Approved Species Aureus Liberi | Children of Ashla

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

• Intent: Creating a new species that basically lives in the Netherworld but is also able to exist in the Realspace. The guardians of the Ashlanic dead souls, defenders and warriors of Ashla in the afterlife. And expands the Ashlan lore.
• Image Credit: Male Angel | Female Angel | Headers, divider: Me
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Credit: Special thanks for Cedric Grayson 's help about the Ashlan religion and afterlife.
• Links: Netherworld of the Force | Valkyrja | Followers of the Ashla

• Name: Aureus Liberi | Children of Ashla
• Designation: Sentient
• Origins: Eina L'lerim-Vandiir | Valkyrja
• Average Lifespan: Ageless*
  • ~ 1000 years | Due to the warrior society. However, they are/were souls, the Force will keep them alive and they will not grow old. That is why it is listed as ageless. Of course, they can die in countless ways, again. See below.
• Estimated Population: Rare
• Description: The Aureus Liberi, or Children of Ashla, is a deliberately created species created by the Valkyrja. It began to bother the Valkyrja to possibly steal the souls from Ashla, as their species got very close to the Ashlan Crusade thanks to the Matriarch. The first members of the Children of Ashla came from the Valkyrja who were believers of Ashla. The two species are similar to each other, although there are also large differences, which is why they can no longer be called a subspecies or race but a separate species. For example, they are related to Ashla, their goddess, who is a hive-mind oversoul like Manda in the Mandalorian religion. They are much more religious, more spiritual than Valkyrja, and last but not least, there are huge differences in their behaviour and appearance. They follow their religion even after their lives, in this new life. Every member of the species must be Lightsider or near Light Side Force User for Ashla to accept them. If they are lost in Bogan’s path, then they can no longer connect to the hive-mind. Unlike the Valkyrja, they don’t really escort souls to the Nether (only the Ashlan believers' souls) and don’t even feel things related to death, but they feel the Dark side and do everything they can to destroy it and bring Ashla’s glory to the afterlife as well. Their most important tasks are to spread and defend Ashla's religion, preserve the light, the Light side and Ashla's will, and destroy Bogan.

