Cypress Witchazel

Cypress Witchazel is a halfling in their 40s—47, to be exact—with thick brown hair worn in a single long braid tied by vines, dark green eyes, and ruddy, sun-spotted skin. Their clothing are the typical green robes of a priest of Sheela, adorned with colorful embroidery of flowers and vines. When traveling, they wear no shoes, but carry sandals for the time they spend in more “civilized” settlements. They carry a priest’s pack that has seen better days, and wield a quarterstaff that often features a small bottle hanging from the tip, full of water and a fat, deep green moss ball, tied with a sprig of mistletoe. Cypress also carries a mace, but rarely uses it. Instead, they wear large pauldrons on their shoulders to protect them from attacks by taller creatures, and to serve as a battering ram when necessary. Cypress is the convenient height of two-foot-ten, an unfortunate turn of events for many offending kneecaps.

As a young halfling, Cypress was a fairly typical lightfoot, prone to wandering and dreaming of adventure. Their interests often revolved around plant life. Like many halflings,  Cypress took little time with the thought of gardening or farming. Foraging for wild fruits and foodstuffs was much more pleasant than tending a garden for them, and they found the wild growth of forests to be a great comfort. Cypress spent many hours in reverence there, and eventually developed a connection with Sheela Peryroyl, the halfling goddess of nature, song, dance, agriculture, beauty, and romance. Followers of Sheela are primarily dedicated to the balance of nature and agriculture, and as a seedling, Cypress often found themself at odds with farmers who wished to expand their fields into the natural wood. Eventually, their dedication to nature led them away from settled areas, and Cypress spent their time as a Green Child wandering the forests and plains of their homeland. Traveling allowed them to meet many creatures and to learn of many cultures; they developed a special fondness for wood elves, even though they were never quite comfortable with being up so high in the trees. To date, Cypress has never admitted to being afraid of heights.

When Cypress was in their mid-40s, they were traveling to a relatively new settlement of high tree elves and stumbled upon what appeared to be a battlefield. Cypress had never seen war, but was familiar enough with the skirmishes that took place along the edges of wild spaces as peoples protected their homes from wild creatures and monsters. Among the debris, Cypress came upon a soldier who had been missed when the field was being cleared of the wounded and the dead, or perhaps the survivors had fled, or they’d been abandoned. There was no knowing which.

Initially, he thought the soldier had already passed, and set about praying for their spirit and the loved ones they had left behind, though funerals are not the usual domain of Sheela. When they realized the soldier was still alive, they began a desperate attempt at healing them, using what herbs and bandages they had, and praying fervently to Sheela and Yondalla for guidance and assistance. As the soldier died before their eyes, Cypress’ desperation to save them manifested in a burst of green energy. This was the first time Cypress cast healing magic, and it was not enough to save the soldier. In despair, Cypress finished the funeral rites, buried the soldier, and went into the woods, tearing off some cloth to take the soldier’s rank insignia with them. It was weeks before they spoke again, and they found no comfort in their new magic.

Cypress eventually joined a church of Sheela and learned to use their magic as an official nature cleric, which put them at the clergy’s rank of Daisy Child. Here, they were a devout follower of Sheela, and loyal to the church. It was not long, however, before they felt the woods’ pull, and left to travel again.

They came to Nibiru to visit with the Church of Glorious Gods, and our story began.

The Child scene of Cypress’s backstory is HERE.

The Adolenset scene of Cypress’s backstory is HERE.

Temporary, will be updated soon.

Temporary, will be updated soon.