//------------------------------//
// Shadowfeather, Justice in Iron Talons 
// Story: Dramatis Personae of the Pony Wars 
// by Wings of Black Glass 
//------------------------------//

Shadowfeather has all the skills of an assassin and all the morality of a paladin.  As a Griffon raised among Changelings he had to learn to be clever and patient, both traits he has in abundance.  To those who don’t know him personally, he can come across as severe.  Gentle with the innocent and tolerant of honest mistakes, yet unyielding when strength is required.

“Justice must be done for crimes that have been committed.  If that means striking down my own father, so be it.”





Shadowfeather never knew the Griffons who hatched him.  He spent his first few years among other hatchlings without parents, without even a name, until he was adopted and taken in by a changeling named Khyten Lamellar.  His new father raised him on stories of a brave hero sneaking through hostile lands and evil palaces to bring justice to evildoers.  At least, that’s how he understood the tales he was told.  Khyten taught him how to behave, the meaning behind right and wrong, and to take responsibility for his actions.
Shadowfeather took it all to heart, quietly and personally vowing to uphold justice.  Once he was old enough to join the guilds, he applied to both the infiltrators and the defenders.  As a Griffon, he was unable to shapeshift, although he was found to be quite adept at the other aspects of stealth and combat.  He also proved to be quite capable of navigating the sometimes labyrinthine loyalties and politics of the Changeling guilds and made many friends and allies.
One day, as an adult, he visited his father and found him deep in thought.  Though the older changeling had years of hiding his emotions, Shadowfeather could sense he was worried about something.  Khyten was evasive about what it was, and Shadowfeather tried to put it aside, assuming his father would tell him if it were important.  That was the last time Shadowfeather saw his father.
Although he looked for him, Shadowfeather couldn’t find out where he had gone, and none of the other guild members he asked knew either.  He even petitioned the Quorum for help finding Khyten, but they rejected his request.  The disappearance of his father rattled him, but he knew there must have been a good reason.  That’s what he assumed, trying to go on with his life.
Several months later, he heard about the attack on the conclave.  King Halo was dead, the Sunbound and Lumahina were already gearing up for what would undoubtedly be war.  That was when the rumors began; Khyten had been dis-commendated and banished by the Quorum.  Worse, the rumors claimed he was involved in the assassination of the king.
Shocked to his core than his father could do such a thing, Shadowfeather was enraged.  He needed to know what really happened and gathered what information he could find, costing him favors and debts along the way.  If it were true, and his father had betrayed the changelings, then he would have to be brought back to face his crimes.  If the rumors were all lies, then he would have to prove his father’s innocence.  Either way, Shadowfeather knew he couldn’t stay home any longer.  He packed his gear and weapons and set out towards the pony nations, determined to find the truth.
Finding Khyten lamellar would prove difficult, the changeling had a lifetime of experience over Shadowfeather as an infiltrator.  He knew his only recourse would be to hire his services to one side or the other to find rumors and traces of the experienced assassin.  Eventually, he would discover the truth, even if he would have to fight for it.