Telluris’is D’Qar Ithör
Telluris’is D’Qar Ithör, better known as Telluris was born an Earth Genasi millenia ago on the East Continent*. A proud hunter and fierce warrior, Telluris was keenly aware of his prowess on the battlefield, and praised the Gods for bestowing such gifts upon him. His spirituality came naturally, as the other Earth Genasi in his village believed that it was Tonantzin, the earth goddess who helped create Qinla’Un, that was responsible for their existence. Telluris naturally became the defender of his village, protecting his people and all that shared his ideals from harm. His might in combat juxtaposed with his compassion for others gained him status among the community. Eventually, status became leadership, as the Genasi tribes developed into townships and kingdoms. Though he held no official political title, Telluris was often dispatched to lead warriors into battle, settle disputes, and oversee development in conquered lands.
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Not fully content with the power he managed, Telluris employed his Earth Magic and accrued resources to become an artificer, hoping to use this skill to improve himself in combat. His newfound powers did exactly that, as his notoriety grew exponentially due to his exceedingly disproportionate wins in both the Gladitorial arenas of the Barenth Empire (a.k.a. Earth Kingdom in historical texts) and in the King’s Army. He had great favor with the Earth King and was personally bestowed the title of Grand General. Over time, his connection to the magic inherent to his race became strained, as he fused weapons, plates, and various armored pieces with his rocky flesh. Limbs and appendages were mutilated in favor of ironclad, articulated prosthetics. His visage struck fear into his enemies and comrades-in-arms alike. The ever-evolving silhouette of this towering, mangled tank of a man became a symbol of Genasi dominance in warfare, inspiring devoted warriors to align themselves with the Kingdom. Because of his menacing appearance and reverent followers, Telluris grew to value his ability to defend more than the actual reason for doing so.
His hubris was such that it garnered the attention of the gods he once credited with his greatness. After a long defense campaign, the gods looked upon the kingdom he fought for, and the battle-worn Telluris’s armor failed him through the will of the Gods at a pivotal moment of triumph. Telluris dragged himself into the woods nearby, while small skirmishes littered the open field. Overreliant on his “improvements” and desperate to summon or pull raw materials for crafting, an exhausted Telluris collapsed amongst the trees. His body drained of all but the smallest glimmer of life, the Gods kept his spirit preserved, laying dormant for countless generations as his lifeless body was overtaken by the forest.
Telluris awoke in a foreign body, with no trace of his original form in sight, surrounded by massive Treants. He audibly questioned why these creatures would enable such an affront to nature and life itself, for Telluris no longer had his magic nor his basic senses about him. The once renowned Earth Genasi no longer had a connection to the Earth. After his initial shock of existential dread began to wind down, resentment set in. He was a descendant of magic and the elemental planes, yet he had no power and no way to sense even the elements he was originally comprised of. Telluris knew the Gods had something to do with this, and thusly scoured the lands for them so that he could bargain for either death or the restoration of his original body.
However, upon terrorizing towns and villages in search of the Gods he knew to exist, Telluris was told the truth by an elderly man, seemingly one of the only believers left. The man told him of Chaac the Destroyer and his great battle with the old Gods, and most notably how his beloved Earth Goddess was slain by him. Telluris felt hollow, even more so than before. Without his creator, there was no no one to look up to. He was as lost as he had ever been, with no one to guide him. He treaded the lands, wandering. Not needing to eat or drink, sleep or wake, the lumbering golem had lost all hope.
Unable to end his life by his own hand or by others, Telluris sat at the end of a cliff watching the sunset toward the end of Winter. His birthday. He had finally seen the dreaded yet inevitable day when he had spent more years of his life as a Warforged monstrosity than he ever did as a man. But later that night, Telluris had a sudden rush of spiritual energy rattle his body and surge through his mind. He sprung up, immediately knowing this to be the presence of the Gods. Their words were faint, but he did not need them to speak up. He knew what he had to do. Telluris shaved down his armor, hacking off and sanding down whatever wasn’t necessary and ridding his body of weapons. After this, he once more went town-to-town, in search of what awoken this presence he had failed to sense almost a century ago.
Finally, in a tavern near the Port of Havengar, Telluris found a barkeep that told of a group of adventurers who had awoken the power of the gods, stolen ancient weapons, and resurrected Tonantzin. Inspired and invigorated by this news, Telluris then knew his purpose: to carry out the will of the Gods, just as he did so long ago. After he prayed, he was overcome with introspective revelation. His perspective shifted, now realizing that the Gods sought only to humble him, not punish him. He was kept alive, not to be tortured, but so that he could right his wrongs. Now, Telluris saw that a seemingly endless life was laid out for him so that he can protect and defend those that could not defend themselves. He made it his first mission to go back to the woods and thank the Treants that helped make him who he was, as such was their part to play in the Gods’ plan. His mission now is to find these adventurers so that he can further the divine interests of the Gods, commune with Tonantzin, and ensure that Chaac and all like him are kept away from Qinla’Un.
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