Ashwretch Demon

"Their fires are ones that should never have been lit. They're like the guilty mumbling of a burning that never asked permission. When they finally drift away though, they leave a piece of you smouldering behind, whether you notice it or not."

— Liora Malken, self proclaimed 'Demonologist Extraordinaire'

 

Drifting Through Ashen Ruins

  Ashwretches are demons born of ruin and fire, their forms reminiscent of what remains after the last ember dies. They are creatures of soot and sorrow, with bodies that seem to shift and crumble like the remains of a burnt pyre. Their limbs are jagged and composed of charred, skeletal remains that constantly shed fine gray ash. These creatures are small, hunched things, but their presence is as oppressive as a furnace's heat.   They do not walk as other beings do; instead, they drift and shuffle, their movements leaving a thin trail of ash and smoke in their wake. Where they pass, the air grows thick and acrid, choking out breath and vision alike. Their eyes glow faintly, a smouldering orange that dims and flares with their mood. Despite their frail appearance, they carry the weight of despair, their proximity enough to sap strength and will.   These creatures are drawn to places of destruction, particularly those where fire has claimed lives. Ashwretches feed of the residue of suffering, inhaling the anguish of the dead and the grief of the living like a fine meal. They seem to delight in unfinished endings, lurking in the ruins of burnt homes, libraries, or temples, their raspy breaths sounding like the crackling of wood in a dying fire.  

Shuffling Over Embered Remains

  Tales tell that Ashwretches are the remnants of souls who perished in flames, cursed by some forgotten infernal power. Others argue they are the offspring of greater fire demonds, spawned in the thick black clouds that rise from the most infernal of blazes. Whatever their origin, they are hated by mortals and demons alike, for their presence heralds misfortune.   In battle, an Ashwretch is no simple foe. It can spew clouds of choking ash, blinding and suffocating its enemies. Its skeletal claws burn with ghostly heat, capable of igniting flesh and fabric alike. Yet the more fearsome weapon of an Ashwretch is its smoke-bound voice. A whisper from them carries an unshakable dread, the memory of every fire that has ever consumed and destroyed.   When one must confront an Ashwretch, it is best done quickly. Their fragile forms cannot withstand concentrated force, but delay, and they will drag you down into the ash and leave behind nothing but charred bones.