Tala

Sprite of Healing

In the early years of Amerath, there was no evil. Things were either good or simply unfortunate. The Elementals were earth spirits with dominion over water, earth, air, and such. Sprites with their Fairies, gnomes, and other helpers watched over lesser things. They tended the meadows, were stewards of the forests. They were mostly magic. Not born of powerful wizardry, but a softer magic; magic of the earth. 

Although no evil, not all was well at first. There were fairies that could no longer fly, due damaged wings or other misfortunes. Frostbite claimed fingers and toes. Fire burnt not only wood.  A careless step or a slip with a sharp cutting stone where many of the accidents that beset even those of magic.

A sprite named Tala, had a heart that many said was softer and lighter than a dandelion seed. She was assigned to seed places where a plant might grow, like on stony outcrop of a cliff that held a fist of dirt. And so, she worked on small cracks in rocks, sometimes filling them with dirt to help. Caves and deep shadow spaces received their share of her skills. Those spaces could sometimes grow moss or simple lichens. 

All the spirits knew of Tala and gave to her their sick or injured creatures; from wingless fairy to injured unicorn.  The number of her “guests” seemed to always grow but never shrink. By chance, Tala had sheltered a bevy of fairies in Adlena’s cave of crystals. Tala quickly noted, fairies sheltered close to apophyllite crystals healed fast in matters that required a better connection to nature, calming nerves or healing emotional wounds. 

Tala experimented with placement of her “patients” within the cave. Her study was long, but effective. For the first time she had many open spaces, even though her reputation spread and more injured were brought to her. Other sprites began to tell her that they had heard that “this” or “that” plant ground to a paste and spread across a wound could help. A tea from only leaves or another from only petals or stems could ward off illnesses brought with winter cold and snow.

Tola’s success spread along with her growing family of wingless but healthy fairies, her happy but tailless unicorns or birds could perch high, despite their thinning feathers. It was no surprise, yet still the greatest honor when Alcea, the Guardian Sprite named Tola, the Sprite of Healing.