TWK Characters I: Sasga
The Trinity: Birth & Death, Resurrection and Reincarnation
Sasga (black hair, Birth & Death), Sefarín (purple bodypaint, Resurrection) and Ehlas (redhead, Reincarnation), 2019.
Sasga is not the main character although her remarkable life journey is the one of a pivotal figure in the TWK fantasy series, she's a thread stitching stories together. Sasga is the daughter of the Great God of the White Kingdoms, Mania. I will post about her origins here without delving into things after a certain point in her life to avoid story spoilers (I want to publish something in the future) these are things that I can air without consequences. Mostly background lore that gets referenced heavily. Sasga's birth and origin story details are complicated so bear with me. Sit down and get comfortable LOL.
Early life
Sasga was born in the Arpvam Kingdom as a member of an unimportant Arpvam family. By the time she was in her late teens, she is chosen by Arpvam scholars to join their Academy thanks to her impressive academic results. This, however, doesn't last long since the White God Mania lays his eyes on Sasga and becomes infatuated, so he pays her a visit under a mortal disguise. Sasga doesn't reciprocate the interest, she's a young nerd who only pays attention to her hexes and complicated ointment recipes. Not being used to rejection, Mania reveals his identity and abducts Sasga. She begs him to free her but nonetheless stays with him for a long period of time until he finally grants her wish. Months after being released, Sasga discovers she's pregnant. During her captivity, years of political turmoil had passed in the White Kingdoms, the Arpvam kingdom being constantly infiltrated by Svisv agents and foes. Once she's back, Sasga uses her magic knowledge to serv her kingdom and helps create strong magic barriers against the Svisv. Her pregnancy is discovered, unfortunately her magician tutors feel the powerful aura of their God's offspring growing inside her womb. She's taken into custody by priestesses who fear the worst shall this knowledge reach the Svisv. Sasga is assigned a loyal servant during her pregnancy who ends up being controlled by the Svisv with a puppet hex. The Svisv force the servant to poison the painkiller herb concoction Sasga will be given during labour and so she does. Sasga dies of the poison after giving birth to a child and, afraid of losing her lover, the God Mania puts Sasga's soul inside the baby. This is how later Sasga becomes known as Mother of Herself. Sasga will never forgive Mania for forcing her to inhabit her daughter's body effectively killing the child forever.
Mania undoes the hex that controls the servant, instills a sense of deep guilt in her so she takes newborn reborn Sasga, brings her to safety and raises her.
Reborn life & identity discovery
Sasga grows up with the servant hiding in the woods in a cosy cabin. Still feeling great guilt, her adoptive mother eventually tells her why her magic is stronger than anyone else's and who her father is... However, she can't reveal how Sasga is Sasga's own mother as the former servant herself ignores that information. She can't give an explanation for her strange dreams and odd memories of a past life. Feeling hurt and betrayed by the one Sasga considered her mom, young Sasga leaves the woods and travels to the city of Numenate.
In Numenate, Sasga makes contact with a group of rebels by pure chance. The rebels are plotting against the Arpvam Queen Shadow and need new recruitments. The young Arpvam joins them as she was in need of money but also because the rebel group wants to travel to the capital Vam'ea to dethrone Shadow... and Sasga's goal is reaching Vam'ea to investigate her roots. During all this journey, Sasga continues to experience faint memories of her older life, accompanied with confusing moments when she vividly remembers scattered bits of her previous existence. This makes her a quick learner, deemed as "gifted" at magic by rebels and adults who cross her path, who greatly value how unexplainably knowledgeable about ancient artifacts, potions and their ingredients Sasga is. It's useful skill so they don't question it much.
Upon reaching Vam'ea, the rebel group is secretly welcomed by the queen's brother Angyiell, who's the one behind the uprising as well as the nobleman funding the revolt. Angyiell shows interest in Sasga rather quickly, he's intrigued by the vast magical knowledge she displays, unusual on a young teen of her age who's never been institutionalised in any high ranking academy. They grow closer until she trusts him enough to allow him to read her magic imprint: Angyiell feels the imprint of his demiurge God Mania. Being a deeply religious man, Angyiell focuses on guiding Sasga towards the truth. He wants to help her find responses to all her strange memories and knowledge, so he suggests she travels to the Ethereal's caves and listens to those whose voice is that of the White God aka the Ethereals.
