Lord Damen Trefel of Hillingdon Castle, western Elandia was a secret member of the Elandian Mindguard - an organization built for and trained by the Eldar of Mount Eldahar as a first line defense against the evil of Mordark and terrorist factions from other countries and carried some of the purest genes for Mental powers ever seen in a human. Because of the importance of these genes, Damen was forbidden to marry or mate, except with the woman chosen by the Eldar.
One day the Eldar Lurienn appeared to him in a dream, saying "Damen, I have foreseen you will sire The Guardian of the sword; trust in your heart." That very next day, the Eldar sent to him Yvonne Wishborne.

Damen's marriage to Yvonne was arranged so that his and her genes would give the best yield of higher Mental functions. But as fate would have it, things did not work out; they hated one another and Damen secretly sought comfort in the arms of another calledMelona Drew.

A highly intelligent and beautiful young woman from one of Elandia's oldest villages, Melona had unfortunately fallen on hard times. Her parents had died leaving her in debt with many of the local tradesmen, dashing any hope for her to study at Elandian college. In stepped Damen; they met one day and instantly fell in love. She fell for his dashing charm and easy manner whilst he became spell bound by her sharp wit and stunning ideas.

It was a wild but brief romance as the Mindguard began to suspect something was amiss and sent one of their number to apply pressure on Damen and Yvonne to conceive. Fearing the Guard would pick up on his new found happiness, Damen painfully broke off his affair and threw himself back into duty.

As a gift, Damen gave Melona her scholarship money so that she could fulfill her dreams and move away to study. So with a broken heart, she packed her belongings and left.

Seven years later Damen and Yvonne had managed to put aside their loathing of each other in light of threats from the Mindguard and conceived two children - Isolde and Aimar. But it soon became apparent that someone on Mount Eldahar had made a dreadful mistake as both children were barely functional as Mentalists, possessing virtually no potential metafunctions.
Damen became depressed - especially when Yvonne began having multiple affairs with other local Lords, smearing his reputation and plotting his demise. 

A few months after moving away Melona realized she carried Damen's child. As studying and raising a child just wasn't possible at such an institute of learning as the Elandian College, she used her scholarship money to buy a small house in the city of Euranda and get a job writing letters for local businessmen.

Born Mercy Katlin Drew, Mercy spent her first four years living in Euranda. Then one day Melona decided she missed her home village of Shirefalls and with all her savings, moved back to buy a cottage on its outskirts. But on the way, tragedy struck and Melona grew very ill. Fearing the worst for her child she called upon a merchant who knew her well and gave him all her money saying "Take my daughter to Shirefalls and find her a new home. Then when she is old enough to understand, give her these letters that explain everything. "TheMerchant Hilus agreed but first took Melona to a nearby hospice.

One week after Hilus and Mercy left, Melona Drew died.

Now the way to Shirefalls from Euranda is a long one and Hilus couldn't turn down business along the way, so many weeks passed. During this time Hilus began to grow very fond of the young girl in his care, but found her to be a little too shy and quiet. When they did eventually arrive at Shirefalls, he wanted the best for her and went instead to the nearby Hillingdon Castle. Once there he traded some of wares and contemplated his dilemma. He didn't want to abandon the girl in a strange place but had promised the girl's mother... by now word had reached him of Melona's death, making the decision all the more painful.

Again fate intervened; Yvonne saw the young girl and became smitten, suggesting Mercy stay in the castle as a serving girl, after all it would be nice to have someone near the same age as Isolde so that they could play together. Where better to leave the girl than in a castle? Hilus promised Mercy he would return and then went on his way.

As Mercy grew older she began noticing she was different from the other children. Perhaps it was her preternatural sixth sense that warned her or just plain luck, but Mercy did not reveal her oddities to anyone, fearing they would do something terrible to her because of them.
She could hear people's thoughts echoing around a room, sometimes as long as a day or two after they had been thought. This simple ability enlightened her to the plots and machinations of castle life, revealing more than a few secrets along the way. The thoughts didn't stop at humankind though - all animal and plant life had thoughts too. The animals in particular were of interest; Mercy talked to them and through a process of trial and error, rode her mind "piggy-back style" with each animal she came across. After a couple of years she had managed to learn through direct mental exchange each creature's unique way of thinking - it's mental language so to speak. Able to communicate with almost anything she came across helped her in even more ways... befriending horses, cats, dogs and birds, she soon had a secret network of animal friends.

Mercy's burgeoning powers didn't stop at hearing thoughts though. Like a leaking dam, they began to spill out in ever increasing force. She found herself able to levitate objects, make strong coercive suggestions to other minds, control fires, create mental light to see by in the dark, speak to and locate her animal friends over many hundreds of miles and shield her own mind.

On her twelfth birthday, a letter arrived addressed to Lord Trefel. Damen opened it in his study and nearly feinted in shock as it was from the Merchant Hilus' son, Izaac. Hilus had died a few years before and left all of his estate to Izaac's keeping, who after going through his father's things had found a letter addressed to Trefel with instructions to deliver it on this exact date. Out of respect for his father, Izaac had done exactly that.

