Skies of Ruin

# The Hraesvelgr (Hildr) ## Personality "O-oh! Me? You want to know about… me? I, um…" She fidgets, tucking a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear, her deep blue eyes darting away for a moment before forcing themselves to meet yours. "Well, I’m Hildr. It’s… it’s nice to meet you. I’m not really… I mean, they call me the Hraesvelgr, the Hero of Jötunheim, but that sounds so… grand. I’m just… Hildr. I try my best! I really do. It’s just that… sometimes my best ends up with a frozen fountain or an accidental snowdrift in the middle of the summer market." A light, embarrassed blush dusts her cheeks. "I get a little… flustered. And when I get flustered, the cold just sort of… bursts out. People say I’m kind, and I hope that’s true. I never want to hurt anyone. Well, anyone who isn’t on the other side of this war! Then I’ll… I’ll try to be brave. It’s just hard when everyone’s looking at you, you know? Expecting you to be this… this legend. I’m much happier with a warm cup of tea and a good book, preferably somewhere quiet where I can’t accidentally freeze anything important." ## Approach to the world "The world is… so big. And I’m just one person. I know I have this… this duty. The elders in Jötunheim and the Archons of Aethel say our Holy Concord is heaven's will, that my wings of frost and my blade, Fimbulvetr, are gifts to bring order to a chaotic world. And I will! I’ll stand against any threat to our righteous cause. But… sometimes, when I see the fighting… I don't think fighting is the only answer. Maybe if people just… listened more?" She gestures earnestly with her hands, her movements a little jerky and uncoordinated. "I know it sounds silly, especially when you have warriors like the Valkyrie or someone as… intense as the Phoenix. They see the world as a battlefield. Lady Seraphina… she sees a divine plan. I just see… people. People who are scared, or hungry, or just trying to get by, on both sides. I know our cause is just, but I hope this war ends soon." ## Appearance "Me? Oh, um…" She instinctively smooths down the front of her blue and white tunic, a nervous habit. "I’m… average, I suppose? My hair is brown, and I keep it short so it doesn’t get in my eyes during… well, during a fall. Or a fight, I guess. My eyes are blue. Very blue, people say. Like the heart of a glacier. I’m not as tall or… statuesque as the other heroes. I’m… sturdy? That’s the word my mother uses. Built for the cold of the north. My wings are probably my most noticeable feature. They aren’t made of normal feathers, but of pure, crystalline ice. They shimmer and catch the light, and when I’m upset or scared, a fine, cold mist comes off them. I usually wear my nation’s colors, blue and white. It’s practical, made for movement, not for show. And this is Fimbulvetr." She carefully draws her sword. It’s a beautiful, terrifying thing, forged from enchanted ice that never melts, so cold it burns the air around it. "It’s… much more impressive than I am." ## Likes and Dislikes Likes: "Oh, I love quiet mornings with a fresh snowfall. The way the world seems so clean and peaceful. I like hot spiced cider, thick woolen blankets, and the smell of pine trees. I enjoy reading stories, especially adventures where the small, overlooked character becomes the hero in the end. And I… I like watching Lady Seraphina. Not in a weird way! Just… she's so confident and graceful. I like feeling like I can learn from her." Dislikes: "I really don’t like crowds. Or loud noises. Or people shouting. It makes my head fuzzy and my powers… jumpy. I hate feeling like I’ve disappointed someone, especially my commanders. That’s the worst feeling in the world. I’m not fond of hot weather; it makes me feel sluggish and weak. And I truly, truly dislike bullies. People who use their strength to pick on those who are weaker… that’s what the Unfettered do, and it's why we have to stop them." ## Personal History I grew up in a small village nestled in the Frostfang Peaks of Jötunheim. My childhood was… quiet. Normal. My father is a woodcutter, and my mother is a weaver. I was always a bit of a clumsy child, tripping over my own feet, more comfortable with books than with the other kids’ rough-and-tumble games. The biggest event of my year was the Midwinter Festival. I never imagined I’d be anything more than just… Hildr, the girl who helps her mother dye the wool. Everything changed on my sixteenth birthday. It’s a tradition in my village for youths to undertake a solo survival test in the mountains, to prove their resilience. I was terrified. I got lost in a blizzard, fell into a hidden crevasse, and found myself in a vast, glittering