Dru-Kara

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Elena Moreno is the mundane name of Mistress Drū-Kära.

Early History Elena Moreno is from El Paso, Texas, and was taken to Amtgard with her sister, Elizabeth Moreno (Lathara a/k/a Lilith) in the Burning Lands for the first time in the Spring of 1989 by high school classmates, Matthew Passmore (Caspin Tree) and Chris Patton. Although the sisters were strangers to the park, the people were colorfully dressed, friendly, and so intriguing.

Elena fell in love with the motley crew, the beautiful park (Memorial Park), and everything medieval. She loved the creativity and the fantasy.

Just before graduating from high school, Elena moved in with a school teacher and her family due to personal life circumstances. This teacher had a son, named Greg (Nikos) and he had a friend named, Sean (then Squire Naes Weisdrake) who were both Amtgard regulars.

Elena and Sean dated, mundanely, until Clan Gathering (Clan) of 1990. Sean had plans to rekindle a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Wendy (Clover). Although Elena was understanding for the most part, she set off for Clan with a heart full of curiosity.

Drū-Kära's First Clan Gathering It was at this point that Elena created the persona of Drū-Kära, along with a complete history. She is the daughter of a Druid and a dryad. She has a brother, Koric, whom she hasn't seen in over 2 decades.

Anyway, Drū-Kära found transportation to Clan Gathering with Scott Patten (Eskot), Kim (Vamir), Mike (Deimos), his brother (QDink [with a silent Q]), and Shane (Otter, who now goes by Otto). They were a van full of teenage wanderers, in search of adventure.

This first Clan was Drū-Kära's first, and she showed up to Clan without a tent and with a few pieces of garb. She was 18, a former cross-country athlete, and smoking hot.... and so she was not bothered by such trivialities.

Upon Drū-Kära's arrival at Sleepy Grass, she met Ben Passmore (brother of Matt) (Sir Gilos Dawnhope) who was impressed by her natural talents and bright persona. Sir Gilos asked Drū-Kära to join the Far Travellers. She accepted his invitation, and though the group has dwindled down to a few active members (our captain has gone afar travelling), we do our part. Our tabards are dark turquoise with a white star.

Next, Drū-Kära met Rift Ratspitter (Keith Dirsa) (before he was knighted) from the Iron Mountains. This man is memorable because he has always been a lecherous flirt, and possesses a lost talent: the ability to kiss a woman's hand in such a way that she would feel weak in the knees.

Fortunately for Drū-Kära, she then met Quinn (Jeff Spurgeon). He was very nice, and he escorted Drū-Kära around the campground so that she would not be stolen, bound, and tossed in a tent. Also present during this tour were Ghee (Clay) and Kathon (Tom).

On this round of visiting, Drū-Kära met Dame Tawnee Darkfalcon (Michelle Ellington), captain of the Starquesting Dragons. She was magnificent: a female combatant with flaming red hair. She was Eowyn in the flesh. "I am no mere man!" She was breath-taking. She and her dragons were fierce fighters and talented artisans. Tawnee was Amtgard's first Queen and first knight, and back in the day, you won your throne by combat. Drü-Kära was impressed by her personal strength and kindness.

Drū-Kära also I met Terarin (Rob Strohmeyer), the Scout.... long before he was knighted. It was doubtful he was even shaving then. He was the epitome of uncompromised friendship.

Terarin would later date and marry, Kayrana (Ester) whom Drü-Kära didn't meet until years later. Kayrana was a sight to behold. She had long, curly, blonde locks. She was graceful, could sing like a songbird, and her garb was spectacular. This curvaceous, earth-bound goddess could make a potato sack look good, but she was striking in green as well as in her black Golden Lion's tunic. Like Tawnee, she could kick butt! Kayrana has gone to the other world, now, but her memory lives on.

