Appearance

Physical Description

Tall, strong looking guy, barrel chested with wide shoulders.

Body Features

Green gummy fur.

Facial Features

Long, bushy brown beard and mustache.

Apparel & Accessories

Staff made out of petrified wood, bound with leather, and ornamented with colored beds -- pink for his wife, Rose; green for his daughter, Thia.

A small, magically reinforced glass terrarium with a tiny seedling in it rooted in a pile of sand. It hangs on his belt.

Mentality

Personal history

Vaaris grew up in the Dessert Desert with his aunt and uncle, not in Sunspire but on a stretch of sandy land his aunt and uncle grew and farmed candy corn cacti. In addition to being a farmer, his uncle had been a part of the Confectionary Caravan for years, selling his cactus candy and other goods around the kingdom.

Originally born in the small town of Gummy Grove in the forested Lollipop Woods, Vaaris’ father was a woodcutter and his mother was a member of the Gummy Watch. His mother was rarely around, often stationed far away at various posts and out on missions to track down and terminate Spoiled hives and the liquorice threat alongside her fellow warriors of the Watch. She loved her family dearly, but took her duties seriously and was sworn to help protect the people of Caramelot.

His father died when Vaaris was young from a logging accident, effectively orphaning Vaaris since his mother could not be there for him; however, the other members of the Lollipop Woods community banded together to make sure he was adequately provided for. He has not heard from his mother in many years, and has accepted that she most likely died in the line of duty.

Vaaris loved the glades and forests of the Lollipop Woods and felt called to the path of the Druid; eventually, he even found a mentor who lived deep in the depths of the woods not far from the edge of the Gumdrop Path. Unfortunately, before his journey to Druidism had barely begun, his uncle and aunt arrived in he forest after hearing of his father’s passing and took him in, moving him south to the desert to live with them on their farm.

As a teen, Vaaris’ uncle began taking him out on the caravan and showing him the ropes. Even though it wasn’t the path Vaaris had intended, he enjoyed his time traveling with the caravan as it was the only opportunity he had to venture past the desert sands and see other places across the kingdom, as well as regularly stop in port to visit his old home and train for short times with his mentor back in the woods.

The caravan is truly where Vaaris feels at home. It was on the caravan route where Vaaris met and fell in love with the adventurous and talented bard, Rose; and where they also gave birth to their beautiful daughter, Thia, who also showed great promise in becoming a Druid and seeming to have a more natural talent than himself for connecting with all things green, growing, and vibrant — just like herself. With enough effort, even in the hot dead sands of the desert, Thia managed to bring about hints of life. Tragically, she died when she was only six.

Losing his daughter broke a part of Vaaris. He became stoic and withdrawn, reserved with everyone except Rose. The most precious thing he has that remains of Thia is the last green sprout she had began to grow during their last visit to his uncle and aunt’s farm with her. He keeps the tiny plant in a small, magically enforced glass terrarium he keeps hung on his belt, and in the years following her death he has protected and kept the seedling alive and struggled to make it thrive, as if successfully managing to coax life from the dry parched sands will some how bring his little girl back.

Education

Sporadic teachings from his druid mentor when he can get it, though he has more talent with sand and desert oriented magic than forest magic.

He comes primarily from a merchant background though from his time traveling on the caravan with his uncle who originally owned it.

Through books and occassional tips from alchemists he's met on his travels, Vaaris also has learned how to brew basic solutions.

Employment

Owns and operates a traveling caravan alongside his wife, Rose.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Specializes in sand/desert-oriented druid magic that he's adapted and learned mostly on his own while living with his aunt and uncle on their cactus farm.

Has made a good living as a caravan merchant.

Failures & Embarrassments

As a result of living in the desert most of his life with little access to typical, lush, druid environments, Vaaris struggles with "green" magic, which frustrates him.

Mental Trauma

His daughter, Thia, died when she was six, and many would say a part of Vaaris died with her. What little remains of the fun, light-hearded man he used to be is now reserved specifically for his wife and loved ones.

Intellectual Characteristics

Vaaris is smart, in a large part because he's often quiet and reserved so he's always watching and listening, and he also spends a lot of his free time reading. He can read other people pretty well too.

Morality & Philosophy

Death cannot kill what never dies.

person.sexuality

Straight (though when he was a young, carefree hippie he may have been a bit adventurous once or twice...)

Known Languages

Common
Druidic
Gummy (Elvish)

Personality

Motivation

As a result of living in the desert most of his life with little access to typical, lush, druid environments, Vaaris struggles with "green" magic, which frustrates him as it was the richness of the forest's flora and fauna which originally drew him to druidry. During his travels he is always on the lookout for books, scrolls, and other learnable opportunities to learn and strengthen his woodland magic, in an effort to connect more closely to his original family heritage and to the spirits and memory of his parents and daughter.

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."

Social

Birthplace

Small town of Gummy Grove in the Lollipop Woods

Current Residence

Based out of the Dessert Desert, he travels all over Caramelot on the Confectionary Caravan.

Contacts & Relations

Father: Erick "Treetoller" Balfor
Gummy bear
Former woodcutter; deceased (logging accident)

Mother: Alba Drewsinger-Balfor
Gummy bear
Member of the Gummy Watch; presumed deceased in the line of duty

Uncle: Conall Balfor
Gummy bear
Candy corn cactus farmer; deceased (old age)

Aunt: Merna Rubyeye "Rubes" Balfor
Pepperment
Candy corn cactus farmer, former cleric
(Still lives out in the desert. Whenever there’s a stop over in the desert Vaaris tries to go see her. He worries about her because she’s getting old and senile and tends to forget things and wander off and get lost. A friend of the family checks in on her each day and sort of tends to her.

Druid Mentor: 'Ol Lil
Gummy frog
Woodland druid
Powerful druid who Vaaris met as a young boy and who began teaching him druidry until he moved away with his aunt and uncle; they can now only train together sporaddically when Vaaris' caravan makes stops in the forest. She lives deep in the Lollipop Woods near the Gumdrop Path.
Over the years Vaaris has grown very close to his mentor, but in the last few months she’s upped and disappeared and he’s heard no word from her.

Religious Views

Worships the Gummy Bearon, the Gelatinous Guardian of Nature

Also holds a special place in his heart for Frostbelly the Creamy Oracle, who was his daughter's favorite. (Besides, how can you not love Frostbelly?)

Social Aptitude

He is typically calm and level headed in any situation. He's a reserved man and usually quiet, so he comes off stoic to most and he can be hard to get close to or get to know.

The only people he opens up to and shows more of himself is to his wife, Rose, and other close relations like his aunt and his mentor.