Liriel Baenre

Liriel Baenre (born Liriel Vandree) was a rogue drow mage, fighter, and magic user trained by Gromph Baenre the Archmage of Menzoberranzan who was a noble of House Baenre, the first house of Menzoberranzan. She was forced to flee Menzoberranzan when she obtained the Windwalker amulet and began traveling with Fyodor.

Description
Liriel was described as slender and delicate, with a height of 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m). Like most drow, she had black skin and thick white hair. Her eyes were unusual -- the color of amber -- and revealed her intelligence and fondness for mischief. Her face was expressive and often flickered from one emotion to the next. She was described as one of the most beautiful drow females in Menzoberranzan.

In Menzoberranzan, she was fond of fancy dresses. In Skullport, she wore a piwafwi, tight black leathers and black chainmail.

Personality
Liriel had a sardonic and witty personality, with a fondness for practical jokes. The rare moments where she adopts a serious demeanour is when she is in combat and is forced to become a deadly warrior-mage.

Abilities
Skilled in the arts of both magical and melee combat, Liriel was as ruthless in combat as any other drow. She was very skilled in using projectile weapons and especially fond of using throwing spiders.

Qilué Veladorn taught Liriel the Moonsong, which she later used on occasion with the favor of Eilistraee. Liriel became able to hear the joyful, unique song that all places and their people sung when lit by the moon. She could locate and feel specific individuals through that magic, and even see glimpses of their personalities, dreams, and struggles. She could also feel if someone whose song she heard was happy or in need of help. This magic gifted by Eilistraee allowed her to feel the torment of the elven souls trapped in a magical tapestry by the illithid Vestress of the Kraken Society, and then set them free, hearing their joyous songs of release.

Possessions
Liriel was typically garbed in the signature piwafwi and elven boots of the drow, she also carried throwing spiders for battle. Among her more unique items was her father's Book of Portals which had potent teleportation abilities, her ring of water breathing, which was given by Merrow folk trying to kidnap her, and a grimoire on sea and water magic.

Relatives
Liriel was born in 1322 DR. Liriel is the eldest daughter of Gromph Baenre, archmage of Menzoberranzan. Her mother was Sosdrielle Vandree. Drow almost always trace their descent matrilineally, but Gromph recognized Liriel's magical potential when she was a child, and killed her mother in order to be able to take her into House Baenre. This was possible because Gromph had a much higher station in Menzoberranzan than the typical male drow.

Childhood
At the age of five, Liriel was placed by Gromph under the magical instruction of Xandra Shobalar, but Xandra was told to keep this a secret. She excelled at her studies immediately and in a few years she had outgrown the ability of all of her peers, inciting the envy of Xandra. She shared a bedroom with Xandra's daughter, Bythnara Shobalar, whom she later killed by pushing into a lake of pyrimo flesh-eating fish after Bythnara made an attempt on Liriel's life. (Syzwick witnessed the murder but his life was spared when he swore never to speak of it.)

Liriel privately coined the term "the mask" to refer to the facade she displayed when required of her. It was a neutral expression of apparent ignorance designed to hide her true emotions.

The Blooding
In 1348 DR Liriel was given a vial of holding and a pair of boots of elvenkind by Gromph before the Blooding ritual began. When her prey was revealed to be the human wizard Tresk Mulander, she refused to take part in the ritual, believing that she should face a more monstrous creature, but both Xandra and her mother, Hinkutes'nat Alar Shobalar, insisted. It was at this moment that Liriel realized Xandra wanted her dead. Xandra also gave her the key to the amulet of containment around Tresk's neck, although she did not explain its function.

Liriel was caught by surprise by Tresk and a magical battle ensued, but she soon came to realize that he was only using drow magic and that he knew a great deal about drow tactics. Liriel was able to cast a spell to disrupt Tresk's piwafwi, proof to her that Tresk had been equipped. When he summoned a darkenbeast from a concealed mole on his body, Liriel was forced to use much of her magical strength against it, after which she capitulated. She threw the key to Tresk, which she had placed in the vial of holding. Tresk opened the vial without realizing what it was and became imprisoned within. Liriel returned to Menzoberranzan where she smashed the vial, unleashing Tresk, who attacked Xandra. She slew Tresk but not without suffering a deep wound to her face. Although Xandra tried to claim that the Blooding had not been fulfilled because Liriel had brought back Tresk alive, Liriel's argument was that she had been entitled to use whatever weapon she preferred to kill Tresk, and she had used Xandra as a weapon. This view was upheld by Hinkutes'nat, and Liriel was accepted as having fulfilled the Blooding.

Escape from Menzoberranzan
Because Liriel's father was the powerful Archmage of Menzoberranzan, Liriel was able to avoid the priestess academy of Arach-Tinilith for many years. However, Matron Mother Triel Baenre, seeking new priestesses to strengthen her house, forced her to enroll in 1361 DR. . Liriel was ahead in many of the subjects she studied (except religion) and soon found the restrictions of Arach-Tinilith too binding, not to mention boring, even after Triel ordered her teachers to advance her to high priestess status as quickly as possible. She spent her free time playing pranks on her rival, Shakti Hunzrin, and escaping the city whenever possible.

