Avelin is the protagonist of Grim Trials, a recently deceased young woman recruited into Death’s Academy as a Cocoon — an aspiring Grim Reaper. Her central goal is to complete Purification, defeat the Seven Sinful Souls tied to events from her past, grow into a full-fledged Reaper, and confront the unfinished bond she still has with Timmy, the person she loved while alive.
Who is Avelin?
Official descriptions introduce Avelin as a young woman who meets an untimely death and is recruited as one of Death’s many Reapers. She does not begin the game as a fully established Grim Reaper, however. The developer’s story material describes her as a Cocoon at the Academy, effectively a trainee who must prove herself through the ritual of Purification.
The developers have described Grim Trials as a coming-of-age story in the afterlife. That matters because Avelin’s progression is not only about gaining stronger weapons. Her trials are also a way of forcing her to revisit the emotional weight of her former life. In a developer response during the demo period, the team specifically said that players would see Avelin progress toward becoming a real Grim Reaper and notice changes in her personality after defeating the sinful bosses.
What do we know about Avelin before her death?
The official story devlog provides more context than the store description. It describes Avelin as a woman in her twenties who had a difficult upbringing and grew into a stubborn, abrasive rebel before meeting Timmy, the love of her life. Grim Trials does not treat that history as background trivia. The Seven Sinful Souls are directly connected to events from her past, meaning the roguelite’s bosses also function as story confrontations.
This is why the game’s phrase “face her demons” is more literal than it first appears. The underworld is described as being shaped around Avelin’s own history, and defeating its major enemies moves both the combat campaign and her personal story forward.
What is Purification in Grim Trials?
The developer’s story devlog defines Purification as the process Avelin must undergo to become a true Grim Reaper. Its central challenge is defeating the Seven Sinful Souls. The final achievement list confirms the seven major bosses as Acedia, Avaritia, Gula, Ira, Luxuria, Invidia, and Superbia, each paired with a virtue-themed achievement.
For players following Avelin’s story, it is useful to think of Purification as the game’s main narrative spine. You return to the Academy, prepare a build, enter the Trials, fight through enemies and hazards, defeat Sinful Souls, then return with new resources and new story context. The bosses are therefore more than isolated roguelite checkpoints; they are tied to Avelin’s transformation.
Avelin and the Academy
The Academy is Avelin’s home base after death. Official store copy describes it as a place built to train and arm Death’s Reapers. Here Avelin meets mentors and peers, takes on quests, improves relationships, crafts equipment, learns new systems, and gradually discovers more about the people around her and about herself.
Characters such as John, Ivanya, Milyun, Pytra, Iskra, Kai, Breone, and Nameles are not just menu vendors. Grim Trials attaches Affinity and quest progression to several Academy characters, and the achievement list confirms maximum-Affinity goals for multiple members of the cast. That makes Academy conversations relevant even for players primarily focused on combat progression.
For Avelin specifically, the Academy represents the quieter half of the game’s rhythm. The Trials push her to survive and fight; the Academy gives the story space to react to what happened.
How Avelin’s story connects to gameplay
Grim Trials uses its roguelite systems to reinforce Avelin’s situation. She is already dead, so dying during a run does not reset the narrative. Official store descriptions explicitly state that the experience and materials earned during failed attempts remain with her. This turns repetition into part of Avelin’s training rather than treating death as a disconnected game-over screen.
Her practical progression has several layers. Materials can be used for crafting stronger weapons, gear, and consumables. Souls and Soul Runes feed into the Skill Tree and Slot Upgrade progression. Randomized Blessings from Gods of Death reshape individual runs. Academy quests and Affinity unlock additional context and support. Together, these systems make Avelin stronger while the story gradually moves her from inexperienced Cocoon toward full Reaper status.
If you are starting the game, see the Beginner Guide for the first-run loop, the Progression Guide for permanent upgrades, and the Skill Tree Guide for Soul Rune progression.
What weapons does Avelin use?
Avelin’s combat identity centers on switching between melee and ranged pressure. The official game page highlights customizable melee weapons and crossbows, with scythe-and-crossbow combat forming the recognizable core of the game’s presentation. Later developer material also discusses axes and hammers as melee alternatives, so Avelin is not locked to one permanent scythe loadout.
The important point for character-focused players is that weapon choice does not change who Avelin is in the story. Equipment, Skill Tree nodes, Soul Runes, and Blessings are ways to shape how your version of Avelin fights. For mechanics, use the Combat Guide, Scythes Guide, and Crossbows Guide.
Who is Timmy?
Timmy is the living person at the center of Avelin’s unfinished emotional life. Official material identifies him as the love she left behind. The Steam store frames her ultimate motivation around enduring the Trials so she can see her still-living love again, while the developer story devlog gives additional background about how important he was during her life.
This page deliberately avoids turning Timmy into an ending walkthrough. Knowing that he motivates Avelin is basic premise information; knowing exactly how specific late-game choices affect the final outcome belongs in a dedicated ending or True Ending guide.
Does Avelin have multiple endings?
Yes. The post-launch achievement list confirms at least two distinct story completion goals: Deadly Enlightened for reaching the Ending and End of All Cycle for reaching the True Ending. Those achievements are enough to confirm that players pursuing Avelin’s full story should not assume the first ending represents every piece of narrative content.
However, this character page does not invent True Ending requirements. Ending routes should be documented separately using verified in-game steps so readers can choose between a spoiler-light character overview and a full completion guide.
Watch Avelin in the official release trailer
The Soft Source release-date trailer is a useful visual introduction to Avelin, the Academy, combat pacing, and the game’s afterlife setting. It was published before the most recent post-launch balance patches, so use it for character and presentation context rather than exact weapon balance or current build values.
Avelin FAQ
Is Avelin already a Grim Reaper at the beginning?
She has been recruited into the Reaper system, but official story material describes her as a Cocoon undergoing training and Purification. Her journey is about becoming a full-fledged Reaper rather than beginning as one.
Why does Avelin fight the Seven Sinful Souls?
They are part of the Purification ritual and represent events from her past. Defeating them therefore advances both her Reaper training and her personal story.
Does Avelin permanently lose progress when she dies?
No. Official store descriptions state that earned experience and materials remain after she falls in battle. Death is built into her progression loop.
Is Timmy playable?
The official material used for this guide presents Timmy as part of Avelin’s life and motivation, not as a confirmed playable character.
Is there a True Ending?
Yes. The achievement list includes End of All Cycle for reaching the True Ending, alongside Deadly Enlightened for reaching the Ending.
Related Grim Trials guides
Sources & verification
- Grim Trials on Steam — official Avelin premise, Reaper goal, Timmy motivation, Academy, combat, crafting, progression, and persistent resources.
- The Story of Grim Trials developer devlog — Avelin’s Cocoon status, Purification, Seven Sinful Souls, past-life background, and coming-of-age framing.
- Steam achievements — confirms the standard ending, True Ending, boss progression, Affinity goals, and other post-launch completion milestones.
- Soft Source release-date trailer — official publisher footage used as the embedded visual reference.