Elinus

Elinus's history:
Called from a place he can’t remember, from a time he has lost all memory of, the man was pulled through the mists to a moss covered rocky spire. He realized that he was in a foreign land, far from wherever it was that he had come from. He tried to think, to remember what had happened to him, but the only thing that passed through his mind was the name, Elinus. Testing the way it sounded to his ears, he realized that this was his name. He realized that there was no returning to his previous life. So came Elinus to the land of Cardea.

After days of wandering, lost and not sure of where he was going, he came across a woman who deigned to help him. Kadiya guided Elinus through his first few days, explaining to him where he was, and what he must do to survive. He listened to her closely, for this was all the knowledge he had been able to garner in his several days in the land. He learned of the guilds and the orders. She showed him how to make money, and gave him enough to purchase clothes and a pack. He would never forget her kindness, and would hold her as a friend forever more.

As Elinus wandered the lands, he found himself to be more comfortable under the trees than he did within the walls of the cities. He came to love nature and everything in it. He knew that his destiny would be within the confines of nature’s vibrant beauty. Knowing that death is a part of life, and therefore a part of Nature, he came to see that his path would be that of an observer more than a fighter. Not wanting to be a warrior, he chose the path of the Druid. He also chose to become a citizen of Arboria, for Arboria was the only city that embraced Nature.

Elinus studied hard, and learned quickly. He rose quickly among the ranks of the Druids. His thirst for knowledge was greatly respected. He did not aspire to lead, rule, or have power over others, only to better himself, and bring himself closer to being one with Nature.

He walked a path of neutrality, neither good, nor evil, Dark, nor Light. Knowing that to truly be neutral, he could not choose any one god or goddess over any other, so he chose not to join an order. As he walked the realms, he paid homage and respect to all deities, no matter their alignment or intended purposes for the people of Cardea. His kept his path true to himself, and he never questioned his self worth or the choices he had made.

As he searched for greater knowledge, he imparted what he learned to those who were new to the lands, remembering what it was like to wander with no clue as to what was going on in the new world he was suddenly and unexpectedly thrown into. He did his best to guide those newly brought from the mists, without pressuring them into his beliefs or ways. When he could help no further, he gave them the names of those he knew could help them.

Elinus was not feared, for he was not a fighter, and was not revered, for he had done nothing worthy of reverence, but he was respected because he respected others. While he was saddened that his friends would fight, and even kill each other, he would not interfere, because to do so would be to disrupt the balance of his life and the cost would be much more than the gain.

When he least expected it, Elinus lost his heart to another. She would become a Ranger, and she would die for that decision. Despite his love for Knives, he still would not take up arms against evil or darkness, because to do so would be to betray who and what he was, destroying him in the end. He suffered the pain of losing his love, but the pain would sit in the corner of his heart, an ever-present reminder of the cost of his chosen path.

When the time came to elect new Lords for the city of Arboria, Elinus was elected to take up that position. Soon after, he was appointed a position on the Druid High Council. He never desired these positions, and he never tried to get them, but because of his honest, hard working, selfless attitude, they came to him anyway.

At this point in his life, thirteen years after being pulled into Cardea, he has gained rank, status, and respect beyond that which most his age have acquired. With growth, also comes change, and Elinus had grown. There was an inner turmoil, a conflict of sorts in his heart at mind. His desire for neutrality, and his quest to be one with Nature were at war with each other. His path had forked after all these years. He contemplated his path up to this point, asked questions of Avenlora and her high priestess, Aryanna, and struggled with his inner turmoil. His choice would not come clear to him, so he pulled out of the public eye, venturing forth only when his commitments and hunger drove him to do so.

Many sleepless nights and tortured thoughts hounded him. Whenever he thought he’d made progress, his heart’s desires came back to the forefront of his heart and mind. He could not choose, yet he had to. How could he remain true to himself by choosing either path, for both would deny him a desire of his heart. After many nights, his thoughts and desires became clear in the direction he must take. Avenlora was his guild patron, as well as his city patron. He already served her in as much as Nature required, and yet he had still remained neutral. He had been holding at bay what he so desired because his fear of losing who he was. When his decision was finally made, and he had been accepted into the order of Avenlora, he cried tears of joy, for now he was truly close to becoming one with Nature, and at the same time, he maintained his neutrality.

This is his story, and it continues today, with every breath that he takes. For Nature he walks, and in neutrality, he serves. He is Elinus, the Questor for Knowledge and Understanding.