Character:
Menolly Silverarrow
Druidess belonging to the pack of the Bear
Appearance:
Race: Wood Elf
Age: 120’s
Height: 5’2
Weight: 115
Eyes: Golden-Brown (and they seem to notice most of what is going on around her)
Hair: Brown with bits of alburn and a darker green threaded throughout. She keeps it to a medium length that passes her shoulders, but is not as long as many of her cousins keep their own. There are often bits of leaves and feathers in her hair. Some of those are placed there on purpose while others might have caught in her hair while traveling in the forest.
Skin: Coppery in color
Tattoos, Scars, and Body paintings:
Face- She keeps her face painted by using dyes created from roots and berries, staining her skin and reapplying them when they begin to fade.
Back- covered by armor and a bear hide that she wears proudly as a cloak keep them hidden from the eyes of most. Her back is covered in druidic symbols, ones of blessings of protection. The symbol of Rillifane Rallathil appears the largest and rests centered between her shoulder blades. Below is the symbol of Mielikki, smaller than that of the one of Rillifane but larger than the druidic symbols that surround them.
Upper Right Arm- These deliberately carved scars (each being approximately 1 inch in length) appear as if they are tally marks; seven in total.
Hygiene-During hunts she holds no concern at all about getting dirty, she as far from a prissy city female as one could get. Not being prissy however, doesn't mean there is nothing feminine about her, it would clearly be noticed in how she walks and her smaller curves that are properly proportioned for her smaller frame. Despite the collection of feathers, branches, or leaves that can be found in her hair, she does appear to keep good hygiene habits, there is a pleasant scent of the forest that is about her.
General Health: At a first glance, she is small and frail looking. Her small muscles are well toned however, being used daily in the manual tasks of living in the wilds. If one was to notice such a thing, they might be inclined to believe that it is likely the only reason she isn’t lying dead in the bushes someplace.
Local Lore: Anyone who knew Siveyn Silverarrow (A former protector and Councilor of Dorn Amar) feel like there is something familiar about her, perhaps they might see the similarities in her facial features making her a blood kin of the grouchy old elf.
Personality Profile:
Deity: Rillifane Rallathil & Mielikki
Initial Alignment: NG
Profession: Druidess
Base Class & Proposed Development: Druid & Master Alchemist
Languages: Druidic, Sylvan, Elven, Animal (and two more I haven't chosen yet)
Weapon of choice: Animal shape, since she is much weaker in her elven form.
Background:
Summary:
She has left The Oak Mist Vale Grove located on the large island of Amia, to escape the shadows of who her parents are. (She has no idea that her father once walked here.) Menolly wishes to prove to herself that she can survive outside their shadows; a deep need to know that it isn't just because of who her parents are that she has survived life so far.
A little more details:
Daughter of Amia’s Oak Mist Vale Grove Arch Druidess Alitha Melie Silvermoon and Siveyn Silverarrow, the Captain of their force of rangers.
Menolly should not have survived past her first hour of life. The Arch Druidess gave birth to her prematurely, while drow attempted to raid their Grove. She only survived due a bear and a panther, who protected their Arch Druidess, and the new silent arrival. The hard scuffle demanded the care of those who were injured, and those who would no longer fight beside them. For this reason there was no celebration of the birth, and it was also believed that the small silent baby would not survive the night. She did survive, however, and grew up sharp in mind, but her body always slow to keep up.
Whenever she speaks of her father, Siveyn, her tone is one of complete respect and it is obvious that she idolizes him. In her early youth she declared her desire to be an archer like her father, and walk the shadows as he did. He treated her no differently than any other ranger, meaning the the training was intense and difficult. It wasn't long before he bluntly declared, much to her disappointment, that she would be better off walking the same path as her mother. He did, however, continue training her to hone her senses to observe and to notice things that most people would miss. If she failed to see him coming through the shadows, or missed a blade of grass that bent as he stepped closer, she would receive a wack to the back of her head with the flat of his blade.
Siveyn taught her about their kin and instilled in her a pride of their people. He also taught her how to read the land, and that each blade of grass and snapped twig told a story to any, who would stop and listen. Lessons which captivated her. She also appreciated his complete honesty in all things. The grumpy old elf didn't hold back, telling her exactly what he thought of everything, though he never spoke against the actions or teachings of the Arch Druidess. If there were any disagreement there, it happened away from the ears or eyes of others. He was not an affectionate elf by any means, but he showed his care for his daughter by making sure she had the tools that would help her survive. He was, however, extremely protective of her, and no ranger dared to have their eyes linger on Menolly for too long, least they find an arrow pointed in their direction; and it was well known that his arrows never missed their mark.
