Amari Lanikhad

Race: Kalashtar

Class: Ardent

Early Life
Amari is a young woman raised in the village of Sharai in the Osraun Mountains. Born Uktar 2, 1504 (11/2/1504) she was 19 when her parents decided to send her to Baldur's Gate to get more experience with life outside of the mountains as her father didn't want her to waste her time between the academy and her career. Her early life was spent surrounded by other Kalashtar in the village. Her parents, Bashile and Nerene Lanikhad, followed the Path of Light and raised Amari to do the same. They stressed the importance of following the light within and keeping purity of spirit and mind. Bashile was a trader with the nearby city of Starmantle. He took the stone mined from the mountains and traded it for various goods they couldn't find on the mountaintop. Nerene tended the gardens and helped to supply the village with fruits and vegetables.

Amari had two best friends in the village as well: Ellizana and Ollithash Sharvanni. Known by the nicknames Ellie and Ollie, the three of them were inseparable. Amari grew up across the street from the Sharvannis and was in their class when they all started at the academy, training as psions. As children, Amari and Ollie were rivals in just about everything, though with differing skill sets. While Amari was powerful in reading emotions, Ollie excelled in telekinesis and often bested her in battle. Ellie specialized in telepathy and was able to read people's movements, but was a little slower to the draw than Ollie or Amari. Around the age of 14, Ollie and Amari's friendly rivalry turned into romantic tension, though neither acted on it for fear of ruining their friendship. The three of them continued to grow and train together until their graduation from the academy the winter of 1523. They spent the beginning of their year off roaming the mountainside together, until Amari left for Baldur's Gate in early Alturiak of 1524. Their parents had hosted a small going away party for Amari where she planned to tell Ollie how she felt, but she chickened out at the last minute. She left never knowing if he felt the same.

Twilight Gryphons
When Amari got to Baldur's Gate she was astounded by the size. With little coin to her name, she scouted out the cheapest inn around: The Sad Bear Inn and Cafe. Scared and alone, she attempted to make friends with the owner/bartender Kara and a few of the patrons. About a week into her stay she met 3 rather eccentric men looking to turn a goose into a woman and decided they were interesting and she was bored. They introduce themselves as Ravera, Schale, and Cedric. Cedric offers to perform a play for them later and Amari excitedly decided to come along. They eventually meet Iram and Draya as well and the party retrieves the amulet, completing their first quest. They decide to start an adventuring party called the Twilight Gryphons and appoint Ravera as their leader.