You wish to know about Marrissa Dawngreeter, no? Unfortunately, there is not much I can tell you about Marrissa. She does not have much of a history - not that I know of, anyway. Let me begin with her parents.

Victor von Saun was born of rich blood. Being the son of a baron, silver spoon and all, he had all he could want, and more. Not long after the celebration of his twenty-first summer, his eyes fell upon Sarah. All of his attention turned to her - she became his morning, evening and night.

Sarah Koen was born to a merchant family. Although successful, the family also had a number of hardships. More transient than not, the Koen family found itself changing cities every few years due to unusual mishaps, commonly with the townsfolk. Sarah spent most of her time helping her father run the business - until, that is, the fates intertwined her life with Victor.

Soon after their first meeting, Sarah and Victor wed. Their wedding day was glorious - the sun shone brightly, food and drink flowed freely, music and laughter filled the air. The two families could not be happier, their joy overpowered only by the joy of the newly young lovers.

Days turned to weeks. Weeks became months, became years. As time passed, Victor and Sarah's happiness continued to grow. Sarah conceived, and the family looked forward to the birth of their child.

Unfortunately, no one else seemed to experience the same fortunes. The town in which they lived began to experience problems. Crops began to sour, trade died down - overall, a dour atmosphere descended upon the town. The townsfolk began to voice their grievances to Victor. He searched for an answer to appease them, but found none - ever step forward brought him two back.

Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Marrissa, the town became plagued. Victor sought the help of many, and eventually turned to the church of Lathander. After weeks of investigation, the church uncovered the problem. The undead were quietly besieging the town.

The church, led by Brother Nathaniel Aroque, set to work to rid the town of the demonic creatures. Due to their overzealousness, they realize to late that they severely underestimated the strength of their foe. Lead by a power vampire, the undead fought back with organized tenacity.

Although victorious, the city was decimated. After the dust settled, the damage was assessed. Few survived, and those that did would forever be scared. Victor and Sarah were both slain, leaving Marrissa orphan. Having no alternative, Aroque and the church took her in.

Though I have not spent much time with her, I have observed her from a distance. After all, that is my job as dean of students, no?

Marrissa was raised within the walls of the church since she was five months of age. She did not know her parents, only of them. As she grew, the other children under the care of the church shunned her. Her teachers often singled her out due to her quite, introverted nature. She has always done well with her studies, though. This, coupled with the zealousness of the church, has created the person she is today - a quiet fighter with an intense passion to fight in the name of Lathander.

What is that you ask? Does she have luck like her family? To my knowledge, she has not been as unfortunate. I would speculate that her family's run of bad luck has died with them. But who knows - maybe I am just a foolish old man, hoping the best for her. Either way, I wish the warmth of the Morning Lord upon her.

Fare thee well. May the sun always rise when you need it most.

Marrissa is tall for a woman, reaching a height of almost seventeen hands, and is about ten stones. Her hair is black and her eyes are deep green. Her skin is extremely pale, and a little gaunt. When not in armor, she wears standard breaches and a tunic, typically subdued colors of a morning sunrise.

She stays to herself mostly, not giving most the time of day. In battle, she resolves conflicts as quickly and efficiently as possible - almost mercilessly. Unlike the typical paladins of some other gods, she does not waste time on pomp and circumstance. Additionally, the staunch views often held by others of her profession are not as black and white for her - law has more gray in her eyes.