Akina Pharas's page

They say the birth of a child is the first star in the spiral of destiny that will be a person’s life. The more extravagant the circumstances of the birth, the greater the destiny that will be birthed from it. With such a bright start comes the tail of Akina. Her mother, of the same name, was a travelling diplomat for the city of Korvosa and serving the King as her family has for many years. A strong headed woman with a sharp tongue, Akina was a name feared when she entered the negotiating table. Though considered by many to be her strongest trait, her stubbornness was also her Achille's heel. Such was the case when the diplomat was heavy with child with only half dozen weeks to her due date, yet she insisted on traveling to finalize the cities negations with Cheliax. On the road to Egorion, her water broke. Deep in a foreign land, guarded by Hellknights and priests of the Prince of Darkness, Akina was to give birth. The birth was a painful one, and as strong as Akina was, it was clear this birth was to take them both. Asmodeus’s priests were all to glad to offer their dark magic to save the child, if she would give her child to the dark one.
Akina may have even been tempted by the offer, but fate intervened. A caravan travelling the road stopped to lend their aid. When they say the state of Akina’s birth, they quickly called forward a priest of the Lady of Graves. Pharasma’s chosen set to the birth with the expertise of a trained midwife, using her mundane and magical skill to safely deliver the child and her mother. Akina was so thankful; she blessed Pharasma and offered her child into the service of whatever temple the priestess served. Thus Akina Pharas was given to Pharasma’s service and pledged to the temple. The mother never knowing that her daughter was given to the temple in Korvosa, her very hometown. The child and mother’s destinies unraveled on that day, never to intertwine again.
Thus a new Akina marched the world, a girl with her mother’s strong will, trained from birth with a divine purpose. The child born early was small in stature with a wiry frame, yet she was strong and graceful. The temple honed those graces into a deadly precision. Gymnastics from an early age were put to purpose, as Akina was taught all manners of tests and traps. Akina was taught how to infiltrate tombs and dungeons to seek out the most awful of abominations, the undead. Once successfully trained, Akina joined a small group of the faithful who sought out signs of undeath, infiltrated their resting places, and returned them to Pharasma’s natural spiral. All with the care and grace to not disturb their resting place, setting back the protections and traps guarding the dead in their eternal slumber.
Akina has served faithfully in her role, growing in talent and power as she lived. The members of her group were like family to her. The newest member of their little band was a ranger named Risem who joined after his love was raised by a foul necromancer. Risem was incredible, able to track trails that were days, sometimes even weeks old. Yerdan was a wizard, who joined along with Akina on her first day in the field. A wise old man, Akina looked at Yerdan like a father. He was wise and powerful, but tempered his power with humility and wisdom. No one on the team seemed to know why he dedicated her service to the temple, as Yerdan was always a very private man. The last was Neyd, a monk dedicated to Pharasma’s service for years. He honed his body into a weapon, much like Akina. It was this bond that brought Akina and Neyd closer than the rest of the team. The two over the years became lovers, even giving talks of Akina retiring and having a child.
Those dreams were cut short though, as destiny is rarely that kind. The team received reports of a necromancer operating in Ustalav. After much searching, the team finally tracked the source of the undead to a castle standing along in the countryside. Here their infiltration began. With shadows as their cloak, the team snuck in hoping to catch the necromancer off guard, or hopefully sleeping. Unfortunately, the necromancer that resided in the castle was in truth a vampire. Caught unsuspecting, the vampire and his spawn attacked Akina and her team. Risem was the first to fall to a ghoul that blocked their retreat. The rage of watching their comrade fall pushed Yerdan to unleash a new spell, untested. With it, he burned away the vampire’s minions, but the vampire was quick to get his revenge, draining Yerdan’s life away with his own foul magic. Neyd charged the monster, losing himself to his rage. Each strike Neyd made, seeming to drain him as much as the vampire was injured, sapped of his strength, the vampire took Neyd and bit him, draining away what little energy Neyd had left. This lapse in the vampire’s judgement gave Akina the opportunity she needed, as she plunged her dagger into the vampire’s heart while his focus was on her fallen love.
Left alone in the monster’s castle, Akina’s mission was successful, but at great cost. The last of which was yet to be paid. She gathered the undead, burning away what remained of their shells as she waited. Knowing what was to come. The echoing moan rose above the crackle of the flames. As she choked back her tears, Akina saw the debt that remained. The vampire’s last spawn that remained. The spawn that wore Neyd’s face. She whispered a final goodbye to her love, as her dagger found its mark.

After returning from Ustalav, Akina found little joy in her home. The high priest has kept her in the temple to recover. Now rumors that the countries very queen tampers with Pharasma’s spiral of life and death have reached Akina’s ears. The truth of these rumors have even been witnessed by her eyes, as she saw with her own eyes the queen pluck the bolt from her head and live. Akina’s purpose is clear, but her heart is heavy with all she has seen and done.