Darkonian Kargatane Record
- Known Name: Sandrine Liandra Marie Halloway
- Race: Human, Mordentish
- Apparent Age: Early 20s
- Birthday: 15 January, 559 BC
- Height: 5'4"
- Alignment: Lawful Evil
- Affiliations: Strahd von Zarovich
- Religion: Non-Committed
- Character Class: Rogue
- Place of Origin: Steadwall, Mordent
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
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Background
Early Life in Steadwall
Sandrine Halloway was born into a family of prosperous innkeepers in the quaint town of Steadwall. The Halloway family was known far and wide for their hospitality, their inn a beacon of warmth and welcome to travelers from distant lands. Their success wasn't limited to the inn; they had established a thriving river trade business that brought wealth and prominence, elevating their status to the verge of nobility. Sandrine, well-educated and possessing a keen mind for business, played an instrumental role in expanding the family enterprises. Her life was a tapestry of joy, ambition, and familial love, woven with the golden threads of opportunity and community respect.
The Fateful Encounter
In 579, the course of Sandrine's life veered sharply into darkness. It was a night like any other when a mysterious stranger arrived at the inn. Count Strahd von Zarovich, a figure cloaked in charisma and an aura of mystery, sought lodging. Sandrine, unaware of the dark power he wielded, leased a house from her family to the enigmatic nobleman. This decision, seemingly innocuous at the time, became the pivot around which her fate turned.
Strahd, intrigued by Sandrine's intelligence and poise, saw potential in her. Over time, he drew her into his sinister web, his dark whispers filling her nights. She was not his first victim in Mordent, but Sandrine was destined to become his most formidable creation. The night he turned her into a vampire marked the end of her mortal life and the beginning of an eternal struggle with her new, dark nature.
The Transformation and the Alchemist’s Folly
Sandrine's transformation coincided with a catastrophic event in Mordent. The Alchemist, an ambitious figure dabbling in forbidden experiments, inadvertently triggered a chain reaction that pulled the entire domain into the Land of Mists. The precise nature of this event was shrouded in mystery and speculation, but Sandrine knew the truth. Strahd's presence and his machinations were intrinsically linked to Mordent's fate, and she, now bound to him by his blood, bore a share of the responsibility.
When the Apparatus exploded and Mordent was ensnared by the Mists, Sandrine fought alongside Strahd against the Alchemist and the adventurers who sought to undo the calamity. Her newfound vampiric abilities made her a formidable opponent, but they also deepened her sorrow and guilt. She felt a crushing weight of responsibility for the doom that had befallen her homeland and family.
Service to Strahd
Resigned to her fate, Sandrine served Strahd with a grim determination. Over the years, she honed her skills, becoming a master of espionage and intrigue. Her role as Strahd's spymaster earned her the moniker that would follow her through the ages: the Spymaster of Barovia. Although few knew the true identity or name of Strahd's infamous Spymaster, her reputation became a legend whispered in the night: "Do not speak against the Devil Strahd, for his Spymaster and her Vistani agents will hear, and you will meet a dark end!" Though she eventually earned her freedom from his direct control, released from his vampiric bonds, she nonetheless swore an oath of fealty to him - the bonds of duty and necessity kept her tethered to him. With her family gone, and forever slaved to the night, what else was there to do? In a world of darkness and peril, loyalty to Strahd offered a semblance of purpose, however twisted.
Yet, remnants of her humanity persisted. Sandrine grappled with her dual nature: the monstrous vampire she had become and the innocent innkeeper's daughter she once was. This internal conflict fueled her relentless pursuit of duty and power, hoping to find a way to reconcile her past with her present.
The Weight of Immortality
Centuries passed, and Sandrine's existence became an endless twilight, a liminal state between the living and the dead. She watched as the world changed, as mortal generations rose and fell like waves on the shore. Her heart, though no longer beating, was heavy with the echoes of regret and longing. The Halloway family, once vibrant and alive, was now a distant memory to her, lost to the mists of time.
Her duty to Strahd remained paramount, but she could not entirely suppress her yearning for the life she had lost. This inner conflict defined her actions and decisions, adding depth to her role as the spymaster. Sandrine’s network of spies and informants became an extension of her quest for redemption and understanding. Every piece of information, every whispered secret, was a step towards unraveling the mysteries of her existence and the hope of finding a path to salvation.
The Revelation of the Final Halloways
The discovery of Nathaniel and Audrey-Louise Halloway was a revelation that shook Sandrine to her core. These distant relatives, unaware of the true dark fate of their ancestor, represented a fragile link to her lost humanity. Sandrine was torn between the desire to protect these last Halloways and the fear of dragging them into her cursed existence and duty to her sworn lord.
When Nathaniel and Audrey-Louise appeared in Barovia in 754 BC, they were initially unaware of Sandrine's existence. Their arrival in this cursed land set off a chain of events that would intertwine their fates. Through various acts of bravery, the Halloways came into the orbit of Sandrine, who was watching over Barovia as part of her duty to Strahd. At first she assumed they were simply outsider adventurers but, once her investigations uncovered their true identities, she began to keep a closer eye on them.
