Only daughter of Gui, the twelfth Comte of Lasconne, Chantalle Lélevé enjoyed a sheltered and happy childhood with her two brothers until her thirteenth year, when rivalry between her father and the nearby Duke of Malfosse erupted into a war.

Malfosse's mostly hired swords laid siege to the town of Sainte Lucille, mercilessly attacking the civilian population, whilst Malfosse himself led raids against Castle Lasconne. Her father's despair as rumour of rape and pillage at Sainte Lucille reached the castle shocked Chantalle. Malfosse's superior tactics and deep reserves of gold to hire mercenaries with had left Gui of Lasconne with few military options.

The siege at Sainte Lucille mysteriously ended in the spring of 2512, and King Louen sent knights to Castle Malfosse. Malfosse was taken ill early the next year, and his brother replaced him in all but name until he died in 2515. Chantalle's life returned to normal, but she took to hunting with her brothers, and insisted on being taught how to handle a sword.

She married Roland Lélevé, a minor noble, in 2518, more because it was expected of her than it was something she actively sought. She and Roland moved into a house on her father's land where Roland spent a couple of years trying, and failing, to get Chantalle pregnant. His father died in 2520, and the couple moved to the family keep at Carentan, deep in the forest of Artois. Her elevation to Comtesse of Carentan did little to alleviate the loneliness she felt away from her family in a gloomy keep rarely touched by the sun.

Carentan was attacked by Beastmen a number of times in 2521. During the largest attack, the Comte was able to call on a large group of travellers to help defend the village, many of whom had a better grasp of basic battle tactics than he did. Somehow, after the battle, a fight broke out over the fertility totem the village peasants had taken to worshipping. Four villagers, four knights, and her husband Roland were killed, whilst Chantalle looked on from the keep.

When Gunther Weiss came into the keep, Chantalle was sure that her time was up, and that this filthy man, who stank of death, was going to kill her. Instead, Gunther chose entirely the wrong woman to taunt with his memories of attacking Sainte Lucille. Chantalle will not forget his face, nor that of the halfling she is convinced she saw stabbing her husband to death.