The Picture of Coren that lies below was drawn by Ron Nutter.

Early in her childhood Coren was adopted by a Kobold priest by the name of Kasten, not really by choice, but becuase her parents left her on the priest's doorstep one day.  Coren lie in a basket, with her only identification being a note slipped in the basket.

     "Please, take good care of my daughter Coren McGuire, my crops have failed, and we must move on.  Such a small child would never make the trip.  When she's older, let her know that she has the strength of all her ancestors, and that the good god Isis is watching over her... let her know that I love her"

Kasten had taken in other children before, but they were all boys, and they were to be taught to be priests of the Church of Light.  Coren grew up being tormented by the boys when the priest wasn't around, and when he was around she was made to do the jobs of a female: the cooking, sewing, washing, serving, and so on.  She couldn't grow up to be a priest, by no means, that job was held sacred in the world for men.

Coren suffered through years of service to Kasten and boys.  The boys didn't even want to become priests, they'd play all day in the fields, ignoring their study of the holy word.  Coren, around her 9th birthday, started sneaking away with Kasten's books on the Church of Light.  She'd read all night long, (luckily Kasten had been nice enough to teach her to read, even if it was only so she could run to town, and get the latest news) she learned of the separate gods of the Church of Light and all the wonders that they performed.  Her favorite was Isis, Isis was everything that Coren wanted to be when she grew older.  

After a while Coren wanted to find out what truely did happen to her parents.  She approached Kasten about it, but he would only said that he would share with her after she was older, and more disciplined.  She read on through his books night after night for well over 3 or 4 years... Always rereading the books, to make sure she didn't miss anything.  

One day, she was going to sneak out one of the books when one of the boys saw her.  She made him promise not to tell Kasten, for she knew he would not be happy.  The boy promised, but who knows what kind of honor he held.. Only time would tell.  Well, she finally reached the last book, a book devoted entirely to Isis, she opened the front cover, and inside she found a note...the note...from her parents.  After reading it she shoved it in her pocket, and decided then and there that she would follow Isis til the day of her death, that she would be... A Priestess of the Light.

Coren had been growing older and at the age of 15 maturing rapidly, becoming a women.  What respect that earned her, she couldn't figure out, it only seemed to bring on more trouble.  The boy who saw her the other night came and found her.  He demanded that she do demeaning tasks (Childish things like kissing his feet and the sort - get dem minds out of the gutter) or he would tell the other boys and Kasten.  She did for almost a full year, until one night the boy started getting a little more, shall we say, adventagious... She told him that night she would not do his sick deeds anymore, that if he wanted to tell Kasten of what she was doing that was fine, but that she'd also tell Kasten of what the boy was making her do, which was no way for a future priest to be acting.  (She knew he risked getting thrown out of Kasten's house if she told)

Well, Kasten, still being unwed, and a lowly man, was growing older in years, but mind you he wouldn't let Coren skip any of her chores... never.  One night she stole Kastens main book to read.  The Ma'at it was called.  She was reading it as always, when she heard footsteps.  Before she could do anything Kasten's shadow was cast over her.  She looked up, and he surprisingly didn't look displeased.  He said,

"For years I've let you gain the knowledge of my books, did you not think I heard you walking to the bookshelf every night.  I've made you a fine, young, beautiful looking women, and now it is time you repay me".

He started to take off his shirt, and Coren ran for the door, in the doorway was the boy.  She kicked him in the groin, and ran past, him fleeing from the kobold priest.  'How dare he put his body, before his worship of the pantheon of Light' she thought. That night she wished she'd never see another kobold in her life.  She ran, ran with tears streaming down face, ran without being tired, ran long after she saw that the kobold and the boys no longer gave chase... She just ran.

At the young age of 17, and nothing more then the clothes on her back and the book that she carried, she arrived at a another town within the Old Kingdom mountains.  At the town she went to the Church of Light located within.  She met the priest (human), his name was Father Balrum.  Father Balrum was kind man, and offered to let her stay at the church for as long as she wished.  Coren accepted the offer and stayed for the next week at the church learning day in and day out everything that Father Balrum had to add to her previous knowledge.  At the end of her stay Father Balrum gave her the feather of Ma'at, and named her a priestess of the church of light.  Just a formality, but Coren was gracious for this, for no one has ever done much of anything for her.  He also gave her some traveling clothes and other goodies, not to mention a few weeks worth rations of food.  She promised him she'd visit him again someday...someday....

Today, Coren carries a bow and arrows, but hardly finds any use for them, for she does not wish to kill; even killing animals is a rarity for animals are part of the creation of the gods, and should be held sacred.  She has learned to use her mind in other ways, to control the power in her mind to heal people (Psychic Diagnosis and Surgery).  She travels the land spreading the mother's word, and shall fight to right all the wrongs done to less fortunate.  She is a seeker of the truth, and even the greatest soldier shall fear her, not for her strength, but for her words.  She wields words for with more cunning then any other, for she has the honor, justice, and righteousness at her side, and Isis watching over her back.