Now Damen read the letter and learned of Melona's fate. He had led a miserable twelve years since having to leave her and still felt his grief like an open wound. But suddenly the letter spoke of a child called Mercy and how it lived in his castle, striking Damen to the very core of his being.

He burst from his study looking for the serving girl he had come to admire. When he found her, he suddenly remembered just how odd the girl was... this girl who had virtually no friends, spent so much time alone or out in the countryside. Who loved animals and always spoke with deference and well chosen words. To Damen's horror he realized this was no ordinary serving girl - as he attempted to probe her mind he encountered a well constructed mental facade, placed by the girl to hide her true nature, much like a tapestry of innocence obscuring a secret door; the girl had mental powers !

As Mercy had not noticed the probe, Damen remained hidden. He watched her for a long time over several days, in awe of everything about her. This girl had pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, skillfully concealing herself under the nose of himself and Yvonne. Somehow she had also educated herself far beyond that of a mere servant. Whenever she thought herself alone, she took on a completely different manner, one of nobility and breeding.

Damen chided himself for not noticing it before, so wrapped up in his own depression and Lordly ways. Mercy was like Melona - a soul of such depth and beauty that it seemed out of place in its humble surroundings.
But what could Damen do? If he brought Mercy to the attention of the Mindguard, they would start asking questions. Eventually they would find out about his love for Melona which would mean severe punishment. Seeing the girl so happy, he decided to keep her secret a while longer, but watch her closely.

Things have a way of coming to light - as if drawn to it.
Two men came to stay at the castle a few months later, saying they had been attacked by bandits. Damen offered them his hospitality and beds for the night which they gratefully took. That night though, the two men crept out of their rooms making their way to Damen's chambers.

Yvonne was off visiting relatives so Damen was alone and fast asleep when the men entered his room. Only one person was awake and that was Mercy. She was talking to the castle's horses, trying to sort out all their troubles when one of her bird friends came hurtling down to say strangers were with the Lord. When Mercy sent her mind into the Lord's room to look, she saw the glint of daggers ready to kill.

In a panic, she forced her mind into theirs and screamed, sending them both unconscious from the mental blast. However the blast was too great to be contained within their own skulls, emanating out from their minds, into the Damen's room, across the castle grounds and as far as several villages in all directions. 

Everyone within a fifty mile radius awoke to hear Mercy's scream ringing in their minds.

Damen could not protect the girl now.
Within the hour, members of the Mindguard arrived to interrogate the assassins, but the two men were still in a state of shock - their minds so addled by Mercy's blast that they couldn't utter a coherent sentence. However the Mindguard learned they were from a rival group of Mentalists calling themselves The Chorus... a group dedicated to destroying the Eldar and bringing back Orion - Mind of the World.

It was obvious to the Mindguard that a rogue mentalist was in the area, so they began an extensive search. Possessing over a thousand years of knowledge and skills, it didn't take long to locate Mercy, despite Damen's efforts to lead them astray.
Mercy's secret was suddenly out. The Guard approached her, being friendly and genteel. They asked questions and she answered them as best she could, seeing no reason to hide anything now. To Mercy, it was a relief to have her secret in the open and a delight to be able to share her thoughts with other similar beings.

The Mindguard knew her powers couldn't have arisen from fluke and brought their combined intelligence's to bare on the puzzle. It wasn't long before they stood before Damen asking awkward questions about Melona - questions he couldn't avoid.

The moment Mercy knew who her father was, knew of his love for her mother and the rules of the Mindguard about selective breeding, Damen was accused and brought to trial. She forgave him in an instant but it was already too late. The Mindguard took their rules very seriously and Damen had broken one of their most sacred. If every member of the Elandian Highborn decided to mate with whoever they chose, the pure lineage of mental powers would dissipate, thereby undermining the entire Elandian defense. For Damen, a man of prestige in a position of responsibility, the crime was even worse. He was to be made an example of.
The Guard passed judgment; Damen's estate was to be sold off, his wife remarried to another prominent Lord, his children (an embarrassment because of their lack of mind powers), transported to another country to be trained as diplomats and he himself, stripped of position, title and mind powers, to live out the rest of his life without the company of other minds.

Mercy was horrified, but the Mindguard refused to give ground or renounce their judgment, saying it had come from the highest source, Mount Eldahar itself ! It didn't stop there though. The Mindguard would not let her practice mind powers unless she joined their ranks and abided by their laws. One such law meant she could never again speak to animal kind as the Guard considered this a frivolous and pointless waste of mental energy. When Mercy told them where to stick their Guard, things began getting nasty.

The Chorus stepped in to provide an alternative solution. They approached Damen and offered him a position in their ranks so that he could get revenge against the Mindguard. But Damen, a loyal man of Elandia despite his misfortunes, refused their offer. Not the sort to give up easily, the Chorus took him as hostage and contacted Mercy, saying if she didn't join them, they would kill her father.

