Arania

**Arania** is an adventurer who travelled to Tosima in 200 EF, escaping from the Eskaryan Empire where she had been persecuted for her faith in the Pagan Gods of Elysia. Her skill lies in druidry, which she perceives as a gift from Danu, the Earth Mother.

## Prelude: The Sorceress

Nira Thilorilasien was a Half-Elf Sorceress that had been involved in adventures prior to the War of the Temporal Avulsion, though she soon retired to the town of Vester, where she once had ventured herself, as it was being rebuilt after demonic destruction. There, she lived a quiet life, until some decades later, she felt a change. Originally chosen by the sun god Amaunator, she now found the sun that gave her her powers speaking to her in a different way. The Pagan Gods of Elysia, led by the Dagda, were waking again, and from the sun streamed the power of Belenus.

As the Pagan Faith spread - though under heavy scrutiny by the Empire - Nira once more took it on herself to build a sanctuary of Life and Light on the outskirts of Vester, dedicated to Dagda and the Elemental Wardens, herself dedicated to Belenus, the Bright Fire. Thus, as a priestess she dwelt in secrecy until she died of old age in 168 AF.

## Early Life: The Druidess

In 177 EF, a girl named Arania was born in a village in the Vester Hills. Her parents, farmers of profession, had grown up meeting the Sorceress in her sanctuary and hearing her wisdom, and they told Arania stories of her as they raised her in turn. Despite repression from the Empire, word of the Pagan Gods spread in certain circles, and so a small community gathered regularly where the Sorceress once had dwelt, Arania and her parents among them, to learn the secrets of the Elements.

Arania was fascinated with the religious practices and soon dedicated herself almost entirely to them, in due time even showing an ability for spellcasting, which her parents identified as a kind of druidry, likely gifted by Danu, the Earth Mother.

Unfortunately, the growth of the community did not go unnoticed, and thus, one day, forces of the local Duke of Vester, accompanied by an Imperial Spellbreaker, came down on a gathering, slaying or capturing many, Arania’s parents among them. Arania was only saved when in her need, another gift from Danu presented itself and she took the shape of a mouse, escaping the Spellbreaker’s sight.

## Recent Events: The Adventurer

The sanctuary out of sight, she returned to her Human form and made for the Vester Hills, in a desperate attempt to reach the Empire’s borders. In this attempt, by what she could only explain as another gift from Danu, she was aided by an awakened badger, upon whose tunnels she came when erring through the hills. That badger, Brochlily was her name, aided Arania in her flight and brought her northward, encountering and helping even more fugitives on their way to Tosima.

Arania arrived in Freehearth and there set up camp, before in Ripplesun of 200 EF she set out with a party of travellers that first passed the Tomb of Sláine mac Dela, where Arania sought to defend the dignity of the ancient structure from graverobbers, the survivors of whom later came to settle in Freehearth. On they went to Elderfall and to the village of Killeith, where they negotiated with the mercenaries of Cormac's Tower, even Arania, whose concern lay with the protection of the innocent, agreeing to let the brigands depart unharmed, relying upon their word.

After her return, Arania constructed herself a small cottage in the growing settlement of Freehearth and dwelt there before a few months later she travelled again to Elderfall and from there at the behest of Queen Ciara into the Elder Hills, provided with a *Staff of the Vineyard* by the Queen's advisor Ludithas. On the journey there, Arania made use of her mastery of the Elements to help defeat a group of Manticores, before bonding with her fellow traveller Anastasia, who offered to read her fate in her *Tarokka* cards. While her Past and Present were expectedly represented by the Philanthropist and the Shepherd, it greatly concerned Arania to see her Future prophesised by the Traitor card. Deeper in the hills, the party found the altar of the Bocánach, from which they sought to free the civilians bound there. Aided by her awakened spirits, Arania fought alongside the party until she came to face the Bocánach itself, which proceeded to wound her so grievously that she lost her left leg in the process. From upon the ground she continued to aid her companions and their foe was defeated - Arania, however, was permanently marred.

Carried by Anastasia's moorbounder Medrawt, Arania was brought back to Freehearth, where she spent the following months coming to terms with her injury, a conversation with Anastasia confirming that the betrayal foretold was still ahead of her. In part to distract herself, in part to further develop her dedication to druidry, Arania took to tending to a grove that she hallowed to the Aes'ahn. A prosthetic leg purchased from the magic shop might have normalised her movement, but her fear remained.

Soon thereafter, Arania heard of an expedition made to a Temple of Danu the Earth Mother, during which a Dao had deceived the travellers, among them acquaintances of Arania, into destroying the protections set up by the Druidess Wealda, which greatly concerned Arania, in that perhaps seeing the betrayal foretold to her, had she previously loved the Aes'ahn and the Elements equal and now had to see them striving against each other.

The full scale of that betrayal Arania realised when Brianna Hyland and Markus Tosima marched upon Elderfall, with Earth Elementals at their side. Arania found herself compelled to heed the call from Elderfall and aided in the defence of the Capital, using her spells against the very beings she had seen as her kindred before. Another surprise for Arania came with that battle when she saw Avalon, the Spellbreaker that had once assaulted her sanctuary in the Vester Hills, fighting on Elderfall's side. When Avalon was grievously hit during the battle, Arania found herself healing her former enemy, beginning a strange relation between the two. In the end, Elderfall was successfully defended with the support of neighbouring Kingdoms, and several Terra Stones were recovered. One of those was given to Arania for safekeeping, forcing her to extend the Hallowing of her grove to Elementals.

Within this Terra Stone, Arania discovered the being Foltchaín, a benevolent one with a connection to the Earth Mother Danu, but while her desire to commune with Foltchaín grew, Arania could not find a way to reach her. Distraught, Arania contacted Pickle, who had previously handled a Terra Stone.

To Be Continued...

## Personality

Arania possesses strong feelings and seeks within them to find her true identity. Of foremost importance to Arania is her connection with the Aes'ahn, in which she finds her strength, even though from time to time, she fears her faith may be called into doubt. She is in tune with her environment, harnessing the power of the Elements pursuant to what she perceives as the Gift of Danu.

(Details here)