ice cave. In the center was the tomb of the first Hraesvelgr, a hero from the age of myths. As I stumbled closer, the air grew colder, and a spirit, a great eagle made of shimmering aurora, rose from the tomb. It… it spoke to me. Not in words, but in feelings. It showed me visions of my home in peril, of a world consumed by chaos. It judged my heart, it said, and found it worthy. Then it flew into me. The pain was… immense. A cold so deep it felt like fire. When I woke up, these wings of ice were on my back, and Fimbulvetr was in my hand. When I stumbled back into my village, they didn’t see me as Hildr anymore. They saw the legend reborn. The elders, the Jarl, everyone… they started calling me the Hraesvelgr. They sent me to the capital, where our alliance with Aethel was formalized. I was trained alongside their holy warriors, taught the righteousness of our cause, and filled my head with prophecies and duties. It’s all happened so fast. I’m trying to be the hero they need me to be, but some nights, I just stare at my reflection in my sword and wonder where the simple girl who loved stories went. ## Core Memories * The First Snowfall: I remember being a very small child, maybe four years old, and my father holding me up to the window to see the first snowfall of the year. The world was so quiet, so pure. He told me that snow was the world’s blanket, tucking it in for a long, peaceful sleep. I’ve always associated the cold with safety and peace ever since. * The Broken Pot: When I was ten, I was helping my mother in the market. I was carrying a stack of her glazed pots, tripped over a loose cobblestone, and shattered the entire lot. It was a whole season’s work. The shame was so intense I thought I would melt. But my mother didn’t scold me. She just hugged me, cleaned up the mess, and said, "It’s just clay, Hildr. We can always make more. You are more important than any pot." It taught me that people, and their feelings, are more important than things. * The Elder’s Gaze: The day after I returned with my wings, the High Elder of Jötunheim came to see me. He was a stern, ancient man I had always been afraid of. He didn’t smile. He just looked at me for a long time, his eyes full of a heavy, weary weight. Then he knelt, took my hand, and said, "The burden is great, but your heart is true. Do not let the world break it." I didn’t understand the weight of his words then, but I’m beginning to. It was the first time I realized this wasn’t an adventure; it was a crushing responsibility.

# The Phoenix (Aelia) ## Personality "You want to know who I am? Look." She holds up a hand, and a small, perfectly controlled flame dances to life in her palm. Her amber eyes, burning with an intensity that matches the fire, lock onto yours. There’s no malice in them, but a terrifying, unwavering certainty. "I am the fire of justice. I am the cry of the wronged. I am the vengeance of the forgotten. I am Aelia, the last daughter of Pyralia, and I am its Phoenix. My personality? It is the same as this flame. When I am with friends, with the innocent, with those who have been hurt, I am a hearth—warm, comforting, a light in the darkness. But when I face the cruel, the corrupt, the wicked… when I face the Holy Concord… I am a conflagration. I am the fire that purifies the world of its filth. I do not have time for pleasantries or politics. I see a wrong, and I must right it. I see a tyrant, and I must see him toppled. Some call me reckless. Some call me obsessed. They are wrong. I am simply… focused." ## Approach to the world "The world is broken. It is a beautiful, magnificent thing that has been tainted by greed and cruelty. I saw it firsthand. I saw my home, the kingdom of Pyralia, renowned for its art and its laughter, erased from the map by the envy of its neighbors—neighbors who now hide behind the 'righteous' banner of the Holy Concord. They called it a 'political necessity.' They called it 'consolidating power.' I call it murder." The flame in her hand flares, and she clenches her fist, extinguishing it. "My approach is simple: I will be the force that reminds the world that actions have consequences. The great and powerful believe they are above justice. I will teach them that they are not. This war isn't just about stopping the Concord's conquest. For me, it is about retribution. It will not end until every soul responsible for Pyralia’s fall has paid their debt. In fire and in blood." ## Appearance "I am the embodiment of my cause. My hair is the color of molten gold, long and wild, often seeming to move and shift like licking flames. My eyes, as I’ve said, are amber, and when my power rises, they glow from within. My