Listhul

**Listhul** is a *Vodros Blasphemous Lamina* dragoness, born on a distant island and raised under the worship of the Formless One, a primordial deity that ferries souls into and out of purgatory.

Blasphemous Lamina are a closed species of Vodros created by Catperson. Born from the primary species of Luminous Lamina, these dragons have undergone a blasphemous ritual that separated them from their main species: a ritual so horrible that they are shunned and cast out from their previous society. Their main species were small and devout- collected together under the umbrella of having a mastery over the light and worshiping the sun. Once the ritual is finished, they are corrupted and twisted and thus, separating them. This group is even smaller- and is as a result, a closed species due to their rarity and subsequent extinction event following the Night of Blood.

The blasphemous kin were shunned and discarded by the Luminous. Their fondness of carrion feeders made them viewed as peculiar, and their penchant for murder and over-hunt to feed their lovely vulture companions also made them reviled. All individuals displayed a strange behavior of speaking to things that were not there- in this case, to the second soul within them.

This soul acts as a second mind, a second pair of senses, and the soul retains all of its memories (in most cases.) In their sole surviving member, Listhul, she is seen having heightened senses and view of her environment, as well as being able to allow her father’s spirit to take over and pilot her body for but a short while.

## Description

*From a distance, Listhul is small and lithe (roughly 12 meters tall.) Her limbs make up the bulk of her size and give her most of her height, and her tail is longer than her main body. Up close, her features become far more defined.*

*Her skull is wide near the base, framed by a pair of small antlers and other pointy smaller horns along her cheeks, eventually narrowing into a medium-length snout. Along the top of the nasal ridge, she has some minor keratin bossings which lead into a small point on the tip of her nose. Her jaws are rather narrow with her snout and have defined jaw muscles along the sides of her skull and below the jawbone. One of her more striking features is her icy blue eyes, framed by a somewhat pointy keratin-bossed brow. Centered on her forehead is a diamond-shaped onyx crystal.*

* *Her neck is long and lean with a small row of quills on her spine and is quite strong, fortified by thin plates along the sides and spine and smooth, rounded scales along her throat, leading into a pair of strong wing muscles defined by stronger keratin ridges and broad plate-like scales. Her wings are long and narrow, ending in a pointed claw; the primary digit in her wing is more defined and large, while the other three are more thin and act as weaker supports. In general, her wings are structured for high speed and rapid wingbeats, like a falcon.*

* *Like all Blasphemous, her wings’ thumbs are fused with the surrounding bones and is made into a long, powerful bone blade, covered with metallic enamel which gives it a steel-like shine.*

*Just beneath her wings are her forelimbs, long and slender, ending in peculiar hoof-like paws like all Blasphemous, guarded with rows of solid scales and osteoderms. They are designed for fast running and high jumps, though their unguligrade structure means that leg injuries can be far more harmful. Despite the lithe form of her limbs, they are quite powerful and can provide a painful stomp and kick.*

* *Leading from her forelimbs into her torso, she has robust muscles along her back and flanks, as well as her lower belly, all guarded with thicker scales. Her spine is guarded by pointed scales and her flanks are protected with overlapping plate-osteoderms, which lead into a thick, leather-like type of scale on the underbelly, similar to crocodilians.*

*Her hip bones are somewhat ornamented with pointed scales, leading into her strong hind limbs- just as sinewy and powerful as the forelimbs, and just as guarded.*

*Finally, her spine leads into a robust tail; thicker at the base to help with stability, then eventually rounding out near the middle into a sinewy spear-like tail-tip, made out of the same bone and metallic enamel as her wing blades. Effective piercing weapon.*

### Scales

*Her scales are a deep ash-color, darker near her spine and joints and transitions into a light umber on her underbelly. Though hard to see, she has dorsal stripes that run down her body vertically, and small glittering blue speckles along her shoulders and the tips of her wings. Scale types vary along her body; however, her joints tend to have thin, round scales (as well as her throat) and her more vital areas tend to be protected by plate-like scales and osteoderms. Other regions have smooth, rounded scales that are somewhat iridescent. The underbelly is guarded by leathery scales, however, and are long and rectangular, thinning and rounding out near the joints of her limbs and at the base of her tail.*

