[Azrael]

Name: Caran Dar'khan
Race: Moon elf
Age: 320 years
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Deity: Corellon Larethian

Appearance:
Caran is taller and more muscular than what is common for moon elves, testimony to his harsh upbringing and homeland. His skin is dark with crimson eyes and hair. A set of tattoos decorate his arms and chest, tribal symbols, elven and draconic runes.
His ears are likewise adorned with a set of golden rings, some of which carry gems and other decorations.

Biography:
To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.

Caran of the clan Dar'khan was born in Calimshan approximately three centuries ago. The deserts of the south are no place for softness, with the ruthless pashas and crime lords ruling in the cities and the unforgiving sand ruling in the wilderness. The clan Dar'khan was no different, with each member evaluated upon birth. Children who were sickly, weak or deformed were discarded. This was not out of spite or viciousness, but out of necessity, for a clan can only provide for so many of its members. Those who can not provide for themselves and their kin become a liability and are thus left behind rather than endanger their own lives and the lives of the clan.
Such is the harsh nature of the sands.

The clan of Dar'khan had, according to legend, the blood of a red dragon mixed among its member, though any such heritage were certainly too thin to give any effect. There was a prevalence for red hair and eyes among the members of the clan, and Caran was no different. Born the second son of the clan chief, he was not expected to rule, but he was expected to set an example and bring honor to the clan.
As such, Caran spent much of his upbringing in study of swordplay as well as in the history of culture of his people, taught by the clan shaman. In time, he became an accomplished warrior and a hunter.
In most of the Realms, mercenaries are looked down upon. Frequently seen as honorless men, loyal only to the coin and without any cause, common soldiers frown at sell-swords. Among the clan Dar'khan, however, mercenary work were seen as an honorable way of life. A clan member could spend time as a mercenary, learn new things and grow in wealth, and then return to his people so that they might benefit from his expertise. While gold by itself carried little meaning, it was valued for the things it could purchase: food, water, tools and steel.
Therefore, Caran left for the city of Calimport to ply his trade when he was a grown man, as the elves see it.

The desert people are valued as mercenaries in Calmishan. They are hardy, strong and know how to navigate the treacherous dunes. It was not hard for Caran to find employment in the household guard of one of the pashas. As he improved his skills in fighting, he also benefited from the great libraries of Calimport to study more of the world. Knowledge, as they say, is power.
He worked as a mercenary for several decades, changing masters when it was acceptable. After all, humans have a tendency to die off after a few decades.
Unfortunately, the city of Calimport are rife with other sort of scum. Slavers, always keeping an eye out for promising stock, noticed the elven warrior and figured that a good mercenary might as well make a good slave. The Red Wizards of Thay pay good coin for slaves who can fight and become good entertainment in the arenas of the east. And in Calimport, unlike in the north, such activity is not frowned upon.

The slavers found Caran a little bit more than what they bargained for, but managed to corner him eventually, though not without losses. Were it not for the intervention of a mysterious agent, representing some "benefactors" who had an interest in Caran's future, the elf might have ended up in the slave stocks. Instead, he was whisked away to Thay through mysterious magic, finding himself in a new and strange place.
It was of no matter, however, for a mercenary can always find employment, even in Thay. Some day, Caran knew, his involvement in Thay would be at its end and he could return to the sands once more.
After all, what is a few decades to an elf?