Crisas is home to very few human tribes who can endure its harsh environment. And, for a time, Noelia was a proud member of one such tribe-the matriarchal Desert Furies-and also their most distinguished warrior. Yet there was no denying the negative impact of the desert, the heavy burden of defending the defenseless, and the rigorous training regimen and stricter rules warrior life had had on Noelia over the years. It was an open secret how much the free-spirited warrior detested the rigid hierarchy and longed for life outside Crisas as told in passing travelers’ tales. Sometimes, she would even envy the rampaging goblins in the desert. To her, they seemed so free-so utterly free.

The following argument with her Matriarch Superior provided the fuel that lit the fire of her departure. Noelia may have only been a youth, but even the dangers lurking on the other side of the desert looked better than her current barebones existence. She packed her bags and slipped away from the encampment in the dead of night. Noelia survived her solo journey to the Free Cities, a region brimming with greed, vices, and (most importantly) opportunities. There she was lucky enough to catch the eye of some local mercenaries and then secure some very high wages. Both provided Noelia with a stable footing in the strange new society.

Noelia remained happy for a time in the Free Cities, alternating between fighting for the highest bidder and enjoying local tavern life. But increasingly grim news from Crisas, and of her kin, began to worry her. Rumors had been circulating for years about the waning fortunes of the few tribal holdouts in Crisas still resisting the new bloodthirsty horde of orcs and goblins. Life for the Desert Furies was hard enough already. Noelia sat at a crossroads, and the choice was stark. Eventually, she packed her bags in preparation for her long trip back. After all these years, Noelia still could not deny her duty.