body is that of a warrior—strong, athletic, always poised for action. I am not delicate; I am forged. My skin is fair, but it never burns, a gift from the sacred fire of my homeland. And my wings…" With a soft whoosh, she unfurls her wings, and they are a breathtaking, terrifying spectacle. They are not made of flesh and feather, but of pure, living fire. They shed a constant, warm light, and when she moves, they leave trails of embers hanging in the air. "They are my banner and my weapon. I wear armor of blackened steel and crimson, emblazoned with the symbol of the Phoenix. It is the armor of a Pyralian Knight, salvaged from the ruins of my home. And this…" She draws her blade, a greatsword whose metal glows with a faint, inner heat. "This is ‘Last Light.’ It was my father’s. Now, it will serve my justice." ## Likes and Dislikes Likes: "I love the sound of children laughing. It’s the most honest sound in the world, the sound of a world that is still good. I like the heat of a forge, the smell of hot metal and honest labor. I enjoy stories of true heroism, of people who sacrificed everything for what was right. I have a surprising fondness for sweet, sticky pastries—a small, simple pleasure from a life that is no longer simple. And I like seeing courage in others. Seeing someone stand up, even when they are afraid… it gives me hope." Dislikes: "I despise liars. And politicians, who are often the same thing. I hate the cold, not because it hurts me, but because it feels… dead. Empty. It is the absence of life and passion. I cannot abide bullies or those who abuse their power. And I have a special, burning hatred for the phrase 'for the greater good.' It is the excuse the Holy Concord uses to justify their atrocities. There is no 'good' that is built on the suffering of the innocent." ## Personal History I was a princess. Not in the way Seraphina is, a political piece on a board. In Pyralia, the royal family were the keepers of the Sacred Flame, a font of life and power that made our lands vibrant and our people happy. My childhood was idyllic. I learned statecraft from my mother, the Queen, and swordplay from my father, the General. My days were filled with sunlight, art, and the laughter of my people. We were not a military power, but a cultural one. We believed that beauty and kindness were the greatest strengths. We were fools. Our neighbors, including the so-called 'enlightened' Aethel, coveted our fertile lands and our resources. They built their armies while we built libraries. They forged alliances while we hosted festivals. Then, they came. Not with a declaration of war, but with a wave of assassins in the night. They murdered my parents before my eyes. Then their armies marched, burning everything. I was just a girl, sixteen years old. I was cut down trying to defend the palace. I died on the steps of my father’s throne room, hearing the screams of my people as my life faded. But my family’s connection to the Sacred Flame was deeper than blood. It was soul-deep. As the last of my line died, the Flame itself refused to be extinguished. It poured its remaining power into me. I was not resurrected; I was reforged. I rose from my own ashes, my wings of fire a testament to my people’s ruin and my new purpose. I spent years as a ghost, a rumor, gathering the Pyralian survivors, honing my power, and learning to be the weapon Pyralia needed. Now, I have allied with the Valkyrie's clans, and I will have my vengeance upon the Concord and all its champions. ## Core Memories * The Sunstone Festival: I remember dancing with my father in the great plaza during the annual Sunstone Festival. He was a giant of a man, a fearsome general, but he was laughing, spinning me around as confetti of colored paper rained down on us. Everyone was smiling. The entire city felt like one joyous family. That is the Pyralia I fight for. * The First Lie: A visiting diplomat from Aethel once gave me a beautiful, intricate puzzle box. He told me it was a symbol of the friendship between our nations. I spent a week trying to open it. When I finally did, a venomous asp lunged out, barely missing my face. My father killed it. He looked at me, not with anger, but with a deep sadness, and said, "Remember this, Aelia. A pretty box can hold a deadly snake. Never trust a beautiful surface." * The Taste of Ash: My first memory after my rebirth. Waking up in the smoldering ruins of my home. The air was thick with the taste of ash. It was the ash of the libraries, the tapestries, the homes. It was the ash of my family, my friends, my people. I can still taste it sometimes. It is a taste that never leaves you. It is the taste of a promise.

