Nettle was raised in a traditional Wyldling fashion. He was
raised within the Alfar forest in a tribe that was very tight knit and family
focused. After the war the tribe feared ruin and death. So marriage and child
bearing was of extreme focus. Nettle hear about his (and truly, everyone’s)
need to find a mate and have children; from a very young age.
This never did set so well with Nettle. He couldn’t put his
finger on it, but it rubbed him all wrong. Whilt he wasn’t against marriage,
and would like to settle down with the right person…he wanted to do so with the
right person. Not just the first person.
As he grew and aged it drew closer to the time when marriage
would be expected- 22. In his tribe, all people should be married by 22. Any
later and you are strongly looked down upon. Nettle has blue hair in a tribe of
mostly green haired wildlings so many of the women of the tribe would bat their
eyes and try to chat him up…he felt like he was nothing more than a trophy to
these women and he didn’t care for that feeling at all.
In the night a few days before Nettle’s 22nd birthday he
packed a few things into his knapsack and ran away. He could no longer take the
pressure, and wouldn’t marry just anyone. He wanted to seek knowledge, find out
more about the world, and perhaps…find the person who he was meant to be with.
Nettle left a note for his kin and he set out in a southward
direction. (Alfar forest being in the NE corner of the continent of Daroka)
He’d hoped to see other tribes of Wyldlings and perhaps find out more about
their behaviors and traditions. He also had really hoped to learn more magick.
He knew a few spells and delighted in all the potential of magick. Caught up in
his own thoughts he tripped over something and fell flat on his face! The thing
he tripped on yelped and scurried away…but as Nettle rolled over to rub his
knee and nose he’d banged; this thing came up and licked his face! It was a
dog. A skinny dog…he was cute…maybe Nettle could keep this dog. A companion
would be nice. Yes. He’d keep this dog. Now what should his name be? Buttercup
would be a fine name. Nettle had read about how many of the great magicians had
familiars and perhaps Buttercup would be willing to be his familiar.
The next morning Nettle and Buttercup came across another
tribe of Wyldlings. Nettle went to one of the elders and presented him with a
few items and a few finding from Nettle’s wandering. Nettle asked this Elder
for the magick that’s required to bond Buttercup to Nettle; the Familiar bond.
This Elder was willing, and taught Nettle. The connection between Buttercup and
Nettle became very strong, though not necessarily as strong as someone who
might have started with a baby animal.
Nettle thanked the tribe and continued south. The more he
traveled, the more he enjoyed adventuring. He sought out more magick and more
adventure. The further away from Alfar forest he got, the less he thought about
his tribe.
He came across the first (human) city he’d seen in his young
life. He’d heard from the Elders that elves in the cities cover their hair for
some reason….Nettle, being an elf (and a young elf at that!)…didn’t find it all
that important, and didn’t listen very closely. He stopped before he got too
close the gates and wrapped a length of cloth around his head, covering his
hair. He thought his plan quite ingenious.
As he approached the city gates the guards’ men looked at
him with a most peculiar expression. Nettle thought to himself “Ah. They must
be impressed by my hair covering!” and walked all the taller and prouder. As he
walked through the main street he’d never seen or smelled such a place.
Everyone was looking at Nettle. Some were even whispering to each other and
pointing at him. He was starting to think that perhaps they’d never seen an elf
before. He’d just have to hide his disdain for the city a little better and be
the best example of Elf-kind he could be.
Almost immediately upon thinking this thought he almost
tripped into two glorious and very finely dressed elves. He gazed up at their
ornate hair coverings and it quickly dawned on him why everyone had been looking
at him with such gawking stares. City elves don’t just cover their hair, they
do so with highly involved methods. A lesson Nettle learned that day. Needless
to say…he left the city as quickly as possible.
~Character history submitted by Sevan B.
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