View source for Cavatina Xarann

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xarann, Cavatina}}
{{Person
| image          = Cavatina.jpg
| caption        = Cavatina Xarann, Darksong Knight.
| name           = Cavatina Xarann
| alt_spelling   = 
| titles         = 
| aliases        = 
| nicknames      = 
| true name      = 
| home           = [[Promenade of the Dark Maiden]], [[Undermountain]]<ref name="EtU-p37">{{Cite book/Expedition to Undermountain|37}}</ref>
| formerhomes    = 
| sex            = Female<ref name="EtU-p37"/>
| race           = [[Drow]]<ref name="EtU-p37"/>
| ethnicity      = 
| occupation     = [[Darksong Knight]] 
| age            = 
| patron deity   = [[Eilistraee]]<ref name="SotW1">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|27}}</ref>
| languages      = 
| reckoning      = 
| dob            = 
| dobnotes       = 
| turned         = 
| turnednotes    = 
| death          = 1379
| deathnotes     = (Beheaded by [[Halisstra Melarn]]<ref name="AotL-p314">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|314}}</ref>)
| destroyed      = 
| destroyednotes = 
| parents        = [[Jetel Xarann]]<ref name="SotD12" />
| spouses        = 
| siblings       = 
| children       = 
| familyrefs     = 
| alignment1e    = 
| class1e        = 
| refs1e         = 
| alignment2e    = 
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| alignment35    = [[Chaotic good]]<ref name="EtU-p37"/>
| challenge35    = 
| class35        = {{class table|edition=3e|[[Fighter]] (Darksong Knight)|8|[[Cleric]]|14}}
| refs35         = <ref name="CoV-p38">{{Cite book/Champions of Valor|38}}</ref><ref name="EtU-p37"/>
}}
'''Cavatina Xarann''' was a female [[drow]] [[Darksong Knight]] in service of [[Eilistraee]] in the mid–14{{th}} century [[DR]].<ref name="EtU-p13">{{Cite book/Expedition to Undermountain|37}}</ref>

==History==
Cavatina was a fourth-generation devotee of the Lady of the Dance, born on the surface.<ref name="SotW6">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|67}}</ref> Her mother was a [[Sword Dancer of Eilistraee|Sword Dancer]], [[Jetel Xarann]], also a priestess of Eilistraee.<ref name="SotD12">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|80}}</ref>

Cavatina became a Darksong Knight at [[The Promenade]], where she was a proud and arrogant cleric of Eilistraeee.<ref name="SotW1">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|27}}</ref>

She was accompanying a novice on a routine patrol when she encountered a [[spellgaunt]]. Her blade, [[Demonbane]], which had been handed down by Jetel, was destroyed in a battle with the spider.<ref name="SotW1"/> Cavatina also encountered a [[Selvetarm|Selvetargtlin]] [[aranea]].<ref name="SotW-?">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|?}}</ref>

She was later ordered to go to [[Velarswood]] to investigate the appearance of [[Halisstra Melarn]], and was gifted with a ''[[singing sword]]'' to replace Demonbane.<ref name="SotW2">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|61}}</ref> Her search proved successful and Cavatina was led to the [[Demonweb Pits]], where she recovered the [[Crescent Blade]] and slayed the god [[Selvetarm]] after a furious battle, aided by the [[Lady Penitent]].<ref name="SotW3">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow}}</ref> She returned triumphant, only to discover that Eilistraee had killed [[Vhaeraun]] and had taken his portfolio along with his followers.<ref name="SotW4">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|311}}</ref>

Having to share her faith with the former Vhaeraunite clerics rankleed her, as she believed the Nightshadows to be nothing more than conniving assassins.<ref name="SotW5">{{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow|317}}</ref> She was later ordered by her superior, [[Qilué Veladorn]], to lead an assault on the [[Acropolis of Thanatos]], the main temple of [[Kiaransalee]], when the Promenade and the wizards of [[Sshamath]] discovered that the Crones' plot was augmenting the ''[[faerzress]]'' and rendering the drow incapable of [[divination]] and [[conjuration]] [[magic]], as well as keeping them [[Underdark]]-bound.<ref name="SotD1">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)}}</ref> Unable to accept the Nightshadows joining the ranks of Eilistraee's faithful, she constantly argued with the drow priest and the Dark Moon [[Kâras]], a former Vhaeraunite cleric leading his fellows. However, she was trapped by Halisstra Melarn, who had been given by [[Lolth]] to [[Wendonai]] as a plaything, and brought to the [[Abyss]] to be Wendonai's victim instead.<ref name="SotD2">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|228}}</ref>

