Zhamat
"We must take care what power we give fear. All too soon it replaces us."Jovnik Harshithuusivi Nibrek
Zhamat is the goddess of fear. Initially she and Arielis were close companions, drawing strength from each other and promising that they would find a peaceful home and escape the chaos and danger of the world of their parents. Zhamat in particular lived in fear of what may come out of association with other Meydra, having seen her mother's scars and been taunted and tormented by Lunagi. She and Arielis joined a tribe of centaurs, taking the form of centaurs themselves, and simply traveled around for some time. One day the tribe was apprehended and nearly destroyed by a red dragon. Only the strongest, including Arielis and Zhamat, remained, and they were taken and kept in the dragon’s lair as trophies. For some time they were terrified to fight back and risk their friends, let alone their own lives, but finally Arielis led the charge, and they barely made it out with their lives. Zhamat was severely shaken by this battle and never seemed the same after this experience. She stayed with Arielis for some time afterwards but eventually began to drift away, hoping to find healing in seclusion. However, the remote area to which she withdrew served only to trap her with her fear, which she allowed to consume her. She became obsessed with the idea of destroying death itself, making it impossible for the soul and body to be separated, and blocking access to the Outer Planes forever.
She sought out a portal to the Outer Planes and spent a great span of time studying it and performing experiments. She gathered up all the sorcerers she could find, imprisoning them in order to use their power and the portal to attempt to destroy any connection between the Material Plane and the Outer Planes. Finally she was ready to try, but in doing so, every single one of the sorcerers perished, and the portal collapsed, sending out a massive shockwave over all the earth.
Four days of chaos ensued. Portals to the Outer Planes popped up with a frequency never seen before or since. Certain creatures who found themselves near these portals became imbued with the power to trap souls, or were simply torn apart themselves and doomed to wander the earth. Zhamat worked feverishly to finish what she had started, but after four days was found by Na-Ima, goddess of death. She did her best to resolve the damage done by Zhamat and free the souls she could, but it was now possible for souls to be trapped in the Material Plane even after being separated from their bodies.
Zhamat was driven from her home and was never again seen in Mejddimlad or indeed in Talazic. Where she lived out her exile is unknown.
She is portrayed as a dark-skinned humanoid in black clothes, with some bright energy pouring from her eyes and mouth as if eating away at her from the inside.
Relationships
Zhamat was daughter of Kress and Vedanav, and sister of Gonvarg. Although she was, in her youth, close friends with Arielis, their experience being prisoners of the dragon drove a wedge between them that was never reconciled. Zhamat had relations with Lomé that resulted in a child, though this child's name is not known, and the relationship was cut off when Na-Ima put Lomé to sleep—it is said, to Zhamat's relief.
Followers
Zhamat's followers are mainly those who, too, fear death, and would see her succeed in ridding the world of it.
Comments