Demetria Forestwalker
Archdruid Demitria Vanavakhir
Demetria Forestwalker (Savihd-Elvhan: Demitria Vanavakhir) is the founder and current head of the undead druidic circle Crimson Nepenthes- an eco-terrorist alliance with the apparent goal of total the destruction of civilized society. A lich of elven heritage, little is known about her personal life or her upbringing prior to her arrival on Romaya's mainland in GTS 687. What is almost certain is that she spent the years preceding studying esoteric divine magic under the tutelage of a separate druidic circle. Since her ascension to lichdom, she has lead her circle in several well-orchastrated and devastating attacks against various cities throughout the southernmost part of the continent. Their methods have included biological warfare (such as through the use of naturally produced chemical weapons and infectious agents) and the utilization of mindless undead- both in direct combat and as a means to spread sickness, disease, and fear. There are rumors that the Crimson Nepenthes have allied with Lisduin Bhearna, with whom Romaya is currently engaging in war, as well as whispers that the group may attack Romaya's capital city next, but neither have been yet confirmed.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
It is not clear whether Demetria possessed any previous training before her arrival (date unknown) on an unnamed volcanic island just west of Romaya's southern coast to learn druidic magic. Regardless, after purportedly completing her studies in GTS 687, she left the island for Romaya's mainland, seeking to join a new circle. According to Demetria, her split from the druids she learned from was amicable, though there are many who question whether she truly left on good terms.
During her first near-decade on the mainland, Demetria traveled across the continent, taking a particular interest in populated areas with notable, natural geographic features. Working among druidic circles, fey, and (less often) local environmentalists, she advocated for the withdrawal of technological advancement, arcane influence, and man-made establishments from these areas, encouraging their preservation through non-interference. Promoting the disassembly of major cities and the eventual degradation of societal ideals, her views were considered extreme- though not unusual among isolationist druidic communities. On the contrary, she was respected among her colleagues and strangers alike, some for her apparent honesty, others for her persuasive and charming nature, and more still for her willingness to mingle with those she found ideologically distasteful regularly and with relative civility in order to promote her ideals.
In GTS 696, she settled down in the village of Rusaim, near the base of Mt. Matif in Romaya's southern pensinsula. While she befriended many of the locals (who found themselves warming up to her despite her radical views), she spent the majority of her time in the mountains, where it was presumed she met with other druids and practiced her own arcane rites. On less frequent occasions, she ventured on extended periods away, her whereabouts unknown and undisclosed to anyone for months at a time, often appearing frailer and pale for several days upon her return. She kept her druidic duties to herself, much of the esoteric work forbidden from being shared with members outside of the community, but it was thought throughout Rusaim at the time that she spent these prolongued trips searching for potential allies to eventually join her circle, though none of her friends ever met or heard of any such prospects.
In GTS 756, Demetria invited close friend Urika Odrahull, along with various members of her family and a group of mutual friends, on a camping trip somewhere along the southern portion of the Lulencia Mountains. It is alleged by Odrahull's family that she spoke of a breathtaking grove hidden among the range where she intended to finally introduce the camping party to the druids she had selected to join her circle. She expressed an uncharacteristic desire for the party's approval shortly before they set out the morning of the 18th of Salmon Waning, GTS 756. It was the last time any of them were seen alive. While it has not been proven definitely, it is widely speculated in Rusaim and throughout the surrounding settlements that Demetria sacrificed the camping party as part of her ritual ascension into lichdom.
Crimson Nepenthes
She resurfaced GTS 786, when rumors among sailors spoke of a powerful, necromantic presence concentrated on a southeastern island off the coast of Romaya. On the 2nd of Haddock Waning, GTS 786 an independent group of Vokresh devotees sent a sailing vessel with one paladin and several clerics toward the island to investigate and, if necessary, eliminate the threat. On the 4th of Haddock Waning, only one cleric returned carrying a handwritten letter. It was written by Archdruid Demetria Forestwalker and addressed to no one in particular. The contents of the letter introduced the druidic circle Crimson Nepenthes and detailed their beliefs. The letter warned its reader to leave the circle undisturbed unless they were prepared to face the consequences. The final paragraph stated their intentions: to take the matter of preserving and protecting the natural world into their own hands. The organization's first known attack occured a little over two years later. Seven cities along the southern part of Romaya's eastern coast were showered with an agonizing, acidic rain that fell for several minutes. Pained wails erupted throughtout the cities as many were injured and those who could not seek adequate shelter from the attack died. In the manifesto sent to Romaya in GTS 786, Demetria introduces the Crimson Nepenthes and describe their beliefs. A brief outline of those beliefs follow:
The sapient species throughout Eskarn have grown weak through their reliance on arcane magic and divine magic granted by the gods. The only acceptable forms of magic are druidic and bardic magic, which originate from the only true divinity: Eskarn itself.
Domestication is a vile act of destruction and subjugation that perverts the natural order. Domesticated animals should be mercy killed on sight.
Outsiders have no business on the prime material plane, let alone Eskarn, and their presence only perverts the world further. This does not necessarily apply to descendents of outsiders such as tieflings or aasimar.
There is no sorrow in the loss of life through nature's will, such as organic death, natural disasters, disease, pestilence, and predation. Rot and decay nourish the world and should be embraced.
Eskarn can only truly be healed by the dismantling of the current state of society and absurd notions such as financial avarice, needless self-restraint, and ideological vegetarianism.
Community and family are good due to their mutually beneficial nature, but become abhorrent when they are so large as to become unmanagable and inflict harm on their members and on the world around them.
The best thing Eskarn's sapient species can do at this time is offer their bodies in sacrifice to nourish the earth they have harmed so long, and allow it to heal.
Comments