Deceived by Halisstra, Cavatina was tortured by Wendonai, being told of her [[Drow#History|Tainted]] lineage and that it was impossible for her to be redeemed. Yet, through faith and logic, Cavatina managed to find the illogical claims, freed herself, and slew the corporal body of the demon.<ref name="SotD3">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|247}}</ref> She then returned to the [[Prime Material Plane]], where she came to the Acropolis of Thanatos and where Halisstra was wreaking havoc. Naked, armed only with her [[holy symbol]] and her ''singing sword'', she joined the battle, her pride tempered and her faith renewed. However, a powerful Crone mortally injured Cavatina only a moment later.<ref name="SotD4">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|306}}</ref>

She was revived by her fellow cleric, Kâras, and was then informed that the Spirit of the Crone had slaughtered all other the clerics of Eilistraee and that they were the last two remaining. Certain of their deaths, the Darksong Knight and the Dark Moon disguised themselves as Crones to go near the pit where the source of the ''faerzress'' augmentation—the [[Voidstone]]—was located, determined to make a last stand.<ref name="SotD5">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|319}}</ref>

As they were battling through the horde of Crones, [[Q'arlynd Melarn]], armed with the knowledge of the ''[[Selu'kiira]]'' with the help of his apprentices, performed the [[Elven High Magic|''Arselu'Tel'Quess'']] that wiped Kiaransalee's name from every memory in existence, thereby killing the goddess. With the death of their patron deity, the Crones lost their powers, and thus Cavatina and Kâras turned the tide of the battle.<ref name="SotD6">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|326}}</ref> She then proceeded to destroy the Voidstone with the help of the priestesses that had arrived as reinforcements.<ref name="SotD7">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|337}}</ref>

It was around this time that Qilué put her plan into motion, in which she would draw in all of Wendonai's Taint within her, then purge it with ''[[silver fire]]''. Unaware of the details of the high priestess's plan but aware that something was wrong and the source of the wrongness, Cavatina tried to organize an exorcism for the high priestess.<ref name="aotl1">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|62}}</ref> However, before she could organize enough clerics to perform the exorcism, The Promenade was attacked by [[Ghaunadaur]]'s minions, and Cavatina was rendered insane in the battle. Turned [[Etherealness|ethereal]] and [[Teleport|teleported]] to [[Skullport]], she remained addled until [[Laeral Silverhand]] came to ask for the Darksong Knight's help to restore her sister, Qilué.<ref name="aotl2">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|Chapter 12}}</ref> Healed by Laeral's friends, who were clerics of [[Chauntea]], she returned to the [[High Moor]] to do as Laeral had asked. She encountered Halisstra there yet again, and just as Wendonai's possession of the high priestess seemed complete, Eilistraee purged her disciple of the corruption and possessed the high priestess to offer redemption to the Lady Penitent. <ref name="AotL-p313">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|313}}</ref> Joyous to be in her deity's presence, Cavatina forgot Halisstra's presence for a moment, which proved to be her demise; for the Lady Penitent took up the Crescent Blade and beheaded the Darksong Knight.<ref name="AotL-p314">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|314}}</ref>

