Iyendil

Iyendil is one of the few, if only, known dryads that exist in Auzera, and perhaps the only dryad that has ever made their home within human civilization. She serves as the alchemist and apothecary of Castle Leydford making use of her countless years of experience to produce wonderous creations in pursuit of greater heights as a healer. None know where she originally hails from, but few question her expertise in her craft...the few that are not put off by her distinct appearance, at least. Even fewer know that the energy of life itself flows through her body, manifesting in flower blooms of pure life essence within the miniature forest that is her hair. Iyendil strives to learn more of the humans that captivated her interest throughout her prolonged existence and discover more about the latent life energies that she is attuned to in order to protect the balance of life for all.
= Attributes =
*Major - “Lifebloom”
Iyendil’s hair blooms with flowers she refers to as “lifeblooms,” each containing a small bit of the essence of nature that she herself was born of. These can be picked and utilized by her as potent medicine able to restore vitality if taken directly or to add restorative qualities to any alchemical creation.
It takes 3 days for one of Iyendil’s lifeblooms to regrow, and only 3 can ever be fully grown at one time.
*Minor – “Nature’s Gift”
Being a daughter of nature itself, Iyendil has an intuitive sense for discerning the inherent gifts of the flora of Auzera that would be missed by others lacking such connection to the land. Her creations with these reagents are considerably more potent as a result of this deeper understanding. 
*Minor – “Natural Camouflage”
Due to her natural appearance, lyendil has an easier time hiding amongst the foliage. This allows her a better chance at remaining hidden when she is under the cover of the forest.
= Detriments =
*Major – “First, Do No Harm”
Iyendil abhors the idea of conflict, having only trained herself in the use of spears for their practical uses beyond martial combat. She is capable of fighting if it is a true matter of life or death, but she will only consider such a possibility if all non-violent options have been exhausted even as a potential aggressor is bearing down on her. 
*Minor - “Plant-like Physique”
Iyendil’s physique is considerably different from that of most other races, making most conventional methods of medical aid less effective on her.
*Minor – “Heat Sensitivity”
Iyendil’s body is more sensitive to higher levels of heat than others due to its composition. She suffers physical discomfort and levels of mental strain from prolonged close exposure to large sources of extreme heat (i.e. a forge, large open flame, etc.) if not cooled down in some manner.
= Backstory =
Deep within the forests of the northern reaches of Eshma Thalas during the Second Era, a miracle of nature occurred: the birth of a dryad, the very embodiment of the forest around her. The winds would whisper a name to this girl as she emerged from one of the many ancient trees of the elven woods, one she knew instinctively was to be her name: Iyendil. For many years, that was all she knew for few ever tread into the deepest reaches of the forest, let alone come across her, and Iyendil knew little of what existed beyond the canopy of trees that was her home she shared with the creatures that also inhabited the region.
At first, Iyendil was content with cultivating the forest’s heart as her only purpose. Slowly, though, Iyendil’s curiosity of the world beyond grew, and she would, bit by bit, test the limits of her ventures towards the outer regions of the forest toward the northern edge despite knowing that she could not leave and risk severing her life bond to the tree that she originated from. It was through these faithful expeditions that she observed the human settlements bordering the forest and the many who called those settlements home. Iyendil would watch from afar as they carried out their lives, spoke to one another...unbound, unlike her, to one place. She was fascinated by them, slowly learning how to speak and communicate at long last as well as learning about their nature, albeit careful to remain hidden within the forest.
Her efforts were not flawless, as every now and then, a rumor would arise amongst those bordering the forest of what would only be described as a spirit spotted within the woods; one that would be seen one moment before disappearing into the trees. Iyendil knew they were speaking of her and would always try to stay away from the forest’s edge for a time, but she was never able to stay away for long. Some of the more superstitious settlers eventually began to leave offerings in a makeshift shrine in attempts to, perhaps, garner the favor of this “forest spirit” to which Iyendil would notice that the offerings were, in fact, rarer plants that grew in and around the forest.
