Hatemmaten I
"You are a man and a god and you will die, too." -Hatematten I to a newly-crowned pharaohThere are many who have lived across the history of Covenant-- heroes or otherwise-- that are considered great. Still, few make quite the impression that the earliest kings and queens, such as Halvar Leifson of Bjornland. In the desert land of Kemet under the watchful gaze of Ra, this figure is the first of the pharaohs: Hatemmaten I.
Physical Description
Body Features
In his younger life, Hatemmaten was a tall, handsome, imperious-looking man. He was somewhat muscular, kept his hair long and braided, and had a very carefully kept goatee in a style that all pharaohs since have imitated. Dark makeup around his eyes have him a distinctly commanding look.
Although this is the image seen on statues and carvings, this is not what is seen by the pharaohs after. He is seen only as a ghost, just as he appeared on his deathbed-- thin and wizened. His hair is wispy and white, looking as frail as the man, himself. He is only transparent enough to create the impression that he is no longer of the living.
Apparel & Accessories
During his rule, he wore very ornate robes, festooned with gold and gems. Gold was woven into his hair and held his goatee tightly in place. An elaborate crown rested on his head that made him seem that much more divine. He held a pair of scepters, one a flail and the other an ankh, representing the people of Kemet and life, itself.
As the spectral Guide of Kings, he has none of those affectations. He still wears the robes he wore as he lay dying in his royal bed. He looks like nothing more than a very old man, as if he were nothing more than a simple peasant as opposed the the divine king of Kemet.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Little is known about the exact origins of the man who would become the first pharaoh. It is only known that he was born outside, when the sun was highest in the sky. Legend has it Ra, himself descended from the sky in a beam of light, touched the infant on the forehead, and left without a word.
Kemet at the time was in the midst of a terrible crisis. The influence of the brutal war goddess Sekhmet led to the people of Kemet fracturing into warring families. Even after she had been put back to sleep, the fighting continued. The divides between the people had already grown so much that Sekhmet's presence or absence no longer mattered.
Ever since he was young, Hatemmaten had magic granted to him by Ra, himself. He had the power to call down furious wrath and invoke the gods' healing touch for as long as he could speak. He was considered to be both divine and earthly-- Ra incarnated in the mortal plane.
Even despite his divine nature, bringing unity to Kemet was not so easy. Multiple factions believed they could still achieve military victory. Few were willing to fight the cult of the child Chosen of Ra, but they were also unwilling to stop battling each other, despite the protests of Hatemmaten and his followers.
His cult never took up arms against his fellow Kemetans in an attempt to lead by example. Progress was slow, but eventually, those still fighting agreed to meet in the city of Samaphis. Some of those, desiring Sekhmet to be the queen goddess of Kemet tried to kill Hatemmaten, only to be destroyed by his power.
In the end, Hatemmaten was crowned as the first pharaoh of Kemet, both a man and a god. He made it his life's work to create a kingdom that would not fall into any more infighting. He set up a great many organizations, religious and secular that were meant to outlast him. As a result of his efforts, he became revered by his people.
He was deemed a god by his people, but that didn't stop his body from eventually failing him much as any other man. It is said that on his deathbed, he rejected death, itself. He believed that as a god, he shouldn't have to suffer death as any mere mortal, eventually begging the gods to spare him. Still, he breathed his final breath.
The story goes he stood before Osiris, Anubis, and Ma'at and instead of submitting to the weighing of his heart, he asked Osiris one king to another to be allowed to remain in the mortal world. Knowing that existence would be hollow, he allowed this, believing he would return to the underworld and offer his heart freely.
To the god's surprise, he did not do this. According to legend, he appears before all newly-crowned pharaohs and warns them of their coming death. He then appears once more to a pharaoh at the time of their death and leads them to their heart weighing himself. As the Guide of Kings, he never truly leaves Kemet.
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments