#Sharran Hunter falling in love with Soft Sharran??? 🥺💕

[eliteseven]

Did Serena ever tell Shadowheart that she'd fought Sharrans before? I could see her not wanting to bring it up to avoid causing intra-party drama but I could also see it slipping out because she's a bad liar so Shadowheart might catch on that her opinions of Shar are based on personal experience. Also what were her experiences going up against the Netherese? Ooooh, is this actually why she cut Shadowheart so much slack? She knew instantly that this girl was NOT at all a normal Sharran? Aaaaaaaagh I have so many questions now lol.

Well, I admittedly only learned about the Sharrans and Thultanthar later, when I was trying to expand the depth of Serena’s backstory. Apparently, the Harpers and Cormyr took issue with Shadovar presence for some time! So I think it would be fair to assume that killing Netherese/Sharrans was Serena’s bread and butter, while serving in Cormyr’s military.

Let me begin with a disclaimer that I am humbly still learning!! So if I get something wrong, please do let me know and I’ll try to adjust Serena’s life accordingly! 😊

In my eyes, it solidifies Serena’s outlook on Shar and better explains why she resents it so. She’s lost friends and comrades to Shar’s evil long before she ever met Shadowheart.

Serena wasn’t ever really meant to survive. Joining the military was her only choice; her mother’s house no longer had any influence or power. (Her mother was NOT keen on sending her baby girl to war!)

And Cormyr was recruiting just about anyone to help, swamped as they were on two fronts, right? So it backs my idea that she was meant to be cannon-fodder. It would take her years of survival to reach the rank of a purple dragon knight. But she had time. And Althaea, to keep her from dying 🥹

I read that war wizards were a massive force (in strength, not numbers) in Cormyr’s military and worked closely with the purple dragons. So closely, that officers and knights were often given rings that could summon the war wizards at any given time to face any magical threats (assuming there are plenty of those, when Netheril strikes). So it could be a fair assumption to say Serena was paired with a war wizard, and while she provided physical protection, they were the magical forces. It gives Serena experience in battle leadership, and a deeper understanding of mages, and a healthy respect for magic.

I think, by the time she meets Shadowheart, she’s seen her fair share of Sharrans. Killed so many, watched her allies get killed by them in turn…. And here is Shadowheart. The worst Sharran ever™️ Serena is determined to dislike her, but she’s sweet to animals, she heals wounds, she’s got a cute laugh- rare as it is-, she’s fucking gorgeous and Serena doesn’t know what to make of her. She is the worst Sharran ever, and Tav can’t stop thinking about her. Poor girl is in love.

Shadowheart often mocks Serena’s chivalry and sense of nobility early on in their relationship. It’s much richer when we look at it through the lens of Shadowheart realizing the woman before her is a purple dragon knight, decorated for her efficient and effective eradication of Sharran presence in Cormyr.

It would also make visiting that Sharran temple traumatizing for Serena, I think. So many reminders of war….of bloodshed….

The first time she writes Althaea about being fond of a Sharran, Althaea probably spits whatever she’s drinking onto the letter in shock 💀