Name- Karien Golden Cheek
Race- Drow
Class- Knight

Strength      8
Dexterity     9
Constitution  7
Intelligence  4
Willpower     4
Charisma      4
Magic         5

Height     5'6"
Weight     95 lbs
Hair       White
Eyes       Pale Green
Blood Type A

Armor- Armor of the Moonstar
Weapons- Sword and Lance

Skills
   Dancing
   Etiquette
   Riding
   Heraldry
   History
   Religion
   Swimming
   First Aid
   Survival
   Athletics
   Speak Common and Noble

Deity of Choice- Ki

Old Pic

Karien was born (though what her name was then she doesn't know) to the concubine of a powerful Drow noble. When she was still the tender age of 6 months, her father came down on the wrong side of a coup attempt. Karien's father, his wife and their children were executed as traitors. Karien (though she was still a baby) and her mother were spared that fate, but some would say that their punishment was harsher. As instead of death they were tattooed with the Drow glyph for traitor/exile. Now, as per Drow law, anyone with this tattoo could be attacked, killed, or enslaved with impunity.

Several days later Duke Belgian of Andross was travelling with his lady and retinue to the capitol. Their route took them along the Ta'resan border (since the lady wished to visit friends there) when they saw a figure dressed in rags come running from the forest clutching something to its chest. Almost immediately a small group of Drow warriors Burst from the undergrowth in hot pursuit of the rag-clad fugitive. The Duke immediately ordered his knights to attack the Drow and within minutes the evil elves lay dead on the grass. While her husband and their knights dispatched the dark elves, Lady Belgian rushed to see if she could help the person they had been chasing. Expecting to find an elf, the lady was surprised to find the rag covered woman was also a Drow, covered from head to toe with deep ragged slashes and with a bright golden tattoo on her right cheek. As the Drow woman looked into the concerned face of Lady Belgian she whispered "Don't let them hurt my baby." as with a soft sigh she died.

As the noble lady picked up the little dark-skinned elf girl she noticed that she too had a glyph on her cheek that looked like solid gold set into the bone. Now, Lady Belgian couldn't have children but she dearly loved them and as she looked into the sweet little girl's eyes, she knew that she couldn't give her up. So Duke Belgian adopted the little orphan, named her Karien, and raised her with all the love and care of any child of a noble family. It soon became obvious that, aside from the elven cast of her features and a skin tone so darkly tanned it was almost black, Karien was not going to be a hot-house flower like so many other noble girls. Whether it was her Drow ancestry, her traumatic early life, or simply her normal attitude, she was a scrapper from an early age. SO her father decided that she needed the discipline of the warrior to focus her aggression and sharpen her sense of honor. Throwing herself into the training of a knight, Karien soon became one of her father's most skilled retainers.

Because of her tattoo Karien was called 'Golden Cheek'. SHe also learned that nothing other than cold steel could cover her tattoo. Makeup or mud would either slide off or refuse to stick, and cloth would become transparent so that the tattoo could be easily seen. She also learned that for those that could see magic, it glowed softly so that it was clear even in the darkest night.

All in all Karien's childhood was a happy one. Unfortunately because of her almost black skin, snow white hair and sea green eyes, the children of the other noblility that she came into contact with never really made her feel welcome. Luckily, as she began her training as a knight she found that other squires and men-at-arms didn't care what she looked like but rather how good she was and how hard she worked. Since she was bothe very good and always working as hard as she could, Karien found good and true friends in her fellow warriors. And as she grew to adulthood she became more and more a warrior and also and incredibly beautiful and exotic young woman.

The day came, however, when Karien knew she would have to leave. If she had been truly the daughter of the Duke and his lady, she would have become the Captain of his Knights and his heir. But she was not. She knew that she ould have to leave, so to save her father the pain of having to ask her to leave, she announced she would be leaving with Gareth to go to Natar and join the Edge Guard. Though her mother cried at seeing her 'little girl' going out into the world alone she also knew it was for the best. Her father was very proud of her, she had found a way not only to save him from the dishonor of asking her to leave but gained honor for bothe of them by attempting to join such a famous force.

On the day she left her father called out the entire keep to see her off. "My daughter, you go out to win honor for both yourself and your house. I pray Ki will aid you, but there is something I can do. May these few tokens of my love and respect for you help you in the days to come." And with that, Duke Belgian presented her with a suit of milk-white enameled plate armor, a powerful warhorse, a long strait lance, and a mirror-bright longsword. Though she sound it difficult to speak and her eyes were brimming with unshed tears, Karien would not disgrace her father breaking down in front of him. Instead she put on the armor, strapped the sword to her sword belt, then griped the lance in one hand and leapt into the saddle. And she settled her shield on her arm, her standard of a white rose on a black field was stark in contrast wut perfectly complimented by her shiny white armor. Clipping her lance into the holder on her saddle it rode strait up, strong and pround as did she. Then a simple bow to her father and Duke and another softer one to her her mother, Karien Golden Cheek and her comrade and friend Gareth rode out to find their fate....