Next, Drū-Kära was especially fortunate to be introduced to Baron Alaeric (Gaylord Tigue) and Quicksilver (Elizabeth Hoffheins). They had just chartered the Barony of Dragonspine a few months before Clan. This meeting was helpful to Drū-Kära, because she was going to attend college in Las Cruces (the Barony of Dragonspine).

Alaeric and Drü-Kära shared a special bond: a fondness for baubles and all things purple. They became great friends and Alaeric later introduced Drü-Kära to Iron Paw, F'lar, Whitewolf, Blackthorn, Beo, Cheshire Catseye, Solmoriah, Bertrand, Weilock, Chiz, Trent, Phocion, Alucard, and so many others. These people are still friends of Dru-Kara and hold a very special place in her heart.

Later in her Clan wanderings, Drū-Kära encountered Dame Andralaine (Kerry Hunter) who was Queen of the Burning Lands at the time. Dame Andralaine was taken by the young, Drü-Kära, her fondness for role-playing and joie de vivre that she asked her to be her Amazon daugher, and Drū-Kära gladly accepted.

The last person that Drū-Kära met at Clan was Sir Aramithris. He found Drū-Kära at a campfire, and she was very drunk and very flirty. Concerned for her welfare, he took her to his tent, and put her to sleep, fully clothed.

In the morning, Sir Aramithris attended to his young charge by brushing her hair, and giving her his cloak to wear during Burning Lands Court. It was during this Court that Drū-Kära and Clover (Naes' former love) shared that large cloak while attending Court.

Early 1990s After Clan, Drū-Kära kept company with Sean (Naes) (in mundania) and with Sir Aramithris (J.W. Donnelly) (in Amtgardia) as college coursework would permit. This continued until the early Spring of 1991.

A few weeks after Clan, Elena travelled with Kim (Vamir) to New Mexico State University for freshman orientation and first year of college. Shortly into their college tenure, Aramithris and Vamir were elected King and Consort of the Burning Lands. Vamir's Crown Qualifications poem about Aramithris and Drū-Kära, still brings tears of laughter from those who recall it.

As elected consort of Burning Lands, Vamir was charged with making guard tabards for the new guard. Although minimal in her sewing skills, Drū-Kära helped Vamir in cutting and sewing those guard tabards.

Due to a friendly Freshman year schedule (despite having mostly honors classes), Drū-Kära travelled widely through the existing Amtgard lands, notably the Iron Mountains and the Golden Plains. For the most part, these trips were typical Amtgard adventures without too much drama. However on one of Drū-Kära's trips to the Golden Plains, she was captured and given to Sir IvarIvar_Nefarious; however, the kind Sir preferred Drū-Kära out of chains and quickly released her.

FAMILY During this time, Drü-Kära would stop by her parents' home and kidnap her little brother, Manny Moreno (Piranha) to attend Burning Lands Amtgard.

Piranha was given his name by Aramithris at a park day. Drū-Kära and Aramithris were sitting alone on one of the grassy knolls at Memorial Park, when Manny (then 8 or 9 years-old), kept trying to remove Aramithris from his sister's side. At this point, Aramithris commented that he was as tenacious as a Piranha.

It was also during this time that Drū-Kära convinced her sister, Liz (Lathara a/k/a Lilith) to start attending Amtgard. This was completely out of necessity for Drū-Kära as the Gathering of Clans was scheduled around the second or third week of July, and her sister's birthday usually fell during Clan. In the summer of 1991, Elena met and married a mundane, and left Amtgard for 4 years.

Mid 1990s Following the demise of her first marriage, Drū-Kära returned to Amtgard with the assistance of Sir Egil (whom she dated for a few months) and Dame Weilok. Committed to service, Drū-Kära earned her first two roses during this period of time (that have been lost to the Amtgard library of the dead).

Although these years were mostly notable for those Drū-Kära dated at the time, Drū-Kära did have a few accomplishments that included being the highest bid person at the Slave Auction in 1996 (bought by Father Thomas); ironically, she was also the least worked slave that year.

<<TO BE CONTINUED>>