“Tell me, are you just stupid or do wish for death?”

Varatas Sunweaver (formerly Varatas Elthrai) is an High Elven Sorcerer operating as an adventurer. A free spirit, he resisted the will of his father to become a proper heir to House Elthrai and struck out on his own to seek the answers to his Dragonic heritage. He is free-spirited and typically carefree when dealing with problems, seeing most mundane matters as a nuisance. However when truly provoked he is deadly serious.

Varatas is the current heir of the Elvish House Elthrai. He was born 78 years ago with his twin sister Aletheia to Tyrion and Hisana Elthrai. As the current head of House Elthrai, Tyrion is more concerned only with the advancement of the House. This frequently put him at odds with Varatas, who rather would learn to harness his innate magical prowess. Varatas has one older sister Vesti.

Varatas' Journal from his travels.

That is all my former life afforded me. From the moment of my birth I was a cog in my family’s noble machine. Nothing more than an heir, to be some number away from royalty. My oldest sister accepted her place, my younger sister shared many of my views, but would never let mother overhear her. Mother believed we read too much into noble tales of knights and wizards exploring dungeons and slaying dragons.

My father only cared that I respected tradition, family, honor, and other nonsense. I did not care for a gilded cage, nothing more than a possession to be bargained away for some slight honor. No, I was meant for much more.

Then my magic awoke before my 50th birthday. What would be a joyous occasion for any other elf was met by distain. As was proper for a noble, my parents shipped me to the sanctum to learn from the so-called masters. But they were no better than my parents, a gilded cage replaced by a cage of books, restraints, and rules. While the other students could barely make a light without their precious tomes I could fling fire and ice from my hands as if it was second nature.

The masters held me back, saying in time they would teach me more. They repeated I was special, a prodigy of vast potential. But I found them fearful of the truth. They would teach me no “true” magic, only parlor tricks to impress lords and ladies. When they spoke I knew they knew something of my past, but deflected every time I pressed. So I left the sanctum, to return home to find my destiny.

As expected, my parents said nothing, only begging me to return to the sanctum “for the good of the family and our precious honor.” I could see a secret in their eyes that they would never share. I was something more…

For once, the studying I so demised was useful. In our family’s grandiose mausoleum I pieced together records long destroyed and forgotten. In the ancient times our family’s line was mixed with a Dragon, a boon granted to us for a noble act to the creature. As the ages past fewer and fewer of us sowed the dragon traits, but the last member of our family to show them was my father’s grandfather. They called him the Starflayer, as he burned friends and foes alike with his magic, a half dragon elf who tried to seize the crown, thinking he was superior to all. His dishonor brought ruin to my family.

But I am not him. And his sins will not bind me to this cage. If I must strike out alone to find my destiny so be it. I will abandon the family name and take the name Sunweaver, to honor the great destiny I will weave for myself on my own.

A journal entry that should provide a reason for him to show up:

Journal: Prologue

Aletheia, my dearest twin sister:

I doubt you will ever read this and at the moment I do not have a way to send you a letter, not that father would ever let you read it lest you get the idea to follow your brother on some fool crusade. I hope that you are well. I know you are mad at me but this was a journey that will be fraught with danger and I did not want you to be hurt.

I know father and mother have likely disowned me by now but no matter what they say it is important to acknowledge all the parts of our family’s history. This dragonblood is not the curse they think it but a boon that should be studied and understood. I would tell you to share this with Vesti, but she will likely share mother and father’s views.

I am overlooking Phlan DM edit, you would be sad that the once great kingdom is not the one we read about in stories of old, but it still holds many markets and cultures. As I look over the city’s horizon my thoughts wonder to what would have brought Great Grandfather here. This was the only lead in the family records about Starflayer, but what would have brought him here? Perhaps he studied here, found something, or tried to conquer it?

At the back of my mind, in places I would never admit to anyone, I wonder if I am merely following in our Great Grandfather’s footsteps. Maybe father was right to be afraid of this gift. But no matter the price I have to know. It may be simpler to shut a door than to pass through it. But sometimes a step into the unknown is required.

Fate is a cruel mistress. While its once great libraries of Phlan have remained mostly intact I have found nothing in weeks regarding my Great Grandfather. Not even his true name. For all my hatred of studying I am forced to spend my spare time buried in libraries looking for anything to continue my journey.

Of course my research is hindered by a need to make a living. I have been staying at a local inn, Freona's Tea Kettle, run by Madame Freona and her daughters. The food is terrible and the company I have kept is less than ideal. But mishaps find there way to the inn like moths to the flame. While distracting from my work, it is excellent practice to hone my magics.

I am currently “adventuring” with the most foul-mouthed disgusting Halfing I have ever met, Logan Ninefingers. I am constantly amazed that he is still alive despite his uncanny ability to say the most offensive thing I could never think of. It is a testament to his skill with a dagger that he is still alive. Luckily, Logan only thinks of money, drugs, and women, making him easy to manipulate or control.

My other companion is a lecherous dwarf cleric named Lothar. While I might mock the dwarf and his obsession with ale, he is an unusually competent companion and I grudgingly admit his healing magics saved my life. He rarely speaks of himself or his motivations, but for now it appears he is guided by a holy “duty” to help people.

While my adventures have been rather mundane one stands out. A half mad half orc came to the inn one evening concerned with a magic artifact that could destroy Phlan (I love how everyone thinks each magic artifact will destroy the entire world). The artifact was a blue dragon tooth, which caused lightning to spark between various people as it was seeking a native type of plant to the region. While the half orc took the tooth, he left a flower that was used to temporarily nullify the tooth’s power.

I remember once seeing a second rate Wizard use the bark of a tree struck by lightning to create a constant electrical arc between him and his victim. Experimenting with this flower I believe I not only recreated this spell but improved upon it.