lilith's collection of things

A long, long time ago (in a galaxy far away) I once got some criticism about Taridian, who was an alcoholic prior to the events of my (still unfinished to this day) story, “Breaking.” Namely in that he acted more like a high school boy than an alcoholic eager to impress people.

Now that I have time to sit down and look at the character, I’m doing the following for him:

1) He is still a low-class high elf born in Silvermoon City to Kaenian Summerwind, more or less an absentee/abusive dad. His mother, Maerial, was actually born into a merchant-class family but was disowned after she became pregnant with Taridian out of wedlock. She married Kaenian in an attempt to save face and hopefully ‘lock him down’ as she was still in love with him and believed she could change his ways after marriage. (Naturally, this didn’t stick.) 2) Taridian still spent most of his youth in Dalaran after leaving Silvermoon at 16 years old, and studied under various mages. He is a competent mage now, particularly as a pyromancer. However, he also trained as an alchemist and could work as sort of a pharmacologist in a pinch. 3) And of course, he still chased just about anyone that had a pulse and consented, ending when he met the cutest high elf girl ever--Saedrissa Morningstar--and married her when her Wildhammer adoptive parents found out they were living together. 

Here’s where the (meaningful) changes come in. 1) Taridian did not have a problem with alcohol until after the murder of his best friend, Caeros Morian (Lilith’s biological daughter). He began drinking to sort of cope and was very much on the verge of becoming an alcoholic before the events of “Breaking.” I still regret trying to write Taridian as an actual alcoholic simply because I portrayed and wrote it so horribly badly/inaccurately that it veered on bad taste. Hence this slight retcon. To this day he does not indulge in alcohol for fear of getting as bad as he once was. 2) I’ve decided to write Taridian as someone who yearns to be accepted and desired by his community, due to his neglectful and abusive childhood. Dalaran was this place for him for many years until Morian died. This is ultimately why Taridian moved to Quel’Athilien and resides in Heartswood to this day with his qt waifu. 3) Einsa, Taridian’s corgi, is now just named Eins. Might as well go full hog with the Cowboy Bebop reference. 4) Prior to the invasion of the Legion, Taridian was living a happy life with Saedrissa as a househusband, living with their adorable Molten corgi and paying for things with Taridian’s modest savings.

PRESENT DAY: Upon hearing the threat of demons, Taridian decided that he needed to protect his wife’s happiness and safety. He has left to go to the Broken Isles and set things on fire. While in Dalaran he happened upon a replica of Felo’melorn, cast by a elven mastersmith, as a gift for a minor member of the Sunstrider dynasty that has long since perished. Taridian has taken to calling this replica Felo’ruvina (”Flameburst”*) as its power is roughly 1/10th of the real Felo’melorn.

So I changed my avatar and tweaked my theme a bit.

Christ Metzen: retires