Naeris

A Story by Simoiran

The rough backstory of a D&D character

The library was safe. The books never told Naeris he was worthless, useless, a waste of space, or that he would never amount to anything. Instead, they showed him new worlds full of evil people and brave heroes. "One day I'll be a hero" he would always say to himself. He was the middle child of a quietly wealthy family, his older sister had gone and found her own future. His younger brother was the golden child who could do no wrong. Naeris spent his days avoiding his family and studying alone in the library. He had tutors who taught him languages, mathematics, politics, and manners for society. His books taught him how to play instruments, sing songs, and tell stories. As he grew older, he decided that he was going to be the greatest bard of all time. However, his parents had other ideas and tried to marry him off to another family.

A lifetime of abuse and neglect left him broken, and he left the house with only the clothes on his back, an old lute he found in the attic, a small pack of food, and his favorite book. He called out to his family and got no response, as he expected. He walked into the noonday sun and took his first breath of freedom. He didn't know where he was going, or how he was going to survive on the road. He spent countless days wandering, staying in taverns when he found them and on the side of the road when he couldn't. Every day he improved his skills, new songs, new stories, new ways to fight. He made friends and touched lives everywhere he went, but still he felt empty. After many years, he found the College he was looking for and started his studies in earnest.

He graduated, and began to travel the planes. He spent time in the Feywild, the Elemental Planes, and even the Nine Hells. There was always one constant no matter where he went, a feeling of hiræth. A longing so deep for something he's never really known, and he didn't even know what it was he was longing for. He kept traveling and looking for something to fill the void in himself. He drank, he ate, he caroused with women and men and everything in between. Nothing helped, and a lot of things made it worse. He wandered aimlessly through cities, fields, forests, mountains, deserts, and every terrain across the planes. One night, he was sitting next to his small campfire playing his old lute. He started a mournful tune and added wordless vocals to it, and the forest around him seemed to droop to match his mood. Suddenly, he was pulled from the campsite. In an instant, he was flung through time and space, eventually smashing through a gigantic gateway of runes and sigils.

He awoke in a field of wheat, the sunlight warmed him like a Mother's Shawl. A woman was walking towards him, a tall Half-Elf like him. Her eyes held the knowledge of countless lifetimes, her smile was inviting, and she hugged him when she got to him. "My child, I know what's missing," her voice was everywhere and nowhere "you will find 3 people in the world. I won't tell you who they are, but you'll know them when you find them. I will grant you a fraction of my power, as long as you swear to spread my faith."

"I swear," he said "but who are you?"

"I am Arawai, from a long forgotten place called Eberron. Please spread the faith and don't lose hope, you will find the loving home you've always wanted."

With that, she waved her hand and he was thrown back to his campsite. He looked around, everything was still in its place and the sun was about to rise. He gathered his things, with no fatigue in his body and a renewed hope in his heart. "Blessed be the lady of wheat. Blessed be Arawai." he quietly prayed as he continued down the road and into his future.