Cavatina was last seen on the [[Fugue Plane]], awaiting for her goddess to come retrieve her, unaware that Eilistraee had (apparently)<ref group="note">[[Ed Greenwood]] [http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19841&whichpage=22#476639 suggests] that Eilistraee actually managed to survive Halisstra's attempt to kill her, albeit much weakened. When Qilué Veladorn was killed, since the goddess was inhabiting her body, a great part of her power was dragged into the [[Weave]] with the Chosen's soul (the souls of Mystra's chosen often become "Voices in the Weave" after their death, as explained in the novel [[Spellstorm (novel)|''Spellstorm'']], and their memories and experiences are shared by Mystra). After that, for about a century, Eilistraee could only manfest herself only as a floating black mask surrounded by moonlight, capable of silently communicating with mortals, but not of answering prayers or granting spells (except by direct touch). After Mystra and the Weave were completely restored in [[1487 DR]], the goddess of magic could finally give Eilistraee her own lost power</ref> been killed by Halisstra's hands. Instead, [[Lashrael]] and [[Felarathael]], the [[solar]]s in service of [[Corellon Larethian]],<ref name="corellon">{{Cite book/Demihuman Deities|101}}</ref> came to retrieve her. She was informed that Halisstra had slain Qilué and Eilistraee, but that a few hundreds of the followers of the Dark Maiden (who, as [[lesser deity]], had at least a few thousands of worshipers)<ref name="FP 5-6">{{Cite book/Faiths and Pantheons|5-6}}</ref> and those drow who were not tainted by [[Wendonai]]'s blood, had been turned back to their original [[dark elf|dark elven]] form.<ref name="AotL 302-308">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|302-308}}</ref> Cavatina was among them, and was led to [[Arvandor]], as the solars claimed that the transformed drow would be allowed back into the elven [[afterlife]],<ref name="AotL-p339">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last|339}}</ref> even though Eilistraee's realm, which continued existing,<ref name="AotL">{{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last}}</ref> already was in Arvandor, and so were the souls of her followers within it.<ref name="F&P-p23">{{Cite book/Faiths and Pantheons|23-25}}</ref>

When [[Eilistraee]] managed to return to life during the [[Second Sundering]],<ref name="SCAG">{{Cite book/Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide|23, 108}}</ref><ref name="MTF5e-p53-57">{{Cite book/Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|53-57}}</ref><ref name="DM">{{Cite book/Death Masks}}</ref>, in Flamerule [[1489 DR]],<ref name="EdGreenwood-p468322">{{Cite web/Candlekeep forum
| title      = Questions for Ed Greenwood (2015)
| author     = [[Ed Greenwood]]/The Hooded One
| topicid    = 19841
| postid     = 468322
| whichpage  = 13
| date       = 2015-04-17
| accessdate = 
}}</ref> the planes had rearranged under the [[Great Wheel]] cosmology once again,<ref>{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 5th edition}}</ref> but it was unknown whether Eilistraee's realm, where the souls of all her followers resided, remained in Arvandor, or moved back to its old location in [[Ysgard]].<ref name="OHG-99,173">{{Cite book/On Hallowed Ground|99, 173}}</ref><ref name="DD">{{Cite book/Demihuman Deities|13-16}}</ref>

==Description==
Cavatina was noted to be tall, thin, and toned. She had black skin, as was the norm for the drow, with long, ivory hair.<ref name="SotD-p42">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|42}}</ref>

==Possessions==
After the loss of her mother's sword, Demonbane,<ref name="SotW1"/> she wielded a ''singing sword'' given to her by [[Qilué]].<ref name="SotW2"/> She was also equipped with an ''[[iron flask]]''<ref name="SotD-p225">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|225}}</ref> and a magical hunting horn.<ref name="SotD-p46">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|46}}</ref> She usually wore a [[breastplate]] embossed with Eilistraee's symbol that was dented from her battle with Selvetarm and possessed the holy symbol of Eilistraee in a chain around her neck.<ref name="SotD-p226">{{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)|226}}</ref>

==Appendix==
===Notes===
{{Notes}}

===References===
{{Refs}}

===Appearances===
* {{Cite book/Sacrifice of the Widow}}
* {{Cite book/Storm of the Dead/Paperback (2007)}}
* {{Cite book/Ascendancy of the Last}}
[[Category:Clerics]]
[[Category:Fighters]]
[[Category:Drow]]
[[Category:Worshipers of Eilistraee]]
[[Category:Members of the Darksong Knights]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of the Promenade of the Dark Maiden]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Undermountain]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of the Underdark]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Toril]]
[[Category:Inhabitants]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Waterdeep]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of the Sword Coast North]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Northwest Faerûn]]
[[Category:Inhabitants of Arvandor]]