Eneaj Snaelro

"Even Lux, despite all efforts to rid itself of any taint and corruption, still fails short of it´s ideal. The stronger the light, the deeper the darkness... and make no mistake... there will always be darkness.
I leave the light so I can find those who are lost and guide them towards a brighter path. I don´t look down on a whore, nor do I belittle the beggar. Never do I look past the sick and filthy, or ignore the ones wielding their words with hate and rage. I walk where I need to just so i can offer a helping hand."

- Eneaj Snaelro, Paladin of the Helping Hand

by TheLastAlley

Eneaj Snaelro is a widely known name, reaching beyond the walls of lux. Praised as a Saint, she has her name decorated by many titles, "Judge of Corruption", "Saintess of Mercy" or "Voice of the People". None proclaimed by herself, for she is a humble woman. Origins as common as they get, her talents mediocre at best and her ambitions altruistic in nature. Her presence both blessing a curse, based on who you ask.

Childhood

The Snaelro is a family of farmers the surname simply the identifier of their property. One of the countless farms in villam most were just known by their farm name, because of the distance. So was Eneaj, by the way, if by some happenstance someone would mention her it would be in the form of "the little girl/daughter of the Snaelro".
She herself only knew the names of the nearest farms: North, Gerent farm, east, Kalinz Farm, south, Feli Farm and the more wealthy farm of the Jerons 9 miles to the southwest. Eneaj grew up, as one of countless unremarkable farmer kids, in villam, not beholden to any higher education or other privilege's, but also never had a day where she went hungry. The Snaelro farm never grew beyond their initial lands but still earned enough to comfortably keep their standard of life. Her life proceeded uneventful to the point where she had become a young woman of 16 years. Her brother already betrothed to a girl from a farm around 40 miles away, was soon to be married and his wife to live with them. Eneaj had reached an age where she would soon be confronted with the same reality.
It was her brother, Nahoj, that allowed her the opportunity to experience something else besides the most of mundane lives.
As the Snaelro farm would soon gain another pair of hands, her brother convinced her and their parents to send her of to the Capital in hopes of learning some other profession. If it were to not work out she could always return later. So it came that Eneaj caught up in fantasies of a different life left for lux with a small allowance to accompany her.
EEneaj, like most country bumkins, quickly fell into the many traps that a young impressionable girl would face when confronted with "The Pearl of the Union" and her small allowance shriveled up quicker than expected. With having no progress made towards gaining a respectable profession, she defaulted back to the only thing she knew, honest hard work. A year passed, with Eneaj not having anything to show for and her odd jobs barely keeping her from starving. As the time for the long dark approached she knew if she didn´t change her situation quickly she would be lose everything she had left, just to gain shelter, or risk dying. It was there that, born out of desperation, she signed up as a soldier.

Military

The year was 2004 and the northern taming had begun around 2 month ago. With dozens of troops rushing to reinforce the pioneering efforts. Eneaj becoming a soldier of the troop under minor noble Gaston Drebalin. What followed was a time of uncertainty and hardship, but as quick as her lot in life had changed, it changed again. During a casual inspection Eneaj was found caring for the Horses, something she did willingly, as it calmed her. This was coincidently noted and the lazy officer that actually had that duty was questioned, punished and send somewhere else. Eneaj, who had been doing his work for a couple days now, found herself suddenly promoted, from a common guard to a logistics officer, in charge of animals and later provisions. Away from the looming dread of the ashenwood wendigos, she happily traded guard duty with manual labor and organization. This went on for another 1 and a half years until the foothold of the expansion culminated into a new Babylon.
At this point most soldiers were dismissed, but Eneaj found herself on another crossroad. While common soldiers were as easily replaceable, capable logistic officers were actually an asset worth keeping. She was offered a position as a retainer inside the mansion of Lord Gaston Drebalin. She would work while being taught missing and necessary core skills, like reading and writing, a skill she didn´t possess until now.

Trials

A more relaxed life followed filled with chores and education both. Still it was a happy time for her. This ended abruptly as she caught the fancy of Lord Drebalin himself, her being a young lady approaching 20 years of age.
She was not stupid, so she would be lying if she said it never crossed her mind that the lord could use his position to do "things" to her... she was not a little girl anymore. She actually was thankful to him as he had been her ticket to success, even though he was never directedly involved. Sadly, Lord Drebalin disillusioned her immediately, any kind of fantasies of romance were thrown out of the window as he presented her with the hard facts, that everything she owned at this point was his, even the garments she wore.
She had not a single coin to herself, so either she would warm his bed tonight, and occasionally afterwards, or she would be thrown out on the streets naked with nothing to her name and his influence baring her from every lucrative job. Eneaj realized for the first time that the respectful and kind Lord Drebalin was just a fabricated mask he wore in public. A noble façade.

That day she sat in her room contemplating for hours. Her thoughts were fairly pragmatic, debating how much she would lose by refusing and what she would gain. The story of the maid getting impregnated and birthing a bastard was as common as it gets, and most of these unwilling or willing mothers lived better life's afterward.

Eneaj too would probably life a better life, and he would probably be bored with her after a year or two having found another young thing to replace her. She was strangely unconcerned about her own purity and reputation, but rather if her family would be disappointed in her, not because of the situation with the lord, but rather because she would probably stop there. They had sent her of to learn a respectable craft and she had proudly sent back letters announcing her success. Was it right to just stop here and be satisfied.