• Breathes: N/A (Netherworld) | Type I. and II. (Realspace, in material form)
• Average Height of Adults: 180 – 220 centimetres
• Average Length of Adults: N/A
• Average Wingspan of Adults: 4-7 metres
• Skin color: Different | Any usual, which may be a common skin colour for humans.
• Hair color: Different | Any usual, which may be a common hair colour for humans.
• Distinctions: Children of Ashla definitely have a human look if we don’t count the wings, as all of their members have wings. At least one pair, but many of their members have more than one pair. They are 180-220 centimetres tall and their body shape is variable. Because they are similar to humans, in appearance and external gender signs, they can easily distinguish between a man and a woman. Anyone, whatever their race, they'll look human as Children of Ashla. They can change their appearance a bit or gender if they want to, but they still remain "human". Their wings are usually large, they also flourish in different colours, and the members of the species are able to fly with them. In the Realspace, they are all basically invisible and thus unnoticeable, even with the Force they are difficult to perceive. Because the Force keeps them alive, though, they are actually souls, so they don’t age unless they are destroyed, they can exist for eternity. In any case, at whatever age the transformation takes place, the members of the species will look young (at idle). That is why there are no children and the elderly among them, just if they chose elderly or children form themselves. At idle, they are Lightsiders in the Force, but it is up to the individual whether will be the representative of the Neutral side or the Dark side (see below the disadvantages of the Dark side). At the Netherworld, they are able to take a more physical form at any time to act more easily, and there is no disadvantage to eating habits at this location, only in Realspace. Because of their “physical” nature, they communicate mainly with telepathy and not with ordinary speech.
• Races: The Children of Ashla can be divided into three parts: Paragons of Ashla, Virtues of Ashla, and Forsworn. There is no physical or other difference between them, only what makes them different is how they were created; however, the Forsworn is different, they are the fallen ones, who are not part of the Ashla's oversoul anymore.
  • Paragons of Ashla: They are the ones created by Eina L’lerim-Vandiir and the Valkyrja from the Ashlan believer' Valkyrja, they are the original members of the species. Only those created by them are included in this group. No one else. They were originally Valkyrja.
  • Virtues of Ashla: There are many more of them, they make up most of the species. They are once-lived individuals created by the Paragons of Ashla or other Virtues of Ashla. Souls who proved worthy were great warriors and members of the Children of Ashla, or Ashla herself found them worthy to elevate these persons among themselves.
  • The Forsworn: Or, the Devoted of Bogan; They are the fallen, once belonging to the other two groups, but Bogan's power infected them. Since they left the path of Light, or the Near Light, which represents Ashla, Ashla excluded them from the hive-mind and the members of the Forsworn were no longer part of the oversoul. Later, if they find their way back to Ashla, they can rise back to their former rank and be one with Ashla again.
• Force Sensitivity: All; since they are, in fact, souls who have retained themselves or formed a new personality in Netherworld, so that by their creation they are all connected to the Force and have Force Sensitivity. At the right of their creation, they have only telepathy and empathy which they can use through and without the Force; because of the strangeness of their existence, the manipulation of the Netherworld is easier for them, it is easier for them to learn this later. Of course, members of the species need to learn everything they want.
  • One is created, and did not have Force Sensitivity before their death, after becoming Children of Ashla will definitely be.
  • If they were a Force User before their death, they might be able to retain their old power and abilities even after they become Children of Ashla. Note: This is only true if the characters are PCs and become members of the species on the board, during threads, or an expansion / bio update.

• Two Worlds: They can easily travel between the Netherworld and the Realspace. They can move from one to another at any time, after a short concentration. They are able to do this alone, they cannot bring anyone with themselves if the person is living and they can bring souls only from the Realspace to the Nether. Note: They can only do this in immaterial form. They can easily find portals, rifts and other gateways between the two worlds/dimensions.
• Ashla's hive-mind: They are constantly connected to the goddess (oversoul) so they always know what Ashla’s will is. Through this, they are able to communicate telepathically and empathetically with each other, but in the meantime, their own personalities remain, they do not become mindless drones. After all, according to the beliefs of their religion, after their death, they become one with Ashla, all of which actually happens, on a conscious level (or even physically, but in that case, they will cease to exist).
  Long life: Because they are actually spirits, or souls, they basically have no physical body and the Force keeps them alive. As a result, they do not age and cannot die naturally (in old age). Note: of course, they can be killed or neutralised in countless ways. See below.
• Semi Shape-shifting: They have minimal shape-shifting, the ability to change the color of their skin, hair, eyes and wings, as well as their gender and voice. Or they can even increase or decrease the number of their wings, possibly their physique. But nothing drastic, their features remain, so they can be easily recognized later.
• Flying: They are able to fly with their wings, with human senses this speed could be quite quickly, at a speed like an animal's (horse), for example; but they can’t compete with machines..
• Telepathy and Empathy: Telepathy and empathy are essential to their communication, they are able to use it all with the help of the Force, but they are also capable of using these two abilities without the Force.
• Immaterial and Physical form: They have two forms, the immaterial and the physical. They are able to perform physical things in material form. In the immaterial form, they are essentially invisible to others, although they are able to see each other (and the invisible Valkyrja as well). They are able to be in a partially immaterial form, for example, only the base of their wings is immaterial so that they can more easily wear clothes, armour, or the like.

