Aleena Paladinstar was the daughter of Open Lord Piergeiron the Paladinson.[2]
Description[]
Aleena was a tall and serious woman,[6] often thought to be intimidating, despite being one of the most beautiful ladies of Waterdeep. The young woman inherited her chiseled facial features and stern bright eyes from her father. Aleena's mother gifted her with auburn curly hair and talent for the arcane.[7]
Personality[]
She was stoic, independent, and highly capable, not letting anyone stand between her and her goals.[5] She showed little interest nor patience towards chivalrous traditional ways of treating women.[8] She spent her entire life proving that she was equal to any man and the last one who said that her true place was the kitchen was left "digesting fireballs".[9] Aleena inherited her unwavering moral compass and sense of justice from Piergeiron.[7]
Despite being overprotective of his daughter, Piergeiron spent years grooming Aleena to take over as the Open Lord of the City of Splendors.[4]
History[]
Aleena Paladinstar circa 1370s DR.
In the Year of the Harp, 1355 DR, Aleena put on her father's armor and fooled people into thinking she was him, following an assassination attempt of the Open Lord's life. She disobeyed Prigerion's wishes and served as a distraction and a target. Despite being terrified for her father's life and expecting the assassins to strike at her, Aleena maintained the illusion, hoping to lure the assassin out into the open, aiding Asper and Mirt the Moneylender who were on the case.[1][10]
Subsequently, Aleena secretly started apprenticeship with Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun and became a graduate of Blackstaff Academy.[1][2] In the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR, Aleena attempted to enter Undermountain, despite hating it with all of her heart.[11] She traveled to the Yawning Portal Inn, in spite of her father's orders, and was preparing for the descent with the Force Grey. However she still felt insecure and feared rejection because of her womanhood. During that time, several dire plots against Waterdeep brewed in the Undermountain and Aleena crossed paths with a hero known as the Khelbenite, hired by the Blackstaff to deal with the looming threats.[12]
In 1371 DR,[note 1] on Eleint 17 and 18, Aleena's father was to be wed to Eidola of Neverwinter. The wedding was interrupted by an assassination attempt on Prigerion's life and the abduction of the bride. She was taken away to a newly resettled city in the Utter East. Open Lord fell ill shortly resisting all attempts to bring him to consciousness. Khelben Arunsun assembled a rescue team of the paladins present at the wedding as guests. Miltiades helmed the operation joined by Aleena. She also advocated for the noble youth who helped to save Prigerion's life during the wedding, Kastonoph Nesher to join the group.[13]
Blackstaff's plan was to travel through Undermountain to reach the only known portal to the Utter East in the vicinity of the city. Khelben was unable to teleport the paladins to the portal directly because of Kern's anti-magical abilities, leaving the party with only one choice—traveling through Skullport.[14]
When Aleena's rescue team reached Skullport, the group was tasked with aiding zombies by the mysterious Skulls of Skullport in penance for destroying one of the floating watcher skulls. Lady Paladinstar was annoyed with the paladins' dismissal of her expertise with the Skullport's traditions that led to the confrontation with the Skulls. The group split apart in search of undead to aid. Aleena fulfilled the task given to the paladins by simply opening a door for a shambling zombie.[11]
After leaving Skullport, Noph insulted a group of ettins which provoked them to attack and ultimately caused Harloon’s death. Aleena helped the paladins to arrange a funeral pyre for Harloon using her magic.[15] Nearing the gate, Able, Trandon and Noph went ahead to scout only to discover a magical mirror in the cave's wall. It was being used by barlguras to duplicate themselves, creating an army. The scouts were discovered, Able was killed and Noph got captured by vrocks Shaakat and Rejik. They held him, hostage, to destroy the rest of the party. Aleena had an idea to create duplicates of themselves and send them into the fray keeping the fiends distracted. The vrocks killed the magical doubles one after another, playing straight into Aleena's plan. The surviving paladins were able to penetrate the fiends’ circle of protection against the law. The vrocks fled in defeat, and Aleena sent the paladins through the gate, closing it behind them by collapsing the tunnel's ceiling with her magic.[16]