10/15/97: Coren just got her first decent weapon, actually an awesome weapon.

Aronbach's Holy Mace

-Remove Curse 50% (1 time only)

-Turn 4d6 dead (80% chance)

-Sense Evil (Weapon will turn red if any evil is within a 20ft Radius)

-1d8 + 6 Damage

10/25/97:  "I've been troubled recently by Rashidi (a necromancer) being along with us.  He serves no purpose but to wreak havoc on the dead, and torture their souls.  Why Isis told me I must have him, as well as the others along, I do not know, but I'm sure Isis has her reasoning and I thank her for her trouble in looking out for a petty life such as mine.  Rashidi, as well as the others, were only to be required to help me in my search for the Fountain of Life, and it seems we are almost there.  After I have returned to the poor, dieing man in the village, and healed him with the fountains water, I will once again strike out on my own.  I fear for my safety alone, for Isis, being as great as she is, can only do a dozen things at a time, and cannot always watch over me.  I hope Sir Garland offers to come with me, we could spread the word of the Church of Light together..."

          -From the notes of Coren

10/29/97: Coren has recently gained 2nd level through her work in uncovering the Fountain of Life, and saving a dieing man.  

11/17/97:  Coren has now gone N.P.C. as I G.M. the next adventure or two.  Not sure what will happen with her.  Can't really put what does happen to her either, because it might give some stuff away to the players.

1/18/98:  Coren has fallen sick with some undetermined "desease" and lays in the bed of the church while her companions travel to the Land of the Damned.

"As I lay sick upon my bed it hurts to move...but not too think.  I've thought a lot these last few days, more and more about the whole group rather then just Sir Garland.  Although I think that Sir Garland's still on my mind almost as much as the One of Countless Names herself.  I've given Aronbach's Mace to help K'traal defend the group and himself.  The weapon I fear I could hardly bring myself to strike another with, yet a weapon it is, and it should be used to help justice to it's fullest extent, not just lie around here.  Rashidi has also been on my mind.  After hours on hours of Sir Garland's nagging Rashidi has finally given up the dark arts, although I'm not sure it's all Sir Garland's doing.  After watching Rashidi for the whole time I've been with him, I don't think that he's such the bad boy that he thought he was, he seems to have come around to see that he is a kind person, and that the endless pursuit of a lone Wolfen has wrecked his younger years.  Still I wonder what he'd do now if he ever found that Wolfen...ah well, it is not my matter to deal with right now, I have some praying to do for all of my friends that they are able to make it out of the Land of the Damned...Please, oh thou of Countless Names, show my friends mercy."

          -From the notes of Coren

2/10/98:  In the moments that Coren's not sleeping trying to recover from the sickness she added another journal entry:

"I thank the one of Countless Names for in her greatness she has granted my time to speak some words to Sir Garland through his dreams, not only being able to let him know of the visit of the old man, but of other matter's as well.  I remember it crystal clear, the words I spoke to Sir Garland I now writeso that I may never forget:

    'Garland, the one of countless names has granted me a short time in which I may speak to you. A week after you left, the old man came back one more time to the church in hopes that you may have returned. He needed to tell you what he had just found out, according to him, “The Dragon Counsel has been watching the prophecy evolve as it should, only a few weeks back, before you left, one of the counsel members stopped showing up, the member’s name was Nectron. Nectron was disliked by all the members and they now fear that he has gone to shift the prophecy to side of the enemy”, he bids you be careful and good luck.

      'The one of countless names has also granted me knowledge that I may recover.  In her words, “The birth of a rose shall be inscribed in a single word on the cup that brings on life. The cup was not long ago split in two, Darkness grabbed hold of one piece while a Queen made sure the Cross retrieved the other. Join both pieces as one and the evil magic will break from me as the contents of the cup the pour over the spirit sword, break either piece, and the magic from the cup will be lost eternally.

     'Garland, I know not of this cup that is spoken of, or of anything else that is spoken of. If you can’t retrieve it, I’ll know that you’ve done all you could, but please don’t put my life in front of the thousands that may die should the enemy win, they must be saved first. Please be careful.

     'Most importantly, I feared I may die without being able to tell you something that I need you to know....that from the first time I laid eyes on you, you’ve been in my heart and my dreams...Sir Garland, I want to tell something I should have a long time ago, I love you.'

Once again I thank the one of Countless Names for her help and now I pray for the safe passage of my friend's through the Land of the Damned.  'Oh thou of Countless Names, hear me now'..."

          -From the notes of Coren

2/11/99: Time goes by, but love never fades... Read the latest story of the on going saga - Coren's Calling

3/9/99: Part II of Coren's Calling was written upon another late night.   Check out To Shed a Tear

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