• Ashlan Believers: Only Ashlan believers can be transformed into Children of Ashla, not least, only Ashla believers can be escorted to Netherworld to the oversoul by them. They must leave all other souls to Valkyrja.
• Only the Light Side: Because religion does not accept Bogan’s path, every member of Children of Ashla are Lightsider, or possibly a Neutral Force user (but near to the Light side). Anyone who gets lost on Bogan’s path (Dark Side) will end their connection with Ashla and be left alone. They will no longer be able to hear the will of their goddess or use tive-mind's benefits.
• Immaterial: Although this protects them from damage, they are not able to use objects or affect their environment in an immaterial form, they can only use the Force to a very limited extent. Note: only abilities that affect nothing but themselves, possibly telepathy and empathy are allowed.
• Weakness of the Flesh: The physical body has the advantages of being able to affect their environment, touch things, but the huge disadvantage is that they are as vulnerable in this form as any living thing. In this case, the physical injury hits their souls. Thus, if they are damaged in this form, those injuries remain in the immaterial form. Not to mention that they die in the same way as anyone else from a fatal injury to a physical body, and they also have to breathe and eat at this time.
• Energy Shield: They are not able to penetrate energy shields in any form, not even in an intangible/immaterial state. Thus, under such conditions, they can be easily trapped.
• The Force: Whatever their shape/form, the Force is their greatest weakness, it can affect them. And if they are unable to defend against it, they can be destroyed by it. Because they are all Lightsiders, the Dark Side is able to affect them more than the Light or Neutral Force.
• Exotic Weapons: Exotic weapons such as lightsaber, disruptor, or sonic weapons/attacks can harm them in any form, be they physical or immaterial.
• Force Nullification: The Children of Ashla, just like the Valkyrja who created them, responds to such an environment in a very special and perhaps completely unique way. Whatever form they are in at the moment, intangible, or physical form, they are petrified in such an environment. They do not perceive anything in this state and in all cases, they have a physical form. They are the most vulnerable in this form and the easiest to kill.

• Diet: It separates depending on what form they are using.
  • Immaterial form: In this form, Thaumovore / Forcevore is their form of nutrition. Which essentially means they don’t have to eat or drink because the Force itself keeps them alive. That’s why they react in such an extreme way when they get into a Force-free zone.
  • Physical form: However, if they are in physical form, on the one hand they have to breathe (see below) and maintain that shape with energy. Which is why in this form they qualify as Omnivore and feed on Force Energies. If they do not, their physical form will disintegrate and return to immaterial form.
    • If they are in physical form in the Netherworld, this is not a burden on them, and since the Nether is their original habitat, they do not have to feed in any form here, only in the Realspace.
• Communication: They are connected in all forms with Ashla, with whom they can communicate telepathically at any time, through Ashla the others can be able to hear their thoughts like in a hive-mind, but here can everyone is able retain their own personality.
  • Immaterial form: Because in this form, communication is limited to one possibility, telepathy. That is why all members of the species have telepathy so that communication can be easily solved.
  • Physical form: In this form, they are also able to speak normally, in which case they also need breathing to have sound formation. However, most of their people also prefer telepathy in this form.
• Technology level: On the one hand, their objects and architecture seem to be at a level between feudal and industrial age. But they actually use much more modern technology, which is in line with the Galactic Standard. In addition, Valkyrja technology is used.
• Religion/Beliefs: Followers of the Ashla | They fully follow Ashla’s religion, as they have done in their lives. With full devotion, they live their new lives dedicated to the goddess. And they are parts of Ashla’s oversoul that let them know at any time what Ashla wills and what they have to do; however, they'll keep their personality entirely.
• General behaviour:
  • Social behaviour: First of all, perhaps one of the most important things to note is that they don’t represent the entire Ashlan afterlife, they’re just a small group within it. They consider themselves mostly Ashla’s blades. That is, they are the ones who sanctify the will of the goddess in the Netherworld and destroy those who follow Bogan. Their ideals and views are in line with what their religion, the Followers of Ashla requires. They are all deeply religious.
    