Sasga goes on her first journey to the Ethereal's caves where she finally gets an explanation as to why does she have weird dreams where she's her own mother. Garoaga, the oldest and wisest Ethereal, unfogs her mind which causes Sasga to remember her previous life. She then begs Garoaga for help in finding her daughter's soul, hoping she's still alive somewhere, drifting in limbus. Garoaga helps Sasga with no success, for Mania suffocated the spirit and soul of the newborn babe to transfer Sasga's soul and spirit into her empty vessel-body. Garoaga feels deep compassion for her and pledges loyalty to Sasga shall she ever need him.
From this point on, Sasga embarks on a journey of self-discovery while assisting and guiding fellow lost souls in a treacherous path full of side quests and intriguing missions.
What kind of creature is Sasga?
She's an Arpvam, one of the fictional species that can be found in The White Kingdoms. Sasga was born in the Arpvam Kingdom and never really had anything unusual happen to her until the God Mania decided to do what deities do. Her magic imprint changed after being reborn but she's still an Arpvam. The main thing inheriting the White God's magic did to her was the refinement of her magic imprint reading abilities. Sasga can read any imprint no matter how weak, old or protected it is. She can also trace and consequently find the person the imprint comes from. This is why Sasga is known as The Bloodhound given her ability to trace and track anyone she has been in contact with (this skill is put to use by Sasga later when she goes to Earth, that's a big plot line actually).
Sefarín (top left corner, 4 wings), Sasga (bottom left corner, with the blonde girl) and Leco (bottom right corner) in their Arpvam form.
From Mania she also gets the gift of communication, which means she has the power to understand and be understood. She can understand and speak any language, even those of creatures, animals or spirits and wandering souls. Both imprint reading and communication skills are part of what is known as "moon/night magic", meaning the specific type of magic Sasga wields is called moon or night magic; in contrast, Mania's energy is known as "sun/day magic". It's like a sort of Yin Yang situation.
Also fun fact: the more Sasga uses her moon/night magic, the less pigmented she becomes. Using her powers makes her lose colour and become black and white over time.
Sefarín & Ehlas. The Triad
This has to be way shorter but I am explaining as much as I can anyway. Sefarín is a sort or Doppelganger Sasga develops after suffering a tormented life and being "murdered" in a shady conspiracy led by several noblemen and rulers who need to get rid of Sasga because she represents the God's and Magicians' powers. I say "murdered" because Sasga is not mortal she'd wish but here we are. She transforms and goes through metamorphosis inside her grave, this is how Sefarín is born and I can't give more details.
Sefarín is Resurrection, she's War, she's the suffering side of Sasga who rebels against her pain and sorrows while burying them under a coat of steel and violence.
Sefarín eventually becomes the self-proclaimed Empress of the Arpvam Empire after conquering more nations. Napoléon style.
Sasga and Sefarín together, marker illustration from 2019.
After some more political intrigue blah blah Sefarín is murdered again but... YOU GUESSED IT! Since she is bound to existence, she can't die. Sefarín chooses a dancer woman (Ehlas) as new container and reincarnates. Ehlas is Sasga's third incarnation stage, she symbolises reincarnation and she's the embodiment of Sasga/Sefarín's overcome battles. Ehlas is very outgoing and talkative. Unlike Sasga, Ehlas is an extrovert with a very positive and optimistic outlook in life. She's not a fighter like Sasga (emotional fighter) or Sefarín (physical fighter), she's a calm soul that wants to settle. Together they're the Triad. The three incarnations can alternate bodies, although Ehlas chooses not to be involved in most events.
