Nathair
Aliases The One Flooded with Sin, First Branch of the Roots, The First Son, Draken of the Free Species Deity, Serpent (?) Occupation Deity Affiliation Gods, Ophigation of Nathair Father Baal Mother Aroo’Goola Siblings Janus, Trix’Alleb, Entei, Vaax, Ariaial, Opteima
Nathair, known as “the One Flooded with Sin” by those who despise him and “Draken of the Free” by those who worship him, is an elder deity of Aigora whose existence is mysterious, cryptic, and surrounded in myth. He is one of the most prominently worshipped deities in Aigora — primarily venerated across the Aigean Sea, through the clergy of the Ophigation of Nathair in the Commonwealth of Port Tormenta, and through the Lothorian Ath’ai Monks of the Sang-Lothor Imperium, albeit to a lesser extent owing to the Imperium’s anti-religious stance.
Nathair stands as one of the primary antagonists of the Weastern Pirates, and his grand machinations represent an existential threat to all of Aigora.
Background
Interpretations
Nathair’s powers, origins, and very existence vary widely by interpretation. The most widely regarded account holds that he was the first of the nine Elder Gods to be born from the Father-Tree, Baal, and the Mother-Soil, Aroo’Goola. He is most commonly depicted as a large serpent with a humanoid body.
To his followers, Nathair is the God of Freedom, Change, Chaos, and — to a lesser extent — Knowledge. As an Elder Deity he is regarded as Omnipotent, though some religious scholars take a more nuanced view, holding that the Gods of Aigora are, by design, not as powerful as deities of other worlds.
Scripts of Nathair
Much of what is publicly known about Nathair is recorded in the Scripts of Nathair, a tome written centuries ago by the Lothorian Ath’ai Monks. One excerpt speaks of a Sin Cleansing:
“The breeze of azure winds, gleaming brine in the depths… surfaces of an endless paradise, whose denizens can relish in the wombs of their own beginning. The Sins of the Craving are swiftly washed away, and the land that we were promised streams around us, surrounding our senses. A self-sustaining sphere of glee, freedom, and boundless movement; an orb whose very existence is to twinkle and remain a gem to observers. For the things that remain in the world are confined within ultimate liberty…” — Passage from the Scripts of Nathair
This passage describes what Nathair’s followers believe to be their promised Sin Cleansing — the belief that those who conform to a settled life are living in Sin Craving. When Nathair arrives, he will provide a world of ultimate liberty to all who have embraced a life of endless change and freedom.
History
Nathair, the One Flooded with Sin
Nathair serves as a persistent antagonistic force against the Weastern Pirates and against Desmond Targonus — both groups being aware of Nathair’s existence and actively opposed to his true, insidious machinations. His antagonism toward the Weastern Pirates stretches back to their inception, beginning with Maxedine’s acquisition of one of Nathair’s cursed medallions, which revived Nathair and allowed him to use Maxedine as a puppet.
Nathair seeks the Ancient Relics of the Aigali. This puts him in direct conflict with the Weastern Pirates, who are also searching for the relics — specifically to keep them out of Nathair’s hands.
Desmond Targonus harbors a fierce hatred for Nathair and is diametrically opposed to his plans. Desmond’s goal is to track down the Ancient Relics of the Aigali (which he calls the Crowns) and kill Nathair outright.
The Flood
Nathair’s grand design is the Flooding of Aigora — and, by extension, other worlds through the use of the Portals. His plan requires all three Ancient Relics of the Aigali:
- The Aigali Hourglass — Used to rewind Aigora to the primordial era when the world was entirely water, before the Denizens of Arth created the land.
- The Gales of Baal — Required to push the ancient water through the hourglass via a massive planetary storm.
- Lifespan sacrifice (via the Medallions) — To activate the hourglass, Nathair needs lifespan. Being immortal, he cannot use his own. Instead, he uses his cursed medallions to manipulate people into willingly offering their remaining lifespans to the hourglass.
Nathair detests the Portals of Goo’Gaal and all those who travel to Aigora from other worlds. He is convinced that only the children of Baal deserve Aigora.
The Ideology of the Medallions
To prime his followers for ultimate sacrifice, Nathair uses language as a weapon. He has seeded an ideology — spread through the possessors of his cursed medallions — that frames land-dwelling, “feeling rooted,” and “feeling grounded” as submissive and sinful. By indoctrinating people into viewing life on land as enslavement to the trees, Nathair prepares them psychologically to sacrifice their remaining lifespans to the hourglass when the time comes.
Aigali Blood
Nathair believes that true Aigali blood can activate the Aigali Hourglass without requiring the medallions. Genuine Aigali bloodlines are exceedingly rare on Aigora, but one confirmed true Aigali is Emperor Lothor Prime Lothlorian of the Sang-Lothor Imperium.
Emperor Lothor is fully aware that Nathair hunts him for his blood. He has consequently retreated into near-total isolation within his palace, the Bastion of the Timeless Lion.