    At Netherworld, they are seen as a kind of vengeful angel who typically work with the Valkyrja, complementing each other perfectly. Children of Ashla are all members of the Ashla's oversoul, through which they are able to communicate with each other, know what others know, and thus know what Ashla wants from them. What should they do. What’s important to note is that they all retain their own consciousness so they can act freely, but Ashla is most important to them.
    
    They are no longer alive, but merely souls, but they are still praying to the goddess every day. They live according to knightly ideals and represent this as well. Defenders, protectors of the weak, destroyers of the evil and Bogan. They’re not so interested in everything that happens in Realspace anymore, because based on their religion, there’s nothing wrong with them dying and becoming one with Ashla. As Aureus Liberi, they were able to become more so they could follow and carry out the will of the goddess even better. Of course, they can choose at any time to actually become one with the goddess, and then they merge into the oversoul, their own identity disappears (they become one with the Force, literally); however, not many Aureus Liberi chose this. They believe they still need to serve Ashla, until the Bogan disappears completely.
    
    At the same time, they still think of themselves as Crusaders, but because of their religious sense, they are also increasingly signified by the Templar, or Paladin adjective, by which they refer to themselves. They are not only warriors, but also priests and paladins of their goddess. In essence, they are already Ashla’s will and blades. They typically use archaic weapons or modern ones that have an archaic look.
    
