The Ashes

Not much is known about The Ashes. The material is found within the burnt areas where the stars fell to earth. It is pitch black in colour, darker than the deepest caves or the furthest depths of the ocean. It appears to smudge like regular ash might, but is impossible to wash away. It appears to slowly spread to other parts of the body.
Not much has been written as of yet, but according to accounts gathered from throughout Dalla, The Ashes can but do not always consume what they touch. Humanoids who have touched The Ashes appear to become more powerful, both physically and magically, but they also appear to go mad in the process. The skin of the humanoids afflicted from The Ashes first appears to be turning black, but this quickly turns to shades of white and mottled grey. Their skin appears flaky and fragile before beginning to crumble and turn to dust. At this stage, a personal vortex appears around the humanoid, causing any exposed skin to appear as if it is swirling in a thick, dusty mist.
Many believe that The Ashes are a source of great power, and experiments are being done on them, both for good and for evil. There are many rumours of people using The Ashes to strengthen work animals. For example, rubbing The Ashes on a horse in order to increase its strength in order to pull a plough more effectively. One story tells of a woman who used it on carrier pigeons, one of which she sent clear across the ocean to Lauku to send a message to her sister. It is rumoured that the pigeon returned with a response mere days later, causing an increase in intentional infection of pigeons with The Ashes in order to increase the speed of communication between folk and their kin in far away lands. This is of particular importance after The Darkness, as many had lost all contact with loved ones when this happened.
There is no evidence that The Ashes are safe to use, and it is certainly not recommended. To date, I am unaware of any reports of long terms survivors of The Ashes, although to be fair we are still in the beginning stages and do not yet have a full understanding of how this material works. More research is needed. In the meantime, the best, safest option for citizens of Dalla is to keep clear of any sites that show traces of The Ashes, and to contact your local druidic sect for help clearing any sites that may be a danger to yourself or your family.

Type

Biomaterial