Ashen

Disliked and repulsed by the inhabitants of the Upper Islands, calling them Pale Walkers, Ashen's are the inhabitants that can be found in the most inner circle of Elysem. Closest to the core, living on the floating islands covered in hellish landscapes of fire, volcanos, and radiated by the heat of The Core, they have adapted and now thrive in these conditions. Before The Shattering, Ashen's already inhabited volcanic landscapes in small numbers, only growing larger when The Shattering created the Inner Circle of islands near The Core, creating the perfect conditions in a large array of islands to settle upon.

They are known to be skillful magic users, folk of tradition, and most of all, folk that keeps to themselves. Rarely is an Ashen spotted in the middle or outer circles. And when they do, they're met with hatred and disgust. Ashen's gained their bad reputation due to how they look, the environment they come from, and from legends and stories told by others. While they mostly eat meat and eat it raw, it is told that they kill and devour anything that moves or comes in their territory, that those who travel to their hellish landscapes never return due to the Ashen. Even though it has probably to do with them dying from the heat and dangerous environment. If given the space and time, they can be quite friendly and open to talk, and learn they are not the monsters other people make them be.

Ashen's are a fan of anything shiny and beautiful, expressing this via their appearance. Wearing dark clothes with golden patterns, flowers that are rare in their habitat, gorgeous patterns, and shapes, and through bracelets, necklaces, and piercings. Who also have a cultural meaning, like rank, title, heirlooms, or family crests.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ashen are quite light, very tall (average of 2 meters), and have very pale skin, hence where their name originates from. Some Ashen can have a light reddish or brown tint. However, this is quite uncommon. They live the closest to the core in the inner circle and are adjusted to its heat and hellish, volcanic landscape. They are quite similar to the human species, having two arms, two legs, and similar, overall anatomy. Their main differences can be found in their tail and horns, varying in different forms and shapes. their nails are also a lot longer, sharper, and of sturdier material than their human counterparts. most differences can be found in their heads. Where their noses are a bit bigger, often being pierced with ring(s), long pointy ears that reassemble the wings of a bat, often pierced too, with their male counterparts being hairier in the ear canal. Besides their tail and ears, the third main characteristic of Ashen is their huge horns that grow from their foreheads, just above the eyebrows. These can differ an awful lot in shape and length. Some may grow outwards, some straight up, and some in a curly manner. But all of them are quite broad in shape. Their overall color is more on the grey side or dark-grey side. The final characteristic can be found within their eyes. Just as their skin, they are snow-white. A lens and color can be found if looking closely, however, they are barely noticeable from a distance due to them having the same shade of white as the rest of the eye. Hair color can range from white, black or very dark brown.

Genetics and Reproduction

Ashen reproduce the same way as humans.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ashen newborns are around 5 to 8 pounds and 60 cm. Ashen babies take around 12 to 18 months to be born. Ashen are born with their horns but these are extremely small and smooth and get more pointy, straight, or curved throughout their life. the type of tail they will have can be seen straight away from birth due to it being lean and slightly long to its small and hairy counterpart. The only difference between males and females is their sexual organs. Ashen's can grow up quite fast only taking 15 years to reach adulthood (5 years shorter compared to their human counterparts). In this period they will experience a lot of growth, especially In their tail, nails, hair, and most notable, their horns. After 5 years of birth, one can easily see if their horns will be straight, grow outwards, or curved. The average Ashen spent most of their years young/normal adulthood staying relatively the same for decades. Only showing signs of becoming of age when they get 80-100 years old. with their average age being around 150-170 years old.

by Andrew Mar

Different appearances of Ashen's

Ecology and Habitats

Ashen live closest to The Core. There they inhabit the hellish landscapes known as the Inner Ring, the floating islands closest to the core. The heat radiates the surface. Volcanic activity is the norm with barren and dry landscapes as far as the eye can reach. Most water is found deep within the islands. Luckily for Ashen, they have always lived in similar habitats and took full advantage of the large number of hellish islands that formed near The Core after The Shattering took place. With most species not adept to these harsh environments, Ashen quickly settled in these regions. Ashen are extremely heat-resistance. A special cell in their skin that forms a coat keeps them cool and reflects all the heat and light, hence their pale skin. Their hair has the same coating but can be much darker in color. A small fact regarding this is that Ashen's can survive in lava for a couple of seconds. While enduring extreme pain, if they reach their hands in a pool of lava for less than 10 seconds, they can actually pull out their arm in a somewhat healthy condition. Even though they are adapted to the heat, they mostly live in mountains, underground, or stone buildings. gathering water for within the mountain or under the ground. Ashen tend to stay together and in their hellish hellscape. But some decide to pack up their belongings and explore the islands above for riches and opportunities, even though the general population beyond the volcanic landscapes are quite intolerant of the Ashen, or how they prefer to call them: Pale Walkers. Which is a slang and disrespectful name towards the Ashen.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Ashen can survive for long times on no water or food, for they get most of their energy straight from The Core due to being extremely close to it. They also evolved this trait due to food and water being scarce in the Inner Circle. When they eat, they mostly eat meat which they consume raw. This has given them a bad name with the inhabitants of the lands above them. However, they do not consume humans or other intelligent species. Mostly creatures that live in the Inner Circle. However, Ashen do grow and store crops for some plants still managed to adapt and grow in these conditions. Due to not needing much nutrition and getting most from the energy emitted from The Core, Ashen's never had any struggle or problems in terms of food or water scarcity. But with the increasing heat and energy from the core, this has become a larger problem in the most recent decades.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ashen has excellent hearing due to their big, bat-like ears which they can point into multiple directions to pick up sounds. Their eyesight is alright but not as good as most intelligent species. Most Ashen have the ability to use magic [magic system/usage will be added later]

by Andrew Mar

An Ashen (or Pale-Walker) wearing formal attire.

Elysem world map by Bram Z

Ashen's live in the Inner Circle (Islands closest to The Core (Red islands))