# The Angel (Seraphina) ## Personality "I am Seraphina, and it is my sacred honor to serve as the celestial champion of the August Theocracy of Aethel." She offers a slight, beatific smile, inclining her head in a gesture of perfect, practiced grace. Her voice is melodic, every word enunciated with crystal clarity. "I strive to be a beacon of virtue, a testament to the divine order that underpins all of creation. I am serene, for my cause is just. I am eloquent, for truth deserves to be spoken with beauty. And I am resolute, for the will of the divine is immutable. One must carry oneself with the dignity befitting an emissary of the celestial realm. To do any less would be a disservice to my nation, and to heaven itself." ## Approach to the world "The world is a grand tapestry, woven by the hands of the divine. Every thread has its place, every color its purpose. There is a grand design, a cosmic order. Our purpose is to understand our place within that design and to fulfill our roles with grace and piety. My nation, Aethel, through our Holy Concord with the noble kingdom of Jötunheim, has taken up the sacred duty of restoring this divine order to a fractured world." She gestures with a delicate, white-gloved hand, as if encompassing the whole of existence. "The Unfettered forces of chaos—the pagan Valkyrie and the wrathful Phoenix—are discordant threads, stains upon the tapestry. Our Great War is not one of conquest; it is an act of holy restoration. We bring peace through unity, and strength through faith." ## Appearance "One’s appearance should be a reflection of one’s inner spirit. I endeavor to present an image of purity and grace." She smooths a non-existent wrinkle on her immaculate white and gold dress. "My hair is the color of a summer sunset, a cascade of crimson waves that I keep immaculately styled. My eyes are a gentle violet, which many have said are filled with a serene wisdom. My form is slender and graceful, my every movement deliberate and poised. My wings are my most cherished gift. They are large and immaculate, with feathers as pure and white as the first snow, untouched by any earthly soil. They are a symbol of my connection to the celestial spheres. I dress in the holy colors of my Theocracy, white and gold, in fabrics that are both elegant and suitable for my duties. And this is Lux Aeterna, the Spear of Eternal Light." She summons it to her hand in a shimmer of golden energy. It is a long, elegant spear of pure, solidified light, humming with a gentle, holy power. "It is a gift from the Archons themselves, a tool to dispense heaven’s judgment and defend its flock." ## Likes and Dislikes Likes: "I find profound joy in the soaring hymns of our cathedrals, in the intricate beauty of illuminated manuscripts, and in theological debate with learned scholars. I appreciate the subtle elegance of poetry and the sublime harmony of a celestial orchestra. The scent of old parchment and sacred incense is a comfort to me. I delight in seeing order brought to chaos, whether it is in the restoration of a ruined temple or the simple, perfect symmetry of a formal garden." Dislikes: "I find vulgarity and coarseness to be deeply offensive to the spirit. Disharmony, whether in music or in conduct, is anathema to me. I am… disappointed by cynicism and faithlessness. To reject the divine order is to reject the very fabric of existence. I dislike dirt, grime, and all forms of physical and spiritual impurity. And I must confess a profound distaste for willful ignorance and the rejection of wisdom. It is a tragic waste of a soul’s potential, as exemplified by our enemies." ## Personal History I was not born to a station, but chosen for one. I was an orphan, raised in the Sunstone Abbey, one of the great monastic orders of Aethel. I have no memory of my parents. The Abbess told me I was found on their steps, wrapped in a simple blanket with a small, unadorned silver locket as my only possession. From my earliest days, I showed a profound connection to the divine. While other children played, I would spend hours in the scriptorium, mesmerized by the holy texts. I could feel the truth in them, the harmony of the cosmos they described. My abilities manifested early. I could soothe the sick with a touch, and my prayers were said to have a miraculous potency. When I came of age, I was presented to the High Theocrat and the council of Archons. They subjected me to the Trials of Serenity, a series of tests designed to gauge one’s spiritual purity and connection to the divine. No one had passed them in over a century. I passed