### Abilities

***[Third Eye]** - A Passive ability. At her young age, this ability is negligible. This ability will grow into her as she ages; by adulthood, she will have a better time differentiating things from her environment, tracking scents, feeling vibrations, and acute hearing. The downside is that all of these senses will be far more easy to overwhelm. -Overstimulation Effects: Overwhelming scents can cause her to lose her senses for some time. She can lose her sense of smell, sense of physical place and become unbalanced, thoughts can become rampant, and more.*

***[Blood Lightning]** - An ability that is channeled when she attacks. Created through a peculiar hormone that is exercised with adrenaline, it erupts from her scales in a short radius as dull red lightning and black vapor. Whenever it arcs to an opponent, it saps the strength of their elemental abilities, lasting about a minute before strength returns. Can be used multiple times in a fight, but will quickly exhaust and overwhelm Listhul if she uses it too much.*

***[Lucid Dreaming]** - Listhul can enter a state of slumber after lengthy mediation. When she's overwhelmed and distressed, this ability helps soothe herself, projecting herself into memories of herself and her mother.*

* *Not useful for combat, can't be used unless she's in a quiet area and is safe.*

## Personality

*She is meek and rather naive, but has a big heart. Like most youngsters, she has high energy and often sneaks off to explore, even if she knows she’s on another kingdom’s territory. Despite this, she attempts to regard strangers with interest and fondness, but can be startled and scared off very easily. Due to her young age, she is quite small and many dragons are much, MUCH larger than her- and so, she is quite easily intimidated.*

*Due to her naivety, she tends to get into trouble frequently without even realizing. She is gullible and easy to manipulate, especially if she’s under the assumption that it’s to help others. But she isn’t entirely dull; she will catch onto hostile dragons quickly and will avoid them if she can.*

*Deep down, she struggles with a sense of belonging and place. Today, with the help of Dra’kinth, she was able to fully remember the Night of Blood, and as a result, feels grieved and troubled over it. While she loves and grieves for her family, she cannot help but feel disdain for her father, despite his spirit being infused in her, loathing even her own name. She tries her best to disguise this in front of others, but she is worried and terrified of her place in the world, and feels envy for those who are faring better, even if she does feel guilty for feeling that way.*

## Kin

*All of her family is deceased, however, her father is notable in still existing within her soul crystal on her forehead. Other major family members include:*

* *Toanma - Mother. Loved her and was treated with utmost care by her.*
* *Astra - Grandmother. Though she was fairly distant from the blind, old dragoness, she enjoyed her wisdom and company.*
* *Elpis - Great-great-great-grandparent. Doesn’t know them very well besides listening to their prophecies and visions; they seldom spoke in depth to her about anything else.*
* *Vaskal - Uncle. Learned a great deal about the Luminous from him, as well as learned how to be independent from him. Loved his war stories.*
* *Dela and Mari - Sister and brother respectively. Was very distant from them due to being separated for her training and studies by Sangui, and they grew a disdain for her when they realized their father’s favoritism for Listhul, even if Listhul enjoyed their rare company.*
* *Umbra - Cousin. Fond of her artisanal works and watching her bless bones. Learned to feel fondness for vultures and other carrion feeders and grew to become comfortable with the cycle of life and death.*

## Relationships

* *Dra’kinth - Fond of, views him like a second father.*
* *Sarkhan - Knows well enough, fond of him as well!*
* *Daffodil - Good friend already! Loves her flower magic and herbal knowledge.*
* *Lychen - Neutral, spoke to only once.*
* *Sid - NO GOOD. VERY ICKY. Terrified of that guy.*
* *Pallor - Spotted that snowy giant from afar and is terrified of him too.*

## History

*Born from the high-ranking leaders of the hidden lair of Ala’akh, the home of the **Ashclaw** clan. Her birth was regarded as a blessing; the first hatchling of the spring. For the first weeks of her hatching, she was warmed and guarded by her mother,* Toamna*, who whispered to her of her great future, filling the dragonet with visions of glory and power under a bleeding moon. Their nest was surrounded by the feathers and sacred bones, and Listhul woke to gaze into a bustling lair beyond. Her heart fluttered with ideas and excitement, eager to get out of her mother’s grasp!*

