Definition
The title Starborn is the highest honor of the Edsonian kingdoms, bestowed upon those who survive the Trials of the Starborn—three sacred ordeals that test the strength of body, mind, and will. Born from an age of cruelty, the Trials have become a path of ascendance: to endure them is to be remade, not by kings or fate, but by the stars themselves.
Origins
Long ago, the Trials were a sentence for the condemned—a cruel chance at freedom none survived. In blood and spectacle the court found its entertainment. But ages reshaped them: spectacle became ritual; ritual became belief. What began as punishment became the highest measure of worth.
The Three Trials
- Trial of Body — Endurance, courage, and the limits of flesh. Combat, exhaustion, and pain are the gates through which only the strong may pass.
- Trial of Mind — Clarity and intellect under confusion and fear. Illusions and deception test discernment and resolve.
- Trial of Will — The spirit’s refusal to break. When despair demands surrender, the aspirant must rise unbroken.
The Title of Starborn
Those who survive all three are named Starborn—souls believed by the ancients to be touched by the heavens, chosen to carry their light into the world. The name endures because it promises more than honor; it speaks of destiny.
“To endure them all is to be proven not only before men, but before the heavens.”
Cultural Legacy
Among Edson’s kingdoms, the Starborn are honored as champions and omens. Kings seek their counsel; armies follow their standard. When a Starborn passes, the rite of Unbinding of Light lifts a single flame skyward—so that their light does not end, only ascends.