Aster

Aster is a Qyss Caste, born in the mining village of Yrdell on the plane of Terra. He is currently 30, working as a Kortellite Mercenary, aiding those in need and fulfilling jobs from town to town. He rarely settles down for longer than a night, moving around frequently to avoid making a stir.

He's very large for a Caste, especially one of the Qyss, but his personality is rather reclusive, not talking much outside of nods and short sentences. He is far from stupid however, in fact he is very attuned to the philosophies of his faith, worshipping and honoring the demi-god Kortel through meditation and reflection.

He is often found travelling now with Oscar, the two seeming inseparable.

## Background

### Early Life

Aster was born in a small mountainside settlement; Yrdell, the settlement was created in order to supply the ever growing demand of stone and metals, and so was adjacent to a quarry where these materials were harvested. The Caste who lived there were suited to the dark territory in the permanent shadow of the mountain, and being further from other settlements were more lenient in their beliefs to other Caste settlements, however this was a point of tension for the larger towns, as they grew suspicious of their faith, the response was a large temple of Kortel to be established there, but the people of Yrdell became more spiritually aligned with purist Kortel beliefs as opposed to traditional caste beliefs, requiring prominent people to be integrated into the church and its traditions. Aster was involved with the church from a young age, being born to a Vols mother and a Qyss father. His father was his primary source of influence, as his mother was often involved in the bureaucracy and trading of the village, and was oft hardly home, and so much like his father, Aster wished to become a miner, growing into adolescence and taking the form of the Qyss.

Aster grew up to become a mountain of a Caste, even for their species’ larger labour/warrior subspecies; the Qyss, standing around 8’7 currently, but grew very quickly very early. He wanted to make his father proud, putting his all into his work, obliterating boulders with just a few swings, but his father often looked to him with regret, feeling he had missed his true purpose. Aster’s father soon made his way to the temple of Kortel, asking the high priest for guidance, feeling his son was wasting his potential, even if he was content simply working in a labour. Aster was called upon by the priests of Kortel for judgement, at this moment he felt betrayed, it was almost as if he had done something wrong, as everything was kept vague and solemn. The priests asked him to stand, so they could judge him in the eyes of Kortel, leaving him alone in front of the large alter to their deity. They swiftly returned, asking him to leave his mining work behind and come to them for guidance. He wasn’t sure how to respond, mining was all he knew, it suited him, and for a man of such stature it was strange to say the idea of change scared him, but he reluctantly agreed, feeling they knew best.

### As a Mercenary

Over the course of years Aster was trained as a warrior in service of Kortel, to travel the lands and spread his judgement wherever necessary. He was taught to meditate, to fast, to train, to speak with his actions not his words; a term he still takes too literally to this day. It was before long he was asked to leave, knowing his duties couldn’t stay forever at the monastery. He was given one last gift before he parted a large mace with a spiked, brass head; it was an artefact from one of the cathedrals in their order, the Censer of Kortel. With the weapon gripped tightly in his hands he left, to the nearest settlement to find work, a Dwarven settlement built into the tops of the mountain, acting as a passageway into the further world. This settlement provided the Caste with some rarer metals, which the caste traded for the softer carving stones.

Aster soon picked up jobs and equipment, the dwarves being an excellent source of blacksmith goods, soon becoming friendly with one of the older smiths, who had also lent him shelter for a few nights, purchasing equipment from him, and in time returning ever so often to repair his armour. Aster’s life would follow this trend for the most part, flitting from settlement to settlement, fulfilling jobs that fell in line with his oaths, before moving to the next town over. He never wanted fame or fortune, just to spread his organisations message of law and judgement, which he became acutely efficient at.

Aster’s mere size made him an intimidating opponent, his indomitable strength enough to lift a grown man with a hand and the endurance to equip himself with the thickest plate armour. Even in his rustier years he was a tough opponent, with his skills culminating in years to become an absolute master of his craft. However, what he makes up for in martial prowess he lacks in sociability. He often shrouds himself in a cloak of mystery, but this is to hide an issue he has with working with others. He tends to be more self-reliant, and struggles to open up to people; however there being a strange select few he will to, the dwarf Urgrik, and his most recent companion Oscar being a few.

It was soon that he found Oscar, finding him in the town of Synstone after tracking the location down for the site of a dangerous rogue, wounded from some kind of fiery spell, lifting the wounded Xuan he took him to the local healers, for treatment, and ever since then they have seemed to stick around each other. Oscar’s attitude is seemingly much easier for Aster to open up to, even if it is just a few sentences, it’s a few sentences that some may never hear him say. The two have seemingly been inseparable since, with Aster often leading the way and to Oscar doing the talking, much to his dismay.