Lotus, better known by her nickname, The Fire Blossom, was a half-elven thief from the islands of Wa in Kara-Tur, who ended up in the City of Ravens, Ravens Bluff, in the late 14th century DR.[1]
Description[]
At the age of forty winters, Lotus was a young, petite half-elven woman, only 4 feet and 10 inches (1.5 meters) tall, weighting 96 pounds (44 kilograms).[1]
Personality[]
Lotus rarely engaged in conflict, only resorting to it when no other options were available. She preferred to simply flee the trouble, even if witnesses of the crime were around. She used her weapons to injure as the last resort but would try never to kill. The only acceptable and necessary use of violence in her eyes was when dealing with her family's imprisonment and the noble who facilitated it.[1]
Abilities[]
Lotus was a thief of some skill. She wore simple leather armor and carried a selection of daggers and shurikens. As a rogue, the woman had the deft hands of a pickpocket and a lockpicker; she was skilled in disarming tracks, silent movements and could melt into shadows, away from prying eyes. Lotus was also a proficient climber with an apt sense of direction and was a talented tailor and disguise artist. She could weave a quality tapestry. However, Lotus only spoke two languages, her native Kozakuran language and the Common tongue.[1]
Possessions[]
Curiously enough, Lotus's shurikens appeared to be masterfully crafted, worthy of the best of Kara-Turan assassins. It was said that these old thrown weapons once belonged to her birth father, gifted to her by the adoptive parents. Only a hundred of these shurikens were in Lotus's possession, but over the years, she lost less than a dozen.[1]
History[]
Lotus had little precious information about where she came from to be in the care of the two traveling clothiers from Wa. With them, the half-elven child traveled far and wide across Kara-Tur, the Hordelands, and finally, the Vast. Lotus's adoptive parents instilled human values into their daughter and raised her to love Kara-Turan crafts. Her mother taught Lotus weaving, and she proved to be a swift learner. As for the girl's birth parents, the only thing the clothiers told her was that her father dishonored her mother, who, in turn, committed a ritualistic suicide in grief when Lotus was just an infant.[1]
While doing business in the Vast, one of the tapestries woven by Lotus caught Lady Niune De Sheers's eye. Lady De Sheers was a Ravenaar noblewoman. She purchased the clothiers's craftwork and promised to spread the word of their merchandise. However, she did no such thing and instead proclaimed the clothiers frauds and accused them of swindling her of coin. Allegedly, House De Sheers provided the proof of the claim and the Ravens Bluff Guard sentenced the couple to an indefinite imprisonment at the Nevin Street Compter. Lotus avoided capture and was forced to thieve in order to survive on the streets of the Bluff.[1]
Out of necessity, Lotus honed her roguish skills and learned to disguise her distinct looks as a half-elven woman of Waneese descent who stood out in Ravens Bluff. As far as Lotus knew, her parents were innocent and unrightfully imprisoned. She made it her goal to eventually confront Lady Niune De Sheers and find out why she made such an accusation. Lotus made several daring jewelry heists across the rich neighborhoods of Ravens Bluff, liberating the valuables from merchants and adventurers. She was taught from the earliest age that the law enforcement in cities was the most corrupt, and she planned to use the coin made through robberies to bribe the Guards of the Nevin Street Compter. One of the thief's victims was the Ye Olde Bluff Jeweler shop and its dimwitted employee Vurtin, who left the goods unwatched as he counted the day's sales. Lotus daringly grabbed the bracelets, pearls, and diamonds, and fled into the night, with Tymoras blessing.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
Lotus was created by Mason Potter, the winner of the character creation contest that challenged participants to create the character and backstory for the rogue who appeared on the cover of Polyhedron 136, drawn by Hannibal King. Mason's reward was a copy of Ed Greenwood's The City of Ravens Bluff.[1]