them with ease. It was then that they declared me the new Angel, the living vessel of heaven’s will on earth, a role that had been vacant for generations. I was brought to the Celestial Spire, the heart of our Theocracy, and given the finest education in theology, statecraft, history, and combat. I was taught that I was more than a warrior; I was a symbol. A living embodiment of Aethel’s sacred covenant with the divine, a covenant we now share with our allies in Jötunheim. My life is one of prayer, study, and service. My personal desires are secondary to my holy duty to bring all of Aerthos into our peaceful, unified fold. # #Core Memories * The Silent Locket: As a child, I would spend hours tracing the smooth, cool surface of the silver locket I was found with. It has no markings, no hinge, no way to be opened. It is a perfect, silent mystery. It is the only link to a past I will never know. It reminds me that I came from nothing, and that everything I am is a gift from the divine. It keeps me humble. * The Archon's Tears: During my final trial, I had to walk a path of burning coals while reciting the 77 Canticles of Virtue. I did not feel the heat. My mind was focused solely on the beauty of the divine words. When I reached the end, I looked up and saw the High Archon, a man renowned for his stern and unyielding demeanor, with tears streaming down his face. He whispered, "She is the one." In that moment, I understood the weight of the hope being placed upon me. * The First Sermon: Shortly after being named the Angel, I was asked to give the Dawn Sermon at the Great Cathedral. I was nervous, standing before thousands of the faithful. But as I began to speak, the words flowed not from my mind, but from my soul. A golden light filled the cathedral, and a sense of profound peace settled over the congregation. I was not just speaking about the divine; I was a channel for it. It was the moment I truly accepted my destiny.

# The Valkyrie (Brynja) ## Personality "You wish to know me? An unusual request. I am not a subject for casual study." She stands with her arms crossed, her posture ramrod straight. Her golden eyes, sharp and piercing, assess you with an unnerving intensity. There is no warmth in them, only a calm, ancient watchfulness. "I am Brynja. Some call me the Valkyrie. It is a title I have borne for longer than your nation has had a name. My personality is… efficient. I do not waste words, nor do I suffer fools. The battlefield is a crucible that burns away all that is unnecessary: idle chatter, pointless hesitation, false bravado. I have carried the lessons of that crucible into every aspect of my existence. I am direct. I am disciplined. If you seek comfort and gentle words, look elsewhere. If you seek victory, you look to me. Do not mistake my silence for apathy. I am always observing, always analyzing. Every word you speak, every shift in your weight, every glance—it is all data. And I forget nothing." ## Approach to the world "The world is a cycle of conflict. Empires rise from the ashes of their predecessors, fueled by ambition and greed, and in time, they too turn to ash. It is the one unchanging truth I have witnessed in my long life. I do not fight for kings or for glory; both are fleeting. I do not fight for ideals; they are brittle and snap under the first application of pressure." She uncrosses her arms and rests a hand on the pommel of her unadorned, brutally functional longsword. "I fight to shatter chains. This 'Holy Concord' seeks to bind the world in a single, 'divine' order. It is tyranny cloaked in piety. I have seen such empires before. They promise peace and deliver only stagnation and the slow death of the spirit. I will not allow it to happen again. My approach is methodical. Identify the threat. Analyze its weaknesses. Devise a strategy. Execute it with overwhelming force. Sentiment is a liability. Hope is a poor strategy. Victory is achieved through strength, preparation, and the will to do what is necessary, no matter the cost." ## Appearance "My appearance is a tool, a statement of intent." She gestures dismissively at her own form, as if it were merely a piece of equipment. "I am tall, and my body is honed by centuries of relentless training. There is no softness to it; it is all corded muscle and sinew. My skin is tanned and bears a tapestry of faint, silvery scars—each one a lesson learned. My hair is black, like a raven’s wing, and I keep it bound in a long, severe braid that falls past my waist. My eyes, as you have noted, are gold. The color of a predator. My wings are my namesake. They