Zelaerys

Zelaerys is a 21 year old half-elf druid, born and raised in Eslin, a small, poor neighborhood surrounded by untamed forests in Virasie. She was born to Ceshel, her human mother who worked as a weaver, and Elidyr, her elf father who worked as a lutenist, performing on street corners and in local taverns for coin. Her parents would often allow Zelaerys to accompany them to work, and she became a very familiar face in her town. She was surrounded by friends and friendly neighbors, and she quickly became known as the happy, playful little girl who followed her parents everywhere.

Zelaerys was a very active child who both injured herself and became sick pretty often, so she spent a lot of time in the clinic of an old dwarf named Alberich, a druid who was Eslin’s sole healer for generations. He would tend to her wounds and illnesses and give her a meal, and she would rummage around his cabinets and shelves, slowly memorizing all of the herbal remedies and medicines Alberich had in stock.

While recuperating from a particularly rough sickness, Zelaerys spent months in Alberich’s care. To pass the time, she read his books on spells, herbs, medicines, and detailed anatomy of every known race. By the time she was healed, she had read through his entire library.

Alberich saw her enthusiasm and immediately took her on as an apprentice, dividing her training between time spent in the surrounding forests learning how to harness the power of nature through spells, and time spent in his lab, learning how to harness the power of nature through medicine. Zelaerys learned through him that nature is a powerful, merciless, uncaring force- but one that can be used to help others if controlled correctly.

At 21, Zelaerys is now Alberich’s assistant in his clinic. They’ve healed many people over the years and have continually developed new and improved cures for every disease they’ve come across- until now. A new sickness has unleashed its wrath on the town, and Zelaerys and Alberich have no idea what it is. Most of the people who have contracted the disease have died, and those who survived have been left with vicious scars and severe weakness. None of their literature mentions it, none of their medicines have worked, and collaboration with other Virasian scholars has proven futile. Unfortunately, Zelaerys’ father has recently died of this disease, and his passing has left the rest of the family distraught.

Alberich has decided to send her on a mission to Guavira. Her job is two-fold: to travel to an extensive library in the heart of Guavira to find literature that may help, and to meet with a circle of druids who may know something about this affliction that they do not. Zelaerys has bid farewell to her mother and is traveling to Guavira with a few items and her father’s lute; she’s not particularly good at playing it, but it reminds her of home and the happy memories she made with her parents and mentor. She may not be able to return back home, but she will do whatever it takes to help her town before it’s too late.