Ella

Full name: Ella Dawnflower
Race: Human (Half-Elf)
Class: Cleric
Deity: Sarenrae

Backstory

Ella had a human mother (Niessa Lavson) who grew up in Meadowlark Hill and an elvish father (Marsh’a’lïn Eh’nëth’ae) from somewhere in El’Nar’Riah. Sunrise Church has official birth records for her. Her father went away when Ella was 8 months, leaving Niessa with some money, stating that he needed to do some important research, and Niessa encouraged him to pursue this information. Niessa worked as a seamstress to supplement their savings, but she fell ill when Ella was only five. Despite the work of the members of the nearby Sunrise Church (a church devoted to Sarenrae), Niessa passed away. Ella was adopted by the Sunrise Orphanage, under the direct care of Sister Mallia Dawnflower. Sister Mallia was herself an orphan left on the steps of the church. Ella viewed her almost like a mother and adopted the surname Dawnflower. Sister Mallia was herself elderly and passed away when Ella was fifteen, but by this point Ella was nearly an adult and started working at the orphanage/church and training to be a cleric herself.

The head of the Sunrise Church, Mother Lahanelle, is a kindly but wise woman, though in her advanced age she has become rather forgetful. Fortunately, Brother Felix Chasman has helped her keep the church together, making sure things get done when Mother Lahanelle forgets them. There are a few other minor clergy and laypeople who work at the church and orphanage, and Ella knows most of them. Ella also knows most of the geography of the relatively small town. Ella left the church to find her place in the world at age 23, and is now 24.

Backstory (Original):

Though not much is know about her elven father, her human mother raised her, but died of a plague when she was very young, so young in fact she barely remembers her. She was raised by the clergy in the church since and is devout to her god and those who raised her. Having been helped so much when she was young, she is always willing to lend a hand to those in need.

Ancestry

Found during Session 2023.02.02 The current year is 1694 of the 4th age.  Round text boxes are females, square are males.  The year of birth and death are given.  If nothing is listed second, that's because the person is still alive, or they were last your father knew.  Question mark means the person is missing, so death is unknown. Items in black were written by your father (except for your mother's death date); those in blue are what you've added from exploring the crypt. Dashed lines are additional relatives not listed, for example, Me’l’ania’äh Eh’nëth’ae married someone and may have had children, not listed.

Married people do not gain their spouse's surname.  The children take their mother's surname (unlike humans, who take their father's surnames).  That's why you weren't given a surname at birth - both your parents thought you should take the others' surname.

Inheritance of family title goes through the oldest daughter, unless there are no daughters, in which case it goes to the oldest son.  There are, therefore, two reasons you actually don't deserve to 'inherit' the family title of Eh’nëth’ae, you have a great aunt Er’shäe’la who might be alive or might have descendants, and your father might still be alive.  Both have gone missing, so you just don't know. But for now you have the ring.