DTA - Ginseng the Dyrnid

I got so much inspiration and ideas when I set eyes on that first little DTA niddie that I had to draw them~ The story just kept flowing haha! I was inspired by the amazing adopts that both Pen and Sapphu from Sapphu-Adopts and wanted to try out this ref-sheet-like style <3

Thank you to hawberries for giving everyone this opportunity to try out for these three gorgeous niddies! Check out the original deviation here:

 Basic Information

Name: Ginseng
Gender: Male
Species: Dyrnid (Common)
Age: 25
Height: 200 cm

 Personal Information 

Likes:

- His brother
- His mentor
- The sound of chiming bells
- Healing other Dyrnids, the satisfaction of seeing the happy and relieved smiles of the patients were always worth the hours spent in the cold nights
- Warmth, as Ginseng normally patrolled the cold mountains
- Braids and beads, Ginseng is proud of his flowy tail and loves to decorate it by braiding in beads
- Little trinkets, sometimes Ginseng would find little engraved metal beads or small jewelry when gathering for herbs
- Sunrises, a new day's beginning which would signify that the cold dark night has finally past
- Nature, he is forever thankful to Mother Nature for providing such previous leaves and herbs that could heal and save
- Reading, during his spare time, Ginseng would read the textbooks and scrolls his mentor left behind to gain more knowledge

Dislikes:

- Bad weather
- Cold places
- Mountains
- Sick people
- Death, especially witnessing death
- Non-obedient patients

Goal:

To do his best in preventing other Dyrnids from dying like his brother did, thus he wanders the mountains, hoping to save others that may be in need of help.

Personality:

Ginseng is a very caring and selfless Dyrnid, but aside from treating his patients, Ginseng rarely interacts or socializes with others, thus those who have not been under his care would describe him as aloof. 

History:

When Ginseng first opened his bleary eyes and gazed at the world, it was without the warmth and shelter from his parents. He and his brother had been abandoned at birth, dropped quite unceremoniously in a open-mouthed cave, the harsh winter wind slapping their small faces. Surprisingly, Ginseng had adapted well to the harsh environments and his body was strong and tough, but his brother ailed. Despite only being a few hours younger than Ginseng, the young niddie had a weak immune system and a sickly body. With no one to fend for them, Ginseng and his brother could only survive on the roots and shrubs found along the mouth of the cave during their first year. As Ginseng's body grew studier, he slowly took on the role of gathering food for the two of them. Life was harsh, but the two niddies gradually got by. But in their sixth year on earth, Ginseng's brother had a terrible fever. Still young, Ginseng had no idea what to do to help his brother. Thankfully, Ginseng's brother was spared from death, but the fever only left him weaker. Determined to do something to help his brother, Ginseng travelled far in search of a mentor.

In the beginning, Ginseng was only met with refusals, but on his fifth try to an elderly Dyrnid healer, Ginseng was finally accepted and taken as an apprentice. It was also then that the elderly Dyrnid bestowed the young niddie the name of his favorite herb, Ginseng. From then on, Ginseng took the 3-hour long trip once every week to visit his new mentor, and to learn which herbs could be used as medicine, which could be deadly; how to get by the cold bitter winter and survive the scorching summer, and Ginseng gradually gained knowledge on things that niddies would normally learn from their parents. These visit continued and Ginseng and his brother's lives slowly became better, but it seems as if fate would not let his brother escape that easily. When Ginseng and his brother were both 13 years of age, a tragedy occurred.

Ginseng and his brother, who's body had become slightly healthier, were out on an expedition. Ginseng had not agreed on his brother coming along at first, but his brother had pleaded with him and Ginseng simply couldn't say no. Ginseng and his brother took his usual trip along the mountain to gather herbs and food. It was the first time that Ginseng's brother travelled so far from the cave they called "home" that he eagerly bounced there and that, inspecting everything that he hadn't see before. Ginseng had kept an eye on him at first, but after deeming it was safe enough, turned his focus on finding the correct plants. It had only seemed like a few minutes, but when Ginseng glanced up again, the sun was starting to set. Ginseng called for his brother, but when no reply came, he realized that his brother was lost.

Dyrnids weren't creatures that panicked easily so despite his wildly thumping heart, Ginseng kept his composure, assuring himself that his brother just wandered off a bit and would return soon. But when the sun had completely set and there was still not sight or sound of his brother, Ginseng couldn't wait any longer. Dyrnids never did have many predators, but their biggest natural enemy was the weather and on this unfortunate day, a blizzard was rearing. The sky soon grew dark and sleet poured from the sky, drenching the young dyrnid, but he couldn't care less. Hours went by and Ginseng's throat was hoarse from calling out. He tried to blink away the snow and ice, but with the pitch-black sky, it was gradually becoming more and more difficult to see. Still, Ginseng didn't give up and continued to search until morning came. The sun finally rose, like a beacon of light against a hopeless inky world, and Ginseng finally found his brother.

By the time Ginseng carried his brother home, it was already too late. Suffering from hypothermia, the dyrnid's already weak body couldn't take it any more. Ginseng tried his best to heal his brother, but the frozen body lay unmoving. Finally, Ginseng had to accept the cold truth, his brother was gone. The weeks following that were dreary and Ginseng considered taking his own life. The past thirteen years had been spent with his beloved brother and now he was gone forever. Thinking back on that dreadful day, Ginseng wished that he had been more attentive, wished that he had carried around something that could light his way and perhaps help him find his brother faster, something to alert him to his brother's whereabouts. Ginseng didn't want any more dyrnids to suffer and die like his brother, he wanted to help others who may be in need. 

With that in mind, Ginseng abandoned the once familiar cave he called home, the place he shared with his brother, and moved into the elderly Dyrnid healer's cabin. He learned more from his mentor than ever before and spent the next ten years learning all there was to know about medicine, herbs, and healing. However, the elderly Dyrnid passed away when Ginseng reached the age of 24, leaving Ginseng with his blessed staff and cabin.

From then on, Ginseng patrolled the mountains in the day to gather for herbs and in the night to look out for Dyrnids in need. His healing kits and the coldness of the night weighed him down, but he made sure that not one more Dyrnid would suffer out in the dark mountains. In return, the thank that he received from his patients warmed him up inside. It wasn't long that Dyrnids started to call him the Mountain Guardian and Ginseng continue to do so today, guarding and healing others.

 Misc. Information 

- Ginseng ties bells onto his horns and front paws at night, as the chiming not only relaxes him, but also becomes a signal for others
- Ginseng carries around three lanterns, two on his tail and one around his neck to provide light for himself and other Dyrnids
- Besides the first aid things he carry around, he always carries a map of the mountain (which he drew himself) and a water flask in his little pouch
- Ginseng's mentor's staff, which was passed down to Ginseng, has the power to ameliorate pain and speed up the healing process
- Ginseng does not recall his birthday, but he and his brother were born in winter
- During the day, Ginseng tends to his patients, prepares medicine, and reads books, occasionally he may travel to a nearby dignity to exchange for materials
- Ginseng's cabin (once the mentor's) is located at the base of a mountain, although not the one that his brother had been lost in
- Ginseng occasionally wonders about his parents, but he never harbored feelings of anger for them
- Ginseng likes to collect things, a bit of a hoarder, but a lot of it is thank-you gifts from his patients

Check out my second entry here:


Dyrnids Species + Original Design (c) hawberries
Ginseng + Art (c) JeanaWei