About Elaina NewberryElaina Newberry
===========Elaina Newberry============
============A Polychromatic Beacon, Arriving Late, as Usual============ Elaina Newberry was not born to royalty or to great wealth, but to a simple family of farmers in the rolling hills north of Almas, Andoran. Her parents were deeply devout to Sarenrae and, despite a lack of wealth, they instilled in their daughter a sense of compassion and generosity. From a young age, Elaina showed and unusually strong connection to the divine, exhibiting small miracles - healing small animals, predicting the weather, chasing away colds and, perhaps most importantly, inspiring joy wherever she went. Elaina loved her family and community, but she never felt a simple farmer's life was meant for her. It never felt right. She longed to spread Sarenrae's light, bring hope to the downtrodden, and challenge that darkness that seeks to chase the light away. This led her to the grand Temple of the Shining Star in Absalom. There, she dedicated herself to the faith, proving herself a diligent (well, maybe not so much diligent, but she meant well!) and devoted (that is true) acolyte. Her natural charisma and unwavering faith made her a favorite among the clergy. It was during this time that she began to see a deeper connection between the teachings of Sarenrae, Desna, and Shelyn. She saw them not as separate entities, but as facets of a single, radiant truth – a prism of divine light offering different paths to enlightenment and joy. This concept became the foundation for her vision of the Radiant Prism, a new pantheon devoted to the trio of divine lovers. Elaina's unconventional interpretations of doctrine, while appreciated by some, particularly other followers of the fledgling pantheon, stirred up some controversy within the established clergy. She often emphasized the commonalities between Desna, Sarenrae, and Shelyn, whose churches had already long been associated with each other, leading to occasional debates over how appropriate it is for a cleric to venerate multiple deities equally. While her elders saw her zeal, some saw it as potentially heretical, thinking she was too young, delving too deeply and quickly into waters she does not fully understand. She never let the push back she got get her too down. Then the opportunity arrived. Charis! Tales reached the temple of the fledgling kingdom in the Stolen Lands, carving its own path against the darkness, and a need for a High Priest(ess) - as the current one is retiring - to lead its spiritual development. Elaina saw this as a sign – a chance to put her vision into practice, to build a temple to the Radiant Prism, and to create a community where the virtues of all three goddesses could flourish. Elaina, after much prayer and deliberation (well, not really) and perhaps a small(ish) push from certain allies within the temple who saw her departure as a way to quell internal tensions, was "chosen" to journey to Charis. The head priests and priestesses decided it would be best to see her on her way, providing her with a small chest of scrolls, clerical supplies, and a (very) valuable set of three books, each an intricately illustrated tomb, one each related to Desna, Sarenrae, and Shelyn. They reasoned that if she could successfully establish herself and the Radiant Prism, all would be forgiven. If she failed, well, Charis would still need a priestess in general, there were few healers that could rival her, and as far as chasing back the darkness, few shone as bright or were as fierce with a blade as she, despite her appearance as a shortish (in stature and temperment) young woman who does not look have seen many days on the battlefield. Her journey to Charis was... slow. She stopped often to loudly (some might say aggressively) proselytized to any who would listen (and to many who would not) about the Radiant Prism. Some might say that her generosity with healing spells was the only thing that kept her from being chased from at least one town, but Elaina has no ears to hear such negativity. She knows she faces challenges – the establishment of a new faith in an already diverse land that may not see the immediate use of goddeses of love and art and forgivness, but Elaina is undeterred. She believes in the power of compassion, the beauty of art, and the unwavering light of hope. And she's ready to bring that light to Chaise (and maybe a better name). She has only recently arrived in the Stolen Lands, hearing of the fledgling kingdom's need for a new high priest(ess) and seeing it as a perfect opportunity to spread the word of the Radiant Prism. |
