Kel

Art by Lloyd Hoshide

Raised near and around a remote wood elf village, Kelathien (Kel) Duskwalker and his older brother Talarien were brought up to be one with nature and grew up almost completely in the wild, gaining a deep and direct connection with the powers of the natural world.

Kel took after his mother, having natural power that manifested strongly at an early age. His druid talent was encouraged and indulged by his mother, and from a young age his affinity for the wild and wilderness was exceptionally strong, almost unnatural in its strength. By age nine he was able to shift into small woodland creatures and spend hours among them while wearing their shapes. As he began Druid training this ability was honed and became stronger. It has stayed with him until this day, causing him to go almost completely nature-wild as a druid and preferring to remain in beast shape much of the time as long as he keeps his connection to the wild places of the world strong.

Both brothers avoid their village much of the time and prefer to roam alone in the most remote parts of the forest. They feel most comfortable among animals and the natural world. They have not seen each other for seven years.

During that time, Kel spent several years with the Sael-su Tribe of Wood Elves that live in furthest northern reaches of the continent. Their home is in a harsh environment: a sliver of fertile ground below the cliffs where the Banshee Peaks drop into Rok Talon fjord. The Sael-su remain deeply in tune with nature and their environment, bending to its fury but never losing their foothold.

Kel's tattoos are an honor reserved only for those of the tribe that have completed the Moril-Fëfin: a years long task where one must care for and nurture a Moril’tha seedling planted high upon the harsh cliff sides above their home. These small stunted trees once established are some of the longest lived organisms known, but without proper care while rooting they rarely survive past the first few years. Once established the Moril’tha trees’ leaves are carefully harvested each year and used to create an acrid tea that is a daily staple of this tribe. The tea, called Rahn, is sometimes brewed ritually in a ceremony that follows the life cycle of the Moril'tha tree.

Kel has completed the Moril-Fëfin and proudly displays the tattoos of his accomplishment. The Moril-Fëfin and the tattoos of the rite originated with an ancient people known as the Tundra Elves who live deep behind the glacial walls that clog the source of the Rok Talon Fjord. They are spoken of with much reverence as though part of the Sael-su Tribe yet from a time in the distant past. Physically they are enormous in size and impervious to heat and cold. Uilgol’ra (OO-ill - GOAL-rah), one of the blacksmiths in Sojourn's Crossing, is a Tundra Elf and has a carefully preserved Moril'tha tree, still growing from a piece cliff face, in a specially prepared room in the back of his smithy. Due to its special magic, Kel has been allowed by Uilgol’ra to use this room as a wilderness refuge during his stay in Sojourn's Crossing.

In addition to his druidic talents, Kel has begun to discover a strange new ability which allows him to sense lines of elemental magical force weaving through the world and, on occasion, to tap into their power. Kel has yet to fully explore this new ability due to events surrounding his discovery of them that have left him distrustful of their use.

During his recent stay in Sojourn's Crossing, Kel crossed paths with Talarien by chance, the brothers seeing each other for the first time in seven years. During their unexpected meeting, Kel learned from Talarien that Talarien had been tasked by their mother to find their half brothers and deliver a sealed message that supposedly carries great import for their family.