Sen
Gi Wengmen Sen-haka
On the last day of the sixth month, the sun itself will vanish from your wickedness. Out of this darkness will be born a child in the city of kings, who will possess a power beyond your understanding. Be warned! For once the child of the dying sun is born, fifteen years hence your reign will end and Shilogo will know freedom once more.
So spoke the Great Sage after crashing Queen Kaoreng's enthronement ceremony. The sage further startled the onlookers by spreading a pair of wings and flying out of the courtyard after a furious Kaoreng ordered the old woman arrested. The sage disappeared, but her words were entrenchment in the minds of all who heard it.
To my beloved family -
The Child Born of Darkness
Kaoreng outlawed the repetition of the prophecy, but it was impossible to keep the rumour from spreading. Despite threats of execution if caught spreading it, within a few weeks, everyone in the Hyego Kingdom had heard the words. For generations, they had suffered under the rule of Kaoreng's despotic ancestors. The promise of a prophetic hero to finally end their rule seemed too good to be true.
But the queen would not take any chances. She ordered the arrest of every pregnant woman in the kingdom for the duration of the week surrounding the final day of the sixth month. Soldiers throughout the kingdom had one order: if anything happened to the sun, they were to slaughter any baby born during its darkness.
Come the final day of the sixth month, and people across the Shilo Peninsula gazed at the sky in awe as a sliver of darkness consumed the sun. The prophecy was coming true.
But the queen would not take any chances. She ordered the arrest of every pregnant woman in the kingdom for the duration of the week surrounding the final day of the sixth month. Soldiers throughout the kingdom had one order: if anything happened to the sun, they were to slaughter any baby born during its darkness.
Come the final day of the sixth month, and people across the Shilo Peninsula gazed at the sky in awe as a sliver of darkness consumed the sun. The prophecy was coming true.
The Rescue
There was nothing remarkable about Yen Haman Hayari. She was the daughter of a baker and had lived in Hakanet, the capital, all her life. She didn't have a husband, but a brief fling with a soldier nine months earlier led to her spending the day of the eclipse in a prison cell below the palace. Minutes after a sliver of the moon appeared on the sun, she went into labour with only a midwife for company. When her son was finally born just as the first sliver of light began to reappear after the eclipse, she didn't even want to hold him, knowing he would soon be killed.
After the guard left to fetch Kaoreng, the midwife leaned in close to whisper to the grieving Hayari. When the guards returned with the queen, they unlocked the cell and were blindsided by a foul-smelling smoke. The midwife, who had taken this position in the dungeon just for this occasion, had thrown a smoke bomb and raced out of the cell during the confusion, a bundle of swaddled fabric in her arms.
Still coughing and watery-eyed, the guards gave chase. The midwife ran as fast as she could, and made it all the way out of the dungeon and onto the grassy lawn hemmed in by palace walls before being cornered by every guard on duty and Kaoreng herself. Kaoreng demanded she turn over the baby, and the midwife obliged. She tossed the bundle of fabric to the ground, revealing it to be nothing more than a rolled up blanket.
Meanwhile, as soon as the cell was abandoned, an exhausted Hayari slipped away with the baby she'd hidden under her skirt in the smoke. She didn't have a chance of making it all the way out of the palace, but she didn't have to go that far. She only had to make it to a window set high in the wall - too high for anyone to reach. She could, however, reach the arms of the acrobat dangling by his ankles, being held up by his partner leaning through the window.
After the guard left to fetch Kaoreng, the midwife leaned in close to whisper to the grieving Hayari. When the guards returned with the queen, they unlocked the cell and were blindsided by a foul-smelling smoke. The midwife, who had taken this position in the dungeon just for this occasion, had thrown a smoke bomb and raced out of the cell during the confusion, a bundle of swaddled fabric in her arms.
Still coughing and watery-eyed, the guards gave chase. The midwife ran as fast as she could, and made it all the way out of the dungeon and onto the grassy lawn hemmed in by palace walls before being cornered by every guard on duty and Kaoreng herself. Kaoreng demanded she turn over the baby, and the midwife obliged. She tossed the bundle of fabric to the ground, revealing it to be nothing more than a rolled up blanket.
