Tanis Half-Elven

Tanthalas "Tanis" Half-Elven (TAN-tha-las "TAN-is") (March 9, 249 AC – Summer, 383 AC) was born the son of a Qualinesti Elf named Elansa Sungold and a human brigand named Brand. Eld Ailea named him "tanthalas" which could mean "everstrong" in the human tongue, but could also mean "deserving to rule" in elven. The Qualinesti firmly believe that Tanis was the result of a rape committed by Brand upon Elansa, who was married to Kethrenan Kanan, brother to Speaker of the Sun Solostaran Kanan. However, there are conflicting accounts regarding Elansa and Brand. According to one such account, Elansa claimed that her time with Brand was not rape, and that she chose to live instead of killing herself from the shame of being with a human. In this telling, Kethrenan killed Brand but was in turn slain by the dark elf Leyerlain Starwing.

He is generally indecisive, but when confronted with a task or danger, will take command. Even though he doesn't believe in the old gods, he has been searching for them, hoping to find some sense of “him-self” along the way. He also has trouble coming to terms, and finding a balance, with both his "human" and "elven" sides.

Early Life
Tanis was roughly six feet tall, wide-set, with tan skin, green eyes, and shoulder-length brownish-red hair that was streaked with silver in his later years. He wore a beard for most of his life, which matched his hair color. He had high, chiseled cheekbones, a lean and muscled torso, and brooding eyes that he got from his mother. Tanis was known for his calm and steady-going nature as well as his honesty, rarely telling a lie. He was the wisest man that Caramon Majere ever met (according to Caramon), though he was never allowed to take his elven rite of passage into adulthood. He could speak Camptalk, Qualinesti Elven, Silvanesti Elven, and a little Goblin. He had some skill with needle and thread, and learned his excellent archery skills from Tyresian. He preferred beaded moccasins to elven boots, knew how to play the gittern and psaltery, and liked to collect rare and finely crafted bows. His seal was that of an aspen leaf.

Tanis first met Flint Fireforge in 288 AC, when Flint was asked to come to Qualinost and make some of his masterpieces for Speaker Solostaran. Tanis was still getting to know Flint in 308 AC when his childhood playmate Lauralanthalasa Kanan (Laurana) asked Tanis to marry her. Tanis said yes just to spite the other elves, many of whom disliked him for his heritage. Laurana gave him a ring that was fashioned of seven tiny, interlocking gold ivy leaves. Flint taught Tanis some basic blacksmithing skills, and Tanis forged his first knife. At this time he had a horse named Belthar. Tanis was accused of murdering Eld Ailea, and the evidence was sufficient to cause his imprisonment while Flint searched for evidence that would free Tanis. Flint found some evidence, and Tanis escaped from imprisonment, narrowly saving Gilthanas from being assassinated. Tanis then returned to the Tower of the Sun and stopped assassination attempts on the rest of the royal family by killing Arelas Kanan. Tanis then moved on to Solace with Flint, though he returned to Qualinost once a year. Tanis took on the business end of Flint's blacksmithing, organized his affairs and got people to pay off their accounts.

In the Autumn, 329 AC Flint and Tanis enter a forest and run into a female human named Riana. Her traveling companions, Karel and Daryn from Winding Vale, had been taken by an evil mage named Gadar. Tanis and Flint agreed to journey with her to rescue them. They were attacked by four phantoms controlled by Gadar. After a short fight, they were able to defeat the phantoms by using fire. Gadar wanted Tanis to come to him so the mage could use his life essence to sustain him. So Gadar had another phantom take Tanis to Gadar's Castle. Tanis would be rescued by Flint when the dwarf burst in while the mage was casting the spell for Tanis's life essence. Tanis tackled Gadar, and soon discovered Gadar's young son who looked to be between 12-13 years old, but was much, much older. The boy asks Tanis for permission to die, and Tanis grants it holding the boy until he passed away.

In 331 AC, Tanis met Tasslehoff Burrfoot (Tas) for the first time after Tas stole a magical bracelet from Flint that was meant for Selana Sonluanaau. Together they journeyed to Castle Tantallon and were captured by Balcombe, but eventually got free and retrieved Selana's bracelet.

Tanis met Kitiara Uth Matar in 344 AC when he thought he heard a woman in distress. He rushed to her aid only to discover that Kit was toying with her hobgoblin attackers. His mount during this time was named Dauntless. Tanis journeyed to Icereach to save Kitiara when he found out that she might have been pregnant with his child. Tanis was always able to tease Kitiara out of a bad mood. He met Sturm Brightblade for the first time at Derimius's shop in Solace, and soon met the twins Caramon and Raistlin Majere.

