Description
A slight, wiry young half-elf with moss-colored eyes and tangle-brown hair that looks like it hasn’t seen a comb in days. Dirt stains his robes, and his hands are calloused from time spent in the wilds. He used to have a perpetually frightened look, his voice sharp and wary like a bird expecting a snare, but after the Queen’s trial he’s become noticeably more relaxed—thanks to some fortuitous gummies.
When he wild shapes, his preferred form is a small green bird with oversized talons—a fitting manifestation of his name, Windfern.
Personality
Talan is fiercely protective of the natural world, especially sacred groves and places of druidic power. His recent trauma has left him skittish and prone to aggression when startled, but beneath the fear lies a deep well of conviction. He believes in balance above all and struggles with guilt over his inability to protect his grove. He’s intelligent and perceptive but lacks confidence in his decisions, especially without his mentor to guide him.
Background
Talan Windfern was born and raised in Balandel, and at the young age of 16 became an initiate of Circle of Verdant Flame, a reclusive circle of druids who protected sacred places of natural balance. He was apprenticed to a master druid who taught him the ancient ways of the wild: the languages of trees, the moods of rivers, and the codes carved into stone. When the cultists invaded the grove, his mentor was slain defending the hidden sanctum. Talan barely escaped, sealing himself in the final chamber with an old druidic rite.
Story
Rescued from the Grove: The party discovered Talan sealed in a hidden chamber within the corrupted grove of Vael’telor during Session 16 - The Silent Grove. He had survived by using an ancient druidic rite to seal himself away after cultists killed his master and invaded the grove. When Lirielle carried his master’s staff, he recognized it immediately but she refused to return it, still wary after their encounter with Granny Louise. Despite this tension, Talan agreed to return to Balandel with the party and aid the Master Druids.
Friendship with Dessie: Talan got along very well with Dessie Pindlehop, the halfling the party saved in Session 14 - Oaths in the Wild. When he discovered she was actually dead and being controlled by cultists, he was devastated.
Caught Between Powers: During Session 18 - A Flower for the Dead, Talan visited the party at the Scarlet Shield Tavern after meeting with the druids at Balandel Enclave. The druids thanked the party but insisted they had everything under control. Later, Queen Aelra Sylanthiel had Talan taken to her questioning chamber—not for torture, but to keep him safe and gather information. The druids of the flame discovered his location and liberated him, intending to use him as a witness against the Queen in her trial.
The Interrogation: In Session 21 - Speeches, Spirits, and Storm Clouds, the party staged a fake interrogation to test Talan’s loyalties. Lirielle disguised herself as the cultist Serelion Vael and pretended to break him out while the Queen watched invisibly. Talan simply panicked and claimed ignorance. Dravencoles, frustrated, suggested killing him—shocking everyone and raising questions about the paladin’s compassion.
Drunken Witness: The party rescued Talan from the fire druid camp in Session 24 - The Queen’s Trial. After hearing their full story, he believed them and chose to take their side against the druids. Worried his nervous personality would make him a poor witness for the prosecution, the party got him drunk with Wizzlethorpe’s help, keeping him up all night before the trial. Their plan worked—he was useless on the stand. After the trial, Ferinthria’s wild magic accidentally transformed her into a marijuana plant. She made gummies from the leaves and offered some to the perpetually anxious Talan. The effect was immediate and lasting—he’s been noticeably more relaxed ever since.
Return to Southaven: Talan accompanied the party when they returned to Southaven with 200 elven troops to break the siege. During the assault on Aramond’s Lookout in Session 27 - Confronting Ghorzak the Red, he wild shaped into a bird to chase a fleeing serpent-creature. The creature’s venom nearly killed him—ordinary healing magic and even druidic magic had no effect. Only Ferinthria’s holy energy stabilized him, and Dravencoles’ radiant magic pulled him back from death’s door.