Faeyra Longshadow

Faeyra grew up in a small village in an enchanted wood, her people tended to the forest and helped it grow for generations making it strong and prosperous. They were a small clan lead by a wise and gentle leader, working together to fortify their home amongst giant trees. Their homes were mostly aloft with catwalks in between these large, one story log structures with stone fireplaces integrated carefully into their designs. While their foods came from hunting and gathering her clan did have a few livestock, while similar to common livestock these creatures grew to enormous sizes suitable to the firbolg. They raised wool bearing animals and a few egg laying ones that human villages might though they never butchered them for food finding that butchering a bonded animal would bring bad luck and sorrow upon the clan.

Faeyra learned to hunt and heal through her clan's hunters and shaman, finding her way in clan life before pursuing her trade as a cleric of nature, learning how to provide safety for her people and their home. Being a cleric was most unusual, typically firbolgs might pursue the path of a druid, or ranger, fighters and the rare shaman who tended to be a dime in a dozen. Fae had picked up on this path after a trade with one of the local villages when she was still young, at the time the villages in the area were peaceful. At the time a group of adventurers were passing through, one of which was a cleric of nature, not too unlike herself in personality and the young Fae took an interest meeting someone with a path different than what she was used to. While the adventurers were around she made a point to visit the town to learn, something not Entirely welcomed as her clan tended to only make contact with the villages when trading and rarely more. Firbolg were generally untrusting of outsiders after all, but Fae had this fascination about her that she couldn't help but follow. With some aid and some guidance she learned how to follow this path, practicing on her own time different magics and techniques which grew with her as she aged.

Years passed and a sudden air of anguish began spreading across the lands, people who had once been so friendly to one another in the villages and towns were suddenly shutting each other out. Distrust spread and before long the villages were at war, theft and murder now sprinkled over the once prosperous land and Faeyra and her clan shut themselves away blocking all outside contact with spells and enchantments to hide away from the madness that had not taken the lands surrounding their forest. This however did not protect them when the raids started, at first it mainly effected the towns themselves but the fires and the rot began to spread to the forest. They were pushed back further and further, away from their homes until the blaze and disease spread too swiftly for them to defend. Their home was lost, those who survived the fires were broken, some too much so to carry on. The madness that infected the villages did not stop after the forest was lost and some of her clan were slain by mobs of the people they had once befriended. Faeyra was one of the few who survived though not unscathed, her back and side suffered burns that would leave a scar that would be a constant reminder of the fall of her clan. She was not the only survivor to escape the mobs however though those few who did scattered, fleeing the cursed land as swiftly as they could.

Fae did meet up with one of her clan sisters, a firbolg who went by the name of Rehn. She was a ranger, one of the clan's young prodigy hunters who had been scouting at the time the fires had suddenly rushed forth. Fae and her would travel for some time before Rehn met up with a small group of adventurers who were headed out to sea towards new lands. Fae did not wish to go and after a long farewell the two went their separate ways. Now on her own she wandered, usually avoiding populated areas out of fear of a human mob suddenly coming for her. She stuck to less worn roads, keeping to forests and mountainous areas with plenty of cover until she happened upon a sickly looking human male seemingly left for dead at the edge of a river. Her compassion suddenly outweighed her distrust of humans and she carried him from the river, wrapping him in a blanket and furs as she coddled him in her arms to warm him. She would feed him nuts and fruits, tending to his injuries as she'd slowly nurse him back to health, sewing him clothes she'd fabricate from cloth she had collected over the years she had spent on the move. With careful stitching she made him a warm set of clothes to replace the rags he had been left with, learning his name to be Xavier. He was a sorcerer who had come into dealings with less than pleasant individuals which ended in him being beaten and thrown into the river to die.

She took pity on him and for a while the two travelled together, Xavier aimed to getting home to his family and pursuing more honest work, Fae who had no set destination tagged along to learn more about the humans on this side of the continent. She slowly integrated herself back into the public, cleaning herself up a bit as she gained some confidence with the help of her human friend. She began to practice her craft once more, honing her skills until eventually their travels came to an end. Xavier had made it home to a very worried and grateful family who welcomed her with open arms, feeding her and providing her with some goods for her travels. She stayed with them for a bit, learning about them and their quaint little farm, getting some spark back into her step before she would depart. If Xavier could get back home perhaps she could too. Maybe not the same home, but somewhere new, somewhere to plant her roots and start over, a sanctuary for the broken.

That would be her goal.

Although.

The mystery behind the madness that took over the villages would forever be burned into her mind. She never found out what happened there, why they turned against everyone, why they turned on her clan who had been nothing but kind to them. All that bloodshed, all that fire. It would haunt her.

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Notes -

- Faeyra was engaged to be married but due to the raid on her village she and her fiancé were separated. Fae always hoped her partner escaped, even after 9 years have passed she remains loyal, she carries her engagement band in her pocket.

- Faeyra suffers from PTSD after the occurrence that destroyed her village and slaughtered her clan, some events/sounds/objects may be triggering to her causing her to black out in some instances as she relives/remembers the event. She may lash out during these episodes even to friends/family and may be unresponsive until the episode begins to wear off. Touching her during this time may be dangerous depending on the type of episode that is occurring.

- Faeyra is deathly afraid of large masses of fire/fire attacks in relation to the raid on her village. She may freeze up, cower or flee the scene should masses of fire be involved.

- Along with the clear burn scar that adorns the side of her neck, arm, and back Fae also has jagged gash scars over the back of her shoulder blade on one side, these scars were caused by a hook that was imbedded into her skin during the attack on her village during an attempt to drag her to the ground, the hook sliced down her backside and has left the surrounding skin numb.

- Faeyra is afraid of humanoids wielding hooks (roped grappling hooks, meat hooks, etc...) especially humans, instead of fleeing however seeing one may trigger an aggressive response that she has little to no control over.

- Faeyra's family used to raise bees, she is very fond of them and loves honey based drinks, treats, and scents.

- Fae is an omnivore contrary to popular belief, she sports thick canines on her top and bottom jaw and enjoys a wide variety of meats as well as fruits and vegetables.

- Fae has many small, near invisible scars adorning her body, they are difficult to see beneath her soft velvety coat that covers her skin.

- Fae has somewhat longer patches of fur on her elbows/forearms, the back of her shins, her spine in non-scarred areas and along the bridge of her noes and down the sides of her jaw.

- Fae has a small marking high on the back of her neck in the shape of an eye, it is always covered by her hair or clothes. She has no memory of getting it.

- Greatly enjoys resting on a bed of soft moss, it brings back pleasant memories.

- Like all Firbolgs she is highly susceptible to Lycanthropy and must be cautious.

- Faeyra cannot harm a child, even if they are of the enemy.

- Fae enjoys knitting, crochet, and sewing in her spare time.

- Fae learned to carve/utilize wood throughout her childhood and is skilled in carpentry when she has the tools available.

- Fae learned how to utilize plants and other ingredients to make remedies, ointments and brews to aid with injuries and sickness, she can stitch up a wound with ease and makes her own burn cream to keep her scar from growing tight/flakey.

- Like all Firbolgs plants and animals are able to understand Fae at all times even if she can not understand them.

- Fae does not mind folks poking fun at her height/strength and will gladly allow an ally to stand on her shoulders for a height advantage or carry around a tired/injured friend without complaint.