Elenuta, Of Ashes and Cinders
Summary
Few among the Forsaken stand as tall as Elenuta, a folk legend ever lingering across Veltrona. Whether to frighten children and warn them of wrongdoing, or to promise dire retribution upon evil people, Elenuta's gruesome betrayal ever harrows them all. How exactly such a fate befell her differs in every culture, and often there's disagreement on the specifics. In Aerthen she was a knight-lady who proudly served her queen and king, protecting the lands at large. As they became decadent and corrupt, her high morals beget her to try and turn them from such a path. The royals, feeling that she'd become a problem, burned her house down, killing her and her family. For those in Nerzin, she was a grand warrior whose heavenly virtue lent her supreme skill at war and talent at making peace. The warrior band she'd formed used this to trick her while fighting a fire dragon, leaving her to die as a human shield. Further beyond, in Sa-kemet, a noble queen once beloved, deceived by ministers and left drawn and quartered in the deserts by a vengeful people. Perhaps the most commonly known tale is that Elenuta stood alone against a bandit raid in a town. The bandits torched the town, and Elenuta tried desperately to save those caught in the blaze. Though badly burned and near death, she managed to save a few, and help arrived. Her trusted friend, desiring her husband, stabbed her in the chest, then threw her into a house still hot with cinders. So it comes to be that tales of betrayal surround Elenuta, forewarning of virtue's weakness against it. But in all tales, no matter how she may die, those who wronged her are ever visited by one adorned in patchwork armor and cloth. Blackened by fire and ashes falling with each step, she lumbers after them, shining with firelight. Whether they fight or not, they are all broken beneath her rage. Then, each and every one of them is dragged away, dead or alive, into a roaring sea of flame that ever seems to follow her around. Those who yet think themselves safe in their homes or castles find themselves consumed in a pyre, burning everything to the ground. It is often supposed that due to her prevalent influence, many funerals and ritualistic offerings of peace are often burned. In doing so, it is hoped the peaceful ashes yet calm her anger from stirring. More still, many faiths have means of offering rightful justice upon the wrongs she herself faced. While not proper deific status usually, no one is willing to ignore Elenuta or her terrible vengeance. In this way, fire often comes to have two natures: a vessel of life and change, and an all consuming force of hatred. How true or not many of these tales become are hard to say; scholars ever disagree on what is what. There can be no denying that something does exist, chasing after those who commit the great evil of betrayal. But in doing so, the fires of vengeance harms all caught in its path, conflagrations that leave black scars in the veltron. For how erratic her appearances actually are, the fear of drawing her attention lingers.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
A mostly sturdy, sometimes shambling, corpse-in-armor that ceaselessly chases after betrayers. While her body is always a burned, dessicated husk, the armor and cloth she is adorned in changes for their respective cultures. Despite this ragged appearance, she is fearsomely powerful, and that surprise alone often kills many.
Body Features
Elenuta's original body is rarely discernible at all, leaving just her attire to catch the eye. It can be said she often has older styles as her manner of dress, being several generations out of date usually. No matter who sees her, a sense of age and undying purpose lingers, leaving them ill-at-ease.
Facial Features
Her burning eyes are the only discernible part of the face within her helmet. The actual facial mask of the armor tends to be contorted into expressions of rage and fury. It doesn't actively change in front of peoples' eyes, though. This creates a strong juxtaposition between her overwhelming presence and the calm, frighteningly controlled manner of speech she carries.
Identifying Characteristics
Elenuta's burning embers and smoldering parts of armor are distinctly unnatural. Combined with her ancient, decrepit manner of appearance, those who know her legends will often recognize her immediately. Or, at least, something very close to her. Some very unfortunate skeletons have been confused for her more than once, if fire happened to be their means of death.
Special abilities
Forsaken – Elenuta is Forsaken.
Fire Magic – Elenuta controls fire with a supernatural effectiveness, easily able to start enormous blazing conflagrations or direct superheated streams as she wishes. It is technically different from magma and volcanic fire natures, meaning even dragons of those types can be hurt by her fire.
Flame Resistance – Boasting an insane resistance against fire itself, only comically absurd heat is capable of significantly harming her. Even still, it may not stop her that quickly.
Swordsmistress – Elenuta is fluent with her longsword and greatsword, deftly switching between the two in flourishing motions almost no one expects the undead to be able to do. Despite her broken body, her martial form is flawless beyond compare.
Apparel & Accessories
Elenuta is often clad in charred platemail, the armor itself is comprised of numerous different pieces from different civilizations and time periods. A draconic chestplate prominently stands out, the hallmarks of dragon craftsowomanship distorted beyond identification. Simple plated boots cover the feet; the left arm is exposed and cracked in several places, revealing blackened flesh and the remains of a buckler's mounting. The right arm is wrapped in a rachtoh silk, with the under armor a hodgepodge of melted plate fused with the leather. The exact specifics can vary more, though; for example instead of plate, she has scalemail while in Nerzin, and cured leather in Sa-Kemet.
Her head is crowned with a sharply angular helmet, itself a mixture of human and dragon design. The lower jaw and neck are covered by a brown, burned short-cape. The visor is illuminated from the inside by her skull face, the eye sockets burning like supernatural coals. Numerous cracks, fractures, and other wounds mar Elenuta's armored body, often goring her deep, charred internals. Liquid fire weeps from these wounds ever so slowly, almost as if magma itself. In a way, this is the source of the everburning flames that follow her, and that which casts off ashes and cinders.
Two different swords are on her person: a longsword in its scabbard on her hip, and a greatsword upon her back. Despite their broken, chipped, and dulled appearance, the mana-steel they're forged from is no less deadly than they were at their prime. An absurd fact that often surprises her opponents, who expect such weapons to break after the first hit.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
Female(?)
Sexuality
N/A
Education
It is hard to say the extent of her education, but Elenuta is often veltron-smart and capable in matters of war. Much of her views and beliefs are drawn from practical experiences, and the fires of being Forsakened have only sharpened this. Now, much of what she knows is drawn only in comparison to the grievous wrongs she has come to correct.
Intellectual Characteristics
In stark contrast to many other kinds of Forsaken, Elenuta is a calm, calculating individual. Though she cannot remember all of the moral codes and righteous virtues she once held, they ever continue to shape her. Yet driven by unending hatred, the finer points have frayed away, and things like 'collateral damage' no longer have any meaning to her. All too aware of this herself, she clings to what she can still remember, sparing the innocent that may yet cross her path.
It is between this madness and death she is trapped, to struggle and rage futilely. Indeed, the only peace there is to be found is in the vengeance upon betrayers that cast her into such torment in the first place. So she is noble in spirit, crumbling and crumbling as befitting of those forsakened.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
"Eh, you ask why? Does it matter?" the man scoffed and took a swig from his drink. "Everyone knows the tales, 'cept you, of course. Ahh, what a pain, what a pain ..." His hand slapped on the table a few times. "Alright, fine. Everyone knows when the dead come back, it's usually somethin' that pissed them off, right? So, the shining lass yer after, why is it she's been around for so long? My pa knew her, his pa knew her, and I'm pretty sure his pa knew her. The stories, of course, an always some new tale 'bout her." He shrugged, his dramatic air vanishing. "Honestly, whatever she was after is probably long gone. Why she's still around, no one can tell. If she was a knight, once, then maybe upholding the code of honor is all she has left."
Species
Children
Gender
Female(?)
Eyes
Black, sunken holes; burning, fiery coals suffice for the eyeballs
Hair
None
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Blackened ash, with motted spots of shriveled flesh
Height
Medium-tall
Weight
Heavy
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