Meanwhile, as soon as the cell was abandoned, an exhausted Hayari slipped away with the baby she'd hidden under her skirt in the smoke. She didn't have a chance of making it all the way out of the palace, but she didn't have to go that far. She only had to make it to a window set high in the wall - too high for anyone to reach. She could, however, reach the arms of the acrobat dangling by his ankles, being held up by his partner leaning through the window.
"Call him Sen.... And tell him I love him."And so, despite all Kaoreng's power that could repel thousands of invaders, the baby that would cause her downfall was snatched from her hands by a troupe of circus performers.
The Wengme Travelling Circus
If asked to picture revolutionaries, most people in Hyego would have described serious men in shady rooms, discreetly avoiding notice and slipping through the shadows. Not many would have guessed that the most serious group of revolutionaries in the kingdom regularly performed before crowds in gaudy outfits.
The Wengme Travelling Circus consisted of misfits, outcasts, and drifters. They were the lowest tier of society, and therefore had both faced some of the worst of Hyego's abuses and also had the least to lose. From the moment they heard the prophecy, the ringleaders of the circus began to plot. The magician's apprentice had tragically been executed after impersonating a midwife, but with the promised saviour in their care, they could begin to slowly pick away at Kaoreng's reign.
The Wengme Travelling Circus consisted of misfits, outcasts, and drifters. They were the lowest tier of society, and therefore had both faced some of the worst of Hyego's abuses and also had the least to lose. From the moment they heard the prophecy, the ringleaders of the circus began to plot. The magician's apprentice had tragically been executed after impersonating a midwife, but with the promised saviour in their care, they could begin to slowly pick away at Kaoreng's reign.
Childhood
Sen knew nothing of this for most of his life. They spared him the burden of his destiny to allow him to grow up in relative normalcy - "relative", because most children's childhoods did not involve feeding tamed bears as a routine chore. Sen, who had been told his mother was the deceased magician's apprentice, adored the circus and considered the entire troupe his family.
What he loved most was spending rainy afternoons in the magician's wagon and learning everything he could. Sen saw it as a way to connect with the mother he'd never met. By the time he entered his teens, he was performing illusions that impressed even other circus members. His idyllic childhood ended when he turned fifteen and was informed that, in fact, he was supposed to single-handedly defeat the queen using a powerful magic he had not yet discovered.
What he loved most was spending rainy afternoons in the magician's wagon and learning everything he could. Sen saw it as a way to connect with the mother he'd never met. By the time he entered his teens, he was performing illusions that impressed even other circus members. His idyllic childhood ended when he turned fifteen and was informed that, in fact, he was supposed to single-handedly defeat the queen using a powerful magic he had not yet discovered.
Revolution
While Sen had been growing up, the troupe had been working behind the scenes to prepare for a revolution. Although history would remember the revolution as beginning the year Sen turned fifteen, the scattered uprisings throughout the previous decade all had invisible strings to the same circus troupe. The itinerant band carried messages, smuggled spies, and swayed hesitant village leaders in backroom meetings while all eyes were on the stage.
Thanks to the hard work of his adoptive family, the stage was set for Sen to confront the queen. Details of his journey are recorded in The Legend of Sen-haka, one of the most cherished works of literature of the Shilo people. The tale ends with Sen discovering the power the Great Sage had promised and using it to strike down Kaoreng in a powerful display of magic.
Thanks to the hard work of his adoptive family, the stage was set for Sen to confront the queen. Details of his journey are recorded in The Legend of Sen-haka, one of the most cherished works of literature of the Shilo people. The tale ends with Sen discovering the power the Great Sage had promised and using it to strike down Kaoreng in a powerful display of magic.
Sen the King
Following his defeat of Kaoreng, Sen took the throne as King of Hyego. This is was pragmatic choice, as the boy hero was easily the most popular and least divisive figure in the chaos of the regime change. Throughout the early years of his reign, Sen was heavily advised by older soldiers and circus members, who did most of the actual ruling due to his inexperience. As he came of age, the advisors gradually backed off and Sen ruled in his own right.
Sen was a popular king. To this day, he is remembered as being a wise and just ruler who restored Hyego to its noble roots. He had powerful magic, and used it to keep the kingdom safe. He enjoys quasi-mythical status in Shilogo today, with many stories told about him no doubt embellished or outright fictional. His tomb is under one of the largest burial mounds in the peninsula, with enough evidence that he was at least a historical figure.
