Xerxes Blackfrost

## Xerxes

And yet I must see the unseen, and know the unknown. Only then will I be complete.

## Character Information

### Alignment

🌌 Beyond Morality (Previously Chaotic Good) 🌌

### Class

🌌 Oracle 🌌☽ Sphere Oracle | Spirit Guide ☾🌌 Unchained Monk 🌌

☽ Drifting Lotus | Scaled Fist ☾

## The old world

**Death of a star**

For years his birth had been prophesied. Among his mother's church, rumors of a dying star had been whispered among the highest of the clergy. When the time for the prophecy had come, the church observed in amazement as the star, over 3 days, burned brightly in the night sky, before fizzling out. That night, his mother visited her most faithful follower. She gave him the gift of a child born with all the beauty of herself, and the rage of a dying star. She laid him on his bed and left in the quiet of the night, not making a sound. The child, from then on, was always quiet at night, preferring the open night sky so his mother's work would soothe him to sleep.

He was raised in a desert city named for the star that his mother favored. He spent most of his time learning her holy texts and tending to the temple grounds. When he could, he would escape to the city and roam in awe of the size of it. He longed to see the forests, or green oceans as he called it, often etching images of it into his walls. He met, and befriended a few orphans, who would show him around the city when he did manage to escape, but quickly learned that they would leave him, either for a new home, or death.

**Birth of power**

 During his childhood, Xerxes learned to channel the rage inside of him, not as violent as the fabled tribal barbarians of course, but he could still wield it as a deadly weapon. When the priests showed him how to wield his mother's blade, it felt more like another hand, than a tool. He learned to focus his anger on one target, letting his fury guide his strikes while using his grace to avoid attacks.

As he grew in rage, he also grew away from the church. More and more, he found himself out in the city seeking the green ocean, and escape from his world in general. When he was twenty years of age, he finally found that escape. A traveling merchant agreed to take him on as a guard (among many) and he left the temple behind. His adventure was brought short when they were ambushed and many of them slew. He managed to escape with the help of his mother (though he doesn't know this) and found an enclave for shelter. Living in the wild for a while, he often enjoyed the open air and exploring the forest (a word he learned from the merchant after the group laughed for a bit). His life went on here, resting under the night sky and hunting in the forest for food. After a few years of living like this, he decided to move on, he found the road and followed it to the next city.

**Growth in the arena**

 Like most adventurers, the first adventurer's city he found was mind-blowing. Getting there was a long travel. He had his first boat ride across a blue ocean (they weren't like his favorite green oceans, but still so full of life), and hitched a ride with the few coins he had. After he arrived, he found work as a city guide, using it as an excuse to roam about and learn his new home. Quite often he would visit the temples and offer thanks to his mother, and sometimes "borrow" a coin or two from the donation box. After a few months of guiding lost travelers, he got his first call from an arena. He loved the arenas, and the arenas loved him. His blades took down hundreds of foes, and he made more than enough to make a living.

 As with most things, eventually, he grew bored of the arenas. The call began to feel more like a chore than an adventure, so he stopped answering it. He began fading away from crowds and into the night learning the bittersweet flavors of alcohol and the joys of drunkenness. It didn't take long for him to become a city drunk, lashing his anger out and anyone who spoke with, or even approached him. He quickly took up heckling in the local taverns but got removed after a few weeks of it. He forgot about many things during his drunkenness, his responsibility, his origins, his home, but mostly his faith. He forgot his mother, but she remembered him. Often at night, he would have dreams of his childhood or times alone in the forest. Soon he grew weary for the freedom he had in the woods, and he left again, turning his back on another city.

**A Mother's revelation**

His first night alone he heard his mother call out to him, pulling him deeper into the forest he stumbled into. She brought him to a safe place and he slept. She comforted him and gave him safety on his first night. During the weeks to come, in fact, she would protect him as he rested and recovered from his drunkenness. It was a long process, and he had to deal with the anger that he suppressed over the years. When he was better, he moved on, just as he had done in the past.

After spending time exploring the swamps of this world, he happened upon a group of adventurers hailing from a strange planet. They chatted, and he decided that this new place would be a wonderful adventure. So, he left with them and began his new life there. His final thoughts before he left were pure excitement for this new planet.

**Night skies tears**

His first thought on arrival, however, was, "ow...". his head hurt, there was blood on his side, and he had lost all of his equipment. He tried to open his eyes, but even that hurt. Slowly he rolled onto his back, in time to hear whispers and feel strong hands lifting him up. They were gentle as they set him on a soft bed of... was this hay? Sure enough, it was, but he felt a soft wool blanket cover him. He dozed off again shortly after, waking in an old cottage. Who were these people, where did they take him. His last memory of the trip was getting mugged right after they teleported here. He had been tricked, and he hated that. They stole from him and left him on the side of the road, and he hated that too. Strangers had collected him and he was going to hate them... once he knew where he was. He managed to peak at the person sitting by his bed, a young girl about 20 years old sat there, tending to his wounds. She wore the mark of his mother on her cloak and on her side were blades not too different from his own.

