Ashley Ward

Ashley ain't even my name. It's just what folk call me around here.
...My real name? How would I know?

— Ashley Ward

Ashley Ward is a guardian spirit of the Luxaltar Catacombs, one that stands out from the rest due to lacking records and having no urn to call her own. Nobody knows when she died or where she came from, only that she protects the dead lying dormant in these corridors.

Still, it does not bother the wandering soul at all to lack a past. For she happily guides caretakers through the tunnels and ensures nothing may land their hands on the deceased.

Physical Description

Appearance

Ashley is a ghostly figure of a woman in her 30s, with long grey hair flowing in nonexistent wind. She does not appear to have an actual body, only having a poncho covering her figure and moving as if her limbs were still there. Around her neck hangs the symbol of Fasma.

Her names comes from how her body behaves like a cloud of ash, falling apart and reforming with every movement. Fast jolts especially showcase this, with parts of her trailing behind doing so.

Abilities

As a spirit, she has all abilities expected from an incorporeal being: phasing through walls, intangibility, invisibility and even possession. The whole ghostly package.

Another trait is her affinity with ash and dust. Ashley can control both to great effect, using it to create constructs for support and offence. Even if she is not able to do so, simple duststorms can turn the tight tunnels of her catacombs into a hazard too difficult to breath or see in.

Mental Characteristics

Personal History

Before Death

Nothing is known of Ashley's history as a person, Not even she remembers it. Any attempt to trace back something about her leads nowhere, not even a name or date of death.

The only thing she insists is her affiliation with the Wandering Flame's Church, though what position she cannot recall. With no known records of her the church's archives, most believe she is lying about that too or at the very least misremembering details.

First Sightings

Ashley was first sighted in the Luxaltar Catacombs around 763 AFE. Reports speak of her haunting the tunnels, wandering around humming songs, acting friendly to churchfolk and even guiding some who got lost within. Despite her friendliness, she had to be removed.

The Church ordered an exorcism but discovered problems doing so: She had no real attachments holding her here and each time they banished her, she managed to come back only days later.

After a month of trying, the church gave up and requested to know more about what her deal was. Ashley could not answer, only claiming she just enjoys wandering these tunnels. Seeing as she did no harm and may be even beneficial, she was allowed to stay around to help those lost within the catacombs. A duty she gladfully took upon herself.

Age of Silence

Over the course of three hundred years, she kept her word. The mysterious ghost guided clergy through the catacombs, knowing every entry and exit with ease. People nicknamed her Ashley, a name she gladly took for herself just so people could call her something.

Her duties remained unchanged during the Age of Silence, though the corruption of the church made her presence less known. As burials within the tunnels became a luxury, fewer people learned of her existence, leading to obscurity as people moved on.

She became nothing but a story, of a ghostly figure guiding souls through the catacombs.

Siege on the First Flame Church

During the Siege on the First Flame Church, Ashley helped play a role in it. As Ori Santoro went down the catacombs to infiltrate the Church, the ghost noticed her and her companions.

Making her presence known, Ashley heard out the intruders and understood their reasoning. Seeing potential in the upcoming Fire Maiden, she helped guide them through the tunnels to the Church's entrance, only requesting people come visit her more often.

The only thing she had to say as Ori left was this:

Keep the girl safe, don't want to see her here any time soon!

— Ashley Ward

Since the reforming of the Church, she welcomes people once more in the Catacombs. Though people are now trying to find more about her, with still no evidence anywhere.

Likes & Dislikes

Mannerisms

Ashley is both nonchalant and unbothered by a lot of her surroundings, barely flinching at anything thrown at her. At best she finds things amusing, chuckling and nodding her head to people's responses. Stuff that does make her hard to read at times.

She also tends to throw her head around to gesture, seeing as she lacks any limbs to do so. This makes he prone to swing her whole body around while talking, if not pointing with her head.