Description
The Legends
Aerion
Title: The Chaos Knight
Rise to Power: It was one thing to be raised by psychotic cultists and another to be sacrificed by them afterwards as tribute. During their final ceremonies, Aerion had been chosen to be the vessel for the forthcoming of their god Illivas into physical form. Set onto the sacrificial table donned in the god’s armor, he calmly accepted his death and waited. The skies above them darkened and clouds faded; the plant life withered away and the soil under their feet became cracked and rotten. A spiraling cyclone of black mist bolted down from the sky like lightning, slamming right into his chest. The immediate vicinity was blasted with waves of air pressure strong enough to kill the mere men that they were, leaving Aerion the only one left alive as the re-embodiment of Illivas. For the first day, the mad god feasted on the corpses of the cultists, washing himself in their tainted blood. On the second day, he began drifting across the lands in search of civilization so that he might raze it to the ground and enslave the survivors as his legion.
Empress Anya Ominex Naus des Kòrun
Title: The Silver Lady
Rise to power: Long ago during the Third Era, Abbedon was at war with a terrible unknowable horde dubbed collectively as The Rake. The Rake was a merciless curse that swept the land, intent on the entirety of the world succumbing to its knees. The Empire and its allies all but threw themselves against the tide in hopes to defeat this dreaded foe. But The Rake fought with unheard of brutality and horrific dedication. At most, the Empire and her allies could only stall their destruction.
It was sometime then that a soldier, Marcus Dacon des Kòrun, prayed to the Goddess Ninous. Whatever was said that day that made the goddess heed his prayer when the prayers of so many others went on deaf ears is unknown. What is known is that on that day, Ninous herself came down from her realm of Iro-Kras and flooded the land with silver light, wiping away The Rake and its taint.
That once nameless soldier was blessed with immortality by the Silver Goddess, only to be brought to Iro-Kras at a time of the goddess' choosing - a honor granted only to her chosen few. The holy title of Ominex - Blessed One - was bestowed upon that soldier and thus Nios(Emperor) Marcus Ominex Dacon des Kòrun took the throne, dawning the Fourth Era.
It is now the Seventh Era on the Imperial Calender, in the time between the fall of The Rake and now. The Ominex line has brought the might and reach of the Empire to new heights and many ages of prosperity to her people. Though there are many members of the royal family, only those who hold the throne are granted Ninous's blessing. The new emperor or empress is chosen when the previous transcends.
The newest ruler of Abbedon is Niosii(Empress) Anya Ominex Naus des Kòrun. Given the Silver Goddess's blessing at a young age, Anya takes the eternal form of a seventeen year old maiden. With her iron resolve, shrewd diplomatic skills and kind demeanor Empress Anya is beloved by her people. So much so that many view The Silver Lady, as she has been dubbed, as the living vessel of Ninous. Some have taken this devotion to twisted depths, the most famous of which is the terrorist group known as The Silver Hounds, believing that the Imperial High Senate are silencing or manipulating her divine word and thus must be destroyed. Despite such twisted acts, the Empress's image goes untainted and as her 100th birthday draws close, all across the Abbedon her people prepare to celebrate such a joyous and blessed day.
Enith
Title: The Wandering Paragon
Rise to Power: Enith was a hero to his people, having driven back countless assaults on his kingdom with both strategic thinking and a swift blade. He was a dutiful soldier, living a relatively peaceful life outside of war, and his kindness never left him even when the kingdom was ultimately crushed, leaving dead his spouse and two sons. However loyal and selfless he was, he was no fool and could see a losing fight when he saw one. When all had been lost, he fled from the kingdom under siege and found a place for himself elsewhere: As a nomad. His reasoning behind it is clouded, but he would have the thanks of many people for this. His sole aim in life had become to protect people wherever there was trouble and his reputation spread quickly as people spoke of a skilled swordsman who would go out of his way to aid the weak.
