Hannad

In the prime of the Nerathi Empire, worship of many of the goodly gods was prohibited under the Dark Triumvirate. Temples to Bane, Asmodeus, and Tiamat were commonplace, while Pelor, Avandra, and Bahamut were desecrated or outright destroyed by Imperial forces.



There were some, however, who sought to keep the light of the benevolent gods burning. One of the most famous of these was a Halfling by the name of Hannad, the Silent Flame. She was a priestess of Avandra, taught in secret lest she be put to death for her heresies. Like most Halflings, she was accustomed to travel and a nomadic lifestyle. Traveling from the shores of the Storm Coast across to the muggy depths of the Axplo Jungle, from the Dwarven lands of Craggonen to the frosty taigas of the Northern Plains, her name was known to many.



She was a simple woman. Whenever she arrived in a new village, she would take a modest room in a random inn, eating only the basest of meals and drinking well watered wine. Those who recognized who she was would often attempt to give her gold and jewels in an attempt to gain her favor. Hannad would redistribute any gifts to the poor, keeping nothing for herself. By day, she worked whatever chores she could find- cleaning dishes at a tavern, baling hay on a farm, carrying loads of firewood to a smithy. At night, she would tell tales of her Goddess, Avandra, and how she helped and blessed those who stood up against oppression and tyranny. And how Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, was often right at her side, helping to liberate the downtrodden. Her tales included stories of Moradin and Pelor, and how the four of these gods fought against Asmodeus and Bane and all the evil gods for the betterment of all.



Velshun the Wicked, Emperor of Nerath at the time, often heard tales of this Hannad, and ordered her capture to all the Empire. Most ignored the edict, but there were devotees of the evil gods who actively sought her out. In addition, Velshun sent out an elite company of Imperial troops, the Black Company, who's sole purpose was to find Hannad.



To date, it is not known who betrayed her, but one late fall morning when the frost was just beginning to form, the Black Company rode into a small village on the border of the Riverlands where Hannad was staying. The Black Company broke into the inn, killing several other guests and the innkeeper as they did so. The dragged Hannad from her bed into the street and chained her to a wagon. The Black Company then declared the entire village had committed treason for sheltering Hannad, and killed every living person there before setting fire to the empty buildings.



Hannad was brought back to the vile capital and tortured for days before being beheaded in the Divine Plaza. This act is believed by sages today to have been the catalyst for the first major rebellion on the outer edges of the Empire. Soon, the Empire was collapsing, and many attribute the will to fight to the works of Hannad.