When Som had made all the realms and all the creatures in them, He sought to enjoy His creation by spending time amongst it. All creatures labored in their own way, But there was one who did not know her purpose. Asena came to Som and asked, “What is my purpose?” Som replied, “To walk with me.” And so Som walked, and Asena walked with Him. But Som’s strides were so great That Asena could not match His pace. “Master,” she said, "I cannot keep up with you. How can I fulfill my purpose?” “Ah, dear one,” Som replied, “I will give you speed and endurance unrivaled so you may walk with me.” And so Asena walked every step with Som, never faltering and never tiring. After a while, Som stopped walking to rest. So Asena asked Him, “Master, you no longer walk. What is my purpose?” Som replied, “To keep me warm.” And so Som sat to rest, and Asena sat with Him. But the night came, and such freezing winds blew That Asena had no warmth to give Him. “Master,” she said, “I cannot keep you warm. How can I fulfill my purpose?” “Ah, dear one,” Som replied, “I will give you heat unparalleled so you may warm me.” And so Asena became clothed in beautiful flames of blue and kept Som warm. After a while, Som reached out His hand and stroked Asena’s fur. But daylight had come, and the cold winds had gone. “Master,” she said, “I do not know my purpose. At first it was to walk with you, Then it was to keep you warm. But now I do neither, So what is my purpose?” “Ah, dear one,” Som replied, “I gave you speed and gave you heat so that you would stay near. Your purpose is to be loved by me.” And Asena knew that she was loved endlessly. “Master,” said Asena, “Your love is boundless, and I cannot keep it to myself. May I share it with another?” And Som, being greatly pleased with Asena, made for her a mate, And she and her mate begat the wolves that roam free, Which begat the hounds that walk with mortals. And they were all beloved by Som. And so Asena is known as The First Companion and The Great Mother of Wolves.
- Ragyle Fitz Allerdyne, Songster of Fymtonstahd
Thanks for reading about the mysterious being called Som and one of his servants, the fiery blue wolf named Asena.
The below section was previously a paid-subscriber bonus and contains minor spoilers for The Herald of Som and the inception of Asena as a character.
Asena is the first Herald to meet Tyruc, the protagonist of The Herald of Som. She is sent to rescue him at the moment of his inglorious demise to offer him the choice to live again in service to her Master, the mysterious Som.
A lot of the mechanics of my fantasy world are inspired by roleplaying games. Tyruc and the Heralds specifically are based on the idea of Final Fantasy summoners. There are many Heralds in the world of The Herald of Som, and each is based off of a real-world mythical creature.
The name “Asena” is a reference to the Turkish myth about a sky-blue wolf who was the progenitor of the Oghuz Turks. To be clear, the Asena who appears in my stories is not a version of the Turkish Asena; she is merely nominally inspired by her.
The Herald of Som’s Asena is a creature akin to a blue-furred wolf wreathed in flames. She is regal, fierce, and at times motherly. Her relationship to Tyruc is that of a mentor, but Tyruc also has the unique ability to call forth an avatar of Asena to assist him in fighting monsters (which is a major part of the book).
In the book’s current incarnation (which is about 60% of a first draft), Asena is the second-most present character after Tyruc. Her guidance has often been my voice as the author injecting instruction to Tyruc on where the story needs to go or philosophizing about the relationship of the created to their Creator.
Another interesting tidbit is that Asena’s “voice” is somewhat based on the the way my mother read the character of “Polgara” in The Belgariad and The Mallorean by David Eddings. She read the entire 10-book series to me when I was eight years old, and I have always associated the strong, beautiful, wise, and sometimes frightening Aunt Pol with my mom. So, I guess the transitive property would say that Asena herself is also based on her.
Love ya, Ma.
Blessings,
S.M. Osborne
I can't think of a better compliment. Thank you.