In Autumn, 344 AC, Sturm, Tanis, Flint, and tas were caught in a snow storm in the mountains between Esker and Haven. They found shelter, but the shelter had no wood to burn to keep them warm. Sturm and Tanis left to find firewood, and soon find themselves lost. They begin floundering around until they hear music, which led them back to their shelter. Tas had played his pipe which brought in a rabbit, deer, and ram along with Sturm and Tanis. They had enough wood to rest in the shelter for two days, before heading home after the storm had passed.

In Late Winter, 345 AC a bird by the name of Wren came to the Companions seeking their help. She had been changed into a bird, her love Pytr was turned into a cat, and Tasslehoff had been turned into a squirrel. Caramon, Raistlin, Tanis, Flint, and Sturm came to rescue them, and Raistlin turned Tanis into a red-pelted fox. They were able to infiltrate the mage Rieve's place, and rescue Tas, Pytr, and Wren from the mage.

Soul Searching
When the Companions split up in 346 AC, Tanis broke off his relationship with Kitiara. Tanis then left on his own adventure to seek the lost gods.

War of the Lance
In 351 AC, Tanis reunited with the Companions and met the Plainsfolk Goldmoon and Riverwind. Tanis led the group from the Inn of the Last Home to avoid being captured. They journeyed first to Que-Shu, then to Xak Tsaroth where he saw a black dragon for the first time. After escaping from there, the Companions returned to Solace, where they were captured by Lord Toede's men. They were sent to Pax Tharkas in a slave caravan that was freed by Qualinesti elves. They journeyed to Qualinesti and were given a mission to break into Pax Tharkas and free the prisoners. While in the Sla-Mori at Pax Tharkas, Tanis was given Wyrmslayer by the dead elf Speaker Kith-Kanan. The Companions freed eight hundred refugees from Pax Tharkas, and just before they left, Tanis formed work parties for the people to gather supplies from the fortress before they fled.

Following Goldmoon and Riverwind's wedding, Tanis and Flint went ahead of the refugees to Thorbardin, leaving clues behind for Riverwind to follow with the refugees. Tanis and Flint met up with Tas, Caramon, Sturm, and Raistlin at a destroyed Aghar village at the foot of Cloudseeker. Upon arriving in Thorbardin, Tanis and his group had a run in with the Theiwar that did not end well. They were instead captured by Arman Kharas, and taken before the Council of Thanes, where Grallen delivered his message about the Hammer of Kharas, before his spirit departed and Flint regained control of his body.

While Flint and Tas recovered the true Hammer of Kharas with Arman Kharas, and Tanis and the Companions were attacked by Dray-yan and his forces. Tanis and his comrades entered the Battle of the Temple of the Stars, engaging and driving off the forces, which culminated in the death of Arman, and then the death of Dray-yan at Flint's hands. Tanis feels panic when he is in dark and closed up places, like the walls are closing in on him. This phobia afflicts him most in the underground realm of Thorbardin, where he feels sealed up in a tomb.

After recovering the Hammer of Kharas from the depths of Thorbardin, the Companions and the Human Refugees of Pax Tharkas are allowed to stay in the dwarven realm under the mountain for the winter. The companions set out to the, to travel to the city of Tarsis to see if they can commission ships to transport the refugees back to Abanasinia. However, upon reaching the city, the companions discover it to be landlocked, and under the tacit control of the dragonarmy. The companions were forced to split up, and here Tanis lost Wyrmslayer.

Tanis, Raistlin, Caramon, Tika Waylan, Goldmoon, and Riverwind were forced to follow Alhana Starbreeze back to Silvanesti, where they got caught in Lorac Caladon's dream. Tanis's love was able to free him from the dream. The group then traveled to Port Balifor and went on tour to Flotsam with a traveling group. Tanis was discovered by Kitiara, who had become the Dragon Highlord of the Blue Dragonarmy. He briefly rekindled his relationship with Kit before returned to the others. They fled Flotsam on the Perechon, but the ship sank in the Maelstrom. He awoke in sunken Istar, where he met Apoletta and Zebulah. The group was released and woke up near Kalaman, but didn't remember much of what occurred under the sea. Tanis journeyed to Kalaman and reunited with the rest of the Companions.

Tanis, Flint, Tas, Caramon, Tika, and Berem journeyed to Neraka, though Flint died en route. Once in Neraka, he met Kitiara again and offered to trade himself for the captured Laurana. Kit brought him before the Queen of Darkness during a meeting of the Highlords, and Tanis killed Lord Ariakas with Raistlin's help. Tanis escaped from Neraka with Laurana, having finally chosen Laurana over Kitiara as his love.