Godrix
Title: The Dragon Slayer
Rise to Power: Some men gain immense power through extensive training and experience, while others hold an innate strength and skill that allows them to surpass their peers with ease. Making the most out of both, Godrix quickly found an affinity for combat, and though his heights were limited, he never stopped aiming for the top. When he was not sparring, he was studying the magical arts, and when he was not doing either, he was fighting to death with some fierce beast out in the wilderness. He had become powerful even as a young adult, but not enough to make himself noticeable. Perhaps it was a spark of insanity that swirled in mind, because he had suddenly decided that slaying a dragon would be sufficient to get himself a name in the ranks of Abbedon’s military force. He abandoned his missions in the city and roamed out in search of a worthy opponent, eventually stumbling into the nest of a slumbering royal dragon. Godrix challenged the beast and was defeated almost instantaneously, only then realizing the lunacy of his mental proposal. Severely injured, he retreated into the depths of the forest and found himself lost within the Shileagh forest, infamous for mercilessly devouring entire convoys of soldiers on their way from city to city. Many years after his disappearance, he returned to Abbedon, bruised and bloodied, with the severed head of a royal dragon clutched firmly in his hand. Something had changed in both his eyes and demeanor, but one could not quite say what it was.
Iora
Title: The Burning Exile
Rise to Power: A resident of the Iridia magma plains, Iora formed an early interest in the elements, particularly in the lakes of fire that he walked amongst every day. He had always been a strange and violent child, a curious attraction to magic flowing in his blood. Even such that, when he was to be executed for his crimes against the tribe for murdering his family in a fit of rage, he survived after being submersed into the pit of lava which was to serve as his burial pit. Fearing the results of their actions, they fled from the burning man who seemed to walk not in flesh but in fire. Taking only his armor and his sword, he departed without a word, and it could not be said whether or not he was still capable of speech. Warriors and travelers who had lived through encounters with him have speculated that the man might be immortal, only able to find peace in death by the luring tides or the forces of winter.
Pandhem dain Evoba
Title: The Blessed of the Devourer
Rise to Power: The name "Pandhem" in the primary Carthim tongue means "Servant of the Mouth", and this noteworthy bearer took it to heart. At once typical and atypical of the Carthim, Pandhem of the city Evoba is a giant of a man, standing just over seven feet tall. His notoriety began when he decided against following the Devourer's example, asserting that mimicry of a god was in fact insulting the deity's superior qualities. The high priests - the Clergy of the Mouth - decried this as heresy, believing the Swallower would smite Pandhem. Instead, he lived on and garnered quite the following during the course of his military service. Fearful of his influence - present and potential - the Clergy made to execute him publicly in a bid to halt his rise. Just before the deed could be carried out, a rogue swarm of locusts descended and killed five of the high priests, wounding several more. The Devourer then spoke openly to Pandhem, praising his humility and offering him greater power should he convert to the traditional teachings. Not one to rudely reject his god, Pandhem accepted. Now a living saint of the Mouth, he currently sits as one of the Iron Thrones, the military rulers of In Carta Hör.
Thane
Title: The Dark One
Rise to Power: Thane had a natural talent for magic, but as much as he had an unhealthy obsession with it. He was an avid collector of ancient relics, only ever leaving to gather them no matter what the method or consequence. He would always be studying and practicing magic in his chambers, conjuring powerful spells, augmenting his furniture, his books, his entire house, and eventually himself with magical properties. He could not get himself to stop and the surrounding atmosphere of magic was heavy enough to drive him insane; when he could no longer take the pain, he resorted to utilizing a spell that would permanently shift him into an ethereal form. Relieved from the pressure, he was getting ready to settle down again when he realized that he could not maintain his form. Searching about frantically among his trove of relics and artifacts, he bound his soul to the armor suit of an ancient warlock whose mind had been infected with insanity and darkness much like his own. It seeped into his thoughts and if it could be said to be possible, he had somehow snapped even further. His first sightings often reported massive craters and billowing blue flames that engulfed entire villages, collecting a substantial bounty on his extermination.
