Pythinera Agerinigh

Kyren of Tears Pythinera Agerinigh (a.k.a. Kyren of Light)

Cover art from https://shibashake.deviantart.com/


Quote from The Age of Light and Horror

As the Creation Phase was coming to a close, something tragic would happen. The Age of Light would come. It would be brief but have far reaching consequences. It would bring Crevice to the very brink of destruction and confirm that there were demons hiding in the Light. It would bring death and destroy doubt, it would create heroes and expose villains, it would destroy the world and remake it.

Pythinera Agerinigh was born in the Phase of Blood and lived 500 years to see the Phase of Creation begin and end. She was an elder Elf and very well respected. She would spend the bulk of her time in the family library and loved books of the surface world that managed to survive. She would read a reread these multiple times. Sometimes she would try and discuss something in the forum, but much of what she said was ignored. She was even rebuked and forced to leave when she wished to talk about the demons. In the middle of the Phase of Creation Her Uncle Jylen helped get her a job with the Kyren where she would eventually became Kyren herself.

Kyren Pythinera

Her first couple of years in office were relatively quiet and without incident. In the third year of her term, she went to one of the Guidance Centers and closed it down. She removed the Guides and Mentors. She then replaced them with new people a few days later. When the Lake Council questioned this, she claimed it was for possible financial crimes and put all the previous members under investigation. This investigation seemed to disappear, but none of the Guides or Mentors were allowed to work there again. Later (sadly too late), it was discovered she was doing the same with several other Guidance Centers, but just more slowly as to not be noticed.
In the fifth year of her term, she did something that made the other Kyren take notice. She increased the tax amount given to the Beacon of Tears by the people. This was the first time any Kyren had done this even if they did have that authority. During their meeting that year, it was discussed in detail. Pythinera claimed it was to improve the Beacon and all the Guidance Centers; as they were built first, many were in a state of disrepair and needed extra funds for the construction. She claimed it was temporary and even put the three year limit in the tax decree. The other Kyren dismissed the matter and it was ignored.

Corruption and Blasphemy

Two years later, Pythinera made a damaging claim on Thoren Clodstomp (the new Kyren from the Cavern of Strength). She claimed he was stealing from the Tax coffers for himself over the last year. She even presented evidence to reflect that. The Kyren Council had a trial and judged him guilty and stripped him of his title. Pythinera secretly went to Thoren and told him that the evidence against him was false and that the other Kyren had used her as well.
While they were deliberating on the new Kyren, the miners went on strike, all of the miners. The Kyren Council met with the Mining Guilds to try and resolve the issue. During the meeting there was an explosion and a great beast appeared, killing many in the room. Pythinera was the only Kyren to escape. She concluded that Thoren had summoned the beast in revenge and he was executed swiftly for blasphemy.

Power of the Demons

Pythinera did not immediately replace the other Kyren, first she went through the ranks of Guides and Mentors in all of the Guidance Centers in Crevice and accused many of blasphemy as well. Soon she seemed to skip the trials and would execute them on the spot for their crimes. Several of the Councils tried to stop her, but they soon realized that they had no power to stop the slaughter. The council had no soldiers or army; they had no power over the Kyren at all. Some of them were even targeted by her as a warning. The executions would continue for over a year.
She soon installed new Kyren that seemed very loyal to her. They rarely questioned her and a couple also met with untimely executions if they pushed too much. She then started targeting the people. Public executions came daily without a trial and without any presentation of evidence. No one really understood why people were being targeted. No one would say anything about it or question it, no one would try and stop it for almost ten years.

From the journal of Jylan Agerinigh

Many of the other nobles have requested I speak to my niece after several of them had already lost family to blasphemy. I approached the Beacon of Tears to talk to her and felt it, something was wrong. I hadn't been there in some time, but I was shocked. No longer was this a place to be led by the Cynosure. There were massive statues of being holding balls of light that glowed so bright it was blinding! Further in, there were creatures that looked like nightmares in cages, I moved past them quickly. I crept into the the main chamber and froze for a moment, but quickly came to my senses and hid.
I saw Pythinera worshiping a demon. A great white beast with massive wings sat in a white light with Pythinera bowing down to it. It would vanish in a bright flash. I dared not move until the creature was gone and went to confront her. She would not listen. She believes the people are corrupted. She didn't even defend herself for working with this demon. She became angry and locked me away in the Beacon. She placed me in the Light...a bright orb sat outside and would never cease. She forced me to watch her and the demons. She embraced them and lay with them and worse... She was no longer my sweet niece, but has become the demon our people feared and despised.

The Horror of the Light

Two years later, a guard who was loyal to the family would help Jylan escape. He quickly ran and hid; he soon found another surprise, there were others that already knew the truth. Jylan found the displaced Guides and Mentors were creating a resistance to go against her. Some groups were found by her soldiers, but many of her soldiers were also deserting and coming to their aid. Jylan realized the opportunity and within a year had the group better organized and a plan to stop her. Unfortunately, she also had plans. Jylan had installed several resistance guards in the Beacon which would allow a small group to sneak in. The plan seemed to work until they realized she wasn't in the Beacon, she had started her plan.
Great orbs of light appeared in the top of the Caverns and draped the city in light for the first time. The Demons of the Light came through bright portals and attacked the city, summoned on all the Strata by the Kyren. The creatures ran through the streets killing anything they found. Some people fought back, some hid in their homes and thousands would die. Jylan realized that he could try and hunt her down to stop it, but it would likely end up in the death of himself and his allies. So he waited in horror as the time passed and the blood spilled. It did finally stop and Jylan prepared himself.

