The Prince
Name: Taloran, Keeper of the Flames, Burning Witch, The Gods' Pyre, Queen of Hate, The Great Betrayer
Domain: Fire, Hate, Wrath, Anarchy
Description: The Burning Witch, the Dark God known as Taloran, is one of the greatest horrors to come from the deepest pits of any world. This great monster was once a powerful magician, who aspired for more. She despised her king, her country, her world, and worked to usurp the power of the throne. What was an act of defiance became a raging inferno that could not be stopped, and the once beautiful world of Thelosia was corrupted into the twisted, melting Ruins of Thelosia, and the great witch who betrayed her people was transformed into a dreadful mistress of fire.
The guardian of Thelosia was consumed by the fires of hate, and the people soon followed as they were twisted by the growing influence of the Great Betrayer. Her wrath, her anger, pulled all of the mortals of her world under her power, until finally none could stand before her. The old guardian, the old god of Thelosia, was consumed by Taloran, and her grip on her realm was sealed for all of eternity.
Her body transformed, from the young woman who played with fire into the great monstrosity spoken of by mortals. Within the confines of the once grand Spire, a being of pure fire rests on the Ashen Throne, rarely moved to action of her own without a cause to anger. When the Keeper of the Flames is moved to anger, the seemingly contained fire erupts into a grand monstrosity of stone and magma, consuming the Spire and wading through the great oceans that cover her domain, until her rage subsides into the calm anger that rests within the Spire. Biding her time, until her domain can spread to the other realms, and devour them in a sea of hate and fire.
The Realm
Name: The Thelosian Ruins
Description: The once grand cities and towns of Thelosia lie in ruins, destroyed since the Burning Witch's betrayal. Once golden halls have been stained black with the ashes of the innocents found unworthy to remain in the care of Taloran. Rolling rivers of magma cut across the land, meeting into a seemingly endless ocean of deadly liquid. The only source of light are the rivers and lakes that flow around and through the cities and villages. And, of course, the denizens of the realm themselves will often be able to light up what is needed.
The land is black and barren, hot stone that could shift into a pool of lava at any moment. Nothing grows there, none but the demonic hordes of the Gods' Pyre able to survive the the harsh wasteland. The walls and ceiling of the cavern the Ruins are situated in have never been seen, and may as well be non-existent for as much as they might be of use to the inhabitants of Thelosia.
In the center of the ocean of magma, rising from the depths, is the Black Spire. Once the seat of power for the old Thelosian kings, a shining star in the darkness of these dead caverns, the light of the old god has been extinguished, and replaced with the raging flames of anarchy. The white spire has become black, with cracks running up and across its length, letting out a faint red glow, as if the entire building were but an ember, all that remained of the old kingdom. Within is a winding labyrinth of stairs, statues, and traps that lead up to the top level, where the Queen of Hate rests on her Ashen Throne, patiently waiting the day she can spread her influence.
Denizens:
Embers: The once human inhabitants of Thelosia have become corrupted by the Keeper of the Flame. They're once beautiful bodies have become black charcoal, cracks running up their forms. Out of these cracks shines the fiery souls of these once proud peoples. They have become little more than cannon fodder, bodies to be thrown at the walls of the Betrayer's enemies. Their bodies alight in flames, and as they go into their death throes, the body explodes into shrapnel and fire as the soul returns to the Ruins, to be given a new body all over again. Their misery and torment is only matched by their hatred for the unburned.
Incinerators: Great, muscular monstrosities that roam the Ruins in search of victims. Once grand protectors of the holy places of Thelosia, they were corrupted with the old god; once glorious coats of fur turned into great manes of fire. Gentle hands and feet blackened and twisted, growing into talons to rend the flesh from bones in a matter of moments. Their beautiful faces elongated while the flesh melted away, massive horns sprouting from the sides. Lava replaced blood and stone replaced flesh, adding to the pain and rage that became all the Incinerators have come to know. Their only solace in their lives is causing similar pain in mortals, by causing them to transform into Embers.
Firemaws: In the many oceans of lava that cover the majority of the Ruins, reside the Firemaws. Once normal fish grew out of the Betrayer's corruption, growing and changing to suit their new mistress's needs. Leathery red hides hide them in the rivers and oceans, though one would find this impressive if they only knew of the sheer size of these leviathans. Dead, black eyes stare out at nothing as they open their maw of sharp, needle like teeth, lava dripping from their jaws. Long, muscular arms with massive talons stick from their sides, thick fins sticking out all along its arms and body.
Phoenix: The legend of the phoenix stems back to the glory days of Thelosia, where these ancient birds were seen as holy messengers of the old god. These ageless birds of fire grow to be the size of large horses, and have the temper of bulls. With every flap of their wings, fire rains down on the land below, and their talons are strong enough to rip through stone with little effort. But, their real threat lies in the fact that, even if one is slain, it will burst from its ashes to grow once more, until it is ready to be used as a beast of war once more.
Statues of Heroes Past: In the ancient times of Thelosia, the King was served by a host of knights, the greatest warriors of the land. When Taloran, the Burning Witch, threatened the realm and laid siege to the Spire, many of these knights fell in defense of King and God to her corrupted minions. The souls of these countless knights, the most defiant men to her reign, have been enslaved and placed into statues of their likeness. Their duty has changed none: They must defend the Spire and their mistress from any danger. The souls of these knights are in eternal agony, and their pain and hate of their mistress is turned on any unwanted intruder into the Spire. Their strength is matched only by their counterparts, the Lost Knights.
The Lost Knights of Taloran: When the Great Betrayer turned on the Old God and her King, she was not alone. Championing her corrupted minions were Knights who betrayed their realm for the promise of power. And power they received, and with that power came eternal torment. The Lost Knights became twisted perversions of their former selves; these once proud, loyal warriors of justice became champions of hate and rage. Shining armor stained black with the ashes of their fallen brothers, and their flesh melted away as the fire in their souls ate away at them, leaving skeletal husks animated by their agony. Trapped in their armor, these traitors rule over the rest of the demons of the Ruins, and can bend the very realm to their whims as if they were the gods of Thelosia.
Vash
