Kuwat, the Dissenter

Kuwat Vasanti... The Eidolon appears before the college of mages, and his reputation precedes him as always, with a hint of disgrace. An awkward silence falls as he calmly walks towards the dais where the five Magisters sit. Many still regard him with unease, wavering between reverence and shame. As Ayxas's personal adviser, he was there when the rebellious monarch descended into madness centuries ago. Many rumors still circulate that it was his prompting, his whispers into the sovereign's ear, that caused his reign to turn bloody. Few dare to summon him now because of his past crimes, and that's a shame. Kuwat had been one of the most powerful Eidomancers in the history of Asgartha, bettered perhaps only by Aysun. Ignoring his advice, under the moralistic excuse of his poor reputation, was a grave oversight.

He's dangerous, of course. Embodying sentient ideas always carries a risk, anyway. No doubt he's still involved in sinister scheming, still hatching Machiavellian plans... But what makes us most appreciate the powerful ones among us is their ability to manipulate forces stronger than themselves. Without Kuwat, no one would have discovered that beings and things could be dematerialized to harvest their Mana. All Yzmir Initiates use this ability to some extent. And this achievement was to his credit. Maybe I could use him? I'd definitely need to walk a fine line, but if I managed to deceive him, he could be a significant weapon to add to my magical arsenal. And no matter what, I needed an ally to help me avoid the watchful eye of Wanjiru. I smile as he addresses the crowd, glaring at them and reproaching them for their dithering. Yes, we'd get on well together, he and I...

The Baku is a creature originating from Japanese legends, themselves taken from Chinese folklore. This tapir-like chimera is said to devour nightmares and heal the body and mind. Often depicted with the tail of a steer, eyes of a rhinoceros, paws of a tiger, a trunk and sometimes elephant tusks or horns, the Baku is frequently seen in wood-block prints.

Lindiwe

378 AC