Ascended and Darkin
The Ascended, and by extension the Darkin, were individuals from Ancient Shurima that were magically altered by a long lost ritual. The ritual stole power from the Celestial Realm and bounded it to the individuals to create artificial Aspect Hosts.
In ancient times the rite of Ascension was a ritual usually decided upon by Sun Priests, who were a clergy of specialized dignitaries devoted to an all powerful sun deity. Using an enormous artifact known as the Sun Disc, the priesthood would decree which noble citizen had selflessly served their empire and granted them the chance to do so even after what would normally be their time to die.
But over time, the ritual had become less successful: more and more folk being offered Ascension weren't surviving the ceremony, becoming deformed in the process, the Bacai. By the time of Azir such a ritual had not been undertaken for centuries. When Azir was betrayed by the Imperial Magus, the Sun Disc collapsed and it was assumed that Azir and Xerath were both destroyed.
By this point, many of the Ascended were traumatized containing the Void that had destroyed Icathia and now the descent of Shurima from power. Although apparently immortal, the god-warriors had been born human—gradually, with no emperor to lead them, many of the surviving Ascended began to falter in purpose as their older, petty ambitions resurfaced. They came to view themselves as the rightful inheritors of the world, and taught themselves forbidden sorceries while raising armies to vie for control.
It is said that when everything seemed doomed to be the end of the world, a few groups were visited by Aspects that gave them the strength and knowledge to kill and imprison. Fearing that even those that had not been corrupted would someday turn, Ascended and Darkin were hunted down indiscriminately until they disappeared from the world and knowledge lost.
In ancient times the rite of Ascension was a ritual usually decided upon by Sun Priests, who were a clergy of specialized dignitaries devoted to an all powerful sun deity. Using an enormous artifact known as the Sun Disc, the priesthood would decree which noble citizen had selflessly served their empire and granted them the chance to do so even after what would normally be their time to die.
But over time, the ritual had become less successful: more and more folk being offered Ascension weren't surviving the ceremony, becoming deformed in the process, the Bacai. By the time of Azir such a ritual had not been undertaken for centuries. When Azir was betrayed by the Imperial Magus, the Sun Disc collapsed and it was assumed that Azir and Xerath were both destroyed.
By this point, many of the Ascended were traumatized containing the Void that had destroyed Icathia and now the descent of Shurima from power. Although apparently immortal, the god-warriors had been born human—gradually, with no emperor to lead them, many of the surviving Ascended began to falter in purpose as their older, petty ambitions resurfaced. They came to view themselves as the rightful inheritors of the world, and taught themselves forbidden sorceries while raising armies to vie for control.
It is said that when everything seemed doomed to be the end of the world, a few groups were visited by Aspects that gave them the strength and knowledge to kill and imprison. Fearing that even those that had not been corrupted would someday turn, Ascended and Darkin were hunted down indiscriminately until they disappeared from the world and knowledge lost.