Awnshegh

awnshegh (n), awnsheghlien (pl. n)

The awnsheghlien are the twisted beings that bear the blood of Azrai. All awnsheghlien were either once a scion of Azrai, committed bloodtheft on a scion of Azrai, or were born to an awnshegh parent.

Pronounced ORN-shay, awnshegh means ‘blood of darkness’ in elven and this name refers to the blood of Azrai. Azrai was known as the corrupter for his habit of twisting the forms of his minions into beast-men and other monstrosities as well as his love for the Shadow World and its natural fluidity. The word is often italicised in print to indicate the word is from a foreign language, in this case Sidhelien. The plural is awnsheghlien (pronounced ORN-shay-lin).

See Also: Ehrshegh - the Blood of Light

The awnsheghlien were categorised by Merwyndin the Green in the following categories:

The Beasts

A small number of awnsheghlien were once beasts that committed bloodtheft on a scion of Azrai or an awnsheghlien. These beasts include the Hydra, a terrible multiple headed swamp beast that is said by some to be more intelligent then most sages, the Wolf of Vosgaard and the Boar of Thuringode.

The Corrupted

Some scions found their bodies shaped into monsters due solely to their depraved actions, without any apparent external cause such as bloodtheft. These include Kiras Earthcore, a servant of the Gorgon, and the Ghoul.

The Fell

Some awnsheghlien are not grotesque monsters, instead these beings shift to being of terrible beauty, for Azrai was once believed to have been the most beautiful and loved of the gods before his greed and ambition caused him to suffer some great injury and he took to cloaking himself in shadow and became intent on shaping the world to suit his whim.

These awnsheghlien include Rhuobhe Manslayer, the Siren, the Succubus and a few others.

The Inspired

A rare few awnsheghlien appear to have been imbued with their bloodline by Azrai himself. Rarer now, these include the Great Beasts of Azrai and possibly the Lost.

Existing Inspired include the Kraken, the Leviathan and possibly the Magian and the Raven.

The Twisted

Most awnsheghlien were once men, elves, dwarves, goblins, or one of the other races of the blooded that have slowly twisted into bizarre and freakish forms as they use their blood abilities or suffer great injury. The transformation is fastest for those who exult in dark acts and depravity, or who possess the regeneration blood ability for these unfortunate scions rarely heal in the manner they would wish.