Spirit of Vengence
Krallumites speak of a vengeful spirit that stalks the night, cutting down the wicked and vile. A ghost clad in metal armor adorned with a cerulean cloak who freezes the air with their very presence. Those who cross its path are tested, for she spares only those whose hearts are warm enough to survive the bitter cold.
A Chance Encounter
When Suner Osman and six other treasure hunters delved into the tomb of Vukan Blagoski, only he and Eldi Altun would come out alive. The only thing they were able to recover from the disastrous expedition was a strange amulet the tightly locked around Suner's neck. They would soon learn that the amulet seemingly granted Suner greatly increased strength, but also put them within the sight of the Occulist Church.
Upon returning to Cristagrad, the pair would find themselves confronted by Dramir, a high-ranking member of the Occulist Church and loyal priest of the
Aeunta Horda Sventai. He explained that the Soulstone Amulet contained the essence of Insillimar, the rebellious scion of Horda Sventai, and that his containment was of great priority for the Occulist Church. Suner's strength came from the demon housed inside, however, the essence flowing into his body also put his life on the line, as it was only a matter of time before the power flowing into him would kill him. Faced with such a predicament, Dramir offered the pair a deal. Eldi would be allowed to go free as long as Suner submitted to being executed to remove the amulet from his neck.
Suner and Eldi turned down Dramir's generous offer and narrowly escaped the city with Dramir and church inquisitors on their tale. The two of them stole a horse and ran into wilds desperate to find a place the inquisitors couldn't find them. As the night crept closer, the pair was hopelessly lost in the woods with little idea where to go next. As they stopped to make camp for the night, a pack of invisible Stalking Grims attacked and killed their horse and turned their hungry eyes toward the pair. They tried to fight off the wolves, but the creatures' numbers and invisibility made survival a slim possibility.
As their deaths seemed all but certain, the air became unbearably cold. A strange figure emerged from the darkness, their eyes glowing an eerie blue. They had heard local tales of something they called the Cerulean Wraith, a tale Suner dismissed as a folk story. His previous assumptions were proven false as she tore through the pack effortlessly with her sword and ice magic.
Once she had dispatched the entire pack, she simply asked why they were out in the woods at night so obviously unprepared to face the dangers of the woods. Suner told her nothing but the truth, in the faint hope she'd be sympathetic towards them. The Wraith, much to their fortune, was no friend of the Occulist Church and was willing to find a way to destroy the amulet Suner wore to kill the demon inside. When she learned that Dramir was the one hunting them, she saw the perfect opportunity to lure out the man she'd been itching to kill for years now.
The Cerulean Wraith proved to be a powerful ally in Suner and Eldi's quest to destroy the Soulstone Amulet and fight off the inquisitors hunting them. In their travels, they'd learn that the so-called wraith was ruthless and vengeful
Steachi named Dejana who sought to avenge her conclave who were butchered by Dramir a decade prior. She'd been fighting against the Occulist Church on her own for years now, vowing to avenge all who've been wronged by the church and protect the meek from Krallum's terrors. Many times her harsh and cold attitude caused tension between the two treasure hunters, though their shared goals kept the group together despite everything.
Birth of the Wraith
The woman who would become the Cerulean Wraith was born in 185 2E in an Onkocist conclave nestled within Krallum's eastern mountains. She was raised in the ways of the Onkocist magi, becoming skilled in cryomancy and learning some of the mystical techniques of her people.
When she turned twenty, the enemy of her people, the Occulist Church, had found their hidden enclave. The assault was led by the faithful of Horda Sventai, Dramir, who slaughtered everyone within the conclave without mercy, as his lord would've wanted. Dejana was the only one to make it out alive, and from that day, she swore to avenge her people and kill Dramir and all like him. Using her skills in cryomancy and the power of the Onkocists, she wages a one-man war upon the Occulist Church. In that time, her war against the church had been twisted into a folk tale of a Havikairi wraith whose sworn vengence against Krallumites, only sparing those whose hearts are gentle and warm enough to withstand her bitter winds. Parents warn their children to be good, for their good actions are the only things saving them from the ruthless wraith who stalks the wilds of Krallum. She never intended to become the monster the people see her as, though perhaps it is to be expected when one faces the Occulist Church alone.
Comments