Aunrae Duskryn was by far one of my favorite characters to play with such amazing character development. With so many twists and turns - I never knew what was coming next.
In the beginning - she was a Hemomancer. Always hungry and thirsty (for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to manage stacks and hunger/thirst needs), she would go around harvesting her first friend in Andunor, Grek. Most importantly, she was Elistreen but she was also smart. Andunor is a giant with many sharp teeth. You want to survive, you become close to the big guys in the courtyard. Your weakness becomes less noticeable when you have strong friends to guide and help you. She became a slave to Grek because of this and eventually a retainer of Shadowclaw. It was drow eat drow and she had no intention of being like the drow who snuffed out weakness. She could remain this way and slowly become one of the most powerful people in Andunor. You see your definition of power and mine may differ here. True power lies in friendship. Companionship. People who will fight and die for you. This is a tribe. This is what she had become a part of.
Eventually, after a while, she went away. It was a matter of time after finding the Elistreen altar on the surface and visiting the meadows to spend time under the moon before she was outed. She hated having to leave but she had grown to love her family of kobolds. They had become her weakness and she knew they could not protect her secret, nor would they. So she went to become one with Nature to keep her tribe safe.
Upon her return, Aunrae had become a druid. This was by far my favorite side of Aunrae but this was very hard to balance as drow being inherently evil and druids being one of nature and balance. However, she persevered even as the struggle grew - especially after reading the books left by players about the grove, a job she initially did not want but took to protect a secret in hopes of further proving herself to her tribe. Doing this - made her the strong one. Out in the light and revealed to all as she cleansed areas from blights and improved growth in the farms, actually helping nature.
She learned a druid's job was to work for nature and be a part of it - but not control it. To keep balance without tipping the scales and to provide guidance. To work in tandem with other groves to provide that unity. However, albeit too late mind you, that there was another bit of knowledge she didn't have. The phrase "We may not walk hand in hand, but we do walk in the same direction and that's enough" comes to mind here.
It was difficult to be a voice of reason and balance in a place of chaos but - it was fun. It brought unlikely friends and allies, even if in the end it brought her to a point I didn't see coming.
Aunrae made so many friends. The legion members, Badoc who was like a second father to who she hated disappointing, Ahnda and Muck who were a couple she put together but became her sword and shield, her siblings. Arak, the uncle-like figure she always tried to impress. Pyt, the first brother she could actually claim. Grek, her first friend. Ner'enthis, her everything. Her confidence, her friend, her shield, her sword, a listening ear. Azuu and Alex, a friend. Dib and John Rigsby and Aya. Utari - the goodest gnoll. (Sorry Utari, you know I had to.) All of them and so many more made Aunraes life complete and crazy.
However, as things come and go, after stepping too far down the path of enforcing peace, she became a traitor to Andunor. The Istishian druid had one choice. Leave or die. So - she left after trying to ensure her brother and another gnoll friend would not be hunted for incidents in Shadowvar.
You could say that even after her death was ordered - she still did what she thought was best to get enemies to leave her family alone.
I personally want to thank all of you. Ner'enthis, you and the kobolds, Azuu, Valks, Grek, Malx, Ssunat, Gahkis, Tchezi, and Raggix, all of you made playing UD worth it for me and made me want to come back. You taught industry and reliability - as well as the kinship of family and working together for a goal.
Thank you to the unseen heroes too like Khorin - being an absolute champ helping me with supplies and helping me stand on my own. Or Szorn for making me laugh at an OOC level while Aunrae didn't know what to make of him. You taught independence and Chaos - and somehow just how to be silly.
The legion members are definitely one of the bright spots in Andunor for me. Arak, Badoc, Muck, Ahnda, Kraash.. you all made your own special impacts on Aunrae and became part of her family too. You taught strength, blood, and honor.
To her pirate friends, human friends, yes even the secret elf friends - you all had your own key role in forming the life that was Aunrae Duskryn and pushed her to do things she would not have normally done. You taught that even when there is nothing left to fight for, there's always something new on the horizon whether it be good or bad - but to face those waves.
Unfortunately, her story came to a close, but that is okay as one door closes another opens. Now she dances under the moon across the decks of ships as a true druid of the sea - what she wanted to do all along.
I want to thank you all, even those not mentioned, for the laughs and even the tears that came as part of building this character and her amazing story and I look forward to figuring out what story we can create together in the future. It truly was an experience to remember with friendships made that will last a lifetime.
