Ascended

> "It's like when you have really religious parents, right? They're always on your back, telling you to go to church. But unlike good old mom and dad, these bastards don't know when to shut up and die."
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> - Ktar Riel, King-for-Life of Havensport.
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They were once mortals - Munen, dornen, adrassi, even orgren or pixies, but at some point they heard the call to be more. They stepped into the glittering waters of a Covenant Pool, touched the perfection of Archon's Kingdom for but a moment, and emerged as one of the ascended celestials.

With their past forgotten, they now serve a singular purpose: To pursue justice for the people of Rheann in the name of Archon.

## Physicality

The ascended are physically beautiful, with clear skin, silky hair, and eyes which glow with an inner light. The coloration of these traits can vary, including colors not typically found upon the mortal races. Blue or purple hair, gold or teal eyes, and other unusual combinations are not unheard of among the ascended.

Perhaps the most jarring characteristic of the race, however, is the feathered wings which sprout from their shoulders. Their wingspan is usually about twice the celestial's height, and the color of their feathers is always white, silver, or pale gold.

Although the ascended are not immortal, they are ageless, retaining the appearance of a young adult for their entire lives.

## Personality

Ascended are typically even-tempered, calm, and patient. Their culture emphasizes loyalty and devotion or Archon above all else, which gives them an unparalleled sense of purpose.
The anger of an ascended is righteous, and their sadness is solemn. They are soldiers in an eternal war, allowed relief from duty only upon death, when they will finally return to their beloved Kingdom.

## Religion

Needless to say, the vast majority of ascended worship Archon, whether he is the gentle and benevolent god of Elysia or the vengeful, angry counterpart of the Holy Corian Empire. They have momentarily tasted of the ream of Archon and pledged their afterlife to him. For an ascended to stray from the path, they would need a very compelling reason indeed.

## Other Races

As it is Archon's mission to lift the mortal races from their suffering and strife, it stands to reason that the ascended view others as lost lambs bustling thoughtlessly to the slaughter. They sometimes develop hero complexes, or in worst case scenarios, become disdainful and patronizing toward the 'lesser races'.

Because of this, ascended often receive a mixed reception from those they hope to lead to salvation. Some mortals praise the, while others view them with suspicion or outright contempt. Adrassi in particular begrudge them for their role in destroying the lands of the Summer Court to create farmland for the sprawling kingdom of Elysia.

## Roleplaying an Ascended

Build is as *Aasimar*, VGM p. 105, with the following exceptions:

* **Ability Score Increase:** Wisdom +1
* **Age:** Ascended are ageless.
* **Alignment:** Ascended tend to be lawful, as most of their kind are taught about the world through the ordered lens of the Archonist religion. They lean toward good for the same reason. The church teaches that self-sacrifice and charity are paramount, and that the meek are most beloved by their merciful deity.
* **Size:** Ascended are taller than the average human, generally standing about six feet tall regardless of gender and weighing between 170 and 220 pounds. Your size is Medium.
* **Flight:** You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
* **Languages:** You can speak, read, and write both Common and Celestial. Celestial is a flowing language with difficult rules for conjugation. It is mostly used by the ascended to write religious works or historical records.
* **Subrace:** You may instead select the Protector or Scourge Aasimar variants at your DM’s discretion. If you choose to do so, you do not gain the above Wisdom increase or Flight ability.

## Life as an Ascended: The Final Covenant

The decision to become ascended is a difficult one for most mortals. Though the water of the covenant pool offers strength and freedom from the ravages of time, it also asks for great sacrifice. Once the transformation is complete, the ascended no longer has any memory of their former life, including their family and friends. They become an entirely new person. Despite this, a surprising number of young munen choose to undergo the ritual to become ascended. It is standard practice for those with plans to ascend to write a journal for their future self, which is presented to them as they re-emerge into the world.

That isn’t to say that only young people become ascended. Some elderly Archonists choose the path at the end of their lives, returning to their families as a divine being with the health and appearance of a young adult. Along similar lines, munen babies with no chance to survive an illness or condition are sometimes brought to covenant pools. They come back as newborn ascended who grow at the same rate as munen. These children are then raised by the Archonist church, though many maintain relationships with their birth parents as they age.