Myrella

MYRELLA

Real Name: Myrella Haarvan

Class: Human magic-user

Occupation: Mage, pirate

Group Affiliation:

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Krynn, Earth-TSR

First Appearance: Dragonlance #6 (March, 1989)

Powers: Myrella was a skilled swordswoman and mage.

History: (Dragonlance #21) - As a young girl Myrella was fascinated by magic and the sorceress Jenque agreed to take her on as an apprentice, but made it clear she’d have to prove herself. Using a pond as a scrying pool Jenque showed Myrella images of the magician Borgys, who she said was using the Staff of Ethys to raise an army of the undead and intended to conquer the province. Jenque told Myrella that a crystal around Borgys’ neck cast a ward around his fortress and Myrella would need to destroy it. Myrella entered the fortress and used a sleep spell to disable Borgys’ guards. She was exhilerated at finally being able to use the magic spells she’d been practicing. Myrella grabbed Borgys’ crystal and smashed it, allowed Jenque to enter the fortress. Borgys was in tears, pleading that he was only trying to resurrect his dead wife. Jenque took the staff from him and cast a horrifying spell that melted him. Myrella was in tears and cried in disbelief that Jenque had deceived an used her. Jenque admitted that Borgys was only trying to bring back his love, but said the Staff of Ethys disrupted the fabric of reality when used, opening a gate between the planes of the living and the dead, and she had to kill him. Jenque said what she did wasn’t easy for her either, revealing that Borgys was her father. She gave the couple’s wedding bands to Myrella as payment for her service. Myrella came to remember this event as the first time life slapped her in the face, and would never forget it.

(Dragonlance #6-8) - Myrella was a mage and river pirate who fought the armies of the Dark Queen. After her allies were slain by the dragonarmy she met Gnatch, a gnome and friend of the elf Kalthanan, whose mind was being taken over by the dark mage Raistlin so he could shunt his traitorous thoughts against the Dark Queen to him so he wouldn't be suspected. Myrella and Gnatch saved Kalthanan from dragonarmy soldiers, and he sensed that Raistlin was on his way to Neraka, so they flew there on his griffon. The Dark Queen raised the Temple of Ishtar, corrupting it and making it a beacon for evil forces. Her plans were near fruition, and she warned Raistlin that he would pay if he intended to betray her. His thoughts of usurping her hit Kalthanan, but when he tried to enter the Temple with Myrella and Gnatch they were attacked by Draconians. They needed another way into the temple, and found a tunnel beneath the city. The tunnel was guarded by a Purple worm protecting her larva, but after severing her stinger tyhey were able to flee her. The Dark Queen's armies were assembled to watch Raistlin help her materialize on the physical plane. Myrella tried to help Kalthanan from being drawn to Raistlin's will, but the mage's magic was too strong, and the elf struck his ally. Raistlin took his hidden magic and thoughts back from his pawn. Raistlin's brother Caramon Majere brought Everman to him. Everman's sister Jasla was embedded in the foundation Stone, wedging open the entrance to Takhisis' realm. He convinced Everman to impale himself on the stone, freeing his sister, and shutting the doorway between worlds. Takhisis bellowed in anger, realizing she was being banished from Krynn. Her armies fell into chaos, and Kalthanan and company had to fight off a number of Draconians before fleeing on Kalthanan's griffon. They met Laurana and Tanis Half-Elvan, and Kalthanan apologized for his earlier violence when he was at Raistlin's mercy. Laurana was overjoyed that war on Krynn was over since Takhisis was no longer around to command her troops. All was forgiven, and Kalthanan left his friends, telling them he had unfinished business with Raistlin.

