Aramil Empire

The Aramil grew strong and their civilization prospered. More cities took root along the ocean shore, connected by the forking streams of the river delta. It was time to officially declare Siyanna's covenant with the Aramil by the gifting of the elemental treasure of Fire. The first god metal sword was frozen in time with the sealing of Aladoon, so she had a new sword made in the volcanic forges of the gods. Arashii, it was called; the Blood of the Sun. It was the goddess' promise that light would always be renewed following a solar eclipse.

Siyanna was confident in the stability of her nation and felt it was ready to stand on its own two feet. She left behind Aratsu Rahishna to be her avatar in Arama’at and herself ascended in to the sky. The Aratsu, or Living Sun, resided in the Pyramid of the Sun, but she was not alone in the temple. The two ranks under her were held by the Aranudra, or Daughter of the Sun, and the Ararudra, or Son of the Sun.

The temple was split in two in honor of Siyanna’s two faces. The Aranudra watched over the half of the temple dedicated to the Creative Sun, and most of the clergy living in that half of the temple were female. The Ararudra watched over the half of the temple dedicated to the Destructive Sun, and most of the clergy living in that half of the temple were male. At the center of the temple stood a tall statue of Siyanna in the likeness of a bipedal feline with long black hair, and by either side of her stood statues of Akireli and Kumbayeli, the Lions of Siyanna.

But there was one part of the temple only the Aratsu could enter, and it was dedicated to the awesome third face of Siyanna – the Dark Sun. This was a chamber carved after the great war between the Aramil and the Annukai, and consisted of a circle of torches meeting at a harrowing image of a raging goddess. Each year a new torch would be lit, until the trail of fire made it to the icon, and when that happened, the Aratsu would know that it was time to hold the festival of the Dark Sun.

This festival was also known as Blood of the Sun, and celebrated their identity as the chosen people of Siyanna. It commemorated the turn of the tide in the war against Suknuru and the Annukai, and how their blood was set ablaze by their goddess’ transformation, affirming their bond with her. And to this day, every time the day of an eclipse came, the Aramil would gather in the plaza outside the Pyramid of the Sun and wait for the ecstasy of divine communion. They would then proceed to mindlessly attack anyone around them. The streets ran red on the festival of the Dark Sun, but such a holiday was needed in their otherwise Utopian society in order to keep the population fit and healthy.

Though visitors made sure to stay clear of the Aramil Coast during the Blood of the Sun, all other times the Aramil nation was a great center of culture and trade. People of the northern kingdoms braved jungle trails rife with undead and desert passes patrolled by Marauders to marvel at the craftsmanship of Aramil workers and wonder at the harmony of Aramil society. Tourists relaxed under palm trees in luxury seaside resorts, garlanded with exotic flowers as they sipped on pineapple drinks. They greeted the dawn with the masses in the amphitheater outside the Pyramid of the Sun, watched Aramil warriors practice in perfect synergy in the plaza of the Eternal Flame, and stayed for the nightly light show of torches and fireworks.

Though the Aramil had built a civilization similar to that of the Tashari Empire, they did not share in the Tashari’s boundless ambition. Their nation stayed compact, centered around the delta of the Great River and extending along a thin coastal strip bordered by the Ring of Death to the east. They did not undergo an exponential population explosion, but rather stayed stable, with the land yielding more than enough resources to go around. In this way they restored the south’s rightful place in the divinely ordained cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth that was so damaged by the Tashari Empire. They chased away famine and the Forestside Kingdom bore plentiful harvests once more.

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Revised: 12 May 2010 07:47:48 -0400 .