Ariel, Queen in the Woods
Ariel, known as the Queen in the Woods, is the mage-queen of Athel Loren and the Wood Elves. She co-rules the enchanted realm with her consort, Orion, the King in the Woods. Ariel is an immortal demi-goddess and the avatar of Isha, the ancient Elven goddess of nature and fertility. Through the mysterious magic of the Oak of Ages, Ariel acquired the Aspects of Isha, allowing the magical force of nature to flow through her as if she were the goddess herself.
Role and Powers
As the embodiment of Isha, Ariel wields immense natural magic. She can manipulate the forest, causing it to grow rapidly or ensnare intruders. In battle, she transforms into a sylph-like war aspect, growing wings and antennae, and flies over the battlefield, filling enemies with dread. Her presence bolsters her allies, making them immune to panic and enhancing their strength.
Seasonal Slumber
Every winter, Ariel takes the ashes of Orion and seals them along with herself to slumber within the Oak of Ages. This ritual ensures that Orion is reborn each spring, maintaining the balance of nature within Athel Loren.
Appearance
Ariel's appearance reflects her divine nature. She has wings adorned with the spirals of Isha and the patterns of a death's head moth. Her attire is often depicted in shades of green and blue, symbolizing her connection to the forest and the goddess she embodies.
Legacy
Ariel's leadership has been pivotal in maintaining the sanctity and secrecy of Athel Loren. Her wisdom and power have guided the Wood Elves through countless trials, ensuring the forest remains a bastion of natural magic and elven heritage.
Orion, known as the King in the Woods and Master of the Wild Hunt, is the immortal lord of Athel Loren and co-ruler of the Wood Elves beside the Mage Queen Ariel. His life is bound to the turning of the seasons: each winter he willingly strides into his own funeral pyre, and each spring he is reborn anew through ancient ritual.
On the eve of the vernal equinox, the Wild Riders select a young prince to bear Orion’s mantle for the year ahead. The chosen is brought to the Oak of Ages, where Ariel reshapes him with the spirit of Kurnous, Elven god of the hunt, and the memory of Orion’s past selves. At dawn, he emerges not as a mortal Elf, but as the wild god-king of Athel Loren.
Every incarnation of Orion is a melding of three essences: Kurnous, the chosen prince, and the echoes of all who bore the crown before. Most of these older voices are faint, though they sometimes whisper counsel or condemnation. Kurnous’ spirit is strongest, often overwhelming the mortal host. The burden is immense, for each cycle adds another will to the chorus. On rare occasions, a weak-willed prince falters, and Orion rises fractured, his divine might restrained by madness.
The ritual is fiercely guarded. Both Ulthuan and Naggaroth have sought to influence Orion’s rebirth to sway the Wood Elves, while ambitious Athel Loren nobles scheme to see their kin chosen. Even gods meddle: Anath Raema, the Savage Huntress, still covets Kurnous and has tried to impose her own candidates. When she succeeds, Orion is reborn divided, and such times are remembered only as the dark years. Whatever his state, the cycle ends the same — in the flames of midwinter, making way for rebirth.
Orion carries arms and artifacts of divine origin, each symbolizing his bond to Kurnous and Ariel:
Hawk’s Talon – A massive wythelwood bow that only Orion’s unmatched strength can draw.
Spear of Kurnous – A living spear, carved from a tree of Isha’s heavenly garden, bound with enchantments and deadly enough to slay monsters with a single strike.
Cloak of Isha – Woven anew each spring by Ariel, this cloak grants Orion resilience and heals his wounds.
Horn of the Wild Hunt – Said to be a gift from Kurnous at the dawn of creation, the horn summons all the Asrai to Orion’s side and fills them with primal savagery.
When Athel Loren is threatened, Orion sounds his horn, calling every Elf and forest spirit to war. Few can resist the call — even the most civilized Asrai abandon hearth and kin to revel in the Wild Hunt, a furious tide of bow, spear, and beast. To face Orion in battle is to face the wrath of nature itself, a storm of arrows and bloodlust borne on the wind.
Though his essence is shaped by Kurnous, each year Orion differs, reflecting the strengths and weaknesses of his chosen host. Some incarnations are wise, others reckless or even half-mad. Yet all share the god’s passion for the hunt and the fury of the wild, and all must meet the same fate: death by fire, and rebirth in the spring.
The eternal cycle of Orion ensures that the Wood Elves will always have a hunter-king to lead them. He is both mortal and god, both ruler and weapon, both love and loss to Ariel. Whether wise or wrathful, noble or shadowed, Orion remains the living heart of Athel Loren’s primal power — and each spring, his rebirth is both a miracle and a warning to the enemies of the forest.