Willya

Originating from the forests within the mountains of the Anadia Province in the Thenalion Empire, Willya was born not as Willya but as a simple member of his people. Coming from a traditional Firbolg background, names were considered atypical and thus were rarely on used in the presence of outsiders, in which case he'd simply adopt whatever he heard first: "Hiya", "Greetings", "Stranger", etc. Life had been a simple one within the woods, and Willya most often found himself relying on the company of nature to pass the time. Animals and plants seemed to almost understand his words, and in strange, indirect ways they'd sometimes respond.

On a small quest to find gems amidst the mountains for his elders, he had been struck by what he calls divine intervention. There is very little memory of what had occurred as he seemed to lose consciousness, but he remembers feeling as though he could see all the stars in the universe spinning around him, as though the roots of the earth were moving throughout the core of the planet, and before blacking out it had felt as though the mountains swiveled around him. When he had stirred from this trance, he found himself laying on a flat cliff near one of the peaks, and he slept soundly beneath the stars, dreaming of the rivers of the world like flowing bloodstreams for the world.

Coming back from his quest empty-handed, he did his best to express what he had experienced to his fellow tribemates. The answer from the elders had been a simple one: Willya had clearly been chosen by the hand of a god, and that moving forward he would ultimately find himself on a pilgrimage until meaning came to him. It was a vague goal to meet, but he found himself believing that going forth into the world and simply doing good would be enough to appease and garner answers from his god. The night before his departure, he cut out a wooden star from a birch tree as a symbol of his divinity. When he had finished and woke up the next morning, a name had been mysteriously carved into the base of the center, reading "Celestian". It was then that he discovered the name of his deity.

He sought out a humble journey, facing the awkwardness of lacking an understanding of social norms in order to help others out along his way. It had started out simple: helping to turn fallen carts over, carrying supplies on his back to help fatigued travelers, occasionally stopping into farmlands in order to help with the work. It was like this for a long time before he stumbled his way into Vael after helping a captain bring in some shipments from Ruendil, who just so happened to point him in the direction of the Cardinal's Reach, a small guild within the town. It was the first time that Willya had been introduced to the concept of a guild firsthand, and he viewed it as a beacon of purpose, seeing how the intention of its service seemed to be about helping others in need. Master Rillis, the head of the operation there, took Willya on as a helper of sorts. There he would don his more permanent name, as he was often met with a "Will ya'..." when it came to chores and errands. If you happen to ask him, he'd say he likes the name.