Varesh, the Ashen-Faced Lion
The Relentless Reaper, The Howling Vengeance, The Mourning Beast
Overview
Varesh is the embodiment of sorrow, vengeance, and inevitable fate. He was not created by the gods, but rather born from Eryndra's deepest grief and fury after the betrayal of Morthavis , her once-beloved. When Morthavis defied the cycle of life and death, raising the first undead from the corpses of his lost kingdom, Eryndra wept not only for his fall but for the countless souls he had defiled. In her lament, a force unlike any before was shaped—a great spectral beast of sorrow and wrath, neither god nor mortal but something in between.
Varesh is the harbinger of death’s finality, ensuring that those who should pass will pass. Where Eryndra mourns and guides the dead with sorrowful grace, Varesh hunts those who defy the cycle. He does not judge—he only pursues, an unrelenting force that none can escape. The unwilling, the defiant, and those who would pervert death’s course will find themselves stalked by the Ashen-Faced Lion.
Appearance
Varesh is described as a towering lion wreathed in ghostly embers, his fur an ever-shifting swirl of ashen gray and spectral white. His eyes burn like cold fire, filled with the silent sorrow of his mistress, yet within them lurks an unyielding resolve. His mane flows like the remnants of a funeral pyre, trailing wisps of sorrow and inevitability in his wake. When he moves, the air carries the distant echoes of mourning wails, and his roar is said to be heard in the final moments of those who have cheated death for too long.
Purpose and Role
Varesh is the relentless reaper, dragging unwilling souls into the afterlife when they refuse to go willingly. He is the balance to Morthavis’ unholy defiance—where the First Necromancer seeks to ‘redeem’ souls by making them undead, Varesh ensures that death cannot be evaded forever. He is neither cruel nor merciful; he simply is. His existence is a consequence of Morthavis’ betrayal, a living manifestation of Eryndra’s regret and mourning turned to purpose.
Some say that the truly faithful can hear his distant steps in their dying moments, a sign that their soul’s journey will be honored. Others whisper that those who practice necromancy too deeply will see his glowing eyes in the darkness, waiting, watching.
Legends and Myths
The Ashen Hunt
It is said that if one escapes death through unnatural means too many times, Varesh will mark them as prey. No fortress, no spell, no god can shield them forever. The hunt may last years or even centuries, but once Varesh has set his gaze upon a soul, it will eventually fall into his jaws.
The Mourning Roar
When a great necromancer dies, some say the land itself weeps, and Varesh’s roar echoes across the veil. It is believed that this signifies the soul being torn from undeath and forced into the afterlife, beyond the grasp of any mortal magic.
Varesh’s Mercy
Though he is relentless, there are stories of Varesh sparing those who accept death willingly. It is said that if one kneels and speaks Eryndra’s name in true remorse, Varesh will grant them a peaceful passing, carrying their soul gently into the beyond instead of dragging it through the void.
Worship and Cults
Varesh is not a god, but there are those who revere him nonetheless. The Pale Hunters, a secretive order, believe that they serve as Varesh’s mortal agents, seeking out those who defy death’s course and ensuring they meet their end. Some mortals whisper prayers to him in their final moments, asking that their passing be swift and without suffering.
Necromancers, however, speak his name in hushed tones, fearing the moment when the Ashen-Faced Lion will come for them.
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