She was born in the 10,000th year after the Ascendancy had caused the Sundering in a union between a colonial mother and an Elari father. Everything she has ever known is the control of the Ascendancy. She never knew her mother, since she refused to tell the Ascendancy where the Elari was that she had relations with. She instead was sent to a prison colony before her daughter ever knew her touch.
After the child was born, she was immediately taken to Vexis Prime and subjected to Null Beacons and kept inside Iridite Cells. She had been hardened by the years under the thumb of the Ascendancy, who denied her rights. On her 18th year she would be given to a noble house and would become their property, complete with a brand under her ears and a chip that can track her wherever she goes.
Karn Taranwe Ziranessa took her in, gave her a name (Moravrax), the house brand below her left ear (a dove above a broken chain), and a purpose (convince new worlds that the Ascendancy will help them advance their own society). On her first day out in Caer Aeternum she saw several other umbrics, they were not allowed to speak to each other, they weren't even allowed to look at each other for more than 10 seconds.
Her first task, visit the Astral Forum to verify that the debates are happening according to the scripts. As she looked out across the parliament, she noticed that a majority of those speaking have the Umbric brand below their right ear. “How did a hybrid make it to parliament?” she wondered to herself. As she did though she noticed a slight deviation from the script. A Gravari-Umbric mentioned verdanth, he quickly readjusted himself, but the deviation was detected and just as quickly, the representative was dismissed.
The rest of the debate happened without any more deviation from the script, however, she was curious where the gravari-umbric was taken. She looked out across the concrete garden that the Ascendancy provided its citizens for leisure on Caer Aeternum and noticed the gravari-umbric being dragged into what looked like a monastery, what she later found out was the Tower of Silence.
Moravrax returned to Karn Taranwe and detailed the notes to Ziranessa, who made a point to clarify that Moravrax saw the gravari umbric being taken into the Tower of Silence. “That is what will happen to you, Mora. You do not speak unless you are asked a question and you are not to detail your childhood. You are the property of Kar Taranwe and you will show the necessary deference when interacting with others.”
I held my head down in a quiet determination, sure not to match her gaze. I knew I could not respond to her, so I just nodded small enough that she would acknowledge it. When she said “Do you think I enjoy doing this Mora? This is the only way you will learn the benevolence of the Ascendancy.”
Several months later during a parade they had brought out the caged umbrics and Moravrax watched as children and adults alike would spit and throw objects at them. They even brought the Aurum Menagerie a twisted show narrated by those umbrics unfortunate to not be captured in youth, these were instead kept in induced comas using their innate psionic energy to narrate the humiliation that the other races that resisted were subject to in the Menagerie. Ziranessa insisted that Moravrax bring her children through to enjoy the festivities.
They watched the Gentle Giant, a fur covered being called a matriarch serving tea in a simulated environment. The children had a fun time with the Syth’s Paradox, watching the colors and emotions change on the Solari Synth. They threw their trash at the Draxorith and Grimari exhibits, but when they got to the Memoryless Prophet, an Ossari exhibit which reached out to Moravrax it was not a specific message, just a painful memory that caused her to cry. She worked quickly to hide the tears, but the interaction was burned into her memory.
Four years passed with Moravrax under the thumb of Karn Taranwe Ziranessa, it was during this time that Mora encountered her first taste of the rebellion. She had been sent by Kar Taranwe to work as a diplomatic envoy for the Ascendancy, on the world of Nok’Thari Hold. The locals had figured out a method of manipulating the empathic mists that dominate the atmosphere. Moravrax was sent as an empath guide capable of clearing mist in her area. Ziranessa had instructed her not to speak and to do whatever the Tharn legions wanted of her.
During their first night at camp one of the soldiers attempted to ravish her, she resisted but was knocked unconscious and assaulted in her sleep. This was not the first time that she had been attacked, but the environment on the planet was unique. During the days the soldiers would request assistance from her and during the nights different soldiers would take turns assaulting her. When they encountered the rebels the first time the soldiers saw their greatest fears projected in the mists, while Moravrax was shown a vision of true peace on the other side of the mist. As she moved forward she felt a chain pull on the back of her neck which prevented her from moving her legs further. “The chip” she thought, “it must not just be for tracking, but control as well”
At camp she heard the soldiers discussing the attack that happened one name mentioned again and again “The Light of the Hollow Star” apparently that's who has been leading this rebellion. They spoke of living Elari that were out in the mists, living as Strand ghosts after the sundering. The soldiers all looked at Moravrax as though she was responsible for the attacks, they talked about getting revenge for their brothers lost to the mists. They assaulted her as a group and left her broken body out in the cold of the night where she felt a connection through the mists. Not reflecting her pain but projecting a wholeness that appeared to complete her. It beckoned her to follow, but she, weary and exhausted, could not.
It was then that she felt the mist surrounding her, within the mist was a long hand with elongated fingers, its skin shimmering like constellations in the sky. It gently brushed her cheek and covered her with an animal skin, when it spoke it seemed almost melodic. “The song of the universe is one of harmony, my child, but they have forced you to sing a note of pain. That dissonance is not your fault.”
“The chip” she quietly cried, but heard nothing in response for several long seconds.
“The chip cannot control the true resonance of your soul. Only you control your actions, you have something inside you that feels you deserve to be here. I tell you child, no being deserves to be here. You will soon see” with that the mist retreated into the distance leaving Moravrax alone with her thoughts. She could do nothing but weep, careful not to be heard by the soldiers.
The next day Moravrax was made to lead the group through the mists as they walked behind her projected empathic bubble in relative safety. When she heard the soldiers laugh about the night prior, she felt her emotions start to crack and within the bubble small amounts of mist were beginning to seep through the cracks. The Tharn legion began to panic and while some stood their ground, others began to calmly walk into the mists as if something was encouraging them to leave.
It could be said that the “kindest” of the soldiers were the first to go leaving only the cruelest left. Moravrax attempted to leave again this time making it a few steps before a soldier shouted at her. “Stay where you are, Strand-splice! I know you are responsible for this! You are helping your Elari capture us!” She attempted to deny it but the soldier was full of rage and adrenaline, unable to hear reason. “Well it won’t work! You Umbrics can't be trusted! I should just remove you now before we lose any more men!”
He threw her to the ground and was about to shoot her when he looked at her and his face changed from stern and cruel determination to total uncontrolled panic. He dropped his rifle and fled back towards the camp, it was then that she looked down at her hand and realized that she was managing to weaponize the mist against the soldiers. Turning the empathic mists against those that would seek to destroy life. Eventually she stood as she watched the rest of the cruel soldiers flee back towards the mist, as she did, she watched as the mist passed her by and behind it was a clear atmosphere hiding what seemed to be a complete paradise.
The Elari walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, “You are free now child. You can be what you want without fear of pain or reprisal.”
“I am no longer Karn Taranwe Moravrex Umbric. Umbric Servant of House Taranwe Mora, I am who I always was. Ravanna, the child they threw into the iridite cells, and I wish to save the Umbrics from the Ascendancy”
