Aelwynn was a kind woman with very little means, having grown up in a large and poor family.
She spent most of her time, and all of her assets, helping those in need.
It didn’t matter to her who you were, what you’ve done or where you’re from.
If you’re in need of shelter, some old clothing, a scant meal or just a listening ear, Aelwynn would do whatever she could to help.
One of the Gods, Eostre, took a particular interest in Aelwynn.
She approached her one day, praising her for her kindness and willingness to help those in need.
Eostre granted Aelwynn a Divine Blessing: The ability to heal any injury, cure all ailments and even restore missing limbs.
There was only one condition:
Aelwynn was to continue helping others, but forbidden to ever ask for any kind of payment.
Aelwynn was delighted at this chance, and gladly accepted Eostre’s Blessing.
Eostre was rarely seen in Cathaìr nan Diathàn, so this was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
For years, Aelwynn healed and cured everyone she could, becoming a local celebrity.
People came from all over the city, and even from far beyond, to be cured from ailments they would never recover from in any other way.
Of course the occasional scraped knee, dislocated shoulder and broken nose would be treated as well, as Aelwynn had a hard time turning anyone away.
She continued to adhere to the condition Eostre had set, and never even hinted at wanting payments for her healing miracles.
That didn’t stop people from handing her gifts. Donations. Food. Even money and jewellery.
At first Aelwynn protested and refused to accept anything, aside from the occasional meal.
After all, a girl’s got to eat.
Eventually, with so many people praising her for her abilities, and the overwhelming gratitude she received for restoring and saving so many lives, Aelwynn started to give in.
She still never asked for payment, but started accepting more and more gifts.
Slowly, she started adjusting to her new-found fame and increasing status.
Aelwynn started wearing the jewellery given to her, began dressing in the finest silks and leathers, feasted on luxurious meals.
She saw no harm in it, as all of this was freely given and nothing was ever asked for.
Over time, she started to become more and more selective in who she healed.
There were only so many people she could help in a day, so why help the butcher’s boy who lost a finger rather than a nobleman’s wife who sprained her ankle?
The butcher may give her some scraps, but the nobleman was rich and known to be quite generous.
At times, there were less than kind people asking for her help.
Rich nobles thinking they weren’t that far beneath the Gods themselves demanded special treatment over the ‘peasants’.
They never outright threatened Aelwynn, but simply mentioned what a shame it would be if one of the local orphanages would have to be shut down due to lack of funding.
Or course, if Aelwynn was willing to spend a few hours every week curing the noble’s gout, he would be so grateful that he’d make sure the orphanage would be funded for another few weeks.
Aelwynn tried to divide her time between those that really needed help, yet was unable to ignore both the wealth and the threats bestowed upon her by the rich and noble.
Meanwhile, Aelwynn didn’t know that the butcher was a devout follower of Eostre, just like entire generations before him.
When the hand from the butcher’s boy wasn’t treated properly, it got infected.
Eventually, the infection spread throughout the boy’s body, and he perished.
Grief-stricken, the butcher prayed, cursed, and shouted his anger and disappointment into the sky.
Eostre heard this prayer, and felt his pain.
She sought out Aelwynn, and discovered what she had been up to.
There is no fury worse than a Goddess scorned.
Eostre torn into Aelwynn, accusing her of trying to weasel around the one and only condition there was.
Aelwynn was no longer the person Eostre had taking a liking to.
In her anger, Eostre reached out to all who have been healed by her Divine Blessing, and beckoned them all over.
One by one they came, uncertain as to why, but unable to resist the call, drawn as if lured by the Sirens themselves.
That’s when Eostre revealed her punishment to Aelwynn.
Aelwynn was allowed to keep everything she had been given, except from the Divine Blessing.
That was the one thing Eostre took from her.
But with the Blessing gone, its healing also stopped working.
Eostre forced Aelwynn to witness all the good she had done vanish in front of her eyes.
People started bleeding from wounds long healed, disease ravaged now-healthy bodies, once-restored limbs disappeared from existence.
Others simply dropped dead on the spot.
As the miracles faded and the injured started screaming in pain and the dying started begging Aelwynn to help them once more, the survivors started screaming at her, calling her a Witch.
With mob mentality being what it is, it took mere moments for her neighbours to turn on her.
They chased her away from the city, forcing her to leave everything she had behind.
She was later labelled a fraud, and banned from Cathaìr nan Diathàn, to be executed if she ever dared show her face again.
Eostre hasn’t granted a blessing ever since.