This sparked an idea for Iyendil, hoping to perhaps befriend the humans and others of these villages by taking the offerings and trying to make something in return as she had so often seen others do via trade. She would mix the plants left at the shrine with materials she foraged herself from the forest’s heart, sometimes including blood from the animals of the woods within these experiments when she came across those who were nearing the end of their life and were suffering. These mixtures would be left in return at the shrine, much to the surprise of those who were leaving these offerings in the first place, and even more so when it was discovered that what Iyendil had created were effectively high-grade medicinal poultices.
This, of course, resulted in a surge of others following suit, and Iyendil felt great joy in being able to provide something that proved to bring happiness to them. One day, however, an offering left was once more a rare plant, but one that, unbeknownst to Iyendil, possessed not invigorating properties but poisonous. Iyendil worked with it just the same as she always did and left the resulting mix at the shrine, eager to see how it would help someone who came to find it. In due time, her gift was discovered and promptly administered as it became accustomed to do...but to her horror, she watched as the one who had taken it did not look to feel relieved, but rather in immense pain as they collapsed to the ground. They were alone, and fearing what would happen if she did not act, Iyendil rushed to the person to render aid to them to attempt to counteract the poison she had unwittingly made. While her efforts were successful, her existence was now all but confirmed to that human, and Iyendil fled back to the safety of the heart of the forest never to venture further out for some time to avoid others trying to find her.
It was during this period that the civil war that brought an end to the attempts of peace within Arilaand arose, and Iyendil could only watch in horror, whenever she could brave traveling to the edge once again, as the people she once observed and admired were sent to fight their own kin in struggles for power. She felt powerless to help those losing their lives, the people who unknowingly taught her the joys of life, being bound to the forest and unable to leave it. 
And so she prayed. She prayed for a way to take what skills she cultivated to bring health to life beyond the reaches of the forest that had been her only home, to overcome her fear of revealing her existence to more, and to find that inquisitive spark of creation that guided her for so long once more. 
And thus, the forest answered. Her life tree, the ancient one that had been her anchor to the forests of Eshma Thalas, dropped to Iyendil an acorn, a representation of the wish of life Iyendil made...and the means to travel beyond the former limits of her world. Over time, the rumors of the spirit of the forest returned amongst the humans, except they would be more substantiated: The sightings of what only few would even recognize as a dryad looking only to provide hope to others, a warm smile like a spring blossom, and always prepared to nurse oneself back to health as if the essence of nature was woven to nurture those in her path. This cycle would continue for millenia, and the rumors of the fabled “Spirit of the Forest” would continue to grow through the whispers of the superstitious.
It was not until the recent century that Iyendil would make her home in the forests outside the settlement surrounding Castle Leydford. Her travels over her immense lifespan had brought her throughout Arilaand in her constant pursuit of more knowledge of humanity’s accomplishments. Within these forests, her presence alone formed a region of intensified nature: a grove of her own filled with the bounties of life. It is here that her life tree’s acorn exists, to remain until her need to travel goes beyond the region...and here she would stay, watch...and care for the survival of those she watched. It was a surprise to Iyendil that one of these humans, the apothecary of Castle Leydford, heard of the rumors and mythos that surrounded her existence. 
Not only did they know, they seemed to believe so deeply in her existence that they beseeched Lord Gavus to send an emissary into the forest in hopes of encountering her to request her aid...and in a change from her past millennia of behavior, she made herself known to this individual directly. After being informed of the growing fears of an unknown disease ravaging the people of the land, one she had known of from her observations. What truly struck a chord with her was the information that it was the apothecary’s dying wish that, if she truly existed, she took up their mantle as the apothecary and alchemist of Castle Leydford. It was this that convinced her to no longer hide in the shadows of the forest and bring herself into the light...and perhaps be the force of survival for those who fight to survive in this era.
=Gallery=
Ariyana - Iyendil.png
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Category:Fey Creatures
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