The Halloway descendants became embroiled in the struggle to free the village of Leiksburg from the corrupting control of a demonic entity known as "the Amaranth" and her cult. In the process, they freed General Stanislav, a Boyar and general of Barovia's army, who had been captured and cursed by the cultists. In gratitude, General Stanislav appointed Nathaniel as the new Burgomaster of Leiksburg. As they were now officially part of the Barovian state political sphere, it meant Sandrine could not only justify paying them extra attention, but in fact it was now part of her responsibility. If the Halloways prospered, so would Leiksburg and, by extension, so would Barovia. As Leiksburg was the final Barovian town on what was once the border to the former region of Gundarak before its Annexation by Strahd into Barovia, and with a sizeable Gundarakite population, the town had the potential to be a poster-child for unification between the hostile relations of the Barovians and the oppressed Gundarakites, or a potentially explosive one. Either way, it gave Sandrine cause to keep a close eye on Leiksburg and, by extension, the Halloways.
Though they mistrusted Sandrine's vampiric nature, Nathaniel and Audrey-Louise reluctantly worked with her and General Stanislav. Together, they foiled the plans of Lyssa von Zarovich, disrupting a dark blood ritual that would have freed Lyssa from a limiting sleep-curse placed by Strahd and potentially given her the power to destroy Strahd and cease control of Barovia. The Halloways' bravery and cunning, combined with Sandrine's ruthless efficiency in eliminating the remaining vampiric leaders of Lyssa's cult, and bringing in troops led by General Stanislav to capture the mortal cultists, led to the cult's utter destruction.
The Last Halloway
Sandrine's relationship with Nathaniel and Audrey-Louise was complex and fraught with tension. While her official duty was to protect Barovia, her true motivation was the desperate need to protect the only family she had left. Her actions were driven by a mix of love, guilt, and a desperate need for redemption. Sandrine’s interactions with her relatives were cautious and veiled, her true nature hidden behind layers of secrecy and half-truths. She sought to guide and protect them from the shadows, torn between her monstrous nature and the remnants of her humanity.
A few months ago, Nathaniel and Audrey-Louise returned to Mordent with the intent of convincing their parents, the last remaining Halloway family members, to abandon their family home and move permanently to their new home in Leiksburg, where it was hoped they would escape the Halloway Curse. However, they found their return was too late - only ghosts and despair remained where their family estate once stood. Their return journey across the river was met with further tragedy as they were set upon by dread Mist Ferrymen, spectral entities that haunt the waterways of the Land of Mists. After she was grievously wounded by a Ferryman during the struggle, Nathaniel gave his life so that his younger sister, Audrey-Louise, could live. His sacrifice left Audrey-Louise as the last living Halloway.
Now the Burgomaster of Leiksburg, Audrey-Louise carries the weight of her brother's sacrifice and the legacy of her family. Her relationship with Sandrine is anything but easy, fraught with mistrust and unresolved tension. Yet, Audrey-Louise is the last remaining link Sandrine has to her fallen family, her past, and the tiny remnant of humanity fighting a losing battle inside her. Sandrine's existence is a constant struggle between the duty to serve Strahd and her deep, unspoken yearning to protect her remaining kin.
Sandrine's internal conflict intensifies as she watches over Audrey-Louise. She is haunted by the echoes of her past and the memories of her family, now long gone. Her desire to protect Audrey-Louise is driven by more than duty; it is a desperate attempt to hold onto the last vestige of her humanity. Sandrine's actions are often misunderstood by Audrey-Louise, who struggles to reconcile the monster she sees with the protector that Sandrine tries to be.
As Audrey-Louise navigates her new role as Burgomaster and the burdens that come with it, she becomes a symbol of hope and resilience for Sandrine. The young Halloway’s determination and strength in the face of adversity inspire a flicker of hope within the ancient vampire. Sandrine begins to entertain the possibility that perhaps, through her kin, she might find a path to redemption.
Their relationship is a delicate dance of mistrust and reluctant cooperation. Sandrine's every move is scrutinized by Audrey-Louise, who cannot fully trust the vampire that claims to be her protector. Yet, in moments of vulnerability, Sandrine reveals glimpses of her former self, the gentle innkeeper's daughter who once walked the streets of Steadwall with dreams in her eyes.
Current Affairs
Sandrine's fate remains uncertain. The tiny remnant of humanity within her fights a losing battle against the darkness of her vampiric nature. Audrey-Louise's presence is a beacon of hope in her eternal night, a fragile link to the life she once knew. Sandrine clings to this hope, even as she continues to serve Strahd and navigate the treacherous politics of the Land of Mists.
In the shadows of Barovia and the haunted lands beyond, Sandrine Halloway remains a figure of intrigue and sorrow. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, even when cloaked in the trappings of undeath. The last Halloway may yet change Sandrine's fate, offering a glimmer of redemption in a world shrouded in darkness.
Personality
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Other Notes
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Combat Style
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Social Style
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Signature Equipment
Armour & Weapons
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Mundane Items
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Signature Quotes
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Gallery
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