Learning Life

Tieflings aren’t typically associated with strong connections to nature. When Xino’s family first arrived in this realm, they had no connection to this world and its wildlife, but were fascinated by it. The family became one of herbalists and scholars, with a focus on growing and maintaining local flora. As generations passed, the family became nearly synonymous with thriving wildlife in the areas they lived. However, they were heavily scrutinized as they were not of this realm. They were generally cast out from the civilizations they helped to prosper, yet they continued to support the wildlife from the sidelines. Xino’s portion of the family came to the new nation to be free from the discriminatory practices of their homeland, but held on to their old practices.

From toward the edge of Celestvinpreza, Xino’s family set up a small encampment in the snowy forests. Their affinity for warmth reduced their need for fires, allowing them to better preserve the forests. They fight hard to prevent the nearby city from expanding into the forest. In order to obtain other resources and maintain peace, the family regulates the trade of lumber from the area. The members of the family with stronger connections to the forests are tasked with tending to the trees that are grown for the express purpose of trading with the city. The older and scholarly members of the family are tasked with managing all of the resources traded between the city and the family. Everyone else is responsible for maintaining the encampment itself. The hardier members of the family make the journey to the city for trade. Xino is one of those members.

A large portion of the family cast Xino out after learning of the crime they had committed. It was a metaphorical slap in the face to their family’s name. They were sent off to the coast in order to prevent further damage to the family’s reputation. Xino ultimately decided to cast off their surname and connections with the family in Celestvinpreza. It took time for them to adjust to being alone. They had no family with them aside from “Bad-Luck Bill”, who was the one to escort them away from the family. Bill left them and went to live in the port town of Aldon. They spent months floating around the forests, using their experience growing up to live off the land.

The sting of loneliness hit Xino’orius hard. The few times they had to go into the cities for some reason or another, the sight of people interacting with each other was enough to remind them of the family they had lost because of their actions. It sent them spiraling into a depressive state. They turned to further isolation to cope. Their time spent not gathering the resources to survive was spent carefully crafting the staff they carry on their back. They were slowly and carefully carving runes into the wood to enhance any spells they learned and cast.

One of the times they went into Aldon, being in the area, someone spotted the staff on their back. This person made an off-handed comment that it looked like something that would have come from Jims’ at the edge of town. Hearing this, Xino began a search for the shop. They managed to find the shop: a small shack, that appeared bigger on the outside, run by a skeleton collective called Jim. Each Jim is named based on his traits. Everyone in town seemed to be put off by the eccentric bunch, but Xino felt a sense of familiarity with them. The Jims reminded Xino of their family and what used to be their home.

Time continued to pass and Xino set up a home of their own near Aldon. It was a camp that nowadays looks as if it had been lived in far longer than it should have. Xino spent more and more time with the Jims, learning about magical items from them. The Jims also taught Xino something else: how to enjoy life despite being an outcast from society. They decided to take a note from the Jims’ book and stop treating life as if it only existed to be miserable. Very rarely, Xino can be spotted covering for Merchant Jim while another Jim is busy.