For years, a young, unnamed druid had been searching for a guardian to protect her forestal home, but to no avail. In one final, desperate move, she gave her life to awaken Gaia, the Earthmother, who arose as both Nature incarnate and protectress of the forests.
From the beginning, Gaia and Her children clashed with the Chaotic dealings of Eris. In one notable quarrel, Eris slew the unicorn sheltered within the Gaian temple; Gaia sought Her revenge by slaying the Spawn of the Unnammable Horror.
Gaia was known for her sympathetic gestures toward the young and the innocent, often requesting mortals to treat them with kindness. She also discouraged Her Order from unnecessary warfare, and declared her public temple free of violence.
In Her encounter with Darnashta'i, a Netherworld demon subtly infected Gaia with a seed of hatred that corrupted Her being. The demon's seed festered in Gaia, driving Her to slay Twilight, God of Darkness–a crime that became known as Gaia's betrayal. Following this attrocity, Gaia was stripped of Her power by the combined forces of Twilight, Eris, Aurora, and Oneiros. This godly quartet proceeded to imprison Gaia in Her own Gaian Tree, where She was to remain for many years.
When Gaia returned to mortal view once again, Her first notable act was to oppose Hashan's expansion into the Ithmian forests. Gaia proclaimed that "Hashan has raped and murdered the forest in a quest for their own glory," and sought to remedy this perceived attack on Nature. Her attempts to limit Hashan's growth ultimately failed, which kindled a long-lasting resentment toward Hashan within the forestal community.
Since being released from the Gaian Tree, Gaia's memory of Her past was incomplete, yet her vehemence toward Twilight remained. After a long battle with Twilight and His followers, she conceded to combine Her essence with Twilight's to create the Darkenwood. This loss seemed to permanently weaken her spirit, and on the 11th of Valnuary, 305 AF, she dispersed Her essence into the forests and disappeared forever.