Using a book given to her by her father, Liriel traveled to the surface lands where she met drow followers (including Ysolde and Qilue Veladorn ) of Eilistraee, the Dark Maiden of benevolent drow. Her desire to return to the surface increased, but she feared being unable to use her drow magic. She believed that an artifact called the Windwalker could help her keep her magic. Coincidentally, this was the same artifact sought by Fyodor of Rashemen to control his out-of-control beserker rages. The artifact was obtained by the Vhaeraunite merchant-turned-mercenary band the Dragon's Hoard, led by Nisstyre, but Liriel subsequently retrieved it and later lost it again to Nisstyre. Liriel -- a powerful mage, warrior, and ex-priestess of Lolth -- led a struggle against them with the help of her friends, Fyodor, the mutant two-headed deep dragon Zz'Pzora, and the Eilistraeean forces of Qilué Veladorn.

Journey to Ruathym
After defeating the Dragon's Hoard, Liriel and Fyodor headed for Ruathym, where she believed she could find Yggdrasil's Child to unlock the power held in the Windwalker. She freed Hrolf the Unruly from his prison in Skullport so that he could take them on his ship, the Elfmaid, to his homeland. While onboard the ship, they intercepted the Cutter, a seal-hunting ship carrying barrels of pickled sea elves they had found on another ship and were carrying to the authorities. Hrolf was so upset at the travesty, however, he scuttled the ship without asking questions and set the crew adrift. On the Elfmaid, Liriel made a tentative friendship with the sea elf Xzorsh and continued to worship Lolth and draw on her goddess's powers, even transporting the ship through the Abyss at one point.

When the ship reached Ruathym, Liriel stayed at the home of Hrolf, who had taken her in as his own daughter. She saved village of Hastor from a sahuagin attack; Glammad, the First Axe of Hastor; accepted Liriel as one of their own. He even offered to yield leadership to Liriel, despite her being a dark elf female.

During her stay, Liriel finally managed to carve her rune in the Child of the Yggdrasil, fulfilling the original goal of her quest. Eilistraee's song provided her guidance in understanding how to create her rune, the result of all her experiences and bonds, and the young drow eventually understood that she couldn't have created her rune without Fyodor, due to how important he had become to her. The two finally celebrated their love by the roots of the Yggdrasil, even though Fyodor, for a while, would come to see Liriel not merely as herself, but as a wychlaran, a power to rever, making their relationship more distant. While Liriel's intent was that of preserving her own drow magic away from the Underdark, her rune ended up allowing all drow to keep their powers on the surface. Despite Eilistraee guiding Liriel, speculations were that Lolth also had a hand in the matter.

After her investigations, Liriel uncovered the conspiracy of the Kraken Society and the Luskan High Captains: sea elves had been enslaved and/or killed by the society near Ruathym, with the purpose of blaming the island (known for its grudge against elves) for the crime and attacking it, their souls stolen by the illithid Vestress to prevent the use of spells to speak with the dead. The young drow delivered a direct attack to Ascarle, defeating Vestress and setting its prisoners free. Meanwhile, the large part of the forces of Ascarle, with the support of Luskan, had launched their attack against Ruathym and engaged its defenders, including Fyodor, in battle. Believing the situation to be lost, exhausted and succumbing to despair, Liriel channeled the power of Lolth and became an avatar (zedrinset) to save Ruathym. However, the Spider Queen was only interested in bloodshed, taking over Liriel's will as she bombarded the battlefield with magic from above. Seeing her in such conditions, Fyodor frantically tried to free her. Tapping the power of the Windwalker, her entered into a shapeshifting rage, turning into a giant bird to reach Liriel. The contact with her lover managed to make the drow come to her sense, but a high price: Fyodor's conditions were critical after his act, and he was on the brink of death. Heartbroken, Liriel nearly reached for Lolth again, offering her total subservience to the Spider Queen in exchange for Fyodor's life. However, it was Eilistraee who answered her request instead, surrounding Liriel with her light and magic and bringing Fyodor back to life, therefore setting both of them free from Lolth's shadow.

Journey to Rashemen
Liriel and Fyodor traveled to Rashemen to return the Windwalker to Fyodor's people. They initially sought help from Qilue Veladorn at the Promenade of the Dark Maiden, but when Qilue attempted to use magic to speed their journey along, Liriel inadvertently allowed Lolth's influence past the wards on the temple, making Qilue very angry. They nevertheless were teleported to the Highforest, where they ran into the Wildwinds Coven of Eilistraee and Thorn, a lythari Moonhunter keeping an eye on Fyodor at the behest of his grandmother, Zofia. Thorn transported the two through moonbeams (during which Liriel had to remain asleep) to Rashemen, where Liriel killed the wychlaran Fraeni. Frightened of the consequences, she used the Mask of Danigar to appear as (deceased) Sylune, the sister of Qilue. She was met by the wychlaran of Dernovia, led by Zofia, and taken back to the village.

