#ashenworks

[mostspecialgirl]

terrible little first ashenworks doodle

rambling no one will read below

thought id nail down the first run designs of the ashenworks staff since they’re only five characters and i needed to scratch the itch of having them formed. i tried to make a little chart explaining their place in the relicverse for twitter but it ended up like this

so like yeah no thats not helpful at all really

so instead im just gonna talk about them here on tumblr where i can write infinitely.

across the sea of stars, almost every weapon you can find, regardless of if you’re in association or hundred nights space, is branded somewhere with the label of “ASHENWORKS”. regardless of any perceived cultural design, make and model, style of weapon, level of wear, perceived level of technology available to make it, somehow, almost as if it has transcended time, the weapons used by most all in sea of stars is branded with their name. storefronts, ruins, pawn shops, high end stores, black markets, stripped from the cold hands of an enemy or inherited tearfully from those of a fallen ally, they all seem to mysteriously trace back to this “ASHENWORKS”.

the origin traces back to one of the earliest planeswalker myths. from back before the prevalence of the association had its powerhouses, and not long before the creation of the hundred nights guild, the death of Yima Thekhrós Berezaiti at the hands of Enstorm Savant, the King Of Rifts, which resulted in the scattering of his million ashen remains across the sea of stars.

privy to none but his own minds, a single ash caught fire within the scattering. an insignificant piece of his being, one who by all accounts was at fault for his death, the failure of his ashen pieces. the materia of his “Cunning”. the shard gaining life not through borrowed power, but through the will of Natura itself, Shen Diao Berezaiti was born as Straychild, upon what is now OBSCURANT EARTH. bearing with him not only the ability to planeswalk as the other shards, but with a mind that sought to truly capture the places his past self had only looked to travel. and he would be willing to play any role necessary to once again stoke the fires of his renewed youth.

but who cares about that???? basically, ashenworks is the sea of stars’s most prevalent weapons manufacturer, with their true identity buried under puppet companies, complicated trade routes, local merchants signed to benefactors of benefactors, and all manner of unnecessary obfuscation. created by Shén Diāo Berezaiti for the simple purpose of making a fuck ton of money at almost zero cost.

how has the “King Of Grifts”, the “Cunning of Yima” managed to pull of such a feat?! By exploiting the working class, of course!!!!

now with names

Shén Diāo Berezaiti - little weasel of a man, incredibly immature and juvenile despite his wit and cunning. could easily become an active threat to both hundred nights and the association if he were born stupid enough to want to be involved.

Rosewater Costeau - second son of the Costeau Noble Family and Shén’s infinitely capable partner in crime. has a knack for psychology and managing people. head obscured by a Rift bound to him by his family due to his “unsightly appearance”. hit it off with shén during one of the annual Savant Ball’s.

Zhofskyv Fanyne - a relic automaton indifferent to his own existence, born from the relic “mattercurrent”, capable of replicating countless machine processes, formerly uncontrollably. serves as ashenwork’s one-man manufacturing plant through the use of several other relics. formerly employed as a butler for the costeau family’s winter manor, after being gifted to them by Enstorm Savant.

Miron - the lindwurm queen and straychild born of the relic “Golden River”, seemingly bottomless physical strength, she’s naturally attuned to relics, being able to “communicate” with them. absolute brainless meathead. has a good heart. she’s always making that face.

Cassius Oganglyph - dwarven artist and designer who helps bridge shén’s ideas into reality. a student of kailash discipline who hopes ashenworks is the vital stepping stone for his art to reach someone who understands it.

i’m tired and i’m going to nap now maybe i will finish writing this post with more info later. nobody reads these anyway

[chaotic-rogue]

This is the most accurate description for HtN that happened by accident. Thanks @ashenworks for putting up with my laughter as you read this wild ride.

[am0ngtheb0nes]

This is a commission I did for @ashenworks who is a dear friend of mine. It was very fun to work on and I love this group so it was extra special to get to draw them together all fancy.