Char bowed her head in memory of her friends as she knelt in the Stormshore Tabernacle. She herself didn't give much thought into religion, even as there was proof enough leading toward the existence of the gods. She had no use for their roundabout blessings or interventions.
Instead, she prayed to her dearest friends who had long since passed. Her first group of adventuring companions never left her heart, even as they left this world. The daring tiefling rogue with his trusty gnome bard met an unfortunate end not long before her dear human druid took his last breath. Not to mention her husband had passed long before the others, leaving her a widow to two daughters.
Which is what brought her to Baldur's Gate in the first place. Her oldest, Korinn, had been adventuring when she stopped contact with Char. The last known location was a tavern just outside the Gate. Char had planned to go alone to find her first born, but Korinn's sister, Nala, had insisted on coming as well.
While Char reached out for guidance from her lost companions, Nala was asking questions and trying to get a lead. Half drows were rare in the Gate, they had learned, but still no one recalled seeing Korinn. Char hoped that she would be given a sign, or perhaps a better plan than what she had now.
When she stood, Nala leaned against the doorway on the tabernacle's entrance. Char opened her mouth to ask a question when something like thunder cracked through the blue sky. As they ran to the street, they could see a large vessel with tentacles cruising above them with red dragons in tow. Neither Char nor Nala could recall seeing a red dragon in person as ice ran through their veins.
Char pushed her daughter to break her focus on the ship and get her to run. Nala stumbled before she found her feet as they dashed down the hill towards the tavern. At least that place had a basement. Nala raced to the Elfsong and grabbed the door, swinging it open as panic gripped the streets. She turned to hold the door open for her mom just as she saw the tentacle swing low. Char wasn't far behind, but before she could shove her daughter into the building, the appendage touched her. Nala watched with horror as her mother vanished in a cloud of black ash before the ship disappeared through another portal.
