Archdruidess Zha'danell

*The following page details more information on the NPC behind the creation of the Forest of Zha'danell.*

## Physical Description

### Eye Color

golden amber

"My children.. Listen to the wind as it rustles the trees around you, or the gentle trickle of the creak nearby. The forest speaks to those that listen closely; it speaks in ways unlike the verbal language of man. Those with the deepest connection to nature inherently know of this language and thrive as a part of it. As we live and breathe, so does the world around us, and when we die we return to nature's embrace and become one with Her. Without us, She would die. And without nature, so too would we perish." - Archdruidess Zha'danell

## History

The origin of the Archdruidess is unknown, save for the few Heroes of Old that once knew her. Mysterious she is, rarely seen, albeit still holds a powerful presence within the Forest of Zha - her own beloved creation. While other Archdruids may exist in the world, she is by far the pinnacle of power in all aspects of nature. Few, if any, are able to compete with her mastery over many forms, switching in the blink of an eye for whatever the situation may require. Just as nature does, Zha'danell adapts to every situation and overcomes it; she is the flower which blooms through the harshest of winters.

### Branching Out

After the calamity and the world began to thrive once more, so too did Zha'danell wish for a place she could settle and call home. Branching away from the Heroes of Old, Zha aimlessly traversed the primordial lands. Along her nomadic journey, Zha would occasionally shift into her dragon form and use her Breath of Life upon various barren and scarred landscapes effected by the calamity to sprout life anew. Some historians speculate this may be how some volatile, chaotic places of nature such as Anathis came to be.

And yet despite all her efforts through the years, no particular place suited the home she sought for.

### The Forest of Zha'danell

Upon an untouched corner of the continent Calmera resided a withering forest, sapped of its very life essence. The flora bent and contorted like soldiers defeated upon a battlefield of lost hope, not a single verdant leaf in sight upon their blackened branches. At the center of the tangled mass of decay dwelled the source: a rotting, malevolent undead dracolich by the name of Y'rathik the Putrid. Enraged by the mere sight of this shambling, blighted behemoth, Zha'danell took to her fabled form of the hydra and battled for supremacy of the land. Yet, even with one of her most powerful forms she was sent fleeing, barely escaping with her life.

As Zha'danell rested and healed outside the rotten grove, following the battle with the dracolich, she communed with nature and sent her plea deep through the ancient roots of the land. For countless miles this message carried on. Amidst her meditation, Zha was granted a sudden glimpse through the flora of a powerful artifact, nestled far away in an unknown land, called the Life Seed: a seed of creation from the First World, home of the fey.

Filled with new promise, Zha'danell ventured forth and was met with various animals who had beckoned to her call; most notably: a bear, lion, eagle, boar and wolf. These companions remained at her side through the various challenges on Zha's journey to seek out the artifact.

Upon arrival to the location presented in the vision, the Life Seed was nowhere to be seen. Instead stood a lone, towering tree. While meditating beneath the tree, communing with nature for further guidance, Zha'danell suddenly felt the earth moving beneath her. With awe she watched as the tree seemed to retract and shrink, as if a regression of time in the tree's growth stages, until it retreated into the earth. Among her companions, the boar treaded forth and dug through the loose dirt until it uncovered a glistening, round object of gold and green. The Life Seed.

With the Life Seed in hand, Zha'danell and her animal companions returned to the decrepit forest. By channeling her power into the artifact, each animal companion was blessed and strengthened into intelligent, magical beasts nearly two times their original size - known today as the original Ancients of the Wild. Empowered, Zha and her companions once more challenged and destroyed Y'rathik the Putrid. With the dracolich vanquished, Zha'danell turned to the lifeless land around her.

Utilizing the remnants of the Life Seed's power and her own, that which thought never to thrive again flourished with verdant life. New life sprung forth as well, creating ancient, towering trees within only a few passing days. At the center, with the last of the artifact's power, Zha'danell planted the Life Seed and from it grew a colossal tree stretching above all others. Various races and creatures sought solace within this new forest grove, traveling far across the expansive continent to populate it.

Satisfied, Zha'danell left the forest in the hands of her beloved children to retire to an eternal slumber.

## Appearance

Due to her retiring to an eternal dream countless years ago, very few can recall how the Archdruidess may truly look. The most prominent feature to be mentioned are the long, elegant horns - some speculate noting to her draconic nature - protruding back from her long locks of ashy white hair. Some also mention catching glimpses of her golden amber eyes peering at them in their dreams, at times noting the pupils having a reptilian, slitted shape.

In truth, those who truly know of her appearance refrain to speak of it.

## Personality

The personality of Zha'danell depends on who you ask. Some reminisce of how much of a caring, motherly figure she is to her children of the forest. Others cower at the thought, recalling her as a wrath of nature reincarnate. Ultimately, scholars believe the manner in which she treats those who call upon her in their dreams depends on their attitude and if they have the diligence to protect and preserve nature.