Sasga/Sefarín/Ehlas never really dies because Sasga is bound to existence, so in Ehlas' case Sasga/Sefarín's immortal soul looks for a vessel. The Triad can't die basically because Mania said so and I won't spoil the reasons. Later on thanks to Zarana the Goddess of Light and Colour, the Triad becomes able to separate into three people at will (and fuse back together as they wish). Ehlas still chooses not to "go out" much.
Sasga, Sefarín and Ehlas together in this 2020 illustration.
After Sasga's rebirth and meet up with Garoaga, her personal life details can't be revealed because that's main plot material (her partners, children born, Lanner's manipulation etc.) same as her life shenanigans as Sefarín and Ehlas (politics, revenges, betrayals, partners, children born...). This means Sasga is a very old woman who's seen a lot. By the time the story reaches Planet Earth's 21st century, she has already lived many different adventures, has gone on numerous quests and mothered several children from different parents. Yes, she's a hoe idc. 😂
Sasga's mission on Earth
Centuries after all those incarnation have taken place, Sasga eventually travels to Earth on a mission: she must locate and rescue the wandering White Kingdoms' creatures that are lost on planet Earth before their magic dies and magic rot kills their bodies. On Earth she is known as Lupin, a nickname she uses to cover her identity while working for a criminal organisation as a professional burglar. Think Ocean's 11 style I guess? She chooses the nickname Lupin to homage Arsène Lupin, the fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc.
Sasga as Lupin, art from 2020.
Sasga as Lupin, wonky sketch from 2018.
From this point on, the main plot takes action with flashbacks & references to older events in the White Kingdoms history and Sasga's life sprinkled in there.
TL;DR or OC facts list
• Full name: Sasga Mainef'r
• Incarnations: Sasga is born & dies, then she's reborn inside her daughter's body (1st incarnation), then she resurrects as Sefarín (2nd incarnation) and finally she reincarnates as Ehlas (3rd and final one).
They function like a synchronised triad.
• Appearance: short, skinny, very pale, blue eyes, black hair (can wear different hairstyles), black lips. The older she grows and the more she uses her moon magic, the less "pigmented" she becomes. Sasga slowly becomes black and white.
As her second incarnation Sefarín, she has a stronger build, her skin is not as pale as Sasga's, and while she has the same eye colour, her hair is grey with brown stripes. Sefarín often wears bodypaint and removable magic crystal piercings. Ehlas is a redhead, with curly hair. She has heterochromia (one eye green, the other is orange gold), she's also curvier and has colourful dragon tattoos.
• Species: Arpvam
• Known as: Mother of Herself, The Bloodhound, Daughter of The God, Lupin, Lulu, Ljula, Sas. Sef, The Empress, The Tyrant, Winged War. The Fire Dancer, Ehl.
• Relationship status: complicated. I'm not going into detail LMFAO
• Triad's daughters: Sasga (herself), Lannra, Leya, Lannzaira, Alesh, Dago, Mirsel
• Triad's sons: Lúa, Lannfaráelin, Rodrigo/Ridiar, Ligyeia, Leco, Nikolay, Vissarion
• Tools of the trade: bare hands, rope and bag. Swords and words. Hips and music.
• Life motto: "I'm not!"
• Likes: life, humans, death, morbid topics, power, helping others, wandering tormented souls
• Dislikes: gods that have forsaken their people, injustice, loneliness
• Fun fact: she could fall in love with a stone
Gallery
Sasga during one of her detective side quests, as I like to call her adventures. Watercolour on paper, 2023.
Sasga and queen Midore (2020).
Sefarín with moon ear pendants and her swords (2020).
Sefarín without any bodypaint (2019).
The Black Magician, Sasga and newborn baby Leya (2022, pen and colour pencils).
Sasga living her best pirate life with Die Königin (the guy) and Belle (the woman) by her side, 2019.
Sefarín pregnant with Mirsel in an Arpvam fortress, 2018.
Ehlas, marker sketch, 2024.
Sorry for the lack of Ehlas artwork, I only have two more coloured pieces featuring her and one was already featured in this entry at the beginning. The other one is from 2011 and it's bad.
Thank you very much for reading, I hope this article is useful for those who have questions about Sasga and would like to know more about her.
Love you 🖤