It didn't take long for him to learn that during his time in the city, he had collected a small following. Even while he was a drunk, they had looked after him, leaving him food and clothes as winter rolled around, or watching his camp during the lonely nights in the woods.They had followed him here and would follow him for the rest of his life if they could. Each one described a different dream or sign from his mother, asking them to watch her child, and when he left with the thieves, they all had prayed for swift passage to Xerxes. That is how they found him that night after he had been left.

It wasn't long before his mother spoke again to him. This time he was told to head east. He was to find the falling star and wield it as his weapon. So he and his followers left, searching the skies for a falling star. After a week of travel they saw it, a silver streak in the sky slammed into the ground, setting fire to the forest around it. When they arrived, he didn't find a rock or boulder but instead found a faintly glowing star knife. As he approached it, it spoke to him, forming a bond stronger than steel between the two. Often, even now, you can listen as he speaks to his weapon, even if it never speaks back.

**Prophecy of the end**

 After his arrival in the new world, Xerxes had felt his connection to his mother weaken. At first, he thought it was because of her faithful servants tending to him, but eventually, she stopped speaking at all. He called out to her to speak to him, but in reply, he heard one word. If ever asked, he refuses to tell anyone, but you can see him contemplating it often. Even in combat, he murmurs what it might mean. Most of his followers have guessed that it is some prophecy that he is destined to fulfill one day or a cryptic message about who his father is. Either way, he hasn't called out to her again, and she has held her voice from him.

**Discovery of power**

As his adventure continued, Xerxes faced many challenges, slaying dragons, fighting the will off the fates, and even defeating a god-king or two. But no adventure was greater than his discovery of self. As he grew in power, he felt his divine influence grant him control over ice and shadows, even so much as to claim this as his Surname. It was not long before he had collected a new following, full of those creatures of the cold night who's will aligned with his. Bending shadows to his will, he began to craft another world for his creatures, one of sacred frost and holy darkness, allowing them a safe haven from their more wicked kin. It was his greatest work, forging this domain, and for it, he was worshiped by its people.

## The new World

**A new sky**

One night as Xerxes slept, he felt his mind slip into a deep dream. Auroral lights surrounded him, and he saw the face of his mother. In one hand he held her tear, and in another, a heart. It has been years since he had felt her presence, but to see her like this, now, something was wrong. Sadness filled her eyes as she repeated the same words over and over. "Do not forget me, my child."

It was a dark dream, but even still, Xerxes wished for it to never end. When he awoke, his body hurt and he was covered in sweat. He felt around for his knife and was comforted by its presence. In his other hand, however, was a strange and new thing. A sapphire heart, bound with ancient writing, the same from his dream. He sat up and looked around. This is not where he had rested his head for the night. Instinct kicked in as he quickly gathered his things and collected himself. He did not know where he was, and he barely remembered who that woman was, but he knew he had to find her.
It did not take long for him to tap into his latent powers over space, those he had forsaken in his old life for ice and shadow. Soon, he was bending space on a whim, and his search was well underway.

**A Dream within a Dream**

Soon, Xerxes began having strange dreams. Dreams of an owl watching him, her piercing eyes startling him awake most nights. Some nights she calls to him, other nights she only watches.

**Return to the Arena**

Almost a year after his arrival into the new world Xerxes was invited into an interplanar arena hosted by the demon lord Shax. After making a shady deal with the demon lord, he and some friends found themselves invited into the Charnelhouse, where they navigated through various traps and met an insidious trap master intent on killing the party. After subduing him and venturing further down into the house, they met with the demon lord himself. It did not take long for Falling Star to act out in rage, hurting an innocent woman Shax had stolen. With the help of his party members, Xerxes was prevented from committing various atrocities and they managed too escape with her to the material plane.

## Children

As he discovered his new powers in the Etera, Xerxes discovered a (limited) capacity to create life. Often calling them his children, he has dubbed them Wastlings. Not out of mal intent, but they are often born in a place known as the Wastes. A barren and blighted demiplane created by Xerxes himself.

## Appearance

Xerxes stands at an almost shocking 6'7", seeming to tower almost everyone that he's come into contact with so far. He dons a purple tunic and scarf, hiding many of his scars, and carries an intricate blade bearing many blue and purple gems. At almost all times, he has one or two creatures he calls his "children" following him. Their bioluminescent purple bodies often cause people to eye him with suspicion.

## Personality

While his mother consists of love, beauty, and charm, Xerxes believes that there is beauty in rage, and expresses whatever feeling comes to the heart. When a battle is heated he channels his anger into his enemies, but outside of a fight, he has a tender touch. He has recently become a bit of a trickster, as he finds that it helps stave off the boredom he so often finds.

## Allies

☽ Keira ☾ - They have yet to meet, but his sister native to this world. Potentially an ally.

☽ Yuki ☾ - A fellow planes traveler, and current ally in finding a tome, and eventually his mother.

☽ Astra ☾ - Having adventured with her a few times, it's natural he should consider her a friend.

☽ Jovra ☾ - A wizard whose name he has been hearing more of recently. Potentially an ally.

☽ Voradale ☾ - An invaluable assistant that helped him find the book who helped him ascend.

## Enemies

☽ Rovagug, and his followers. ☾

☽ Lamashtu and her followers. ☾

## Aspirations

    Xerxes desires nothing less than to sit next to his mother in her Elysium castle, and fly beside her among the stars.