About Caerid Melanite
Caerid was born in the Calphiak mountains in Varisia. His home had magnificent views of the Varisian Bay to the south, and the Mierani Forest to the north. His parents were both typical, contemplative oread - his father an experienced monk, able to call upon the spirits of the earth at need and his mother tended her gardens and the small cavern complex they lived in. As he grew up, Caerid received training from his father as a monk, but the young oread was far more... restless than his parents. He often wandered far and for many weeks at a time. Sometimes down to the water, other times to the forests and often through the many mountain vales and peaks of the vast Calphiaks. During his travels he encountered many individuals, dwarves and elves for the most part, as well as some humans. Not fond of crowds or cities, Caerid avoided such communities and those few he befriended were all loners like himself - trappers, hunters, prospectors, hermits and the like.
One of his favored friends was a female half-elf named Elimenae. She was a huntress, and often ranged far from her own home in the Mierani Forest and into the mountains. Together they shared a few adventures, and Elimenae introduced Caerid to the bow, which he found to be a most wonderful weapon for which he had a natural talent. The huntress spoke to her oread friend about the Pathfinders, a group to which she herself belonged to, and after she introduced Caerid to her venture-captain, the monk decided to join them in order to travel the lands - as exploration brought him great joy. Eventually, Caerid learned to interact with other people, even visiting cities from time to time. But he always feels most at peace in the wilderness, far from civilization.