Aleena and Blackstaff were aware of real Eidola's demise and the greater doppelganger who took her place and enthralled the Open Lord of Waterdeep to its will and life force via a soul gem. To bind the creature to its harmless form of a female noble, Aleena and Khelben crafted a powerful enchanted item – girdle of righteousness. They successfully tricked the creature into wearing it, but their plans were interrupted by the rushed wedding announcement and the kidnapping of the blushing featureless lizard creature bride. As Piergeiron collapsed, affected by mysterious magics, Aleena and her teacher devised a plan to retrieve Eidola and her father's soul. When the paladins disappeared through the portal to the Utter East, Aleena returned to Blackstaff, and the duo continued working on the solution to the threat.[17]
Sometime later, Aleena reunited with the paladins as they discovered the true nature of Lady Eidola and chased her through ancient Netherese gates back to Skullport. The young wizard and her allies raided one of the warehouses of the Unseen, the shadow masterminds being Eidola's attempt to enslave the ruler of Waterdeep. Eventually, the doppelganger was slain, and Aleena retrieved the magic diamond. Unfortunately, the heroes were too late, and the officials of the City of Splendors, pressured by Laskar Nesher, were burying the beloved Open Lord. Waterdeep was ready to say goodbye to its beloved Open Lord, buried beside his first love, Shaleen. Serendipitously, the reunification of the soul gem and Paladinson's body brought Aleena's father back to life. To everyone's shock – his first wife was alive once again as well, as her soul was used to create the form of Eidola.[18]
Subsequently, after 1372 DR, Aleena spent years away from Waterdeep planewalking and visiting distant worlds. It was rumored that she would return to replace her father, the Open Lord of Waterdeep one day after his reign ended.[3]
Eventually, Aleena and her husband Savengriff became prolific writers. In 1479 DR, Renaer Neverember possessed their entire body of mundane works,[19] which included Aleena's Of Fathers, Faiths, and Fortunes (1403 DR).[20]
Relationships[]
Aleena was the only child of Piergeiron the Paladinson and Maethiira, who died in 1344 DR.[3]
Aleena married the wizard Savengriff.[19]
Aleena once was the object of Eldoth Kron's romantic attentions, and it was her father's fury that caused him to flee Waterdeep.[21]
Possessions[]
Aleena used a quarterstaff in combat and was quite skilled with it.[22]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Undermountain: Stardock
- Novels
- Elminster in Hell • The Paladins • Errand of Mercy • Easy Betrayals • The Diamond
- Referenced only
- Blackstaff Tower
- Video Games
- Descent to Undermountain • Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder
- Referenced only
- Baldur's Gate
Notes[]
- ↑ The Abduction, p.6 states that the wedding of Piergeiron the Paladinson and Eidola took place in the Year of the Haunting, 1377 DR. However, that date is implausible. Khelben Arunsun died in 1374 DR as depicted in Blackstaff (novel). Furthermore, Aleena Paladinstar was stated to be gone from Waterdeep by 1372 DR, planeswalking (City of Splendors: Waterdeep). On the other hand, the events of the Descent to Undermountain took place in 1370 DR, during which Aleena was actively banned from adventuring and any danger by her father. In the events of The Paladins, as well as the finale of the DDTS, Aleena took a central role, no longer bound by her father's rules. She later, with all the experience she received from battling the Unseen and hordes of Tanar'ri, felt confident enough to use her magic to traverse the planes. This places DDTS events likely in 1371 DR. This also does not conflict with appearances by Artemis Entreri, and the Neshers.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 214–215. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 53. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Who's Who in Waterdeep”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 80. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ Interplay (December 1997). Designed by Chris Avellone, Robert Hanz. Descent to Undermountain. Interplay.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (June 2002). Elminster in Hell. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2746-1.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ Interplay (December 1997). Designed by Chris Avellone, Robert Hanz. Descent to Undermountain. Interplay.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 4, p. 56. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6, p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.
- ↑ Richard Baker (June 1998). Easy Betrayals. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64–88. ISBN 0-7869-0871-8.
- ↑ J. Robert King and Ed Greenwood (July 1998). The Diamond. (Wizards of the Coast), chaps. 4–5. ISBN 0-7869-0872-6.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Steven E. Schend (September 2008). Blackstaff Tower. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-4913-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (September 2008). Blackstaff Tower. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 300. ISBN 0-7869-4913-9.
- ↑ BioWare (December 1998). Designed by James Ohlen. Baldur's Gate. Black Isle Studios.
- ↑ James M. Ward and David Wise (February 1998). The Paladins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 0-7869-0865-3.