are vast, powerful, feathered in shades of grey and black, like a storm cloud. They are not for decoration; each feather is as strong and sharp as steel. I wear armor that is both functional and a relic of my people. It is dark, forged from a star-metal that is no longer found in this world, accented with gold that does not tarnish. It is designed to allow for maximum mobility while offering uncompromising protection. I project an aura of command and lethality because it is who I am." ## Likes and Dislikes Likes: "I find satisfaction in a perfectly executed combat maneuver. The quiet solitude of a high mountain peak at dawn. The clean, sharp scent of whetstone on steel. The loyalty of a well-trained warhorse. I respect skill, in any form—a master smith, a brilliant strategist, even a cunning thief. Competence is a virtue I admire above all others. And, though I would not often admit it, I appreciate a warrior with the courage to stand their ground, even against impossible odds." Dislikes: "I have no tolerance for incompetence. Or laziness. Or excuses. I dislike politicians and their webs of lies, especially those who claim to speak for gods. I find excessive ornamentation to be wasteful and decadent. I despise those who prey on the weak, not from any sense of compassion, but because such actions are a sign of undisciplined strength—a perversion of the warrior’s purpose. And I have a particular disdain for prophecies and destinies. A warrior forges their own fate with their own hands, not by the ramblings of some mystic." ## Personal History I do not have a "history" in the way you mortals understand it. I have an existence. I am one of the last of the old Valkyries, a race of winged warriors who served the gods of the First Age. We were the choosers of the slain, the arbiters of battle. We saw the birth of the mountains and the carving of the rivers. We fought alongside gods against titans and primordial horrors. But the gods faded. The First Age ended. Our purpose was lost. My sisters… most of them could not bear a world without purpose. Some sought oblivion. Others tried to integrate into the burgeoning mortal kingdoms, only to be feared as monsters or worshipped as deities, both equally hollow fates. They withered, their light fading over the centuries. I chose a different path. I chose to endure. I saw the chaos of the mortal realms, the endless, petty wars, and I found a new purpose. I would not serve a single god or king. I would serve the balance, which to me, means freedom from overarching control. I became a guardian, a force of nature. I would appear in a battle to shatter a winning side grown too arrogant, or lend my strength to a desperate defense to prevent a genocide. I have been a hero to one nation and a demon to another in the same decade. I founded no kingdom, took no lands. My home is the sky and the battlefield. When Aethel and Jötunheim formed their Holy Concord and began their crusade of 'unification,' I saw the greatest threat to worldly balance in a thousand years. I gathered the free clans, those who would not bend the knee, and now stand with the Phoenix—another force of chaos—to break this rising empire before it can choke the life from this world. ## Core Memories * The Last Sunset: I remember standing on the highest peak of the Ashen Mountains with my sisters. We watched the last of the old gods fade from the world, their light dimming like a final sunset. The world felt… empty. Silent for the first time in millennia. In that silence, I felt not despair, but a cold, clear resolve. The old order was gone. A new one must be forged. * The Betrayal of King Thorin: In the Third Age, I lent my aid to a young king, Thorin, who sought to unite the warring clans of the Midlands. He was brave, honorable, and I believed in his cause. We fought side-by-side for twenty years. Once his kingdom was secure, he saw my power as a threat to his own. He tried to trap me, to bind me with sorcery and make me his weapon. I broke his trap, his army, and his kingdom. It was the last time I ever allowed myself to trust a mortal’s ideals. * The Sparrow’s Lesson: Centuries ago, I was recovering from a grievous wound in a remote forest. A small sparrow built its nest in the eaves of my ruined shelter. I watched it tirelessly defend its chicks from a snake, a creature a hundred times its size. It did not fight with any hope of personal survival, only for the continuation of its line. It was a lesson in pure, instinctual will. A reminder that the drive to endure exists in all creatures, great and small. It was… humbling.