Example Background 1
Hailing from the Land of flying landmasses and dragons, Dragoneir, and within a small hamlet laying in the wild Dragon's Peace a small happy family lived quietly on the outskirts of town. Literally the sprawling forest was the backyard of Liran and her two sisters, Jessica and Kimber. Their father was a practiced herbalist, his elven knowledge of the plants and its usage put food on their table. Mother, though she was not a grey elf, was no less lovely. She was from the lands of Phuri Dae, and her dusky appearance, and her lust for life had infatuated the usually stoic elf. Together, Koehlain and Farrah decided to live within the realm of Dragon's Peace. Dragoneir was a land of diversity, and both elven and humans occupied it, as well as Dragon's Peace being an opportune place to harvest herbs and plants.
As the little family grew, different aspects of their children came to their notice. The eldest, Jessica had an affinity for nature itself, even before she began her questions of her father in such things. All of Koehlain's children followed him into the forests since very young ages, and all of them walked out with different skills. The youngest one also had an affinity for things nature, yet for that one she was a hunter. She was always stalking the animals of the forest, quietly observing them, learning their ways of movement. It was the middle child that most baffled Koehlain, until he could no longer stand back just watching. During an excursion into the forest, he watched her look into the trees. She would tilt her head back and let the wind blow through her hair, extending small arms wide as taking in all around her, then she would begin her dance. "What do you hear little one?" He would ask. She would explain that the trees and the wind, and all of the animals made music. She loved to listen to the music. At three, he thought they were just a child's musings, but as she grew older she continues in her odd behavior. Finally he did decided she heard music, and it was on a happenstance a bard came to the small village, and he asked him to talk with his daughter. The bard explained, "Your daughter has a rare gift. One that all of my kind wish they were favored with. To hear the music of the world."
During her childhood, they occasionally had visitors from the larger cities. It was not unusual to travel to the town hall to hear of the news from the larger world. Liran couldn't wait for these times. It was these visits she cherished more than anything, for it brought the storytellers, the professional bards on their way to other places. She would sit before them, rapt in her attention. When it would come time for the entertainment, she would get her drum and accompany them on their instrument. When they would see her talent, it always meant that they would come to her home with more instruction. Father always pretended that he had no intention of offering hospitality, but he always did, and they always accepted. When she had instructions from the professional storytellers, she felt pulled into an entirely different world, full of music and learning. They taught her other things as well, like how to work up the crowd, and how to read a crowd. She never thought she'd ever have to use this technique, she had no concept of ever not wanting to listen to music. One musician traveled through her town, and the same routine was done. But this one was different, this musician was a young man, dark and serious. His way of playing left Liran sad, it expressed pain and sorrow. She learned this young man's ways, picking up the darkness in his music and learned to use her own feelings to expound upon it.
The small family flourished in their woodland home, and the elf Koehlain, who was gifted with three daughters couldn't have been happier. It wasn't till the oldest of them sought to use her gifts in a way the father didn't agree with. With all the love he shared with them about nature, the eldest wished to tread a new path, that of the elemental shamans. Liran would watch as her elder sister and father fought over the merits of this path, or the lack there of, and watched as her wonderful family grew colder and colder. Her mother did what she could, but no one ever credited elves for accepting change. Father would cite history, and the abuse of power and how nature paid, sister would site how because if that very thing, the force of nature should be used to protect that which they loved. The younger two siblings watched from afar, not daring to take a side, not even among themselves.
It came to a finale, when the elder sister reached a point where she would not abide to live under the same roof. She came to say her farewell one night, thinking she left her two sisters behind. Neither of the sisters accepted this farewell, for they waited till Jessica was well on her way, then took up tracking and following. This had been done since childhood, the old game of Jessica trying to loose the younger two in the woods. She always said it built character. It did indeed, for the youngest of the two learned tracking from this and was able to do just that. They didn't hurry their trip any, for they didn't want to be turned away if they were too close to home. Liran did though, contribute her own part in this. She wrote a note speaking to her father, how out of love for family they would follow and keep Jessica safe, even if it was from herself. She hoped her father would understand, and they sped off after Jessica on her trek for knowledge. In all honesty, Liran was relieved to be on her way into the outside world. She had been a student of it for so long, hearing of others making a contribution, and waited and waite to make her own. Jessica leaving, was just another excuse for her to make a break for the real world, and learn of it so that she may make her own ballads of adventure.
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