In the South, 'mercenary' is a term more spit than spoken. In Nordael, where peasants are armed and even the children carry knives, and where allegiances last as long as personal goals, hired swords are among the more respected and useful people to have around. As anywhere, they come in all flavours. Orc, Elf, Human, man, woman, young, old, it doesn't matter. Wherever there are paying customers, you are sure to find freelancers.

Finding an elven woman among their ranks is hardly a surprise. Her almost white blonde hair and deep purple eyes, though not unnatural in Elves, make Tia an unusual sight, and a keen observer would quickly spot that she is far from the ordinary sellsword.

Where a brawler would be boisterous, she is humble. Where a swordsman would be reckless, she is careful. Where a mercenary would fail, she triumphs. Silent, calculating, and deadly, Tia was trained as something far more than a simple-minded fighter. Just what that is is something she's not likely to share.

On the outside Tia appears to be just another killer who's good at what she does. People view her as tough, stoic, cold-blooded. She is content with that appearance. But it's not a face she can maintain constantly, and it's easy to find the dents in her armour if you know what to look for.

Tia is a mystery. The kind, as Nords learned a long time ago, best left undisturbed.

She is a loner, a seeker without allies who can only count on herself. She wouldn't have it any other way. But is it a choice she might regret, should she be forced to face whatever it is chasing her all alone?