblade</em><br/><br/>Not that she could really blame him: their introduction had been hurried and she’d not since been in a position to correct him, sprawled out across the seat of the post chaise. She tried to keep track of the names, Clara, Amelia, Kathra, and there in the distance, Tinalia,<em>by Selûne this was going to be confusing</em>. Afar stood an elf wielding a bow, with a human man approaching. Tania cautiously raised a gloved hand in greeting.<br/><br/><strong>“Tania Duskspell,”</strong>she announced herself to Clara with exaggerated emphasis. Epiphany was gradually dawning: the party had fought off an attack, including from one of their own masked as a shapeshifter. Tania’s bright green eyes narrowed slightly as they flicked back across those she’d been introduced to, and hadn’t. Even a more powerful magic user would have little way of discerning any further changelings among them, and for someone like Tania, it was a total lost cause. At least she could count on Clara: Tania knew a fellow half-elf when she saw one, no changeling imposter there! She allowed herself a smile at the dark haired woman.<strong>“Indeed. Looks like you handled yourselves well enough, though.”</strong><br/><br/>A blonde woman, human, approached alongside her, offering a hand, which she took a little more cautiously. She couldn’t be so sure of this one, but the handshake felt reassuringly solid. Finding little cause to doubt Amara beyond the circumstances, she smiled at her, too.<strong>“Tania,”</strong>she re-introduced herself.<strong>“A pleasure.”</strong>