Undina Ludak
Title: The Witch Queen
Rise to Power: Undina was born as a daughter to the Royal family of Tento. Her line was one renowned for having powerful magicians among the female members, with their powers being passed down from mother to daughter. Undina in particular was a prodigy, considered by many to be the greatest her family had produced in generations. But Undina was an ambitious and jealous creature, and in the pursuit of power she found herself drawn to darker forbidden arts. When her family discovered this, they attempted to banish her. Her response was to slay them, save what few managed to escape the country, and take the throne for herself.
Under her rule, Tento's political and military power grew. And with it, so did her reputation as a tyrant until eventually her nephew, with aid from the Abbedon Empire, returned to take the throne back from her. A horrific war waged between the rebel forces aided by the Imperial army's 10th Legion and Undina's cursed loyalists. It is from the Tento campaign that she is most remembered by, in the hushed tones of generals and shell shocked veterans of the conflict. Stories come from those that survived of fell beasts summoned from other realms, or of terrible curses that turned soldiers into madmen or worse. There were even rumors of necromancy being used wildly across the loyalist forces.
Most chilling of all, however, was the tale of the beast, an ancient long forgotten pagan deity that Undina, in a feat of immense magical prowess, had resurrected and bound as her servant in the body of one of her lieutenants. The beast had nearly devastated the opposing army in the later stages of the war, and brought about Undina's victory. But, if by luck or intervention of the gods, the bindings that held the beast under her control failed and the Abbedon battle mages were able to banish the weakened deity from the mortal world. Undina was then finally evicted and banished from the land. But even now, years later, with recent rumors of her death, her name still draws a cringe from those that hear it. Many doubt that she truly is gone. And some say, even in death, she would still be someone to be feared.
Vaughn
Title: The Champion of Arvalez
Rise to Power: Hailing from a clan of ferocious warriors, there was no secret or hidden past behind Vaughn’s strength. Sponsoring many tournaments and arena fights made public across anyone who was willing to take the call, he made himself known by effortless crushing his opponents and withstanding blows to the point where the man was no longer considered human, but a monster, never sustaining anything more than a scratch, let alone losing a battle. However, this was not taken negatively. His clan was immensely proud to have raised such a praiseworthy warrior as him, labeling him as the undefeated Champion of Arvalez.
Xeralia
Title: The Goddess of Discord
Rise to Power: Not much is known of this winged entity, sometimes revered and worshiped by others as a goddess. Though not exactly seen as cruel or evil, she is notorious wreaking havoc and destruction in either favor, indiscriminate of who she would select as her next victims. Common folk found it difficult to judge her, as she had wrought destruction upon the wicked just as she had upon the neutral and the upright. Some view her as a goddess of destiny, the fate of men small and meaningless in the palm of her hand. While her magic is extremely potent, a handful knows that even she was a mortal and could be bested, however a difficult task it may prove to be.
The Five Terrors
Description: The Five Terrors are among the most infamous cursed knights ever to walk Vasquera. Though they travel apart from each other, they share a common origin and are constantly compared to one another. Their names are laden with the fear that had consumed all those who had encountered these demonic swordsmen along their journeys. Their goals are unknown, but it is known, however, that it involves pure destruction and suffering of all those in their paths. It is frequently debated which of the five holds the most power and the decision is almost unanimously Zau'Eras, who has been seen wielding incredible levels of magical power in addition to his frighteningly impenetrable armor and brutal swordplay. They tend to keep away from society, but rumor has it that they are amassing dark forces under their influence, some even going as far as to suggest that the five terrors had begun to serve as Aerion's personal retainers.
Ki'Jahk
N'ekrsh
Ii'Vrathe
Gu'Slav
Zau'Eras
Anomalies
Monoliths
Description: Monoliths are strange entities within the realm of Vasquera, often times first appearing in the presence of massive, floating stones. While no one is exactly sure what they are, brave scholars and researchers - at least those who survived in their encounters - have managed to gather that they are extremely powerful and not to be provoked under any circumstance, sometimes even compared to strength of gods. They take many forms, and some will shift and change, making it uncertain if they are different monoliths or an altered version of the same.