Clymenikari

Sometimes called Clymene and later Clymene of the Hecath, Vierix Clymenikari was a Colonial God, biologist, anthropologist, social theorist, Lichlord and influential thinker within The New Rozsan Empire of First Age Materia.

Though one of the later Vierices, and likely the least powerful, she seemed to hold a particularly deep rapport with God-Empress Nir. She would being news of the outside world to the reclusive Nir, whereupon they would allegedly discuss every subject under the Wyld.

Clymenikari would eventually realize her unlifelong ambition of establishing diplomatic relations with the Hecath, particularly a gregarious Queen whom the scholar named Raggedy Azra. She would such a deep relationship with the intelligent saprolings that she took their side during the Hecath Wars. Her ultimate fate is unknown.

Appearance & Heraldry

See also: Vierix Clymenikari Image Gallery (External)

The Hecath

Perhaps Clymenikari's greatest accomplishment was the creation of diplomatic relations with the mysterious, non-humanoid Hecath. Though some semblance of intellect was observed in the Hecath workers and komainu soldiers, the true extent of their cultural depth was not understood until the Nireauans made contact with the first Hecath Queens, and even then it took Clymenikari herself to make any inroads with the highly intelligent but eccentric beings. She was able to befriend a particularly gregarious Queen by the word-name of Raggedy Azra. They developed a shared sign language as humanoids were incapable of the Hecath's scent-based language, and across decades exchanged untold amounts of cross-cultural information.

History

Very little remains in the way of First Age writing on Clymenikari's origin. It is known she was already an influential scholar and acquaintance of God-Empress Nir prior to being granted lichdom and inducted into the Temporal Vanguard. Most of what constitutes her biography comes from hints of her personal life within her own scholarly writings, especially her excursions to visit the Hecath Queens, which involved more journaling.

She would remain loyal to New Rozsa and later Nireau for most of the recorded histories, however it's debatable how much her increasing friendship with the Hecath caused political trouble with the Temporal Vanguard. In at least one battle, she explicitly fought against one of Vierix Chelicerax's armies in defense of a Hecath-settled island. Famously, she, Laila By-the-Sea, Galadnock mac-Kenzie, Valaan Blackblade and a few suviving soldiers held off a cheliceran attack for a gruelling eight hours, long enough for the Hecath Queen Raggedy Azra to summon the help of her Sisters, thus turning the tide of the battle and defeating the chelicerans.

Clymenikari would completely defect from the Empire a century later, taking the Hecath's side when Vierix Euphraxia brought Nireau into total war with the saprolings.

The Nireauan Hyperion Cults

A popular and bizarre set of Hyperion Cults came late in the First Age, as the politics between Nireau and the Hecath intensified. News of the "secret talks" between Clymenikari and Raggedy Azra are not difficult to find despite only a few surviving Nireauan libraries, suggesting this was a popular topic. The demigodlike power of the Queens became better understood by average Nireauans, and reaction was so polarized that factions came to blows in several well-publicized skirmishes.

When merely eccentric, semi-intelligent fungus-bugs, the Hecath were a passing curiosity through much of Nireau's history. When it was revealed the fungus-bugs were lead by their own pantheon of divine monarchs, in the form of the morphic, time-bending Queens, most reacted with fear. However a notable minority viewed this new breed of god as marvelous, and worth at least respect if not veneration.

To Professor Clymenikari's abject fear, Hyperion Cults began to pop up around her and Raggedy Azra. Philosophies varied in detail, but in general these cultists sought to join the Hecath in their "Hivemind World" and there either find "Paradise" or receive insights into its creation. (This is based on a false understanding of the Hecath's scent-based communication, which is easy to mistake for telepathy.) The unwilling new Cult Gods saw many bad outcomes from this partnership and few good ones. This was especially true for Clymenikari, who was herself a Nireauan and knew their entitled disposition. The Lichlord asked the ruling Temporal Vanguard to find ways to discourage the cult, arguing they were a source of tension with a powerful potential enemy. A second time she experienced horror: The Vanguard agreed, but thought a more permanent solution was pragmatic. Nef and Lakodalmas personally laid waste to the three major cult Halls in a violent arcane conflagration, leaving scattered survivors to warn of what happened that night. Nonetheless, diplomatic relations with the Hecath were better for it.

Hecath Magic

It is written the Hecath had their own unique form of magic which Lichlord Nef—with Clymene's reluctant guidance—attempted to understand/reproduce but failed. It seemed to be 'time' magic of some sort, and the Hecath did not appear to perceive time linearly. This power was allegedly outside the ken of even the wisest humans, though there is some lingering rumour that Clymenikari was eventually able to develop some grasp of it and, adding this sort of time magic to her own wizardly repertoire, became an influential demigod that acted in defense of the Hecath.