Arthur Ashford
"Captain" Arthur Ashford is a Spectralis, believed to be formerly Elven, that resides in the nation of North Urushee. Bearing a striking resemblance to, and claiming to be, the Urusheen War Hero of the same name, he currently seeks passage to return to his prior glory of an inspirational figure that can rally the fractured people of Erra and rebuild the land he once fought for.
Appearance
Arthur Ashford is a purple, thin, and slender Spectralis that opts to walk rather than float, unlike most of his kind. He wears a sharp dress uniform, identical to those worn by contemporary high ranking members of the Urusheen military, that was tailor made for himself. This uniform is actual clothing worn by him, similar to how some Spectralis choose to don clothing as fashion, but his physical appearance underneath this outfit if he ever needed to remove it (such as to turn intangible) is exactly the same, though obviously the same shade as purple as himself. Additionally, he wields a Single Action Revolver in a Waist Holster, which is his signature weapon.
His facial visage bears sharp, pointy features, with the appearance of a well-groomed moustache, much like the Captain Ashford of old. Like many other Spectralis, Arthur has an ethereal aura emitting from him.
Personality
Arthur is an incredibly charismatic individual, with a confidence befitting the military captain of legend. He speaks with a strong cadence and high spirit, regardless of the topic, and shows genuine enthusiasm in learning about the changes the world has gone through since his return. Speaking with others that have encountered him, including small mercenary outfits he accompanied on expeditions, revealed that he also possesses an exceptional ability to command those in his charge, with an effective knowledge of military strategems.
History
Pre-Collapse
Captain Ashford was a renowned military leader of the Urusheen Guard, rising to fame in border conflicts with the Enphunian Empire in 847, where he maintained the defense of several key outposts under ambush by the invading forces. Many tales of Ashford's exploits during this time are told, some reportedly coming from direct accounts of soldiers that worked underneath him, of varying degrees of believability. For instance, some legends directly contradict each other, with Ashford potentially being in multiple locations at the same time on one night. Regardless of veracity, a common thread is that Ashford was immensely popular within his regiment, and was both a skilled marksman and tactical leader in the field.
Fate
It is unknown exactly what happened to Arthur Ashford during The Collapse. Arthur himself has no recollection of prior events, and the Captain was never officially reported as deceased. As such, the means by which he died remain a mystery for the time being.
Reappearance
Roughly a century ago, Arthur Ashford claims that he regained consciousness in his current Spectralis form in the mountainous border between Enphune and North Urushee. Having come to near the skeletal remains of what he believes to be his former self, the Spectralis took his belongings and set out to learn as much as he could about the individual he once was. Due to his nature as a Spectralis, Ashford would quickly find many settlements of the land to be hostile towards him before he truly understood his nature. As the Spectralis hunger grew, Ashford would learn by chance that the nature of his new Species is to consume the life force of other living beings in order to sustain themselves. Soon after, he would become a reclusive individual, staying away from mortal civilization as he pursued knowledge of the many changes of the world and himself, learning much of the legends regarding his past through the now irradiated Sorrowwood Archives, living among his fellow Spectralis.
In recent years, Arthur has started to set out on his own once again, traversing the nearby woods surrounding Aramer Watch and Entoson, during which time I met him after pursuing a lead on the Spectralis Sentius. Our resulting encounter garnered the information on which much of this article is based. Arthur has expressed his desire to travel the nation of Urushee now, optimistic that individuals may be more receptive towards him with a potentially more forgiving outlook towards Spectralis in recent decades.