Terra Hathrock

Terra Hathrock is a Half-Orc Druid. She is a member of the Circle of the Land, specifically of the mountain region. She was basically raised by wolves.

Character Knowledge
Here is a general summary of everything the characters would know about Terra Hathrock.

History
Terra hasn't shared a lot with the other characters. Milo was the first person of the party she encountered, and he understands she was out in the woods, alone. The party knows she has Druid magic and a special connection to wolves, as she can turn into one.

Most importantly, Terra has had to share her connection to a now-evil Warlock named Nathan. Nathan was her childhood friend before her village was destroyed. She thought he was dead, but he recently approached her in the woods, revealing not only that he was alive but he also served the evil entity that had saved his life as a child.

Campaign
Terra's relationship with Nathan has been unveiled. Some members of the party understand that Nathan has been following them for some time. Terra (and Sir Ganlin) understand that Nathan has helped them out here and there, for whatever reason. But, now, Nathan demands that the party give up the two silver pieces that they possess, so he may give them to his leader. If they do not, they will be killed. So far, the party has decided not to take action on this demand.

Personality
Terra is not very social, and she really only speaks to Milo and Fafnir. She is usually in survival-mode, and will often go out into the woods alone to hunt or just wander around. She sometimes has very bad nightmares. She is not a fan of Fendrel, mostly because he deals with the undead.

Abilities
The party understands that Terra has magic, and that it mostly relates to nature. They have also seen her turn into a wolf a couple of times.

Equipment
The party has most likely seen Terra's druidic spellcasting focus - a necklace she wears, made up of small animal bones, feathers, and fur.

She also carries a scimitar and daggers for either hunting or melee, although she rarely uses them. She also has the essentials to survive found in her explorer's pack.

History
Here is the write-up on Terra's background that Cassie fleshed out before the game began:

Her's isn't an easy story to tell. Terra grew up surrounded mostly by humans. She has vague memories of the time before that and, therefore, of her father – a beastly-looking orc who lived with her and her mother for a time. She didn't sense that he was keeping them hostage; perhaps the orc was actually trying to hold down a family. But it didn't last, no surprise. Terra and her mother then moved on, and, the next thing Terra knew, she was living a decently “normal” life. The small band of humans and half-orcs carried out modest lives in nature, sleeping in huts and farming the land around them. Terra spent her late childhood running around in the nearby forest and took a liking to a young human named Nathan. Nathan's father was a hunter and knew all about the animals and plants. He had no qualms about answering Terra's relentless questions.

But it wasn't long before Terra started to look more like a woman while Nathan kept his boyish charm. Her mother forbade her to spend time with Nathan, especially alone in the woods. In an act of rebellion, Terra took to the forest herself, often spending nights there. If she ran into Nathan, she thought, that would be a bonus.

It was while she was in the woods, one day, that Death itself visited the village. Or rather – a massive hoard of orcs, goblins, trolls, etc. Terra didn't see the destruction, but she heard it. She hid inside the trunk of a tree, sobbing quietly as she imagined her mother begin torn to pieces. And her imagination wasn't far off. Days later, Terra returned, drained of all emotion. She looked upon the death and destruction with cold eyes, gathered up what little commodities she could, and left. She was 11-years-old.

She didn't know where to go but instinctively went into the woods. She had no food but quickly found water. She tried to remember all the hunting tips Nathan had relayed to her, but her brain felt like jelly. After several days, almost a week, Terra saw something she'd never forget. Was it an angel? Was it a god? Whatever it was, it walked slowly toward her, enveloped in a bright halo of light. It spoke to her, told her it would be OK. It said that help was on the way. For the first time since the death of her previous life, Terra wept.

The next thing she sensed was warmth breath on her cheek. Then, a wet snout. She opened her eyes and saw a wolf staring back at her. Terra didn't scream; she looked over the grey, strong wolf and knew exactly what to do. She got up and followed it to her new home. It took several hours to get there and included a trek mid-way up the nearest mountain. At last, Terra shyly peeked into the depths of a cave and was surprisingly welcomed by her sibling wolf cubs with yelps, jumps, and slobbery kisses.

