Rylee Puddlefoot

Rylee is a Halfling Druid (Circle of Grasslands). She is played by Engivari-Trash.

Appearance
Rylee can stand out, or blend into the Loamsdale Adventurers, depending on how high you hold your head. As easily the shortest member of the group, barely reaching the hips of the second shortest party member: Kalza. Her pale skin, dotted with freckles, ginger locks and blue eyes help the smaller druid stand out.

Personality
Affectionately referring to herself as the Emotional Support Animal of the party, Rylee is a gentle, soft spoken, and philanthropic person, with her best interests in the party surpassing her own needs. As a strongly empathetic person, she is extremely sensitive, becoming anxious, or even upset amidst conflict between her friends. Optimistic, ever smiling, and always looking for the good in people, she is quick to make friends, and quicker to defend them, should the need arise. Her halfling bravery becomes apparent when push comes to shove, showing a disdain for those who manipulate and bring harm to others.

Background
Rylee, back then known as Miles, had a happy life for the first ten years of her life, with four older siblings, two of which were twins, and in due time, two baby brothers. She was a friendly, adventurous, and caring soul, and only really got into trouble for not knowing better, and for sticking up for her older siblings or for friends. At age 10, some 29 years ago, horror struck. Most of her family was at the farm when a Hill Giant stomped into Millbrooke, they were able to drive the giant off, but not before it claimed the lives of several people, including her mother. She had been crushed by a falling canopy during the stomping while she, her husband, and her youngest brother, Brice, were out. Her brother lost his legs from the canopy, and when Rylee heard the news, she had to go away, to hide, to cry, to mourn.

It was here, in her childhood, that she managed to draw the attention of goodly fey, a handful of pixies and a dryad who gave the poor halfling child comfort. Rylee doesn't remember this encounter well enough, but it sculpted her into the person she is today, and she found her feminine side, and her love for nature shortly after.

After she had made her peace, she took action to look after the family farm, and tried to help her father and grandparents out during harsher times, in spite them asking Rylee to slow down and relax. Her dedication and her desire to learn more about the night she had with the mysterious figure in the forest lead her to the local druids, where she took up mentorship as a Druid of the Farmlands, where her magicks would be put towards creating and preserving farmland for communities around her, to protect the peace between civilization and nature, and to spread and teach more effective, more environmentally safe and effective farming techniques, such as crop rotation, the use of terraces, and irrigation.

After a good twelve years of tutelage, and establishing herself as female, Rylee sought to use her new talents to give purpose to her regular forest wandering, and to safeguard her from the wildlife that preyed on halflings. With little interest in maintaining the farm, outside of magically rejuvenating and protecting the crops, she sought her trade in the form of offering herself as a druid for struggling farms alongside the Priesthood of Chauntea, when she wasn’t wandering the surrounding landscape, gathering materials for small wooden idols, rejuvenate and protect the natural landscape, and offering herself as a guide where needs be. Such wanderings into the forest have yielded interesting encounters, such as healing and feeding a wandering human Hermit, and investigating the ruins of a log cabin, haunted by a lost, sad soul that she guided to the afterlife. Such travels lead her to Loamdale, where her life would be changed forever.

Sorithyn Tolkuthol
Rylee is not one to pick favourites among her current group, but if she was asked who influenced her the most, it would be Sorithyn without question. As one of the first party members to show her care and support, Rylee felt comfort and adoration in the taller Dragonborn, unaware of her heritage. During the party's travel to the Winding Steppes, through the trials and tribulations the group faced, Rylee stuck by her side through thick and thin, showing her sincere care for Sorithyn's well-being, even standing up to her father, Volkhul, when he mocked her loyalty. Once the party had overthrown the tyrant chieftain and thwarted his desire to bring Tiamat to the mortal world, Sorithyn gave Rylee two gifts: The title of Carrier of Sorithyn Ahk-Tolkuthul's Song, and her feelings for the Halfling. Ever since, the two have been caring, even protective of one another, as much as Rylee adores Sorithyn, she fears that her compulsion to lead and not consider her own needs will hurt her, and those around her.

Clairen Longridge
Clairen and Rylee might come from different classes, with Rylee being a salt of the earth person, not having any idea what life in nobility is like, but similarities in interests have helped bridge the two worlds together. Initially unsure about the human, Rylee opened up to Clairen once her warlock nature was revealed, hoping to provide much needed compassion and care in a time of fear and uncertainty. Since then, Rylee has kept an eye on her, hoping to help Clairen break from her abusive past, and forge something new and stable. Rylee almost sees her like a daughter, as she comes to her in times of strife, and admitted that the halfling reminds her of a former nanny.

Alavara
Rylee and Alavara are two sides of the same coin: Both followers of Chauntea, and both seeking to improve and mend the world around them, with Rylee being more naive, extroverted and emotionally focused, hoping to boost morale and promote cooperation and communication, while Alavara's methods are calculated, pragmatic and deliberate, seeking permanent, concrete solutions to problems, tackling said problems head on. Rylee feels that it's a good way to approach certain problems, but that it's not appropriate for every scenario. She worries that the clash in personalities annoys Ally, that the halfing frustrates her, but hopes to communicate more, moreso as the two have played different roles in keeping the party healthy.

