In the desolate village of Gloomhaven, where the skies always seemed overcast, Aseda was a living contradiction to her name, meaning "gratitude." Her life was anything but grateful. Orphaned as a child, she was passed from one uncaring villager to another, treated more like a beast of burden than a child.
By seven, she was working in the salt pits, carrying sacks twice her weight while her stomach ached from hunger. Her hands, cracked and bloodied, bore the evidence of her endless toil. Yet, no matter how harsh life became, Aseda refused to break.
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The Curse of the Moon
One night, under a crimson moon, shadows with glowing eyes descended upon the village. They tore through homes, leaving chaos in their wake. When one of the creatures cornered Aseda, she thought her end had come.
But then, light erupted from her chest, disintegrating the beast. The villagers, already terrified, now turned their fear on her.
"She's cursed!" they shouted, pelting her with stones until she fled into the wilderness.
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Exile
Alone in the freezing woods, Aseda scavenged what little she could, fighting exhaustion, hunger, and the relentless creatures drawn to her. Every attack triggered the strange light within her, saving her life but leaving her terrified of herself.
She wandered aimlessly, questioning why the world seemed intent on breaking her.
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A Ray of Hope
One night, on the brink of collapse, she was found by a hooded woman who radiated calm. The woman knelt beside her and placed a warm hand on Aseda's forehead.
"You are stronger than you know," she said softly. "Your suffering is not your end—it is your beginning."
Aseda woke in a small cabin, her wounds tended, with a note beside her: "Find your purpose, and you will find your strength."
For the first time, she felt hope flicker within her. Her journey had just begun.
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