    They live according to chivalrous or knightly virtues, they do not seek wealth, worldly power, but rather spiritualism is what is important to them, Ashla, the Light Side, chivalrous virtues, purity, goodness. Typically, areas are protected against Bogan, which is Ashla’s region in the Netherworld, but a lot of people also visit other areas of the Netherworld to kill Bogan everywhere. That’s why there are those who also travel to Realspace to continue their old job there while they were still alive.
  • Social Structure: Interestingly, Children of Ashla is divided into two social strata, one knightly and the other ecclesiastical. They coexist completely. As all Aureus Liberi are Force users, it also shows that those who rely less on the Force will be placed in the order of knights, and those who rely mainly on the Force and spiritual things they'll be placed in the Church. In addition, through religious persons, the saints play a major role in society.
    • Saints and Living Saints: They are considered Ashla’s personal chosen ones who bear the grace and sign of the goddess. The title can be earned by action, by miracles. There is currently only one such person, whom both Children of Ashla and Ashlan Crusade consider living Saint, Eina L'lerim-Vandiir. The Ashlan Crusade for the creation of the Crown of Ashla, the Children of Ashla, and the creation of their species for the fulfilment of Ashla’s will by Valkyrja. The advice of the saints is always accepted and they are usually given what they ask for. After all, they were touched by the goddess, they are the closest to her.
    • Grandmaster and Patriarch/Matriarch: They are the leaders of the Order of the Knights and the Religion. It's about one-one person at a time. They are also responsible for military defence and religious teaching. Probably over the entire Ashlanic afterlife, they oversee all of this, of course with Ashla’s will.
    • Paladins and Cardinals: They are essentially High Command, all senior, veteran warriors, religious figures. Six to six people make up this council and have such ranks. They are personally accountable to only the two leaders and almost never leave the knighthood building, temples / cathedral where they are in leadership positions.
    • Templars/Crusaders and Bishops: They are the ones who have great fighting or religious experience, almost typically warlords, religious leaders who lead a physical and spiritual war against Bogan. Their numbers are already medium sized, they are all highly knowledgeable and experienced fighters, scientists. Essentially, they are the officers or nobles.
    • Knights and Priests: It is the largest layer of culture and species. Essentially, everyone who has become Children of Ashla and has passed the trials, which was the rite of becoming an “adult,” will be placed in this rank. They are already essentially full members of society and can receive Squires and Novices.
    • Squires and Novices: This group includes "newborn" Children of Ashla members. Then an older knight or priest takes them under their wings and teaches them about their new life. This usually lasts from a few months to a year or two. Once the candidate has learned everything they need to do, they will have to pass some theoretical and practical tests that will measure their religion, vocation, and fighting skills. If they pass the rehearsal, they will advance to the rank of Knights and Priests.
    • The Forsworn: The damned, the expelled, the exiled. The Children of Ashla’s biggest enemy, their own comrades. They are being hunted at the Inquisition level, of course they are trying to redirect them back to Ashla’s way out of Ashla’s will, but most Forsworn are doomed to death and there is not really a way back for them.
  • Reproduction: All members of the Children of Ashla are neuter, which is why they are not able to reproduce in the traditional way, as most species do, but there are still two ways to reproduce.
    • Paragons of Ashla: They are the ones created by Eina L’lerim-Vandiir and the Valkyrja from the Ashlan believer' Valkyrja, they are the original members of the species. Only those created by them are included in this group. No one else. They were originally Valkyrja once. The Valkyrja is able to transform an existing Valkyrja into Children of Ashla if necessary and the particular Ashlan believer asks them to do so.
    • Virtues of Ashla: There are many more of them, they make up most of the species. They are once-lived individuals created by the Paragons of Ashla or other Virtues of Ashla. Souls who proved worthy were great warriors and members of the Children of Ashla, or Ashla herself found them worthy to elevate these persons among themselves. In fact, this is their traditional mode of reproduction. Members of the species go to Realspace and look for great crusaders, believers who conform to Ashla’s religion, her ideal. These are singled out and later, after the death of the target person, when the soul leaves the body and is ready to journey into the Netherworld, they will be there and by touching the soul they will be able to shape them as they are, the target person will be one of them if they want to. All this can be done only with the souls of the dead, not with living persons. If someone doesn’t want it to be like that and can refuse the process. Nothing happens then. The Children of Ashla are unable to transform anyone against their will, in which case they just escort the soul into the Nether and let them go.
      Note: For PC or NPC, it is entirely up to the user to accept this or not. Transformation can only take place immediately after death, if someone refuses and later changes their mind, they can no longer become one.
  • Interaction with Others: They are basically well-intentioned, until they meet Bogan’s followers. They want to destroy them because of their religion. Because the Netherworld is much blacker and whiter than the Realspace, who becomes a demon here or gets lost on Ashla’s path, it usually has no salvation and redemption to them. The Children of Ashla hunt down all the Darksider and Bogan followers and try to save them by killing them, due to the fact they consider the Bogan and Dark side as a disease. However, with those who do not follow Bogan’s path are friendly, often helping them, offering protection to the weaker, the needy. This view is also true of the creatures and inhabitants of the Netherworld and Realspace.
    • The Valkyrja: They created the Children of Ashla, which is why the two species have a close relationship with each other. They are allies and help each other wherever they can. There is no parent-child relationship between them, but rather a deep brotherly/sisterly, camaraderie relationship. They are natural allies because their goals are very similar. Last but not least, the only living saint of Children of Ashla is the Matriarch of Valkyrja, Eina L'lerim-Vandiir.
    • Ashlan Crusade: They are natural allies, which is not very surprising since almost everyone has been a member of that Imperium in their lifetime. While they don’t often interfere in Realspace’s affairs when they are called by the Kaiser, their Living Saint or any of the Crusaders, they are happy to respond and help their former peers as they have the same goal. To fulfil Ashla's will.
    • Ashlanic Afterlife: Because they see themselves as Ashla’s chosen ones, they feel it is very important to protect the rest of her afterlife and its inhabitants. Even if the rest don't want that, but for them, it was Ashla’s will, she suggested it to them. Thus, as a kind of guardian, they guard Ashla’s entire domain in the Netherworld and those who are also part of the Ashla’s oversoul.
  • Religion: They are perhaps even more religious than their living counterparts. They are to go to church once a day and pray three times a day. Some people do it several times, but that’s the standard. In this they follow the same view and principles as the living church, or the Ashlan secular views:
    • Ashlan Cultural Summary
    • The Holy Ashlan Papacy
  • Dressing and wearing: They wear armour in almost every case. It’s usually heavy armour (or looks like it), but they often wear chain-like clothing as well. Because they don’t really have to breathe, they like the more archaic look because it’s closer to knightly ideals. Even priestly dignitaries are more martial priests than actual ecclesiastical persons and the symbols and signs found on the armour show that they are part of the church. Although many times church people wear lighter armour so that heavy armour does not hinder them from moving and using Force. The colours depend entirely on the individual, although the religion and church often prefer red / gold colours; the knights often prefer white, gold armour, or even black. But most use armours with standard silver / grey colour.
  • Knight's Tournament: Members of the species tend to compare their knowledge and strength in various knightly tournaments. There are tournaments where only members of Children of Ashla can take part and inaugurate champions among themselves. This is how the inauguration of Squires and Novices takes place as well. Other times, however, the entire Ashlanic afterlife can join, or anyone from Netherworld or even Realspace. The most important thing is a fair fight.

