Azunai the Defender
Azunai was a Human warrior who led the resistance against the Utgard tyrant, Zaramoth the Unmaker. He confronted the giant on the place known today as the Plain of Tears, where the legendary meeting of Zaramoth's Sword and Azunai's Shield split the world, and brought about the end of the First Age of Man.
It is said that he rose to godhood for his deeds on Aranna, and he is worshiped across the continent as a protector of the innocent and champion of the people.
Biography[]
Azunai the Man[]
Azunai was born to the chieftain of a tribe dwelling in what is now the westernmost edge of the Plain of Tears, the Azunite Desert. As a boy, he played in a spring that unbeknownst to him was a fount of the magical River of Souls flowing beneath the land. By then, the Dark Wizards loyal to Zaramoth had sealed all known access to the River to control the flow of magic on Aranna. Yet young Azunai spent years visiting a hidden cave near his home, allowing the potent magics there to slowly infuse into his body.
Upon succeeding his father as chieftain, Azunai declared that magic was a right of all peoples—a heretical stance that pitted him against Zaramoth, now ruler of the vast Empire of Stars to the north. Raising a resistance to battle Zaramoth’s legions, Azunai became a celebrated hero and leader during the conflict known as the War of Legions.
Azunai and Zaramoth clash
To counter Zaramoth’s fell blade, Azunai ventured into the Agallan Peaks to seek the last of the Agallan giants. He persuaded them to forge him a magical shield, which he bore into the fateful battle. Their legendary duel ended in both deaths, as the collision of the two artifacts—Zaramoth’s sword and Azunai’s shield—unleashed a cataclysmic explosion that ravaged Aranna. This event is variously called the First Cataclysm, the Endtime, or Turmanar.
Azunai the God[]
After his death, Azunai’s deeds were not forgotten. He was revered as a messianic savior who had freed the world from Zaramoth’s tyranny. Some linked him to ancient visions of a golden-haired youth predating the Empire of Stars, and whispers claimed he was a divine being sent to Aranna to battle evil. Whether these legends hold truth remains unknown.
Regardless, a great religion arose, celebrating Azunai the Defender’s apotheosis. Even in distant Ehb and across the Island of the Utraeans, word spread of the man-turned-god. The shattered fragments of his shield—the four Aegis—became revered relics, jealously guarded to prevent their formidable powers from misuse.
Legacy[]
- Worship & Cults: Temples and shrines to Azunai can be found in nearly every major city of Aranna.
- Relics: The Four Aegis fragments are housed in the Grand Cathedral of Azunai in Aranna City.
- Festivals: The Day of the Split is celebrated each year to commemorate the First Cataclysm and Azunai’s sacrifice.
- Iconography: Azunai is commonly depicted as a towering warrior bathed in golden light, holding his shield aloft.
See Also[]
- Zaramoth the Unmaker
- Plain of Tears
- First Cataclysm
- River of Souls
- Church of Azunai