Mystspirit

Sonja descended from a common house line in Fai O’Thuaid. Upon their loss of their ancestral homeland, the family line left their common name and took on the name "Fai" (Long Distance) as a remembrance of the land they left behind. They also took a pledge to wander the land with some of their fellow nomads, never to claim another land as home until they returned to the land of their origin once again. One generation after the next moving from land to land, passing along the stories of their lost heritage. One event after the next reinforced the belief of Adunian Creationism- the belief that the Creator had abandoned the world and left guidance to their ancestors. Attempts to convert them to New Adunian Creationism and other religions firmly failed. The idea a Creator would be present and allow them to suffer and be driven out in exile time and again through history... this was more painful than the idea that they had been abandoned entirely. By the time Sonja was born, the Fai's and their companions had adopted a mix of traditional and Bowieman cultures. However, the group had dwindled to a few small families, all less than a hand in number. By then, her family caravan traveled with other races and peoples outside the Adunian bloodline for safety against undead, bandits, man-hunters, and other threats. The gatherings and festivals in meeting fellow travelers were growing ever smaller and infrequent. Simply meeting another Adunian in travel was cause to pause travels for the day and celebrate. Sonja's day to day education involved survival- knowing what bark was good for a fever. How to use moss for a poultice. How to start a fire. How to skin a rabbit and tan its fur. How to weld a bowie knife and shoot a bow. Sonja's more formal education came from a bard that hailed from Arcas that joined the camp as an entertainer- sharing his coin, housework about the camp, and the basic knowledges of other lands in exchange for travel and protection. This bard, Minias, was full of histories, folk tales, and lore. From them she learned her letters and basic math, and what little of other religions and current events he was allowed to pass along. He tried to instill in the camp's young minds some of the politics, intrigues, and complex niceties of the civilized cities- though Sonja was among those bemoaned to be 'as subtle as a blacksmith in a petticoat.' When she was old enough to join her mother in trade with the towns and cities their paths led them to-- they failed to impress her. She preferred the more straightforward world of plains and forests and the harsh judgement of nature to the glimpses she had of Canonists, the Red Faith, and the complex nonsense their pure human cousins seemed ever enmeshed in. She did, however, love the stories of the histories and ancestors. And she loves her people, proud in their exiles. She oft shared the dream of her people of one day traveling to the shrines scattered among Al'lldic and leaving tributes to the Traveler, Rymeul Elandil. To see the homeland where elves and humans birthed her race. To see their people gathered again on those cliffs and mountains in festivals and celebrations. Sonja aimed to become a huntress and duelist among the Bowiemen of her caravan. However, two years prior to her arrival to the Cloud Temple, her horse lost its feet and fell on her during a skirmish. This all but shattered one knee when she was not swift enough to roll out of the saddle. While the injury is largely healed, there is a noticeable limp in her gait and the fluid dance of an expert duelist is lost to her. There is no place for the crippled in the dangers of a hunting party or defending a caravan. She was forced to face either marrying and subsequently leaving her caravan for her husband's, begetting children, and minding the campfires for the rest of her life... or finding a new path. She chose the latter. Sonja set out at the age of 21, a bit late for the traditional coming of age trek normally reserved for young male Adunians. Despite the tradition being for sons, nothing forbade such a tradition to the females, however irregular it was. Unable to pursue her original path, she seeks to find herself and others of her ilk in her travels. To turn instead to the dreams of her childhood- finding a means to return to the lands of her people and lay tributes at the shrines of the ancestors. To see their bloodline rise again and restore their dwindling presence in the world.