Caution: Spoilers

The Guardian, Aesangat

As one of the two Great Spirits of the natural world, the Guardian serves as the patron of prey, fertility and protection.  Divided from its other half by the first act of predation, it is considered the ‘Dark’ one, having aspects in line with the three darker elements of wood, water and earth.  In order to exercise its powers, it must inhabit mortals, but can depart them at any time.

Previous Guardians include:

Vina Treakhaher, Shaman of the River-Waders

The first Guardian host.  An ebon-skinned ogress from the Skinchanger-Wraith War, nearly five thousand years before present day.  Wise and patient, she is most attuned with the water aspect of the Guardian and uses snakes — both spiritual and physical — as her servitors.  Her Ravager counterpart, Kirhuua, was also her lover.  It was their cooperation that allowed them to break the strength of the wraiths and scatter them to the four winds.

Jeronek the Stonehand

The Guardian host during the time of the Sealing, 1400 years ago.  An earthblooded human of Yezadran origin, he is a warrior more than a spiritist, and is known for his brooding outlook.  Though he did not have a direct hand in crafting the Seals, he defended the Ravager of his time, Kuthrallan Vanyaris, during the event.

Aloyan Erosei the Younger

The Guardian host during a great upheaval 412 years ago.  A Kerrindrixi warrior in service to the elemental Muriae, he is known for his skill with the sword and ferocity in battle.  Unfortunately, his task in life was too great for him to surmount–perhaps because his mercurial and aggressive temperament was more of the Ravager’s sort than the Guardian’s, as was his attunement to metal.

Haurah of the Red Forest Clan

The Guardian host of twenty years ago.  A wolf skinchanger, Haurah should not have been chosen, but her desire to assault the Palace and assassinate the Ravager drew the Guardian to her.  A predator in body and blood, she is most attuned to the element of wood — up to and including wrapping herself in vines and thorns to protect her and injure her enemies.

Dernyel son of Rithmar

A recent Guardian host.  Like Erosei, he is a Kerrindrixi warrior once in service to the Muriae; unlike him, Dernyel is quiet and watchful, showing the temperament of the deer-spirit.  He was slain by the Ravager nine years ago.

 

The Ravager, Aekarlis

The Ravager has made itself patron of predators, population management and magic.  It split off from the primal Great Spirit during the first act of predation, and is considered the ‘Light’ one, having taken aspects of fire, air and metal into itself — as well as those of the wraiths.  To exercise its powers, it must inhabit mortals, but must kill or consume them to depart.

Previous Ravagers include:

Kirhuua Kaar-Ventai

The first Ravager host.  A ruddy-skinned ogre from the Skinchanger-Wraith War, formerly a clan leader until his exile.  Hot-headed and violent, he embodied both the fire and metal aspects of the Ravager, and brought the metal elementals of that era into battle beneath his banner.  He was destroyed by the touch of the key-crystal Belleter.

Kuthrallan Vanyaris

The Ravager host during the time of the Sealing, and both creator and implementer of said Seals.  While the Ravager’s invasion changed Kuthra from a haelhene wraith into a being of terrestrial flesh, Kuthra — who had been instrumental in teaching magic to humanity — changed the Ravager as well, from a purely natural spirit into an arcane hybrid.  This marked the first great schism between Guardian and Ravager.