Irwin

A dedicated acolyte of the Gladekeeper, Irwin values all life. He has made it his life's work to encourage others to appreciate the beauty of the natural world, even in unconventional and often less appealing creatures. He expresses a childlike joy upon uncovering any creature, be it delicate butterfly or poisonous snake. And what better place to spread his ideals than that of a clan committed to bonding with its familiars on a deeper level? Irwin has happily taken his place as beastmaster, and cares for all the familiars that are allied, but yet to meet their match. He is almost a walking, talking Bestiary, and eclipses any other clanmate in obscure knowledge of species.

Perhaps it is only natural. His mother was a devout nature priestess who sought to create the perfect avatar for her faith. In doing so, she sought after a vast tree rumored to have once been a living acolyte. The structure was as massive and sweeping as the imperial who gave up his life to become one with Shrieking Wilds as one of its largest and most ancient trees. Clothed in a perpetual summer green, the giant of a tree pulsed with the wind magic the acolyte held in life. Irwin's mother was no stranger to motherhood, and had since brought life to many children in the name of the Gladekeeper, but Irwin was to be a true testament to her faith. She dug a den at the tree's roots and spent weeks doing nothing but meditating under its magic in hopes of conceiving a hatchling under its wild magic. Her prayers were answered, and she was blessed with a single egg.

Irwin's mother tended it as if her life depended on it, and named him after her late brother whom had died an honorable warrior's death in the Gladekeeper's exalted ranks. Her son was born with both the mana of the Shrieking Wilds, but the wind magic that persisted in the dragon that became their tree. While many would have considered him tainted, the love his mother felt for him was unparalleled. Her son was still everything she could ask for. Not unlike the Gladekeeper herself, natural saplings were embedded in Irwin's body since birth. A padding of dark bark lined his underbelly and wings, while grasses sprouted from the places his scales once were. Irwin had no need to eat when he could photosynthesize like a plant. He still can eat and drink, but they only supplement the energy he gathers from the sun. (Even so, he doesn't like to eat conventionally since he is consuming once-living creatures/fauna.)For years, his mother stayed living beneath the roots of the tree, devoting all her time to study and raising her son.

The two shared a loving relationship in which both cared for and looked after the other. When Irwin was full grown, they finally left their home. His mother wished to return to her clan, but accepted Irwin's choice to become a nomad to spread the seeds of the Gladekeeper's domain as well as her teachings. While not always easy, Irwin traveled between and periodically stayed in clans throughout the continent. In many Nature fights, he was lauded as a blessed creature and given more praise and gifts than he could fathom. Irwin did not believe himself deserving, but wears their gold and jewels as his appreciation for such wonderful gifts. In other elemental clans, he functioned as a diplomat and flight representative for the Nature flight and his blessed Gladekeeper. He once even ventured into the Plaguebringer's land, hoping to mend the relationship between deities and form a peace between a few of its clans.

To this day, Irwin fears the rot and decay of the Plaguebringer and the damage it has done to himself and his original flight. He was completely blinded, and he now fights the heavy nerve damage inflicted by the corrosive toxins of Plague warriors. His claws are nowhere near as steady as they used to be, but he has Kokoro to thank for saving his life. If the healer had not been aiding a water clan at the border between territories, Irwin would have likely died that day. When recovering, Irwin noticed the connection the healer had with his familiar and inquired how such a bond could form without the Gladekeeper. Kokoro explained the clan's culture of familiar partnership, an ideal that more than up his alley. Kokoro also opened up that they were beginning to struggle with the number of familiars, since there simply weren't enough dragons to partner them all.

Irwin of course, lept at the opportunity. While Kokoro was hesitant to let a newly recovered and seemingly impulsive new dragon hold that role, he knew Irwin would at least be welcome to be accepted as a clanmember. Shamira accepted him as a clanmember after hearing of his goals and passion for life, but was not about to accept him as beastmaster without concrete proof. So she devised a test. Irwin was given a recently scavenged egg that was nearly impossible to tell what creature it housed, only that it was obviously of beastclan origin. If Irwin could identify the creature and make the necessary precautions to look after it successfully, the position was his. Irwin was able to pick up inconsistencies in the shell texture and was able to deduce based on its temperature and found location what creature it belonged to. But when the egg hatched, it was a whole different story. Irwin may have been right about its identity, but he was far from a mother Gladeveins Needletooth. He may have been able to simulate the hatchling's necessities, but he simply couldn't replace a member of its species. It took incredible patience and diligence to get the rambunctious little creature out of the hair, scales, and feathers, of clanmates, but he achieved through a massive level of trial and error. Irwin has more than earned his position, and now has the fully grown, and equally kindhearted and calm Evergreen as his assistant and partner.

When the clans split into each branch, it was a no brainer to make him beastmaster and diplomat of The Sanctuary of The Shrieking Wilds. His experience both in the natural and at the side of familiars made him a perfect fit with the skills for others to respect his position. And there is nothing he would love more-being able to house beast partners in need of homes and build an appreciation between them and other clans. While still largely traveling among ally clans, Irwin breathes easy knowing his beastclan allies will be treated their best. He may not be the firmest leader beneath his skills, but the power is often interwoven between members of his clan, so not all decisions are left to him. In general, there is little conflict in his offshoot- not that many hostile beastclans would threaten a massive imperial seething with powerful nature-based mana.

He/Him, pansexual mated to Shiloh.