Abandoned at birth by her biological parents who were persued by warring Drow factions and fearing the death of their child, Ruby was left to die from exposure near an opening to the underdark. A widowed elf named Allysia was gathering water for her daily tasks when she came across the crying child. From the look of the skin color, she knew the child to be a Drow. Feeling sympathy for the child, she took her back to the village, which was located in somewhere in The Great Forest, though many get lost wandering the thick trees. and kept the child a secret from the community. Finding only a small red gem next to the child's underwrappings, she named the frail girl Ruby. Her two son's, Alvarz and Regaln, objected to the child, saying that the elders would not permit it, but Allysia protested and they conceded; caring for Ruby while keeping her a secret from the village was a tremendous undertaking, as the village always harbored harsh feelings for their underworld brethern. Her half-brothers were very influential in her upbringing. They gave her love and affection and played with her constantly. Fascinated with a younger sister, they taught her how to read, write, play the lute and dance, and use the bow. These activities, later on in her life, were the only thing that brought her solace in times of stress. Operating the only tavern in the town, Allysia gladly undertook the job of managing the tavern in the night and tending to Ruby during the day. When Ruby came to age, she was not accepted into the society at first. Allysia allowed Ruby to work in the tavern, hoping this would gain the trust of the elves. At first they treated her harshly, calling her 'the burnt one' and 'straggler,' but eventually they came to acknowledge her as part of the community. Working nights in the tavern did not bother Allysia much, but it left her with an awful amount of time during the day. Ruby constantly wondered who her parents were and why she was abandoned. She had deep contempt for the elven people, for she realized the only reason they were being sociable to her was because she was Allysia's adopted daughter. Eventually these feelings began to build up in her; her catharsis was to practice archery and dancing in her free time. In addition to dancing, she loved to read. So much so that she began to delve into the magiks; these tomes fascinated her. She would liesurely read them by the shaded canopy of the forest. These activities kept Ruby busy enough that she didn't wonder about her parents; soon after she became an expert bowswoman and well versed in magical literature, her conclusion became that her real mother was Allysia. She had no other family, and it was pointless to find her true parents if they had abandoned her. Seeking to tone her abilities further, she asked village elders where she could train more heavily in magiks, archery, and dancing. Eager to rid themselves of the dark elf, the directed her to the nearest city, which was about two days walk. The night Ruby was going to leave, a great fog lifted around the elven village. Minutes later, the loud clamouring of hooves along with trumpets awoke her into a panicked sweat. A group of pillaging orcs were attacking the village and burning the houses in search of gold. Frantically waking up Allysia and her half-brothers, they gathered their belongings and tried to flee from the carnage. In the midst of the hacking frenzy, Ruby managed to escape with her mother and brothers into the woods (which surrounded the small village). Unharmed, they watched as the entire village was torched, the women raped, and the men die fighting. Everything they owned vanished in a heartbeat. The Great Forest was the only home Ruby had known, and now it was destroyed. The village had been a very small one, and everyone had known each other. She immediately began to weep tears of sorrow while her mother gathered supplies for the southern journey to Fort Incham. Allysia knew that there would be provisions, lodging, and help for a homeless elf there. With no security from the forest animals, they headed towards the human fort. Upon entering the gates, Allysia told the guard that their village had come under attack and her daughter was burned badly (to explain the dark skin complexion; Allysia figured that humans would not allow a drow to enter the city) and they needed lodging for a few nights. Being a generous soldier and a man of duty, he allowed the family to stay at his house. He insisted, however, that Allysia's two sons enlist at the barracks, and that Ruby take up a job quickly because funds were tight in his own house, and anything would help. Ruby decided to enlist as well; she was quite proficient in the bow, and if given the oppurtunity, could start to practice the arcane arts. She started her search for a well-renowned magician. Hopefully there was one in the fort, and if not, she would venture to the ends of the earth to help protect her family. Tragedy has followed Ruby's life wherever she travels. She has learned that her family and brothers are the most important things to her; she will give anything up to save them.