(Dragonlance #13, 14) - Myrella Kalthanan, and Gnatch were present for the end of the War of the Lance. The forces of good won, but Kalthanan went MIA and his friends spent two fruitless years searching for him. The council of wizards chose Myrella as an initiate, and she'd have to locate the Tower of High Sorcery to complete her training. She dreamt of magicians Par-Salian and Ladonna seeking the lost Tower of High Sorcery, crossing nightmarish realms to reach it. The tower appeared deserted, but as they approached tendrils shot from the tower and grabbed them. Gnatch worried about the strain she was under, but she was committed to completing her test. Gnatch bid her farewell and gave her his latest invention, a compressed ball that expanded into a somewhat lifelike dragon-shaped kite that could potentially frighten opponents. Myrella journeyed to the Forest of Wayreth where the Tower appeared to her. It was under siege by Draconian magic-users, and she managed to save councilmember Az-Araz-Zar from them. He told her the Draconian attack came without warning, and they'd seized control of the Tower's teleportation power. Some wizards managed to escape, but they passed by a dead black magician, and Myrella said better him than a red or white mage. Az-Araz-Zar scolded her, reminding her that order depended on good, neutral and evil to function. Az-Araz-Zar and Myrella suspected Raistlin was behind the attack, and they were soon overwhelmed by the Draconians. Az-Araz-Zar used the last of his power to teleport Myrella away to Que-Shu. She met Que-Shu's leaders Goldmoon and Riverwind, telling them she needed to find Raistlin and save the Tower, but they told her Raistlin was dead. Myrella rode with Goldmoon and Riverwind, and Goldmoon told her that Raistlin wasn't necessarily a villain, but a tragic character. His turn to evil was predicated by an unrelenting search of power, and Goldmoon warned Myrella to examine her own ambitions. She also chided Myrella for her black and white view of a complex world. Myrella heard a distress call in the forest and rode her horse into the woods, only to fall into a pitfall trap. The call was lure by Keches, and the heroes managed to fend them off. Goldmoon warned Myrella about her impetuousness, and said magic and power only magnified personal flaws if they were not confronted directly. The Tower of Wayreth appeared to them, and Dunbar Mastersmate, head of the white-robed wizards, promised them the threat to the tower was gone. Goldmoon and Riverwind faded away, and Dunbar assured Myrella he had no idea what caused it. Myrella wanted to rescue them, but Dalamar, head of the black-robes, appeared and told her to focus on her quest. Goldmoon and Riverwind found themselves in another dimension, summoned by Par-Salian and Ladonna, who warned that the banished Spyranus had taken control of the Tower and was planning to destroy Krynn.

(Dragonlance #15, 16) - Justarius, head of the red robes, insisted on leading Myrella through her trial, despite the fact that Dunbar would normally shepherd a hopeful white-robe. Soon after her trial began where she met Kalthanan, who helped her fend off Al-Araz-Zar and a group of Draconians. Al-Araz-Zar rejoined the council watching Myrella, and they mulled over whether or not Myrella could reconcile Kalthanan's competing good and evil natures to pass the test. Kalthanan confessed to Myrella that he was really the evil Thanakan, who'd killed his son Kalthanan and assumed his life and memories until Raistlin brought his evil to the surface. He'd located Raistlin's Mindbender, and would use it to take away the conflict that was driving him mad, leaving behind only the mind of Kalthanan or Thanakan. Myrella said she couldn't chance him fully reverting to Thanakan, and they fought a wizard's duel until she wrested the Mindbender artifact away from him. Goldmoon and Riverwind were being overwhelmed by Spyranus, so Az-Araz-Zar summoned Myrella, who dragged Kalthanan along with her. They fought off the elementals, and withstood Spyranus' attempt to divide and conquer them. Ladonna realized Spyranus was bonded physically to the tower, and reluctant to separate himself from the source of his power, and Kalthanan tried unsuccessfully to goad him out. Spyranus extended the temple through a portal to Krynn, preparing to destroy it, when Myrella figured out how to defeat him. She summoned the Mindbender artifact, forcefully separating Spyranus from the temple, and with his connection severed he became a gibbering madman. She placed Kalthanan's soul in the Tower, and freed from his physical being his dark and light nature could exist without conflict, making him a neutral force and at peace with himself. Al-Araz-Zar revealed himself as Gilean, god of neutrality, and praised Myrella for passing the test. She would join the red-robes as a force for neutrality and a mediator between good and evil.

Comments: Created by Dan Mishkin & Mike Collins.

Myrella had a cameo in Dragonlance #28.