Kalza Palod
Kalza and Rylee share a love of food, and their roots of growing up in rural Everrise, but the similarities end there. Where Rylee is eager to reach out to strangers and help, Kalza is more distant, using a scathing tongue to mock others. Rylee feels that Kalza does not like her for this reason, but hopes to form a bond of sorts, and get to know her better, likely over tall pints and hearty meals. Regardless, the necromancer's approach to problems has their place, particularly with those who wish to manipulate or to mock the party, where her unapologetic attitude is a warm welcome.

Saphir
Rylee might not know a lot about Saphir, but she feels that he uses his shady and mysterious nature as a facade to hide his real emotions. The fact that he has opened up to her, talked to her about his concerns, and sought out comfort from her warms Rylee's heart. Even if he's the party mischief maker, she doesn't mind joining in if the mischief is harmless enough, through the use of her casting to enhance his natural ability. Understanding that he might not be too comfortable sharing with the party, Rylee wants to take baby steps to help him get more comfortable with those around him.

Cinnabar
Born from a sac preserved in The Magpie's Hoard, Rylee feels strongly about the pseudodragon, letting him rest on her shoulders, occasionally providing scritches and bits of her rations, seeing him much like a beloved pet. He is a cheeky, mischievous little creature, and Rylee finds great amusement in it, even if she does have to tell him to stop, or to scold him. He is her eyes in the sky, and in the darkness, but moreover, he is a friend.

Personal Quests

 * Rylee carries a magically enchanted bag containing soil and a worm, which allows her to grow Griffonsknot at all times. As a request from Bertha, the owner of the Magpie's Hoard, who gave her the bag, Rylee was asked to plant Griffonsknot wherever she could, as the wild plant was considered rare, but very valuable to alchemists, herbalists, and witches. The plant grows for a month, roughly one moon cycle, before trimmings need to be planted.
 * Rylee hopes to expand her powers as a Druid, and one day, be able to create a grove, or many groves filled with fruit trees and crops to shelter the lost and the hungry.

Current Items

 * Staff of the Woodlands (Recieved from Nhaa) (Requires attunement) The staff itself has items bound to it, which include
 * A Shimmerscale (Command word "Lum")
 * A Scrying Orb made from Lawthrium & Hereafter Fleece
 * Manual of Bodily Health (Given as a gift from Nhaa, containing a wide variety of recipes and health exercises)
 * Ring of Protection (Given as a gift from Clairen) (Requires attunement)
 * Heavy Terrain Surestep Boots (Created by Elizabeth at the Dragon's Hide)
 * Satchel of Soil and Root (Recieved from Berta)

Past Items

 * Ring of Warmth (Requires attunement)

Abilities
Unless otherwise noted, the following abilities are assumed from the standard Dungeons & Dragons materials:

Background Feature


 * Wanderer

Feats

 * War Caster
 * Observant

Halfling Abilities

 * Lucky
 * Brave
 * Halfling Nimbleness
 * Stout Resilience

Druid Abilities

 * Druidic
 * Spellcasting
 * Wildshape (Beasts up to CR 1, can swim or fly)
 * Druidic Circle: Circle of the Land
 * Bonus Cantrip
 * Natural Recovery
 * Circle Spells (Grassland)
 * Land's Stride

Cantrips

 * Druidcraft
 * Mending
 * Thorn Whip
 * Mold Earth
 * Guidance (Learned from the Zhun Dragonborn Clan)

1st-Level*

 * Cure Wounds
 * Faerie Fire
 * Create or Destroy Water

2nd-Level*

 * Invisibility (Circle spell)
 * Pass without Trace (Circle Spell)
 * Healing Spirit
 * Moonbeam
 * Lesser Restoration

3rd-Level*

 * Daylight (Circle spell)
 * Haste (Circle Spell)
 * Call Lightning
 * Plant Growth

4th-Level*

 * Divination (Circle spell)
 * Freedom of Movement (Circle Spell)
 * Conjure Woodland Beings
 * Grasping Vine

5th-Level*

 * Dream (Circle spell)
 * Insect Plague (Circle Spell)
 * Awaken
 * Wrath of Nature

*Due to the nature of Druids, Rylee can change her 12 non-circle spells every long rest. These simply list her most commonly used spells.

Quotations
"In times of strife, why ignore a common goal, and fight a war on three fronts, when in uniting, you only need to fight on one front?" -Rylee talking to a Dragonborn squad and the Wealdwalkers in hopes of establishing peace.

"If you pull a weed out from the roots, it doesn't return. Cut it back, and it'll grow again." -Rylee's philosophy regarding Volkhul's tyranny.

"These have been hard times for us all, but we'll come out the other side stronger than ever, and with a few more evil beings worse for wear because of it." -Rylee comforting Clairen after the fireball incident.

"If you can let this seed of trust grow, it'll become one of your strongest assets, to not only trust again, but know who to trust." -Rylee discussing the prospect of opening up to others with Sorithyn.

Trivia

 * Rylee speaks in what can best be described as a soft Kiwi accent, partially due to the fact that she sees Halflings as sharing kiwi qualities, but also, as Engi admitted, to make voicing her easier.
 * Rylee is currently the only party character who is not cisgender.
 * Due to her encounter with the Dryad in her childhood, she could be considered Fey-Touched.
 * Her favourite drink is spiced apple cider, and her favourite food is chicken, leek and mushroom pie.