Her’aen, The First Zombie
Her’aen was a L’huine who later became a Zombie thousands of years ago after Božena began her ritual. She provided the Spiritual Travelers information about Božena, also called "The Necromancer", with hopes that they would stop her and so that she can finally die.
Her story, with more recent revelations, is definitely connected to what Hysteria spoke of in the DINER about The Oni and the history of their ancestors. This would basically confirm that this Necromancer and Oni are of the same ancient race and religious order.
Her Story
Namina put Her'aen to rest after her story was told, but the zombie later reappeared as the Spiritual Travelers were making their way through The Rotting Gate. She's been acting as a sort of guide by answering questions to the best of her ability.
"Please, save me. Not just me, but all that are like me. The pain of life is too much to bear. The pain of existence, the weight of eons, there is one that must be stopped before my brethren and I can rest or, hopefully, be reborn someday. I wouldn’t expect you to go right away, I’m sure you’re busy and wouldn’t want to impose, but I just wanted you to hear my story.
Long ago, during the reign of Ki’ur, The First King-and-Queen, then known simply as King Uilan, we were given explicit instructions by The Psychic to build an impressive city. She said she had heard the cry of a distant god desperate for company, and as the construction continued and talk of the new realm we would visit spread… well, other ideals began to rise as well. The Necromancer began preaching the woes of each passing cycle. She would proclaim to all who walked in the streets that they are missing memories, that each life is more pointless than the last, that we should remember all of our lives or what’s the point in living them?
She had many persuasive thoughts and promises, and one of the most tantalizing to the majority of us was the promise of immortality. That death would never again claim us, that we would carry with us the weight of all L’huine knowledge for all time … it was too much to resist. I had curiosity and a crippling fear of what might lay beyond this life, if I were reincarnated without my memory well then, what’s the point of even living in the first place?
We finished the city and when we passed through to this Spirit World for the first time we all traveled here, to this swamp, and with the help of Božena we opened a gate to the land of rot using special mushrooms of her own creation, and as we chatted amongst each other a gate formed which we walked through to find our destiny.
Božena’s promises were supposed to be realized in this new Rotting Gate, and I still do not doubt her desire to break the Circle, but her desire for power was something that couldn’t be ignored. She channeled the energies of that gate to corrupt us, to spread horrific blights and plagues, and the immortality that was promised did not prevent our bodies from rotting as time passed. Our existence is pain, each moment is suffering, and she is still in that gate channeling the magics for millennia ever on the edge of greatness."
Physical Description
Body Features
Her'aen's body is thin, almost skeletal, with loose skin that was once stretched by various gasses and pus as her body decayed over the years. Sporadic holes now cover various parts of her body, and thew few bits of her skin that aren't tinted a sickly green-yellow appear to have once been a pale blue-beige.
Her toenails and fingernails both appear to be suffering from some fungus that has tinted them an unseemly yellow color.
Facial Features
Her eyes are remarkably still intact, but the sclera are died yellow due to either more infections, liver problems or some other unknown affliction. Her irises are a light blue, almost white color with shocking, contrasting black lines running through them.
Her face, like the rest of her body, has holes in different spots where puss burst from her rotting form. One of these holes has rotted through her right cheek causing her teeth to be exposed along with black and white gums.
She brown hair with portions that appear to have turned white or grey with time, but the dirt and filth have died those strands a variety of rancid colors.
Apparel & Accessories
Her clothing is filthy with stains caused by ooze, puss, dirt and various swamp contents. However, they appear to also be of descent quality with little to no actual damage from age. Some cuts from travel are present, but the clothing almost looks to have been recently crafted and sold or perhaps even made by Her'aen herself.
Her outfit consists of an ankle-length yellow dress and a rather cozy looking tobacco-colored cardigan. She wears a necklace with an oval pendant that looks like it might have once had a design carved into it before it was eroded away. She has no shoes or socks.
Mental characteristics
Morality & Philosophy
Her'aen, like many other followers of The Necromancer, had a terrible fear of nothingness. All L'huine and, to a lesser extent, elves are aware that there is nothing after death and that the universe will end with nothing. While a "Cycle" or "Circle" might bring the soul back to a new body, it doesn't remember its past, and this past, its secrets, its accomplishments and knowledge are all lost as the soul is washed clean for reincarnation. Because of this, the actual life is gone, and all that will greet it is nothingness. Contrary to other religious beliefs there is a complete lack of an afterlife within L'huine and elven philosophies.
Additionally, while some might remember your life in your place, this is proved meaningless as well since the universe will end with nothing. Skorumpovaný is not just the decay or rot of all living things, it is also corruption and the decay of everything. The universe and all its stars will be gone someday with time, and nothing you do matters.
Many L'huine would just accept this and continue with their lives, but those that were compelled by The Necromancer believed these inevitabilities could be stopped. She followed The Necromancer with hopes of being able to escape nothingness, but ended up living a cursed life where she still slowly decays but never dies.
Despite this rather unfortunate existence, Her'aen still respects The Necromancer and her faith in Skorumpovaný is still strong. She still fears nothingness, but the agony of her situation has led her to desire death regardless of that fact. She's pushing through her pain to help get the Spiritual Travelers to Božena so that the ritual can be interrupted and she can finally die. So, while she would still follow her leader, she recognizes that what this Necromancer is doing is wrong, corrupted and needs to be stopped.
Current Status
guiding the Spiritual Travelers
Current Location
Species
Children
Belief/Deity
Skorumpovaný
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