Born into a privileged family in Alchester, Ashunde Roe was groomed from childhood to take a prominent position within one of the few remaining organized faiths in Kallendor. Despite the general abandonment of religion following the Fall of the Old Gods, his family maintained their devotion to one of the ancient deities, preserving its teachings and rituals through generations. Through dedication, charisma, and his family's influence, Ashunde rose through the ecclesiastical ranks to become a bishop, earning respect for his eloquent sermons and apparent devotion to maintaining the old ways.

However, beneath his pious exterior lies a man consumed by ambition and an overwhelming fear of mortality. Years of studying ancient texts and historical accounts of the Old Gods sparked an obsession with eternal life. As he entered middle age, Ashunde began secretly collecting forbidden texts on necromancy, disguising his growing library of dark knowledge behind the facade of theological research. His position as a religious leader provided him with the resources and privacy to pursue these dangerous studies. At the same time, his reputation for scholarship helped deflect suspicion from his increasingly frequent requests for obscure texts and artifacts.

Father Kem seemed unaffected as he continued his approach. He stopped when he closed the distance, the hand holding the brilliant silver knife poised to do . . . what? But then I saw the ghostly, withered face emerging from the orb, and I knew Kem had the right of it. The dead spirit of Ashunde was somehow emerging from the dark sphere, and Father Kem knew the knife was the only way to stop it. Even as the spirit emerged, the sphere grew in size, spinning faster and faster. More electrical tendrils shot out, not hitting anyone this time but sending chunks of earth flying as they impacted the walls, ceiling, and floor. The entire room shook.

- THE ASSASSIN’S CUNNING

The irony of a bishop of an Old God pursuing the forbidden art of necromancy is not lost on Ashunde. Still, he justifies his actions through elaborate theological arguments in his private journals. He reasons that if the Old Gods themselves wielded powers over life and death, mastering such forces could bring him closer to understanding their divine nature. As his research deepens, Ashunde walks a dangerous line between maintaining his respected position in Alchester's religious community and pursuing the dark knowledge he hopes will grant him immortality. His inner circle remains unaware of their bishop's true nature. All the while, Ashunde continues to struggle with the moral implications of his choices, knowing that his pursuit of eternal life might very well damn his soul in the process.

FIRST APPEARANCE

Ashunde first appears in The Assassin's Blade (Assassin Without a Name Book One).