Kafiri: The Suncaller

The Old Ways

Do you know why the sun rises? Why it passes directly over the center of Thaimi? Before the Nuaira came to our lands, there was fear in the darkness. By day, we hunted the great Shadowcats. By night, we were prey. We knew the Shadowcats to be terrors, but there was much worse beyond the firelight, waiting to steal away the unwary. We built great bonfires to drive out the darkness, but it was not enough. The nights were longer then, inconsistent. They would last for weeks, or even months at a time before the sun would surface again. In these long nights, the beasts grew bold. No matter how bright our fires, they came and took whomever they wanted. Whole villages would vanish in the long night, and we were powerless to stop them. It was not until a brave shaman, a man named Kafiri came to us and declared that there would be no more death in the shadow. It was Kafiri who first brought the tribes together, and who would go to the sun and speak to him. Kafiri had a great tower built into the sky, made of stones as black as the night that terrified us, so as to hide our people and our fires from the monsters. For generations, we built Kafiri's tower, yet he remained as young as the first day he had stepped into our camps. Finally, we finished the tower. Kafiri climbed each step into the sky, calling to the sun with each breath. For weeks, Kafiri climbed, his voice echoing down to our people, giving hope in the night. Finally, the sun heard his calls and rose above the water's edge. It was one month before the sun crested the tower, where it met Kafiri. We do not know what was said between the sun and Kafiri, only that a great fight erupted at the top of the tower. Fire rained down upon the world as Kafiri and his golden spear battled the sun. The battle wore on for months before the sun turned and fled to the west, wounded and slower than ever. Before it could escape, Kafiri tied a shimmering magical rope to his spear and set upon the sun, running it through and binding it to the tip of the tower, high above our camps and jungles. No matter how far the sun ran, Kefiri's rope held fast, bringing it back to us. Kafiri stood fast atop the tower each time it passed, demanding its obedience. Each time, the sun denied him and ran west again, yet Kafiri stood resolute, holding to the shimmering strand that binds the sun to us. Each day, even now, when the sun is directly over Thaimi, the demand is made: obedience.

Summary

The Ezirandi myth of why the sun follows a particular pattern and path in the sky. The myth was the foundation upon which The Arcanum Institute was built. The Myth of Kafiri speaks of two artifact items: The Golden Spear of Kafiri and The Shimmering Strand.

Historical Basis

Kafiri was an actual person, a Celestine Ezirandi born in 85 CE in the tribal village that would become Thaimi. Much like the legend states, Kafiri did bring the tribes together, though he did not have them build a tower into the sky. Kafiri was successful at uniting the tribes due to his celestial blood and his inate ability to bring daylight into an area. He favored casting the spell onto the head of his spear, which gave way to the legend of the golden spear.

Spread

The Myth of Kafiri is taught to all those raised in the Magocracy of Ezir. Kafiri is taugh as an exemplar of Ezirandi accomplishment.

Variations & Mutation

The myth has grown over the generations to include the building of the tower into the sky as The Arcanum Institute and its precursors transformed the myth during the Haphrises Age to help get the tower built. Originally, Kafiri was simply known for uniting the tribes under one banner.

Date of Setting

100 - 300 CE

Related Ethnicities