*Once she was able to move about readily and could speak in their tongue, her father,* Sangui*, began his lessons and she was free to learn amongst her much older peers. Though much of her time was still spent growing into her wings and paws through play and hunting training, she was prohibited from exiting the lair until she had her fending claws. Every dawn, she was taught the ways of the Blasphemous and the art of weaving shadow, slowly unlocking mental prowess.*

*Her growth was steady, but she had remarkable acuity, even by the standards of her older peers. This brought the eye of Sangui upon her more keenly, and he, alongside other resident elders, raised her. Toamna continued to play her part, but had grown distant from her mate these past years, finding herself without his affection after he had become zealous with his quest to please the Formless One. And Listhul would become his penultimate ‘creation,’ in hopes of doing so.*

*Years went by, life as normal as possible for the Blasphemous. Listhul, well into her early childhood, wasn’t able to weave shadow, but to manipulate a type of electricity that could sap energy from targets. Learning this, Sangui became bitter. He wasn’t certain how well this would allow her to meet their deity, so he doubled down on her meditation sessions. Between his teachings and juggling family life, Sangui was planning on something. His blue gaze was set on **The Sunborn**; the home of **the Luminous**.*

*Most of her day was spent trying to hone her mind, to empower her mental strength and allow her to walk the abyss. The more she was taught, the more separated she was from her peers. The more different she became. The more targeted she became for their disdain, as if she were receiving preferential treatment. But she was naive to their disdain, always seeing too short of conversations. She had excellent abilities even before her scheduled ritual, but it didn’t help with being social whatsoever. With being held away from others so often, she was seldom able to speak to her peers.*

*Listhul soon arrived at her first sacrifice, though not to complete her ritual, to simply see if she could. A kidnapped Luminous lay on top of a shrine, adorned with blackened feathers and flanked by heavy garbed Blasphemous; her father and mother. Given a large, slender dagger designed to fit around the paws of young dragonets, and the blade was lengthy to pierce under the belly plates of others and through the ribs into the heart.*

*As Listhul approached the shrine, she was mortified. She knew well of death and its part it played in the cycle, but intentionally taking the life of another- a fully grown dragon, nonetheless- was new to her. The dragon was not even sedated, merely having its limbs strung tight and tied against the shrine. With the whole Ashclaw clan behind her, she could not flee. Sangui, cheerily guiding her paw, instructed her where to pierce. Peering into the Luminous’ petrified gaze and hearing its mortified, ragged breathing made her shiver with terror. But with the encouragement from her father and the murmuring chants behind her, she plunged the blade into the windpipe of the dragon, then rammed it into their heart before pulling away and leaving the blade in.*

*She could only watch as the life and light drained from her victim, leaving her breathless. But, somewhere within, her blood surged with a strange, electrifying adrenaline. With the sacrifice complete, the ritual to commune with the Formless One began instantly, as her father beckoned her to the pouring blood from the throat, coating her forehead with it before sending her to the ritual pyre in front of the shrine to meditate so that she could escort the spirit to the deity and meet it. She could not concentrate in her state of grief, and therefore, could not meditate. Infuriated, Sangui sent her away to meditate instead, much to Toamna’s fury.*

*After this disturbing night, Listhul spent several hours being comforted by her mother. At this point, the little dragonet was extremely uncertain of her place. She didn’t know why this had to happen, and felt herself to blame. And for several years after this event, the memories of it would haunt her. Life would become much harder for the little one soon enough.*

***Sangui had made plans to drive The Sunborn to extinction.***

*Preparations were made with* Vaskal*, the Lightslayer, and the sect of warriors and Shadowguards that worked under him and his mate,* Asmov*. Together, they planned with Sangui, and sought to strike at the height of the New Moon, but the date was soon changed when* Astra*, the retired Matron and mother of Sangui, read off a prophecy of a Blood Moon. This would be their night, but it wouldn’t come for many months- perhaps years.*

