Selemar Gylin Deathsbane

(12th January 2005 - 24th March 2005)
Initial Sheet
First appearance
Death

An Ygran warrior, she came to the new Shalandir cathederal to Andurien Willowstar out of interest, to see what was drawing the faithful, and was converted to the faith big-time.

Tall and blonde, with a strong rather than beautiful face, Selemar wears a close-fitting yellow suit with a long mail coat over the top.

When offered the chance of katana training under the legendary Agrius, she leaped at the chance, and attached herself to his and Vance Dexton's group at the time Shroudian announced that Vance had 17 days to live.

In a fit of blind courage, she fired an arrow at the dragon Yrgl in a cellar in Adnar. Despite this, she lived to share in the ride on him to Mount Tadamar in the Olshay Range bought by Vance Dexton's blood bargain.

There she learned to use a katana, and survived the fight in which Shroudian, Digitalis and  Vance Dexton died.

Presented with one of Shroudian's katanas by Agrius, she dedicated it under the Sun to Willowstar, renaming it Shadura (Andurien's Edge) as a sign of its' new existence and purpose.

Shadura was the Darklander Kensai Tageshi's sword, forged by Hidoshi Yakama. The hilt is ivory inlaid with pearl and ruby and the balance is perfect. It slices through the air and has a musical tone as it moves. It holds no moisture…blood, water and sweat slip from it, unable to gain purchase on the perfect edge. In exchange for her dedication and faith, Willowstar granted Selemar a link with the spirits of Hidoshi and Tageshi, allowing her to better understand the splendid weapon.

In the struggle to rescue Vance, she drank water from the Well of Destiny in an attempt to summon Death, which expanded her mind nearly beyond her ability to control. Although this didn't help, Vance was retrieved through Agrius' deal with Death.

She remained with Agrius, despite his falling out with Willowstar, through his slaying of Korso, and the kidnapping of his daughter Princess Jirenna afterwards.

After Aliandar "excomunicated" Agrius and his associates to allow them freedom of action, they headed east in disguise to try and find a ship to the Darklands. She travelled under the pseudonym Jaridia Erlmawen, and revealed her new telekinetic powers in no uncertain way by summoning Shadura through a window from a cart outside to outface the Darklander Matsumar.

On the voyage between Greyhawk and the Darklands, she was greeted by an honour guard of undead crewing wrecks, and met Amara, daughter of Honishi and heir to the Edo Empire.

On the Island of Lost Gods, Agrius talked to Harakir, the guardian. He refused to allow Agrius to enter the cavern and meet his creator, which nearly provoked an unwinnable fight.

After their mysterious foe drained a mile wide bowl of the sea, dumping them on the sea bed, and induced two of the crew to jump overboard, Agrius took them Astrally to the Plane of Sleep and straight into a battle, then into the Astral (which sprouted inexplicable doorways) and back to the Prime Material in a noisome pool of sulphur. It turned out they were in the Yaku Wastes, in the far north of the Darklands. Amara drew a rough map, and they set out south, avoiding the Dead City to head for Edora.

Part-way there they encountered a group of mounted bandits. These were easily overcome, but one managed to slay Agrius Shalandir, Nae-Prelate of Willowstar, Kasadai Amora, the Time Guardian, with a chance arrow.

Observing Death coming to take Agrius' soul, Vance Dexton decided to object. His attack with Beladran failed, but while Death was occupied destroying the dagger, Selemar beheaded him with Shadura. This triggered earthquakes and lightning and turned the Yaku Wastes into a pool of lava. Vance saved them with geomancy, and they moved south again, discovering that the lightning storms had slain every male in the area.

They encoutered a Darklander Swordmaster called Migorna, who announced that Selemar was the trial he had been awaiting & that he'd fight and kill her. Angered, she prepared to face him, then took his weapon away with her telekinesis and laid her blade at his throat, before telling him that his lesson today was 'humility' and sending him on his way.

Encountering Enora, Amara's Master of Guards, they discovered that forces unknown had taken over Edo and made her mother, the Empress, hostage. Agreeing to help rescue her, the group were making plans when a huge dragon landed, shrugging off the Marraq Holbine's arrow. Announcing that it was Morgaoloth & had come to take Selemar to a 'meeting', it took her, Vance & Holbine on its' back and flew into the Yata Trench next to Edo city.

It emerged that twelve relics of the lost Goddess Istar - which formed the secret spirit and power of the Edo emperors - were sealed in a cave at the bottom of the Trench, guarded by a ferocious monster hydra able to cast ten spells at once. Morgaoloth apparently felt the best way to remove the usurper would be to release the relics and use them.

