Ash

## Appearance and Character

Despite her namesake, Ash’s skin is pale and flawless almost impossibly so as if her life has seen no real hardship. Save for her skin and her burning eyes, she lives up to the term as “The Flaming Heart” having hair of a bright red with a length near to her waist.

Often enough she’s seen in a long, flowing dress of red silk wrapped up tight around her feminine curves and cinched off around a narrow waist. A deep, plunging neckline reveals all too much of her hefty bosom, but it is shamelessly meant to entice those that look upon her pleasant features.

Not much is known of Ash and Soot prior to their arrival into the city of Vakar. After their arrival into the city, Ash and Soot integrated well into an odd small temple largely in part to Soot's ties to a priest named Miriam. Ash's natural charisma aided the transition, and before long the once small stone temple turned into a large red bricked temple where Ash and Soot stand at the head. Before long new followers started to frequent the halls of the temple.

Poor and noble alike came seeking the priest that offered the chance at visions and sensation that the Master of Fire had meant for their people. Soot had even drank deeply of the vision tea himself, seeing the fire rising high into the skies and streets painted with blood. Their interpretations of this vision turned out to be incredibly different.

Although there was much praise on upon her charismatic sermons and her work to the people, Ash was better known for her skills as a healer. Soot had more than a few injuries that she patched up, as well as a number of acolytes that had been involved in street brawls. It was a clear show that they would not be provided peace within the city walls unless they had a much more powerful intervention. Despite this the Faith hates this temple as they believe it bastardizes the very teachings they praise. As such the new High Priest Oksifer has tried to take down this temple to no avail, however many believe it could be torn down by Laenyx and Alyra if they ever grow to be in power without a shift in their ideals.

It took letters and inquiry, as well a certain boldness for Ash to reach out to the royal family. She had done so once before to Prince Vaenarr, but he denied her help. To risk being turned away again?

Ash threw caution into the wind and wrote again, seeking the Princess Gaera Vakerian. Rather than asking for favors, Ash sought to give her own and her blessing.

She waited and she prayed. Day after day until finally a dragon descended from the skies to their temple. A brief moment of fear was replaced with joy when the princess came forward, announcing she had accepted Ash's request. However, what came out of the procedures to grant her arm use again was beyond anything the priestess had expected. Use to the limb was restored once more, to the blacks delight, but her arm's skin had become blackened with fragmentation of what looked like obsidian formed from flesh. Cracks gave way to red veins that glowed like magma from the firekeep volcano. The blessing was most unexpected, and with it came the promise of reward. Ash only asked that her people be safe within the city, but Gaera had other rewards in mind.