The Ashen Born

The Ashen Born (a.k.a. Abomination, Ash, Death or Knight)

O' death, singing to me softly,

O' death, s'rve thy judgment to me,

O' death, thy ashes hath brought mine own endeth,

O' death, releaseth me from thy grasp.

In the Book of Ash, the Ashen Born is Death reincarnated, with the purpose to deliver immediate judgment and execution to the living. None found the true identity of Death. Several testimony from self-proclaimed acquaintances of the Ashen Born served to expose them as a human who was tormented by the living, before making a deal with the All-Father. Their power is unimaginable. Some believed they could end the world with a swing of their sword.
The Ashen Born's presence built a following. After a while, the Church of Ash was formed to pray to their living god. Some were fortunate to return after facing them, while others had their souls ripped out.

O'Death, The Living God by Cryssalia

Physical Description

Body Features

The Ashen Born seems to be well built with a light female curve. The right arm is made of black-coloured bones with runes. It is also the arm that is able to cast high-level magic that are destructive in nature. The arm is constantly hidden with long sleeves or bandages, as the runes can explode when exposed to sunlight or air. Their tail comes out of their back and barbed towards the end.

Facial Features

Their ears are sharp, their hair is short unkempt, and wears and eye patch over their left eye. They often wear a mask, so no one knew how they really looked. Their bangs also sometimes cover their eyes as a means of concealing their strange irises.

Identifying Characteristics

Eye of the All-Father by Cryssalia

The right eye had an odd number of iris in it, although it is described as a lizard. There are five iris in total, with four of them on top of a single large one. Some believe that the right eye of the Ashen Born is not really theirs, but belonged to the All-Father. It is a method of the All-Father to see the world through His proxy, and directly control their mind according to His needs.

Apparel & Accessories

They are wrapped in a fur cloak and wear a pink diamond ring on the right ring finger. Surprisingly, the ring does not have any kind of magic energy inside. The ring and the layer are purely cosmetic.

Specialized Equipment

They are always seen with their rune-bladed great sword. Currently, the sword is in the care of the Strigea Monarchs. Due to its weight, no one can lift the sword and the runes often glowed upon contact. Scholars noted the runes formed a short sentence which read:

Sword of Obliteration by Cryssalia

With Death, I welcometh thee

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Prior to them becoming a god, they were a child in a farmer's village outside the borders of the Old Kingdom of Laevenon. They lived a simple life with their mother and younger sibling, until their sibling was killed by a hound of the Laevenese Soldiers and their village was burned. They were captured and kept in the cage until their mother broke them out and attempted escape. Sadly, they were the only survivor of the massacre.
Weeks after their escape, they were critically injured and lost their left eye from an Ashseeker attack. Rescued by a Necromancer, they jumped to the chance to learn magic and fighting. Ash honed their sword fighting and magical abilities in hopes they could exact revenge on Laevenon. During an incident involving bandits, Ash went berserk and killed a bystander which led the Necromancer to exile Ash from their new home. There are no records of the child's name, nor the necromancer that took them in.

Undeniable Offer

Days after exile, they began to experience hallucinations and fluctuations in their magic. They began to either conjure monsters or reduced everything around them to ashes. People began to avoid them, fearing their own demise. As the years passed, they were discriminated against and constantly exiled from wherever they decided to call home. Their isolation caught the attention of the All-Father, who offered them His power if they sold their soul and body to Him. Unable to cope any longer, they immediately agreed.

Loss of Innocence by Cryssalia

I've failed you. I could not be the hero you wanted me to be. I couldn't save anyone in this world. But perhaps, in another life, you can save them. So please... don't let someone else go through the same thing as I did...

- The Ashen Born's last wish

Their skin is now a deathly white with eyes of blood red and toxic purple magic. They grew horns and a tail, reminiscent to the Ashseekers and to the All-Father. From that point on, they called themselves the Ashen Born. The All-Father transferred His magic to the Ashen Born, turning them into His proxy to harvest souls.