The species can’t really be said to be old, although because of the Ashlan religion, the culture itself is pretty old. Lately, the story of Ashlan Crusade and Valkyrja has become quite intertwined, thanks to the Valkyrja's matriarch (Eina L’lerim-Vandiir). On the one hand, many Valkyjra also began to wear an angelic, winged appearance, and on the other hand, because of Lord Geiseric of Sanctuary, they began to take a more serious interest in Ashla's religion.

No, the Valkyrja did not become an Ashla believer, but after a while they began to feel uncomfortable being offered to the Crusaders to join the Valkyrja species. They felt that this was offending them in their religion, although they were worthy to be members of the species as well. As Eina was one of the most experienced sorcerers and alchemists amongst the Valkyrja, and the woman knows the members of Ashlan Crusade the best, she was asked for help on how to resolve this situation.

The Valkyrja also knows that the Ashlans will become one with Ashla according to their faith, which is mostly similar to the Manda in Mandalorian religion, meaning Ashla is probably a collective soul, a consciousness that every dead Ashlan believer will join or able to do this, after their death. It is essentially an oversoul and this is the goddess. So some sort of solution was needed so that Ashlan believers could stay in touch with Ashla, to remain part of Ashla, but if they wanted to, they could keep themselves in the afterlife as well and not be one with the Force entirely, not merge with it.

Fortunately, so far there have been some Ashla followers amongst the Valkyrja who have helped Eina and members of Clan Völva combine Force Alchemy and their own Valkyrja skills to create a new transformation method. It is essentially similar to what is used to make Valkyrja out of the soul, but in this case, it is actually a species with an angelic appearance and other abilities. The appearance is similar to that Eina used amongst the Ashlans.

The result was a winged, angelic species that really looked like an angel, still part of Ashla's oversoul, not torn from them, her, even after the souls went through this transformation. All of this, of course, is voluntary, and transformation can only happen if the soul of the dead agrees to everything. Random transformation can no longer occur here, as in the case of the Valkyrja.

And all of this was enough evidence that Ashla accepted the Valkyrja’s gift and didn’t stop them. Ashla’s children were able to return home, now in their new form, to represent Ashla’s will in the afterlife as they had done in their lives as well. It is an interesting fact, however, that a person who does not believe in the goddess cannot be transformed into a member of the Aureus Liberi.

They may be even more religious than the living Ashlans, but because of the Ashla's oversoul, that may not be so surprising. Within the species, two social groups developed, the religious and the knightly order. Children of Ashla are divided into these two groups (if we don’t count the exiles) and so they try to protect the entire Ashlanic afterlife and fulfil the will of the goddess.

​

 

[The Mongrel]

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir

I like the explanation behind how these angelic beings came to be and why we haven't seen them before. As usual, beautiful job. I can tell this involved a whole lot of work. Approved.