Origins

The Betrayal

Historical Accounting

The Emerald One was the firstof theand a mythic figure in Ahkirik mythology. While he was most likely a real figure, he is shrouded in mystery and didn't even show his face to others.The Emerald One first appears in their mythology as the son of, a serpentine dragon and god of the desert. He was formed from Nazkani's poison, hence the Emerald One's ability to control snakes and his love of the green jewel. The Emerald One was put through trials by the Goddess of Balance to prove his worth as a rightful ruler to the Desert. These trials included stealing the feather of the wrathful serpent Khadum, slaying the Great Hound, solving the riddle of the, and climbing the Divine Tower. He completed these trials and was given dominion over theand was the divine protector of the Ahkiri people.However, despite being a demi-god, the Emerald One could still die, and to counteract this, he made deals with the gods to prolong his life by sacrificing his physical appearance and eventually his fertility. These deals were the reason he wore a mask for most of his life. Learning of this, a figure named Tumaru overthrew him and had him publicly executed. The rest of the Emerald One's family and royal guard were exiled to the, and leading to the Vihkir, paid royal guards, to becoming wandering. However, his daughter,, planned to avenge her father's death.As a figure of myth, there has been debate as to the credibility of his tales and legends. The pseudohistorical accounts of the Ahkiri make it unclear if what he did was real or just a mythical cycle told to celebrate him, as telling intentionally fictional stories of the Aphit were common back then. The mythology is commonly blended with real history, creating a haze of mystery around what really happened.Before the Volias-published book,, the Ahkiri mythos was viewed by the rest of Bonisthia as primitive and archaic, but once it was published, it shed light on their culture and life more accurately. The book, written by a Volian traveler, had detailed descriptions and even illustrations of Ahkiri culture, and had translated snippets of their mythological cycles, thanks to a Sahkir who lived in Volias and learned their language.The Emerald One is worshipped in theas the demi-god of political order and a savior of the Ahkiri. Magic is believed to come from him, and as such, magic is a gift of the gods through the Emerald One. In normal Ahkiri settings, he is held in high regard as the first Aphit, but still partial god. For generations, he has remained an important figure in their writings and mythology.