The voice of Malador the usurper spoke to Selemar and Holbine, urging them to join him and hinting at a dark ancestry. Selemar, it seemed, he wanted as a mate, and said so in no uncertain terms, to her annoyance and embarrasment.

Persuading Morgaoloth - who made it clear that he served Selemar and cared nothing for her friends - that they'd rather approach this from the other angle (return Amara to her throne and confront Malador before he could sieze the relics), she accompanied Amara into Edo City and into the palace. There they found contradictions - a demon Chancellor and Malador-sponsored temples of Malkar and Willowstar.

Meanwhile Vance and Holbine had set off back to the Yata Trench on Morgaloth, planning to sieze the relics after all. They got into an argument with the dragon on the way, and he flew up instead of down. Up - and up! Vance jumped off and saved himself with air elementals, but Holbine stayed on until the dragon vanished six miles up.

Bullying their way into the throne hall, Selemar and Amara confronted Malador. The bandit-turned-noble Nijan tried to spur Selemar into fighting (and died doing it), but she seemed strangely passive.

Malador then gave the throne back to Amara, making it clear that what he really wanted here was Selemar - who was still not interested, but couldn't decide what to do next. When Malador produced a communication he'd had from Vance, offering to sell him Amara, Selemar was further thrown into doubt.

Falling to his death, the Marraq Holbine mindspoke Vance to ask for help. Vance's answer - no - was actually because Holbine was out of range, but Holbine took it as abandoning him to die - and warned Selemar and Paris Scheft what Vance had 'done'. He then spent the rest of his fall shooting Marraq arrows; first at Vance, then at Malador.

Malador evaded several of these, but one finally hit him, distracting him for an instant. This was what Selemar had been waiting for - springing into action she drew Shadura and attacked, followed by Paris Scheft. Malador slew Paris Scheft, and disarmed and Dominated the sword-saint into doelike compliance with contemptuous ease.

The next morning, Selemar was herself again. Leaving the palace, she was bereft of direction, betrayed on all sides: Amara had failed to fight with her, Vance had turned on her, Malador had seduced and abandoned her, Willowstar had not aided her in her hour of need, her vaunted skills had failed her and others, all her friends were dead.

As she struggled with despair, she was visited by Willowstar, the spirit of Tageshi and the shade of the Grim Reaper. These encouraged and cajoled her, reassured her that Vance was not her foe and restored her faith and spirits, giving her the strength to go on. Malador she defied, hurling her hate into his teeth, vowing to raise his misbegotten child to destroy him were she to fail.

After seeing Amara well started on the process of getting her Empire under control with the aid of Mosin the head of the Palace guard and Gaishan of the Willowstar temple, she collected some specialists and set out to try and cleanse the palace of Malador's influence. Discovering a portal, they found themselves flung onto the plane of Yarl in the presence of the demon Vrin Vorolech. Him they fooled, pretending to be allies of Malador.

Pausing only to slay the swordmaster Takahisi Nimoro, she and her new companions discovered a dragon's egg. To her horror, she felt an agonizing pain signal the relationship between the dragon foetus and the one in her own belly - both Malador's get. Her reaction was instant - Shadura slashed the egg apart and slew the embryo. Somewhere, she knew, Malador was screaming in pain, and she grinned in satisfaction.

Attempting to find a way out, they were then attacked by Vrin Vorolech. The demon was mighty, being on his own plane, but a cunning use of a Message by the demonologist Yamato gave Selemar the opening she needed and she took Vrin Vorolech's head. Yamato then (after one false start) summoned a demon to take them home. Still Selemar had not found Vance Dexton....

In the month since they'd left (Abyssal time runs differently), Amara had got her Empire a bit more under control, and a suite of rooms had been made available to Selemar and her associates. During her daily training session some two days later, she suddenly collapsed into a coma. Revived at death's edge by Gaishain, she awoke knowing that something Vance had done had transformed her blood to the Water of Death.

Whatever that was.

Her subsequent meeting with Vance was fraught with tension, but her emerging Haragai skills confirmed that he had not attempted to kill her, and they once more joined forces.

Concluding that more preparation was needed before going back through the portals, the demonologist Yamato started to summon and bind some useful demons. After some success, he inadvertently summoned a major noble from the Plane of Combat, a terrifying monster with six arms. Selemar refused to abandon Yamoto, who had stood by her against Vrin Vorolech and helped save her when she collapsed. In the resulting battle, Selemar blew a parry and was slain, her soul drained by the demon and lost to Willowstar forever.