The World of Ash and Chains

At the edge of the known universe, beyond collapsing stars and dying galaxies, lies the forsaken planet Zolak. A world of perpetual twilight, its surface cracked and scarred by ancient wars. Towering obsidian spires pierce the sky, and black rivers of molten metal snake through desolate valleys. This is the cradle of the Karesh, a race born in agony, molded by suffering, and hardened by an endless struggle for survival.
The Karesh worship strength, and their existence is defined by an iron law: Only the strong deserve to live.At the heart of this broken world stands a colossal citadel Nyx’Vhar, the Palace of Shadows. And upon its throne sits the most feared being in the galaxy: Ravos, the Dark Sovereign.

The Child of Despair

Ravos was not born into royalty. He clawed his way to the throne. He was a child of the slums, abandoned in the pits of Vorrak, where Karesh children were thrown to fight for scraps of food. His first memories were of blood and hunger. He killed his first rival at the age of five. By ten, he had slain dozens.

The Karesh elders saw something in him — a ferocity that burned brighter than any other. They dragged him to the Crucible of Thorns, a brutal arena where warriors were forged or broken. He survived trials that shattered thousands, his body scarred and reforged by suffering. But the most painful wound was betrayal.

The one friend he had made, a boy named Thalrek, turned on him in the final trial, stabbing him in the back to claim victory. Ravos survived — barely. But something inside him died that day. He vowed he would never trust. Never bow. Never love. From that moment on, Ravos fought not to survive, but to dominate.

The Rise of the Tyrant

Ravos became a warlord, leading legions of Karesh to conquer rival clans. His tactical brilliance and ruthless efficiency made him unstoppable. He stormed the gates of Nyx’Vhar, slaughtered the ruling council, and crowned himself king on a throne of skulls. But ruling Zolak was not enough. He hungered for the stars.

Using ancient Karesh technology, he forged a fleet of obsidian dreadnoughts, powered by the lifeblood of dying suns. With the Black Armada, he swept across neighboring systems, annihilating civilizations and enslaving entire planets. He did not conquer for power or glory. He did it to break the universe to make it suffer as he had suffered.

The Destroyer of Hope

The Karesh became a plague, extinguishing light wherever they went. Entire star systems fell to ruin. Worlds that resisted were burned to ash. Ravos crushed rebellions with merciless brutality, personally hunting down resistance leaders and executing them in front of their people.

Yet, despite his cruelty, there were moments fleeting, almost imperceptible, where he lingered after a massacre. Where he stared into the void, as if searching for something he could never find. The galaxy whispered his name in terror. But to Ravos, the universe was already dead.

The Final War

Legends speak of a final battle yet to come. A prophecy, hidden in the ruins of a lost civilization, foretelling the rise of a warrior who will stand against Ravos. A figure of light, destined to shatter the Dark Sovereign’s reign.

But Ravos does not fear prophecy. He welcomes it. For he believes he cannot be killed because he is not just a king, not just a tyrant. He is wrath. He is vengeance. He is the galaxy’s punishment. And when the stars themselves wither and fade, when the last ember of hope dies, Ravos will still stand. Watching. Waiting. And ruling the ashes of eternity.

---