For the next eight years, Terra spoke very little. Communing with the wolves and nature were all action-based: hunting, gathering, sleeping, playing. She found the parts that involved strength and violence came naturally to her. “Thanks, dad,” she thought. Over time, her life became the wolf-pack and the changing of the seasons. Through many trials and tribulations, Terra finally understood that nature would always provide for her, if she just believed. She felt a kind of magic when she was among the trees and creatures, as well as a comforting sense that they were always watching over her.

When she was sixteen, Terra had a dream that involved the heavenly creature who had visited her in her darkest moment. In the Celestial language, which she understood, it told her that the Druidic gods had watched her since she was very little and took a liking to her, just as she had taken a liking to nature. The celestial told her that they were going to choose her. As what, she asked? The celestial was quiet for a moment, and then it said, “You are needed as a protector. You must protect your pack, the mountain, and beyond. Something evil isn't too far off. Your journey must begin now.”

Terra woke up and immediately went outside. She knelt in front of the great oak tree that she always thought had the face of a kind old man in its trunk. She thought, “I'm ready.”

Terra spent the next two and a half years meditating and developing her sense of druidcraft, spellcasting, and more. It all just kind of... came to her, whether as thoughts, visions, or in dreams.

On her nineteenth birthday, Terra was out by the great oak when she saw a person, another half-orc, in the distance. It began to approach her as she stood as still as a rock. Questions on what to do ran through her mind, but she never reached an answer in time. It finally stopped in front of her, pulled the hood off its head, and grinned. He introduced himself as a Druid sage – this was the first time she'd seen another person in eight years, let alone talk to one. She was shaking. The sage told her that the Druidic Circle of the Land had been waiting for her. He asked if she'd like to be initiated. She stared at the ground for what seemed like ten minutes. She knew this went beyond any sort of feelings or emotions she was experiencing in that moment. Finally, in a whisper, she said, “Yes.”

“In due time,” the sage said. “You're almost there... first, you must leave this place.”

“Why?!” Terra felt fear coarse through her body.

“Don't worry,” the sage said calmly. “It's nothing we can tell you, but please know that we will be with you at all times. If you have any questions, just pray. The gods will give you what you need. When the time is right, you will find us amongst the trees, and, there, you will finally join us.”

Terra spent the next several months closely with her wolf pack. Her wolf mother, in her old age, relied on Terra for protection and food. Terra deliberately took the time to teach these skills to her brothers and sisters. On her final night at home, she sat outside the cave and stared up at the waxing moon. She didn't know what life was going to be like come tomorrow. Who would she meet? Would she even like being around people? She knew how to hunt; she knew how to use a weapon. But, most of all, she knew that she wouldn't be alone. She knew her wolf pack would sense any danger brought upon her. And that the gods would bestow her with nature's magic, tools still beyond her deep understanding, to get any sort of job done. She watched the sun rise, nuzzled her family goodbye, and set out on the biggest adventure of her life. The date was 25 Lilyanne.

Just a short time later, Terra stumbles across Milo Oberhill in the woods at the bottom of her mountain. He sticks with her for a few more days until they finally come across the rest of the party in Old Town.

Campaign
Terra now understands that Nathan is probably the reason behind the "evil" force she and the others have felt throughout some of their adventures. He had been following them, but she's unsure how long. He also wrote her a message once, in Druidic on a tree, that said, "You owe me one." That's because he had killed monsters in a place where they were also fighting.

Terra is slowly wrapping her mind around the Nathan reveal. It's going to take some time because her logical brain and emotional brain are currently battling themselves.

Equipment
Terra also carries with her a small trinket: a shard of black obsidian, the same type of stone of which Nathan's dagger is made.

Development
I wanted Terra to be an outsider who was kind of forced into it. She isn't a bad person, and she hasn't even lived for that long. She has a lot of inner struggles: half-orc vs. human emotions vs. survivor instinct. Her connection to nature usually allows her to adapt and flow with changes easily, but trauma hinders her. Hopefully, she'll still be able to accept consequences easily, while understanding that these changes are natural and absolutely necessary.

She will be tested. Can she keep her half-orc blood at bay? Will she ever allow herself to have a true friend outside her wolf pack? How about her Druidic initiation and connection to the Celestials? I guess we'll have to find out...