The Arch Druidess, Alitha, was patient in watching her daughter's attempts to walk a path ill-suited for her. When Menolly came to her, she gladly took her under wing, and began training her in the ways of the druids. The Arch Druidess possessed the spirit of the panther, but she rarely changed forms, instead focusing all her efforts on healing, wards, and calling down powerful destructive magic when it was needed. A mindset she sought to pass on to her daughter, which meant that Menolly received only little training in the arts of shifting. The teachings were not just in herbs and magic, but also included ceremonies to find harmony and strength within the balance of nature. Menolly was also taught how to navigate the political side of being an Arch Druidess. The Arch Druidess was highly respected and many sought her for her wisdom. Not just other druids in the smaller groves on their isle, but also the people in the cities and villages. There were some who disagreed with the Arch Druidess appearing to train Menolly to replace her. Any who grumbled too loudly about such were swiftly dealt with by the Arch Druidess, who rarely received complaints on other matters.
Menolly had very little interest in walking the exact same footsteps as her mother, and held no desire to become an Arch Druidess herself. Navigating the political aspects of that position, and having to travel to the cities and villages to work out treaties was something she found unpleasant. Even when it was only for her own training. Fortunately not all trips were unpleasant, and she was able to see how other races lived. However, she was only truly happy when she was in the forest, where she could sink naked toes into the dirt below her, and feel part of all the life around her. It brought a song to her heart, which she would sometimes try to voice in proper song, meant only for the ears of the forest and her gods.
There were times of peace, but there were also long periods of conflict. Where there is a limited amount of land, villages and cities would eventually try to expand their territories. The Arch Druidess was involved in many such disputes, sometimes involving the Grove to fight alongside their allies. Conflicts weren't the only troubles, though. There were always those who would poach or excessively hunt in the forest. Any who were caught in such acts very rarely left the forest alive, with only a few allowed to leave to serve as a warning to others that the Arch Druidess was very protective of the creatures that roamed the isle.
The drow raids did not stop following the night of her birth either, but continued throughout the years. Menolly's half-sister was taken during one such raid, never to return again. During one of the raids Menolly killed a drow that come at her from behind. Remembering her father's training she let herself fall limp to throw off the drow's balance and fall to the ground with her, and quickly took advantage of his surprise. Roaring out in anger she grabbed his own fallen blade and slammed it through his throat. When the scuffle ended, and all fell silent, she found her father nearby with a look of pride on his face, and a smile that she had only rarely seen touch his lips before. No one fell that night, and after the wounded were tended he took her aside to receive the first mark upon her upper arm. "This will show them that you are one to be feared."
Menolly continue to train with her father, and heed the teachings of the Arch Druidess. She observed them closely, and while her father had taught her the ways of their kin, she didn't agree with all their customs. The Arch Druidess took many lovers, some of whom were leaders of allied factions, while others were from other groves. Her father however, she noticed, only ever had eyes for the Arch Druidess. The rare smiles that Menolly had seen on his face had only been for herself and the Arch Druidess. Anything that was ever asked of him, he did, only once twice hesitating before answering her question. Menolly quietly watched it wear him down, like a small wound that never stopped bleeding. The Arch Druidess continued summoned him back to her, and he always returned. That lasted until a human, a knight of Mielikki, came to stay in the Grove. Menolly saw a deep hatred in her father's eyes for the man, which she had only seen him reserve for drow. He approached Menolly one day, lightly kissed the top of her head, and told her that she would one day be an even greater Arch Druidess. Then he left the Grove.
Menolly blamed the Arch Druidess for her father leaving, but quietly continued to learn from her until she was of age, and could leave to seek her own path within the balance. The Arch Druidess was anything but pleased. In the end, however, she let her daughter go, but insisted that the panther Sheara go with her. The two, elf and panther, continue to walk beside each other to this day... when the cat feels like it.
Goals:
Her biggest goal is to get to know herself and to grow as she walks the path of a druidess.
To find a Grove and if she finds them worthy, she wishes to lend her aid.
To hone her skills in healing and crafting magics that others can use, so that they might stand against the threats to the balance.
Even if she never returns, she wishes that Oak Mist Vale Grove will hear that she has survived and that she standing tall as a great Druidess on her own.