Maia

Ancient dryad and keeper of the door to the temple of the sun

Maia is the name of both an ancient tree and the dryad spirit that dwells within the tree, for the two are one and the same. She is the daughter of the Aelari, the first trees created by Lahantwene at the dawn of time. The seed that would become Maia was treasured by the royal family of Tel-Tenauril from the days of Illiendhianna, the first elven queen.

In ages before the first coming of Naresh this seed was planted within the Palance of the Sun, a sanctuary for Aesia away from the troubles of the world. Over the ages the tree grew tall and strong and the spirit of the tree came to know Aesia and was the only being not of the royal house of Tel-Tenauril to venture into the Palace Of The Sun, for indeed, it was her home.

With the death of Aesia in 0 AA the elven king Aradhrath sealed the Palace Of The Sun away from the outside world, going as far as to uproot Maia and transplant her to the remote forest of Edenshire in Tel-Faenanil. There Maia dwelt in silence for many years. During this time she had a daughter, Fauniel, a young tree folk druidess who followed the martial path.

In 3025 AA Lanathar, former high wizard of the elven court, was ordered to find Maia and destroy her. His master Aram, the fallen angel of mercy, had taken the Palace Of The Sun as his own and feared that Maia would reveal its location to his enemies. Lanathar summoned the great spider demon Nagaash Chuur, known in ancient texts as the mother of 10,000 sins, to feast upon the life energies of Maia.

The demon had nearly succeeded in destrying the ancient tree when, in 3026 AA, the Fellowship Of The Crystal Tear came to the Edenshire in search of Maia and the Palace Of The Sun. After a great battle, Nagaash Chuur was defeated and Maia was set free to drink in the sunlight and nourish the Edenshire once again.

Alignment: NG

Race: dryad

Maia is a member of the Aelari

Related Articles: Edenshire, Aelari, Palace Of The Sun, Endgame.

Contributor: Mortedamos