Tessaril Winter

Tessaril Winter, formerly known as Tessar the Mage, was a human fighter and wizard. Previously an adventurer, she became the lord of the town of Eveningstar in Cormyr. She was beloved as an easy-going and attentive ruler, who used her magic to keep the peace. She was good friends and a one-time lover of King Azoun IV, and notably had a tressym familiar named Firespark.

Description
Tessaril stood 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall, with a slim build. Quite strong and agile, she moved gracefully and quiet. She had ash-blond hair. She typically wore plain dark robes or a leather jacket with riding breeches, but for battle she had a suit of chain mail.

Personality
Tessaril was an easy-going person, softly spoken and readily amused by life. She was both considerate and perceptive. When angered, she was more likely to grow quiet and pale. She enjoyed the work she put into the village and was proud of its peace and beauty and the friendships made with its folk.

At mealtimes, Tessaril Winter loved fried snake, venison, and firewine from Aglarond. However, she remained satisfied by regular roast beef and pork, and semi-sweet Sembian white wine.

Abilities
Tessaril was known as a warrior ruler, but originally practiced as a wizard. Although she gave up trying to become a mighty mage, she still loved to acquire new spells and employ those she knew to keep the peace in Eveningstar and root out conspiracies. She commanded a great deal of magic. Some unique or well-used spells she knew were dreamspeak, ESP, ray of Ondovir, speak with dead, and suggestion.

Possessions
Around 1370 DR, she was the current holder of the Iron Helm of Heroes, a minor relic of Ilmater the Crying God known for its powers of healing. However, Tessaril was unaware of its limited number of uses, and it was expected to disappear and reappear somewhere else in the Realms when she hit that limit.

In battle, Tessaril wielded a +2 longsword and a large metal Purple Dragon shield emblazoned with the symbol of her lordship, a silver star. She wore a suit of chain mail and carried three daggers.

She constantly wore an amulet of proof against detection and location and a ring of regeneration, and carried her sword, wand of magic missiles, and two iron bands of Bilarro spheres. She also possessed a magestar, a necklace of missiles, no less than eight potions of extra-healing, and several lantern rings. These light-emitting signal rings were worn by Lord Tessaril and all Purple Dragon forces in Eveningstar. She would give them to people providing vital aid to the village.

She dwelt in Tessaril's Tower in Eveningstar. This was a large stone house with a porch running all along the front, with a plaque in the shape of a wooden shield by the door bearing Tessaril's name and title. It contained a number of comfortable guest rooms and a cupola that Tessaril enjoyed using as a lookout over her village. The house was home to Tessaril, her Herald Tzin Tzummer, and four Purple Dragons who served as guards and bodyguards.

Relationships
Tessaril was an old friend and lover of King Azoun IV. Some Cormyreans wondered if they were too close, given their prior relationship, but were assured that they were just good friends following his marriage, their relationship entirely platonic. The king often stopped by Eveningstar in disguise when he wanted a drink at the Lonesome Tankard and to meet his people in secret. Occasionally, he dropped his disguise to dance with Tessaril at The Low Lantern. Lord Tessaril was entirely loyal to King Azoun IV.

She was aided in her lordly duties by her Herald, Tzin Tzummer, and the town clerk and purser, Aldo Morim. She also commanded the local contingent of Purple Dragons. She could magically summon the services of War Wizards like Rouizel and Tammarth to aid in keeping the peace, maintaining the safety of the village, and in dealing with criminals.

The villagers of Eveningstar loved their Lord Tessaril, and she knew it. Some of the men had more romantic interests, and would fight and die for her. She was good friends with Dunman Kiriag, proprietor of The Lonesome Tankard.

Tessaril kept a tressym as a familiar. This winged cat, named Firespark, accompanied her often, either perched upon her shoulder and circling her feet with many purrs. The tressym served as her unofficial food taster, insisting on sampling everything she ate and drank, which saved Tessaril from poisoning no less than six times.

Activities
As lord of Eveningstar, Tessaril Winter was known as a good ruler, being both swift and efficient about her duties to the crown. She earned a reputation as one of the nicer lords of Cormyr, gently and attentively managing her domain. In fact, she kept the peace through constant surveillance by ESP spells.

Tessaril typically held court in Eveningstar Hall, but sometimes from in the village's Market Square, in the taproom of The Lonesome Tankard, and even on the front porch of her home, as she had the need. She invited those with concerns or complaints to speak openly and plainly, rather than let issues simmer in silence. Through her judgments, she exercised the king's will and the laws of the realm. Tessaril employed speak with dead to question murder victims, and dreamspeak to question suspicious visitors in the Tankard (with proprietor Dunman's aid to render them asleep or inebriated). She would also use suggestion to induce someone to confess a crime, to choose not to commit a crime or seek revenge, to leave town, and so on. Tessaril only allowed temporary shrines to be erected in the village market for up to three days, from the first dawn to the last sunset.

In her free time, she liked to use her magic to help or entertain children. She also enjoyed dancing in the evenings, often with the men of the village, who were smitten by her.

Being a former adventurer herself, Tessaril was friendly to adventurers and gave them aid whenever possible, and the benefit of the doubt. However, she still watched closely all adventurers in her lands, knowing full well the trouble they could get into. In particular, she was fascinated by the nearby Haunted Halls and believed there was still treasure to be found within. She regularly used the Iron Helm of Heroes to assist explorers of the Halls. However, she rationed this out, only healing a group once or twice.

History
Operating under the name "Tessar the Mage", and disguised as a man, she was formerly a member of the King's Men adventuring band. She gained some local fame in this role. She was also once a lover of King Azoun IV of Cormyr, some time prior to his wedding.

So she could better serve her beloved village and king, Tessaril retired from the adventuring career, and from the path of a mighty mage. She became Lord Tessaril Winter of the town of Eveningstar in Cormyr, holding this position by 1348 DR. In her time as lord, she was once warned about orc and bandit attacks by Deularla Ithruen. She also once used the Hidden House of the Sword Heralds.

Once, King Azoun was set upon by Zhentarim agents with poisoned blades whilst dancing in The Low Lantern tavern, only to be defended by a crowd of unarmed villagers. When the alert was raised, Tessaril led a squad of Purple Dragons and routed the assassins.

She held this position through around 1372 DR.

Appearances

 * Adventure
 * Haunted Halls of Eveningstar
 * Novels
 * Crown of Fire &bull; Swords of Eveningstar