User:AttemptToCallNil/The Taken

"I need someone expendable, someone with nothing to lose but a lot to gain. Right now, you're that person."

- Captain John Bourbon

The Taken is the player character of the game Grim Dawn, whose gender and name are determined by the player. Formerly possessed by an Aetherial and spared by Captain John Bourbon, the Taken starts playing an increasingly significant role in the world after its devastation by various malevolent forces.

Possession
Those humans who survived the apocalyptic event known as the Grim Dawn use the term "Taken" to refer to humans possessed by Aetherials. The protagonist of the game is initially one such human. When they stepped out of the riftgate near the prison at Devil's Crossing, they were trapped by the wards inscribed by the local scientist Kasparov.

The settlement's mage, Sahdina, subdued the possessed human with her magic and, along with Captain Bourbon and Hangman Jarvis, participated in the interrogation of the Aetherial in control of its vessel. After the Taken has been interrogated, it was to be subjected to the same treatment as all others who shared this fate: the vessel was to be hung, and the body was to be burned.

However, the Aetherial spirit fled its vessel before it died in the noose. Seeing this, Captain Bourbon ordered the human spared.

Act 1
After the Taken regains consciousness, they are immediately told by Hangman Jarvis to speak with Captain Bourbon and receive further instructions. The Taken is given the first of such instructions, stopping the walking dead attacks on the prison, and immediately goes off to see this done.

The Taken succeeds in eliminating the creature behind the attacks. This cripples the horde that was besieging the prison and allows Captain Bourbon to plan what's next for both his people and the protagonist. Meanwhile, the latter is tasked with helping out their fellow survivors.