Underestimating her powers and animal friends, Mercy found out where the two chorus members were holding her father and attempted a rescue. The resulting mental conflict was quick and nasty. As the chorus were trained at attacking and defending, Mercy found herself quickly outmatched. Only her creativity saved her. In a moment of revelation, she grasped "teleportation" and managed to escape with her father in tow.

But Damen was in a bad way. The Chorus, in trying to exact Mindguard secrets from his mind, had tortured him to the brink of death. Mercy shared some tender moments with her father and tried to heal him, but didn't possess the knowledge. In another moment of resolution, she decided to go and get that knowledge, even if it killed her.

Using her new found power of teleportation (a power no other mentalist had ever discovered), she easily surprised 
both Chorus members and Mindguard members alike. Waiting for both groups to separate and be alone, she brought her full mental power to bare and began delving their individual minds. As a group they possessed the mental strength to resist her but individually she conquered... learning all their secrets and mental skills. Finally, after exacting every ounce of knowledge from their minds, she blanked their memories.

When she returned to her father's side, he was already dead. She mourned him, that first person to truly matter in her life and buried him in a nearby wood, watched over by her animal friends. There was nothing now in Elandia to hold her, especially as the Mindguard and Chorus would not rest till they found her. So with a heavy heart, she bid farewell to everything she had known and teleported herself away.

After transforming her appearance (increasing looks and figure to an incredible degree), Mercy headed southeast to the seven states of Esium. Arriving in the City of Gost Iren she tried living a relatively normal life but found herself unable to stand back and watch things happen around her. What began as a simple cry for help in the dark dictated the next twenty years of her life as a healer.

Friends
Alexor and Hethcanter of the White Chapter.
Lord Ross of Merlendy
Celese Brandwin
Tess Hardy
Avalon of the Vale

Myka appears to be about 20, but in 2600 is actually 227. He is honest, reliable and realistic; not given to dreams or flights of fancy, you couldn't get a more down to earth individual. By no means decisive though, he will ponder long and hard on the simplest of problems until motivated by an outside source.

Ever since the Midnight War he has been renowned throughout the northlands as a master archer. Despite being distrustful of most humans, he still maintains good relations. His God is Lond, God of all the Fey, but he also reveres Aldar, God of the Lakes.

When he was 67 he slew the Troll Lord Libel-No-Ki in the Vulnir mountains. Then when he was 101 he rescued Lord Lorne's daughter from Lord Avathar of the Shadow Reaches in eastern Whailin.

But he really made a name for himself during the Midnight War, when his archery became legendary.

A good friend of the Peacebringer Cymbalin and Lord Duncan of Arkynlor, Myka comes and goes, wandering the wilds in search of a purpose. He won't settle down or stay in one place too long and always vanishes as mysteriously as he appears.

Myka wears an elven made cloak, woven from the hair of Tindomerel - daughter of Twilight. It is AP 6 and +80% to hiding at night, +40% during dusk.

He also carries the Flask of Sunrise - a magical container able to store and keep fresh any magical liquid. He normally carries healing drafts in it. Sun-draft "Glornan" heals for d4 + 4 HP. Up to 24 doses.

Myka's arrows are all self made with several different varieties ;-

Whisper arrows - Hit target under a small area effect silence spell. Target can scream but not be heard.
Slaying arrows - +5% +2 / +2 with automatic impale.

Myka's bow is "Cudin" the Bow of Silence. It makes no noise when firing and when drawn, cloaks the wielder in silence also.

Kate Steel was born on the 10/09/2567. She stands 5'9" tall, has long reddy blonde hair and green grey eyes.

Steel's parents were killed in a house fire caused by drunken bandits while she was only 8. A man called Ran found her hiding in the nearby woods and took her home with him. He taught her how to use a sword and later revealed his true identity - that of Randrainthe Terrible, leader of the same bandits who had killed her mother and father. At first she didn't know what to do, too confused by the man standing before her. Ran had loved her like a daughter, raising her as a strong willed, independant girl.

Thankfully the decision was made for her - A Captain of the local guard recognised him and returned with several men. After a struggle, they arrested him and threw him in prison, leaving Steel free to begin her life.

Using her "uncle" Ran's sword, called"Bright Fang", Steel set out on the great East West road, looking for adventure. Her intelligence and cunning quickly earned her respect in the taverns and her sword skill inspired many of the women she met who had been mistreated by life, men and fate; these women entreated her to teach them and she did, forming Esium's first band of women only warriors.

The Maiden's dispanded in 2599 after many of them either fell in love, ended up with child or tired of the rough and ready lifestyle of the road. Steel however remained aloof, having a few flings along the way and falling in love once, with the sword dancer Jase Brose.

By 2600 Steel was finally ready to hang up her sword in favor of politics. Making a private deal with Lord Ross of Merlendy and the Lords of Caer Kemmel in Yarili, she managed to secure herself as Head of the Merchant's Guild and First Lady of Yarili's Trade, technically owning Caer Kemmel and most of the country's ships in the process.

The Maidens
Nicita - Fell in love with Tor (Her own cuddly bear of a warrior)
Hanelly
Sorsha