Sen was a popular king. To this day, he is remembered as being a wise and just ruler who restored Hyego to its noble roots. He had powerful magic, and used it to keep the kingdom safe. He enjoys quasi-mythical status in Shilogo today, with many stories told about him no doubt embellished or outright fictional. His tomb is under one of the largest burial mounds in the peninsula, with enough evidence that he was at least a historical figure.
The Shiweri Document
Shiweri was Sen's granddaughter. After his death at the age of 81, she discovered a document sitting on the floor by his bed mat. The document is controversial. It first surfaced about 500 years after Sen's death, after Hyego was no more and the letter was found in the belongings of a descendant of the old royal family.
It caused an uproar throughout Shilogo, and ever since, it has faded in and out of the historical conscience. Some consider it a hoax, others historical fact. Either way, it adds another layer of mystery to an already intriguing historical figure.
It caused an uproar throughout Shilogo, and ever since, it has faded in and out of the historical conscience. Some consider it a hoax, others historical fact. Either way, it adds another layer of mystery to an already intriguing historical figure.
To my beloved family -
It is no secret that I am dying. I will say my goodbyes to each of you in person; that is not what this letter is for. This letter serves as a confession, and I admit that I am writing this here because I cannot bear to see the reaction this story will cause after more than 60 years of secrecy.
My confessions are these: I have no magic, and I am not a child of prophecy.
To explain, I will tell you a story that is left out of all the popular recounts of my adventure. The storytellers want me to be a hero, and they skip over the detour I made as a frightened child to visit the shrine of the Great Sage. I found her there, drinking tea and looking like she had been expecting me.
"Great Sage," I said, prostrating myself before her. "Please, I seek your guidance."
And she said unto me, "Oh, get up. I'm not talking to you with your rear in the air." That should have been my first hint that the conversation was not going to go as I expected.
I sat at a small table with the sage. She gave me a cup of tea and some sort of fishy cake that tasted foul, but I ate it because I think she baked it herself. Then she asked what was troubling me and I said, "What is this power that the prophecy said I have? Everyone expects me to use it to defeat Kaoreng, but I don't even know what it is!"
The sage waved her hand flippantly. "The prophecy isn't important."
I gaped at her for a moment, tea still halfway to my mouth. It sloshed onto my hand when I slammed the cup onto the table. "How could it not be important? I have to defeat Kaoreng because of it!"
"Good! Someone ought to. That's why I made it up."
"You... what?" I slowly shook my head. "You couldn't have. It predicted the dying of the sun, and my being born in the middle of it."
The sage shrugged and took a sip of tea. "It was only a solar eclipse. They're entirely predictable if you study the stars right." She munched on some of her sawdust-cake like she was discussing the weather. "It isn't like I said you in particular would be born. From the start of the eclipse to the end, there's a several hour window. Statistically speaking, a city as big as Hakanet would have at least one baby born during that time-frame."
Months earlier, when they told me about the prophecy and the circumstances of my birth, my whole life had flipped inside out. The sage's words flipped it all over again and my head spun from the disorientation. "So, the prophecy... the chosen one people have pinned their hopes on for years... you made it all up?"
"That's right. If you want a real prophecy, you'll have to head over to the tribes along the Zel."
"You can't just make up a prophecy!"
"Can, could, did."
"But why would you do that?! People have risked their lives in this coup based on the outcome you guaranteed!"
"Exactly!" She slapped the table and our drinks rattled. "I've watched that awful family line destroy this country for generations. Something had to be done about them. The people of Hyego didn't need a boy with magic powers to swoop in and solve their problems; they needed that hope provided by your birth. They needed something to believe in. Whatever you do to take down Kaoreng, it will only be possible due to the revolution that has brewed in this country for fifteen years, and that was only possible due to the belief that a 'chosen one' was on their side."
"So... I don't have a destiny at all. There was never a prophecy." I stared vacantly at the table as I tried to come to terms with this revelation.
"I know it is dispiriting to learn you are not a legendary magical hero, but perhaps this knowledge can at least take the pressure off of you. You played your most important role in this revolution fifteen years ago, when your birth was the shifting stone that triggered an avalanche. Whatever destiny you fulfill, it will be one of your own making."
