The Bone Moth
At the very end of The Rending War, all five empires were in chaos. Keshwar had lost a large portion of its central territory to The Five Nations and The One Hundred Thousand. Basat, in a desperate attempt to get to the High Ashad Isha, triggered The Rending, which nearly destroyed reality itself. In the midst of all this, the scientist responsible for developing the machine that caused the Rending, Tallat escaped and fled from Cir Nacayjil and the Empire of Basat.
It was initially assumed that Tallat had been killed in the Fall of Basat. However, the discovery of Tallats Codex in the late 4500s (AIA), and a series of myths and legends dealing with a "wandering scientist" or "itinerant magician" broadly matching Tallat's distinctive appearance, indicated that Tallat survived for a significant period after the Rending War. Whether she was injured during the Fall or the Rending is not known. If the stories are true, then she was able to live for a time on the southern borders of The Great Takla.
While this is debated among Scholars of various specialisms, it is clear that several related myths have agglomerated around the existence of some kind of Kata expert who created a monstrous amulet that contained her own essence, known as The Bone Moth. It is also becoming increasingly popular, as of 4633 AIA, that Tallat may have been able to transfer the core of her knowledge and consciousness into an artefact that had gone on to have to terrible consequences for anybody who came into contact with it.
Summary
The core of the myth is that Tallat survived the Fall of Basat and made an amulet called "The Bone Moth" that contained her entire consciousness and knowledge. She travelled throughout central southern Iscarion, staying for short periods in several remote locations. In some versions of the myth, Tallat escaped with the assistance of Aya Tetahu-Ametepet, and that the Bone Moth was created prior to the Rending. In one telling, traced to a series of legends from the easternmost regions of what was Basat, the amulet Tallat carried was held to be responsible for the Rending itself, rather than an object created afterward.
Most of these myths take a similar form. The stranger arrives in the location and lives on the outskirts of the community for a time. After proving an ability to heal or help individuals, the stranger is cautiously welcomed into the community. Over time, more and more people become affected by headaches, migraines, even hallucinations focused on the theme of moths or grey butterflies that become increasingly frightening. By this point, the stranger has won the trust and respect of some (not all) community leaders, and those who attempt to warn them that they might be dangerous are ignored.
The hallucinations rapidly become more frightening, hinting at the destruction of the community, or recounting episodes from recent history that might hint at a future threat. The stranger, meanwhile, has coopted most of the rest of the community to their cause. They are described as wearing an amulet carved from bone in the shape of a moth. The structure is quite specific, with a ribcage-like form making up the wings and the spine representing the body. Anybody who questions the stranger starts to experience the same headaches or other physical symptoms.
Versions of the myth divert over the conclusion, which is where the core features depend on the underlying message intended. In some cases, the community is destroyed. The myth in this case persists in nearby communities as a cautionary tale about admitting unknown outsiders, or the risks with overly controlling community leaders. In some cases, the myth is based in the community but the stranger was successfully removed, usually when a person was able to overcome their hallucinations and either temporarily or permanently break the connection between the stranger and their amulet. In these versions, the amulet remains incredibly dangerous and harmful to anyone holding it, but is only "activated" when worn by its original owner.
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