The Godking

The Godking is the iron-fisted ruler of the vast majority of Agralan and has been in power for close to 50 years. None have seen him save for his closest advisors but he is depicted as a powerfully built and tall southern man with the head of a giant black cobra.

History
The Godking’s personal life is a shroud of mystery but the general consensus is the one that is backed by The Teachings of The Godking. The Godking was born of a human woman and a snake, some say The Titan Sand Serpent, a mythological being in Agralish folklore. It is said that he learned the secrets of magic from a cave deep in The Pillars of Salt where Balazi Eb-Hana had once lived.

His teachings started with a small group of followers, now called The Twenty Fangs, whom he trusted to spread his word and show his might for him. The Twenty Fangs spread across Agralan and began to show their might, crossing borders into the different countries and putting on displays of magical power. Much of the peasantry were awed and frightened by the spectacles, many joining The Godking’s banner and his teachings right away.

Many of The Godking’s foes were crushed by their own lack of preparation as well as their underestimation of The Godking’s magic. By the time he was seen as a legitimate threat his power had grown immensely along with his numbers and the armies of his enemies could not resist the sheer mad fervor of his troops. Over the 50 years in which he has consolidated over a dozen countries and brought them under his banner.

The Teachings of the Godking
The Teachings of the Godking ultimately come down to one rule: The Godking is Everything. He is the reason you have good fortune and bad luck, it is his whim that you are alive and it is his wish that you are dead. When he is happy, the world is happy and as such it is best to make sure he is pleased. The Teachings of The Godking vilify Provincial citizens and claim that once they are lower than the lowest slave and once The Provinces are taken over then even the most pitiful Southerner will be able to walk free with his hands unshackled.

It should also be noted that The Godking proclaims love for all of his subjects and it is specified that all those who worship him are under his divine protection.

Herekesh
Rumors say that The Godking is actually the youngest apprentice of Ultwe the Wizened, who specialized with powers over the mind, and that it was him to suggest the mutiny that led to Ultwe’s demise. He did so under false pretenses, claiming Ultwe would hold a secret power over his apprentices’ heads and they would never truly be free unless Ultwe was dead.

After the murder his ulterior motive was discovered, that he wished to enter The World Engine to gain access to untold mysteries but by that point the other apprentices were weakened and ashamed of their actions and gave no attempt to stop him. Unfortunately for Herekesh, it seems the Frailed had beaten him to The World Engine as well as the apprentices of Petor The Blade. He waited to see if they would return but the defenses around The World Engine returned with no sign of any of them.

Bystal forced Herekesh south and has been keeping the entrance to the World Engine safe by guiding men to create a powerful empire atop of it, but now Herekesh has formed his own mighty nation and threatens to break open the seal once again.

Of course, this is all told by Otho and it is unsure if this is actually true.