This, then, is my confession. The prophecy was never more than a story, and I was never more than a figurehead to inspire optimism in the real revolutionaries. The magic I used against Kaoreng and was known for throughout my reign was never anything more than sleight of hand and illusion that I learned in the circus as a boy.
I hope that this truth does not forever taint your memory of me as a father or grandfather. It is my wish that you take from this story the same wisdom I did more than 60 years ago: when you are in need of a hero, sometimes you have to create your own.
My confessions are these: I have no magic, and I am not a child of prophecy.
To explain, I will tell you a story that is left out of all the popular recounts of my adventure. The storytellers want me to be a hero, and they skip over the detour I made as a frightened child to visit the shrine of the Great Sage. I found her there, drinking tea and looking like she had been expecting me.
"Great Sage," I said, prostrating myself before her. "Please, I seek your guidance."
And she said unto me, "Oh, get up. I'm not talking to you with your rear in the air." That should have been my first hint that the conversation was not going to go as I expected.
I sat at a small table with the sage. She gave me a cup of tea and some sort of fishy cake that tasted foul, but I ate it because I think she baked it herself. Then she asked what was troubling me and I said, "What is this power that the prophecy said I have? Everyone expects me to use it to defeat Kaoreng, but I don't even know what it is!"
The sage waved her hand flippantly. "The prophecy isn't important."
I gaped at her for a moment, tea still halfway to my mouth. It sloshed onto my hand when I slammed the cup onto the table. "How could it not be important? I have to defeat Kaoreng because of it!"
"Good! Someone ought to. That's why I made it up."
"You... what?" I slowly shook my head. "You couldn't have. It predicted the dying of the sun, and my being born in the middle of it."
The sage shrugged and took a sip of tea. "It was only a solar eclipse. They're entirely predictable if you study the stars right." She munched on some of her sawdust-cake like she was discussing the weather. "It isn't like I said you in particular would be born. From the start of the eclipse to the end, there's a several hour window. Statistically speaking, a city as big as Hakanet would have at least one baby born during that time-frame."
Months earlier, when they told me about the prophecy and the circumstances of my birth, my whole life had flipped inside out. The sage's words flipped it all over again and my head spun from the disorientation. "So, the prophecy... the chosen one people have pinned their hopes on for years... you made it all up?"
"That's right. If you want a real prophecy, you'll have to head over to the tribes along the Zel."
"You can't just make up a prophecy!"
"Can, could, did."
"But why would you do that?! People have risked their lives in this coup based on the outcome you guaranteed!"
"Exactly!" She slapped the table and our drinks rattled. "I've watched that awful family line destroy this country for generations. Something had to be done about them. The people of Hyego didn't need a boy with magic powers to swoop in and solve their problems; they needed that hope provided by your birth. They needed something to believe in. Whatever you do to take down Kaoreng, it will only be possible due to the revolution that has brewed in this country for fifteen years, and that was only possible due to the belief that a 'chosen one' was on their side."
"So... I don't have a destiny at all. There was never a prophecy." I stared vacantly at the table as I tried to come to terms with this revelation.
"I know it is dispiriting to learn you are not a legendary magical hero, but perhaps this knowledge can at least take the pressure off of you. You played your most important role in this revolution fifteen years ago, when your birth was the shifting stone that triggered an avalanche. Whatever destiny you fulfill, it will be one of your own making."
This, then, is my confession. The prophecy was never more than a story, and I was never more than a figurehead to inspire optimism in the real revolutionaries. The magic I used against Kaoreng and was known for throughout my reign was never anything more than sleight of hand and illusion that I learned in the circus as a boy.
I hope that this truth does not forever taint your memory of me as a father or grandfather. It is my wish that you take from this story the same wisdom I did more than 60 years ago: when you are in need of a hero, sometimes you have to create your own.
Relationships
History
During their time together, the Crone cared about Sen more than she would like to admit. They had a very familial relationship by the end of Sen's life, although he never realized the extant of her affection for him. In the grand scheme of things, the relationship was still trivial to the Crone in her millennia of existence, but it mattered very much at the time.
Portrait of Sen by Nightfoot
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
King of Hyego
Life
2967 BR
2886 BR
81 years old
Birthplace
Hakanet
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark brown
Hair
Black, straight, short
Aligned Organization
Translation: The suffix "-haka" is an honorific meaning "king"