After some time in the village, Sharlarra Vendreth, who had learned of Liriel's plight from her master, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, showed up. It was reported that drow were hiding in the Warrens nearby. Liriel and her allies met the drow force, led by Gorlist, the son of Nisstyre, with the Red Wizard Merdrith, deathsinger Brindlor Zidorion, and Shakti Hunzrin in tow. They were defeated, but in the battle, Fyodor was mortally wounded. However, Liriel successfully used the Windwalker to release the spirits of Rashemen, destroying the artifact in the process. Sylune appeared, revealing her approval.

After Rashemen
For at least ten years after the events in Rashemen, Liriel traveled with Sharlarra and Thorn. Ca. 1371 DR, she was with them in Hlammach, Impiltur, serving as a hired blade for the Impiltur military, a post she had gained in part through the great praise of Jhanyndil of Rashemen. Her skills in the Underdark were helpful to the Warswords that patrolled the tunnels under the Earthspur Mountains, and her ability to speak Undercommon was aiding the possibility of trade with a recently discovered a duergar temple of Laduguer.

While in Hlammach, Thorn was approached by a hunter who recognized her as lythari and wanted her as a trophy. Thorn challenged him to a duel, which was won by Liriel casting a resurrection on the man's dragonhide boots, causing a red dragon to appear and carry the man off.

Post-Second Sundering
Liriel was still alive as of the 1490sDR

Religion
Liriel was trained for a brief time as a priestess of Lolth at Arach-Tinilith, and initially upon acquiring the Windwalker amulet, she had the favor of Lolth, as indicated by the reversion of a statue to her face in the House Baenre temple. Despite that, Liriel later renounced the worship of Lolth, finding the favor and of the goddess Eilistraee. The Dark Dancer made her closeness and presence felt to Liriel on multiple occasions, delicately calling the young drow to herself, or watching over her. As an example, the goddess helped Liriel to create the rune that she had to carve in the Yggrdrasil in order to preserve her drow magic--and therefore identity--on the surface. Another example was Eilistraee's magic that enveloped Liriel and brought Fyodor back from the brink of death after the battle for Ruathym (also permitting her to avoid turning to Lolth for help, and to shackle herself to another pact with the spider goddess). However, after unwillingly drawing the attention of Lolth to the drow of the Promenade of the Dark Maiden, and indirectly causing the deaths of Ysolde Veladorn, daughter of Qilué and Elkantar, his beloved, Liriel feared that she would no longer be welcome among them.

''“Grief filled her: for Ysolde, the first priestess of Eilistraee she'd ever met, and the first living being to welcome her to the surface world. For Qilué, who would live on without the joy and comfort to be found in the company of those she loved. More unexpected was grief for a dream that had died before Liriel understood that she harbored it: the dream of finding a place for herself among the priestesses of Eilistraee."''

However, she could still feel the song and magic of Eilistraee, and knew that the goddess didn't abandon her. This led her to briefly consider finding and pursuing her own purpose, with the blessing of the Dark Maiden, but magic was her call, and she eventually chose to become a priestess of Mystra. Despite that, Liriel could still feel the call of Eilistraee, as the Dark Dancer spoke to her emotional side, providing her a sense of belonging and sisterhood, and reminding her of the beauty and joy that could be found in life.

She was particularly interested in the power to raise the dead, to bring Fyodor back to life. However she ultimately chose not to (and was even ashamed to have considered doing such a thing), because she couldn't bring herself to disrupt the peace and joy that she had glimpsed in Fyodor during the last moments that she spent with him, as his spirit moved into the afterlife.

Kharza-kzad Xorlarrin
Liriel's chief mentor in Menzoberranzan was Kharza-kzad Xorlarrin, a master of Sorcere. She almost considered him a friend in a way.

Zz'Pzora
The deep dragon Zz'Pzora was Liriel's only friend in the Underdark and Liriel mourned her death in the lair of the Dragon's Hoard.

Fyodor
Liriel and Fyodor became lovers during their time together. Fyodor also named her his witch (wychlaran). After he was mortally wounded, she aided him along his way, making sure she had his sword with him as his traditions demanded. Ten years later, she still had not gotten over him and found herself unable to love another. She contemplated raising him from the dead, but decided against it.

Hrolf
Hrolf essentially adopted Liriel as his own daughter. She mourned his passing greatly. After his death, she magically changed the figurehead on the Elfmaid to an image of him.

Novels and short stories

 * Daughter of the Drow
 * "Rite of Blood" in The Best of the Realms
 * "Realms of Magic" in The Best of the Realms III and Realms of Magic
 * Tangled Webs
 * Windwalker
 * "Answered Prayers" in The Best of the Realms III