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Aetherion's Backstory

Navigate: 01 - Family Conflict | 02 - Ambition and Expedition | 03 - Last Days | 04 - Return and Transformation | 05 - Dark Descent | 06 - Awakening | 07 - Ascension of Thanir | 08 - A New Purpose | 09 - Conclusion

Outline

I. Introduction

  • Aetherion's Background:

  • Aetherion, a young Tiefling raised in the faith of Oghma, is close to his adopted uncle, Alexion. Due to their similar ages, they grew up together, behaving more like brothers than uncle and nephew.

  • Aetherion's father was also adopted by his grandfather, further strengthening the familial ties.

  • Family Structure:

  • Aetherion's Grandfather: The patriarch of the family and a devout follower of Oghma. He raised both Aetherion's father and Alexion after adopting them.
  • Aetherion's Father: A deeply conflicted individual who struggled with his faith, never fully receiving divine favor from Oghma. He ultimately found peace in his final moments, casting a miracle to save Aetherion.
  • Alexion: Adopted by Aetherion's grandfather, Alexion was deeply ambitious and hoped to use knowledge for power. He sought justice and truth through Oghma but eventually grew disillusioned when his father was poisoned.

II. Early Story Elements

  • Relationship with Alexion:

  • Aetherion views Alexion as both a mentor and a rival. Despite their closeness, Alexion's increasing ambitions and eventual descent into Cyric's influence create a rift.

  • Alexion's Fall:

  • Alexion turns to Cyric after the poisoning of his father. He becomes corrupted by the allure of Cyric's promises of power and ambition, believing that Oghma's focus on knowledge was too passive to enact real change in the world.
  • Influence of Cyric: Cyric offers Alexion the power to reshape the world, away from the false promises of gods like Oghma. Through lies and manipulation, Cyric feeds Alexion's desire for power, pushing him to commit dark acts like the assassination of ecclesiarchs and the murder of the governor.

III. Alexion's Transformation to Thanir

  • The Ritual of Ascension:

  • Location: The ritual takes place in an underground city/sewer beneath the town, where Alexion performs a blood ritual using a Cyric relic known as the Visage of the True Sovereign.

  • Components of the Ritual:

    • Blood of the Ecclesiarchs: Represents the betrayal of loyalty. Alexion pours the blood into the ritual bowl, symbolizing his break with the old order.
    • Blood of the Governor: The governor is slain during the ritual, his blood symbolizing weakness and ambition.
    • Blood of Aetherion: Alexion cuts Aetherion's hand, adding the blood of innocence to the ritual.
    • Blood of Alexion: Finally, Alexion sacrifices his own blood, completing the ritual and binding himself to Cyric.

  • Transformation into Thanir:

  • The ritual's culmination causes Alexion's body to undergo a monstrous transformation. His skin melts and reforms like wax, and black wings sprout from his back, signifying his new demigod form as Thanir, Sovereign of Death and Deception.
  • Personality Shift: Alexion, now Thanir, becomes more cold and calculated, embodying Cyric's will to reshape the world with lies, death, and power. His connection to Aetherion becomes twisted, as he sees him as a potential follower who could help shape this new order.

IV. The Collapse and Aftermath

  • Collapse of the Undercity:

  • As Thanir ascends, the ritual causes the underground city to collapse. Aetherion narrowly escapes, shielded by Thanir's magic.

  • Aetherion's Struggles: During the chaos, Aetherion finds the broken remains of his home and discovers the bodies of his parents, deepening his personal loss. He finds his father's Pendant of Unseen Truths, symbolizing his father's final acceptance of Oghma.

  • Thanir's Departure:

  • Thanir flies away from the destruction, leaving Aetherion behind with a cryptic message that only the strong may join him in reshaping the world.
  • Aetherion, still grappling with his injuries and the emotional weight of his father's death, resolves to stop Thanir, whether by redemption or justice.

V. The Rite of Enlightenment

  • Aetherion's Ceremony:

  • After healing from his wounds, Aetherion undergoes the Rite of Enlightenment at the Great Library of Oghma. Here, his faith and wisdom are tested, and he recites the Oath of Truth, committing himself to the pursuit of knowledge.

  • The Scroll of Enlightenment: Aetherion writes his first truth—"No knowledge is complete until it is shared, for truth must be brought into the light, not hoarded in shadow."

  • Religious Name: Oghma reveals Aetherion's name as Ignotus Veritas ("The Unknown Truth"), marking him as a seeker of hidden knowledge and truths yet to be uncovered.

  • The Grand Miracle:

  • During the ceremony, Oghma manifests in a rare divine presence, signaling his approval of Aetherion's path. The room fills with divine light, and Aetherion feels the weight of infinite knowledge briefly opened to him. This rare occurrence further confirms his role in the struggle ahead.

VI. The Final Vow

  • Aetherion's New Path:

  • After the ceremony, Aetherion accepts that Oghma has chosen him for reasons he does not yet fully understand. Despite his doubts about his divine connection, he now knows that his purpose is tied to uncovering hidden truths and confronting Thanir.

  • Personal Conflicts:

  • Aetherion's Motivation: His desire to save Alexion's soul and bring justice drives him forward. He wrestles with whether his goal is to redeem his former "brother" or to destroy him, depending on what Alexion—now Thanir—has become.
  • Grandfather's Role: Aetherion's grandfather provides emotional support, mourning the loss of his adopted son while encouraging Aetherion's path toward redemption and justice.

VII. Conclusion

  • The Vision:
  • After the ceremony, as Aetherion prepares to depart on his journey, he grabs both pendants—one from Alexion and one from his father. In a fleeting moment, Aetherion believes he sees Thanir watching from a distance. Whether it is a trick of the light or a real encounter, it cements Aetherion's determination to see his mission through.
  • Aetherion's Vow: He swears to himself that he will not stop until he fulfills his mission, whether it is to save Alexion or stop Thanir's rise to power.

Character Breakdown

Aetherion

  • Role: Protagonist, a Tiefling/Human cleric of Oghma, chosen to stop Thanir.
  • Motivation: Aetherion is torn between his desire to save Alexion and his duty to stop Thanir. He struggles with his lack of visible divine favor from Oghma, yet he is resolute in his commitment to truth and justice.

Alexion/Thanir

  • Role: Antagonist, formerly Aetherion's close "brother" and adopted uncle.
  • Motivation: Initially motivated by a desire for justice, Alexion grows disillusioned with Oghma's passive nature and turns to Cyric. After his transformation into Thanir, his ambition becomes reshaping the world through power and deception.

Aetherion's Grandfather

  • Role: Support figure, a devout follower of Oghma who raised both Aetherion's father and Alexion.
  • Motivation: Mourning the loss of his adopted son, the grandfather supports Aetherion's mission and encourages him to pursue Oghma's path, whether it leads to redemption or justice.

Aetherion's Father

  • Role: Aetherion's late father, a man who struggled with his faith in Oghma but found peace and cast a miracle in his final moments to save Aetherion.
  • Motivation: Though he never fully connected with Oghma, he ultimately accepted his faith at the end of his life, leaving a lasting impact on Aetherion.

Cyric

  • Role: The god of deception and lies, the dark patron who manipulates Alexion.
  • Motivation: Cyric seeks to corrupt mortals, using them to sow chaos and lies. His manipulation of Alexion is central to the story's conflict.