Caitlyn / Zoe

Caitlyn, also documented under the alias Zoe, is a monk whose heritage is inconsistently recorded across various accounts—described in some chronicles as an elf woman, and in others as a human female. She is one of the very few to survive the brutal and devastating assault on the Snowmont Monastery nestled high in the Sword Mountains.

The Siege of Snowmont

The Snowmont Monastery came under a sudden, savage siege by Ice Trolls and Ice Mephits. A survivor named Clarissa managed to flee and reached the frontier town of Phandalin to plead for immediate aid. Guided by Clarissa, a band of adventurers climbed the treacherous mountain pass, overcoming a dangerously unstable bridge to mount a defense of the sanctuary.

Although the monstrous invaders were ultimately repelled, the victory was bitter and costly. The sanctuary was left in ruins. Almost all of its inhabitants, including Clarissa and a fellow monk named Dorian, were slain. Caitlyn and a halfling monk named Jackson (also known as Jaque) were the sole survivors of the massacre. In gratitude for their rescue, the surviving monks gifted the adventurers the remaining treasures of the monastery’s trove: a Pearl of Power, a Staff of Frost, and a Wind Fan.

Flight to Phandalin and Gnomengarde

Following the sanctuary’s destruction, Caitlyn and Jackson silently followed the adventurers on their retreat down the mountain. Their descent was marked by a chilling omen: the sudden appearance of the white dragon Cryovain, whose immense serpentine form cast a great shadow over the peaks. Seeking refuge from the trauma and the looming dragon threat, they made their way into the Phandalin Valley, arriving at the frontier town of Phandalin.

After recovering from the ordeal, Caitlyn (adopting the name Zoe) and Jaque joined an expedition northward. Accompanied by the ancient dwarf Gotrek, the gnome academic Dusty, and the warrior Hope, they traveled to the gated entrance of Gnomengarde to seek magical inventions capable of combatting the dragon threat.

While a small delegation of adventurers entered Gnomengarde to negotiate, Zoe, Jaque, Gotrek, Dusty, and Hope remained outside, camping near the gates. They stood vigil while their companions dealt with a paranoid King Korboz and a hidden doppelganger threat within the gnomish caves.