Hanged King

The Hanged King is a mysterious entity worshiped by some in Estrodia, and is directly connected to the appearance of the New Moon. He is responsible for most of the major conflict encountered by Team B, and is the overarching villain of the Liftoff campaign. The name of the Hanged King has been lost to time or may have never existed at all, and even his followers refer to him by his title rather than any name.

Legend

The legend of the Hanged King begins with what his followers call the Great Betrayal, a war between the followers of the Hanged King and three nations of The Expanse, Ushana being one of them. The Hanged King lost this war, and was executed by hanging on the walls of his citadel for all of his followers to see. However, the Hanged King did not die. For seven days and nights his body hung from the walls of his citadel, his blood staining the brick and his limbs hanging limp. Those who sentenced him tried to execute him, piercing him with their spears and stabbing with their knives, but the King would not die. It was said that Death himself refused to take the King, and so his body remained immortal hanging from the walls. On the seventh night, the King vanished from his rope, and his body was never recovered. Today, no mention of the King may be found in the history books of Estrodia, and most either doubt he ever existed or have no knowledge of him at all. There are some, though, who worship him as an immortal god, and remain committed to him should he ever return to seek his vengeance.

Influence

In 1227, the Hanged King's influence may be felt throughout Estrodia, albiet in small or well-hidden ways. The King has been connected to the cult murderers at Summerhall, who killed twenty people in his name and whom guarded a tomb bearing his symbol. He was also a significant force behind Annaeleth Adaviel's plot to dethrone Arvel Telavia, as well as the Eclipse that transformed Ushana from a peaceful forest to a Void-infested nightmare. The most physical manifestation of the Hanged King's will so far is Raeas and the Vanishing Army, his primary vanguard on Estrodia and the only group so far that is directly linked back to him. Raeas and his men are responsible for the destruction of Linktree and Bellenau, and the murders of many of the residents of both. The full extent of the Hanged King's power has yet to be determined, and the King himself has never actually been seen or heard, leaving his exact nature nebulous and his status unknown.

Known Abilities

Despite the majority of his involvement being indirectly through his followers, the Hanged King has demonstrated that he has direct power in the world and has utilized it on very rare occasions.

Void Disintegration

When Annaeleth Adaviel failed to protect the Asmodeus Stone and remove Arvel Telavia from power, the Hanged King reached out directly and reduced Annaeleth to a puddle of Void sludge, killing her instantly. It is unknown if he can freely exercise this power regardless of location, as Annaeleth was in a shrine dedicated to him at the time. It is also unknown if he can use this power on people other than his followers, as he did not disintegrate Team B despite them being in the same shrine, and being known enemies of his.

Mental Projection

Though not verified, it was stated by Annaeleth Adaviel that the King spoke to her directly, suggesting he has the ability to project either his voice or thoughts a great distance to a specific person. This could be as simple as the Message spell, or could indicate more significant powers of projection.