Accomplishments & Achievements

The Ashen Born liberated the Old Kingdom of Laevenon, killing the Monarchs, harvested souls as an act of revenge. The kingdom was laid waste and those they spared began to worship the Ashen Born's might. Some became obsessed with being killed by their blade, while others rose to create a religion for their new god. The Ashen Born became a symbol of salvation across Maerus and their name chanted like a mantra. 
The Ashen Born soon achieved immortality by ascending with the All-Father's help. Their emotions revoked and their soul harvested by their patron as agreed. While the sight of the Ashen Born continued to plague Maerus, it has become a legend passed down for generations.

Mental Trauma

During the physical changes, Ash met a village girl outside of Laevenon's borders. They fell in love with her, although they were very shy to express their affection. One day Ash saved the girl from the monsters, and they've become friends ever since.

Moment of Respite by Cryssalia

Ash spent their time next to the girl and helped her with her daily work. Ash refused to express their love in fear of rejection, but continued to admire her in silence.
Over the months, they got closer and the girl knew Ash of her feelings. Elated, Ash did the same and was open with their feelings for her, much for the chagrin of the village and the girl's parents. Ash was discriminated against because of their appearance.
The village was opposed to Ash remaining with them and the girl's parents refused to accept Ash as part of the family. They started finding reasons for Ash to be chased or sent away and never come back. The girl defends Ash, however, and persuades her parents to change their mind. Instead of comforting her, the girl was beaten by her father and forced to stay at home.

Broken by Cryssalia

Reluctantly, Ash left the village to avoid their love from being abused. However, Ash returned in the night to meet her secretly, and they received a pink diamond ring from the girl. This action was observed by one villager, and they were exposed. The girl was judged and, before being executed, Ash woke up to their power and destroyed the entire village.
In their moment of madness, Ash accidentally killed the girl and realized this only once they were awakened from their trances. Mentally marked by the butchery they caused, the All-Father was able to remove their mind and made them His puppet.

Ash's Last Moment of Humanity

Ash's mind was revoked, but their heart remained. Powered by anger, Ash blamed the world and its people of inflicting unworthy cruelty upon them. Blood tears were shed and their new - albeit unstable - power was used to waste the ancient Kingdom of Laevenon. Their aim was to kill the monarchs for the destruction of Ash's home and family.
Every blood they shed wraps them in apathy. Ash's eyes have lost light. Despite the desire for revenge, Ash felt no satisfaction. After killing the king, Ash loses their emotions and become an apathetic warrior for the All-Father. Laevenon's survivors praised their strength and thanked Ash for freeing them from the monarchs.
In their last moments of humanity, Ash dreamed of the promise they had made with their love, and saw her image in a wedding dress. Although Ash was aware that they could not escape the path they had chosen, they wanted to be reunited in another life to ask for her hand.

You look wonderful in a dress, flower... by Cryssalia

Maybe in another life... we'd get married. Just as you wanted, my love...
Well, maybe then... I'll take your hand and say, "I do."

Morality & Philosophy

The Ashen Born has no solid hold on their own ideals. They simply went about with their life, killing those they found annoying and sparing those they considered useful. Some view the Ashen Born as the neutral party, since they avoid contact most of the time. However, the majority believed they are Death incarnate and should be eradicated before they end the world.
The Ashen Born's view of the world is rather obscure. They find it beautiful but dirty. They love it and hate it. Worthy, yet it needs destruction. Those who have managed to converse with them find their view confusing, but they often returned thinking deeply of their words.

How can you pray to the gods when they never answer you?

- Words of the Ashen Born

Divine Classification

Living God

Religions

• Church of Ash

Church/Cult

Church of Ash

Age

Unknown

Date of Birth

Unknown

Gender

Unknown

Eyes

Sharp blood red

Hair

Short deathly white

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Deathly white

Height

5'10"

Used as a symbol by the Church of Ash. The effects of being under the spell of this symbol varies, but most lose their minds and become monsters upon eye contact. Only the Ashen Born is capable of using this eye to its full potential.

Nightmares of the Ashen Born