*Sangui used this to prepare for more things than one. It was time for Listhul to train for her purpose, for her prophecy. With much of the planning left to Vaskal and Asmov, he was left to train his daughter. Months would pass, and the little dragonet would grow hastily in her mental acuity. But she never did grow out of her naivety, and never did feel better about the sacrifice she committed.*

*Life was as usual until the day prior to Astra’s vision, which was now dubbed the ‘Night of Blood’. Sangui gathered the clan- except for Listhul, who was busy meditating and working on her manipulation of her Blood Lightning, which she had now learned seemed to ‘sap’ energy from dragons. It made her sparring partner’s shadow abilities weakened, allowing her to sneak in for better strikes.*

*Sangui would announce his plans, and their purpose. The final path they would take and their true ascension. Though reluctant, every member eventually agreed to the pact they would make with Elpis. Thus, did their fates become sealed. They would all battle The Sunborn, and survivors would be sacrificed by Sangui and Listhul herself would ferry their souls to the Formless One so that they may ascend into deities.*

*As night was drawn upon them, they sped into the Sunborn’s lands. Under the guidance of Sangui with his malefic shadow magics and the prowess of the twin generals Vaskal and Asmov, the Luminous were massacred. None survived, not even hatchlings or eggs. The land was desecrated. Following behind them was the youngest hatchling, Listhul, who arrived in the aftermath. Golden bodies were strewn everywhere, blood-hued lights and rippling shadows surrounded the Sunborn’s lair, choking their light-suffused haven. But among them were also the bodies of her clanmates. Her family members. Not slain by the claws and blades of the Luminous but sacrificed and gathered en-masse in a pile.*

*Guarding them was her blood-stained father, Sangui, in a ferocious euphoria, chanting, dancing and laughing. His eyes were a shining blue, as well as his crystalline crest. In his claws was a dagger, shiny with blood.*

*As he turned around, he greeted his daughter with glee and happiness, telling her it’s now her turn to free them. That she’ll complete her prophecy. She was mortified and shocked, her mind was blanked. She couldn’t even hear what he was saying, but he was coming closer and closer with the dagger, offering it to her. Without thinking, she did just as he asked her to, and plunged the dagger under his limbs, directly into his heart. He died in moments.*

*But she didn’t understand. She was supposed to take them to the spirit realm, but she couldn’t. Her eyes darted across him and her mother, laying nearby. What was she meant to do? How? Her legs quivered a moment before she collapsed, and entered purgatory. Within, she was standing in an abyss. Flickering lights and spirits darted by, walking and fading. But ahead, she had seen a strange figure; a swirling mist.*

*Approaching, she then reached out, her mind stirring and unable to cope with what just happened, and then the spirit fizzled and hissed. She was then confronted with the spirit of Sangui. The shadows twisted and sputtered, and then her vision was distorted. Colors flashed in bizarre patterns and her mind was screaming with newfound energy and power.*

*Sangui was now bound to her. But… she didn’t fulfill her prophecy. Nay, the Formless One lied. Or perhaps, Sangui acted too soon. Listhul was not properly prepared to ferry these souls, and so, they were all sentenced to their respective afterlives- all but one. Sangui. His punishment would be that he’d never see his family again, except for the child he had wronged. It would be a chance for him to right what he had done.*

*But Listhul was still in a daze. After the ritual was complete, she was passed out for two days, her body shielded in an egg of shadow before she awoke to the sound of Sangui speaking to her- but from within. Sangui had piloted her body across the island, back into the lair and in her nest so that she wouldn’t see the battlefield again. Strangely, she had forgotten what had happened- some of her memories were missing.*

*In her confusion, Sangui insisted she leave. There was nothing left for her here. Though she was grieving about this, she was no longer aware of her place in the prophecy. And so, she began her journey shortly after gathering some supplies- fleeing off the island in fear of what Sangui was telling her, and aimed towards another continent.*

*She landed on a large island. She wasn’t very self-sufficient, but she at least knew herbs. Soon enough, she would fly to a smaller island, and encounter a peculiar dragon named Dra’kinth- a king! In her enthusiastic naivety, she followed suit and decided to forgo all of her previous faith to worship the sun. To remember. To help others.*

*Life and the possession of Sangui will decide her path and fate.*