End of the Age of Light

Pythinera returned to the Beacon glowing in a bright light. She embraced this light and she walked with the Winged Demon he saw earlier. The Creature stood proud of the events and Pythinera seemed happy in a disturbing way. Just as Jylan stepped out in front of her to strike her down, a clawed hand burst through her chest. The creature held her heart in it's grasp. Pythinera looked down at her still heart, then up to the beast whose face was without concern, and finally to her uncle. She did not smile and never would again. The beast pulled the heart through her back and sliced her head off with it's other clawed hand. Jylan and his group stepped back ready to fight the creature, but it did not seem to notice them and faded away holding head and heart, removing the light from the world.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

An elder elf, but still looks young.

Body Features

Pale skin

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

She loves to study the relics of the surface world and the Demon Wars.

Social

Family Ties

The Agerinigh family was created on the surface before the Great Quake and managed to keep many of their ancient records. The family paid to have their old estates explored and heirlooms brought back to build one the largest surface collections in Crevice. The family was very powerful and held on to the Cavern of Tears for many generations. Pythinera would be the last of the great family.

Religious Views

Pythinera worked in the family home for many decades, this was common of many elves and many would rarely leave the Lake Stratum at all. She worked with the Guidance Center on occasion, but was not considered a regular and kept mostly to her own personal studies.
Time in the office of Kyren Valkoras
Valkoras was also with a well respected elven family and hired her on as part of his staff as a favor to her uncle who was worried she spent too much time reading of the surface. Pythinera took to the work easily and Valkoras was impressed and eventually gave her more responsibilities. She would travel to other Strata and deliver messages. She eventually seemed to enjoy the travel and would travel on her own time as well. She would get to know the people and have discussions in the streets, since the forums did not welcome her discussions. She would also travel to the Kyren Council meeting with Valkoras and met the other Kyren. She was very well spoken and respectful, but she could still debate well and earned respect from the Council. In the 15th year of his term, Valkoras died in a tragic accident. Pythinera was chosen to replace him as the Kyren of the Beacon of Tears.

Aftermath

The Path of Pythinera

Pythinera took her own path,
Hearing demons whisper.
The Cynosure was nothing but a drifter.

The Demons promised Power and Lies.
They granted that power and took many lives.
She stepped out of the shadows and gave them her trust,
They turned shadows to light, and the people to dust.

She gave her heart and mind.
They would take both from her,
As to their design.

This poem is still taught to all students in school to this day.
History will reflect this as one of the worst times in Crevice, but political historians have found some concerning things that the Kyren seem to deny. Before Pythinera came to power, the state of the city was far worse than expected. There was record low attendance at Guidance Centers and discussion forums. The rate of religious cults had increased and Demonic scripts seem to be circulating around they city. It is also noted that many of the people that were executed may have been members or leaders of these cults. Evidence collected after the executions seemed to reinforce this idea.
Does this mean that Pythinera was targeting only those that had lost faith? That is hard to tell, especially given the events of the Cycle of Horror and Light which destroyed many homes and families. It is clear that there was a massive reduction in cults after the Age of Light and a boost in faith and attendance at the Guidance Centers and the Beacons. This is also the first recorded event of a demon summoning actually working and summoning a creature. The massive number of witnesses would lead to an array of stories and songs of demons being created in the next Phase, most of these have endured history and still get taught in schools and are discussed in forums in the current Phase. So the real debate for the forums was about the value of Pythinera. Was she a villain or hero? Did she expose a weakness in the city and a possible downward trend? Was she led by the Cynosure to get the people of Crevice to realize an even more dangerous path? These will continued to be debated, but while they are, the city will remember the Cycle of Horror and Light and Pythinera Agerinigh.

Permanent Changes

The council would gain the power over the city guards and the watch. They would also gain more power over taxes and how it is used. They Kyren would gain some power back and would gain a veto power, although they rarely use it as to avoid conflict with the Council. They Kyren would be granted their own Knights to protect the Beacons and Guidance Centers, but those are limited in number.

Historical Discoveries

Jylen did keep some things from the Beacon he destroyed, specifically some notes written by his niece. This is what is important.
Pythinera believed that there were many cults in the city and that the faith in the Cynosure was failing.
She believed she was cleansing the city of the cults. She believed the Cynosure was guiding her in this decision.
The winged creature was called an Angel by the surface and were demons that pretended to be good and trick people into demonic actions.
It is still unknown why the Angel killed Pythinera after the Cycle of Light and Horror.

Species

Elf

Church/Cult

Cynosure

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Kyren of Tears, Kyren of Light

Previously Held Ranks & Titles

• Kyren

Life

2805 3599 794 years old

Birthplace

Cavern of Tears

Gender

Female

Eyes

Blue

Hair

White

Height

5'4"

Weight

118 lbs

Aligned Organization

Path of Cynosure

Other Affiliations

• Government of Crevice

Fall of an Ancient Bloodline

House Agerinigh was decimated by the Light Beasts. Historians debate on why she targeted her own blood, but in the end no one will really know. The beasts attacked the house and tore every stone from it and killed every member of her family. They were hunted down and slaughtered. Jylan was the only survivor and he spent his time destroying the Beacon of Tears and the Surface relics she had taken there. He would die only two years later.