At this moment her eyes saw a peculiar glittering. Eneaj had not been overly pious, but she knew the common signs of the gods. In this case her eyes homed in and found the source, far in the distance stood the chapel of the helping hand, the reflecting cross on top having previously caught her eye. She knew how the helping hand operated, this was a sign, a granted opportunity or a offered alternative. That evening she visited the Lord in his chambers and disrobed calmly, carefully folded the clothes and placed them before him. "These don´t belong to me." se said and left not caring for Drebalins curses and threats.
She left the mansion still naked and walked the streets westwards towards the chapel of the helping hand. There a single priest stood, as if waiting for someone specific. As Eneaj spoke to the man he never looked at her, a strange duo. A naked young woman, who intensely stared at a priest and a old male priest utterly uninterested at even glancing at her while he slowly preached.

Eneaj Snaelro became a follower of the helping hand that day.

Shortly afterwards some guards came to apprehend her for public indecency and by order of Lord Debralin. Though backed by her new companions and the clever offering of a "zone of truth", quickly quelled the lords design on this official judgement. With this Eneaj´s fetters were severed and she returned for her new home... this time wearing a common tunic, at least.

Reputation

Like most things in life, starting anew is a time consuming process, her new calling requiring her to speak a new language, the language of the mistreated, despondent and bitter. Many a night did she doubt her decision, just some intercourse would have probably given her a stable live and enough allowance to support her family back in villam, especially as she was now 22 years old and still a virgin.
All these doubts siappreared as she witnessed the first success of her efforts.
Normally they went out often to help the poor and downtrodden, offering a little help and counsel, as per their creed: "Offer a helping hand, but they have to take it."

During one of this trips she noticed a young girl skirting the event and decided to confront her. It was mostly routine by now, but this time she was fascinated by the story, as the young girl was almost a complete opposite to herself. A well educated merchants daughter from Imystrahl, having left her family to elope with her lover. From there her life went into a downwards spiral, being left alone, having nothing to her name, with no connections or ability to contact her family. She didn´t know what to do and became a beggar, while resorting to prostitution when getting desperate. Eneaj listened intently, not understanding how this bright girl could possibly live such a wretched life. She realized, the only reason that she had not ended up the same, or worse, was because she had some opportunities that helped her along, the lazy officer, the lack of logistic officers, the sign of her god. The young girl had had none.

"This is not right." Eneaj thought.
So she told her own story, to showm that if even a stupid farmer girl like her could survive, then a smart young girl, like her, could thrive. They talked longer, but ultimately Enaj left, having provided counsel and some bread. It was a couple of weeks later that the same girl visited the temple and asked to visit Eneaj, she was almost unrecognizable. She had gained courage from their talk and had sold herself inside the city, but not like usually, this time she sold her knowledge. Now she worked at a bakery, also managing the accounting of the store. Eneaj had provided her with the courage to take try and change her life for the better. This was the moment that changed Eneaj realized something... some people didn´t have the courage to leave their darkness behind, but if she was the one to visit them in their misery and hold out her hand, right there, in front of them, then maybe they could grasp it. Eneaj swore the Oath of the Common man and became a paladin.

Long years of dedication followed, interrupted by campaigns of martial might, as her duties, as a paladin, stipulated. Still Eneaj decided to leave behind the battlefield every time and return back to the poor and downtrodden. A more difficult fight that brought her no glory, but left her smiling, for this was what she had pledged herself to. It was in later years, when the young Eneaj had grown into a battle-hardened woman of 33 years, that her past crossed paths with her. One of her current protégées didn´t return one night and her investigation lead her to the mansion of Lord Derbalin. She didn´t rush her decision or acted out of emotion but still trespassed and dispatched all the guards barring her way. When she entered she immobilized the noble she had last seen years past and healed the girl before taking her away.

This, of course, had repercussions and Eneaj was judged a criminal and given to Lord Drebalin for punishment. Never had the nobles guessed that this act would shake lux in it´s entirety. As Eneaj had worked tirelessly for years and help countless people, to them she was a veritable saint.
Almost immediately after her judgment a humongous mob gathered, demanding her release. The situation escalated to such an extend that Farseer Hilve had to appear and bring the situation under control. That day the ruling class realized there was an untouchable entity in the city, one that had no say in the law, with no backing whatsoever, but held the hearts of the citizens.
Eneaj was pardoned and Lord Derbalin, including judges, stripped of their status, to appease the masses. After many understood Eneajs new status, herself included, she became the center of attention, for a single word from her could start a civil war. Lux was her home, but she had helped all around the Union and her name traveled farther than then city walls. At this time her true fight began, one not for the people, but one against corruption.

Legacy

Eneaj still lives, others may fight more glorious battles and leave legends behind, but Eneaj Snaelro, will make sure the common folk will have the mind to listen to these stories. For this alone she works tirelessly, as she knows that her work will never be completed, until her very last breath. For this, she continues to walk, ever vigilant, to look where others avert their gazes ... to reach out, with a smile, and ask if one is in need of a helping hand.

Species
Human
Biological Sex
Female
Religion
Follower of the helping hand
Birth
20th Naj - 1988 AL - Villam
Family
Milos-Father
Loraine-Mother
Nahoj-Brother
Height
5'10"//178cm
Weight
174lbs//79kg
Likes & Dislikes
Eneaj despises to see hopelessness and poverty. Wasted potential overall.
She likes seeing smiling people. Happiness begets happiness. Wise beyond her years.
Quotes & Catchphrases
"I can show you another path, but ... I can´t walk it for you. If you think you are ready, then I can be your escort, but YOU are the one who has to take my hand.
"I will walk where others do not. Where others avert their gaze, I will focus. I will wade through filth and thorns to provide hope to the ones, who only need a single chance."