Sagallius
From Mizahar Lore
| "Omniscience cannot be distinguished from insanity, said the voice in my head." - Sagallius Hrinn, journals |
 Sagallius Hrinn | |
| Race | God, formerly Human |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 56 BV (aged 579) |
| Place of birth | Deserts of Eyktol |
| Title | The Puppeteer |
| Domain | Manipulation, puppetry |
| Divine rank | 3 |
| Gnosis | Cordas |
Sagallius Hrinn is a very powerful human wizard who ascended to godhood. Before the Valterrian, he used to be the Court Mage of Alahea. His intelligence and magical power were already legendary in his time, yet he pushed himself too far and lost his sanity in the process. Removed from his post, he continued to manipulate the world from the shadows, building and growing a personal cult. He exploited the Valterrian to steal power from weakened gods, until he became a god himself thanks to his theft of the Heart of Aquiras, god of doors and travel. Sagallius is a meddler, a brilliant manipulator who will stop at nothing to fulfill his dreams, whatever those may be.
Biography
Sagallius was born into a family of nomads in Eyktol. He displayed incredible affinity to the magical arts from a very early age, being able to conjure water effortlessly at the age of 4 and without undergoing any initiation ritual. He frequented several magic schools in Eyktol, but soon left them as they had nothing to teach him anymore. He moved to the capital of Alahea, Treval, in hopes of learning more, but he was barely 20 when he outclassed most of his tutors.
Five years later, Sagallius was appointed Court Mage of Alahea after exposing his predecessor, Alchemist Rupert Pycon as a traitor secretly working for Suvan. Normally, the Court Mage had always been one of the Seven Robes, Alahea's top tier of wizards, but Sagallius single-handedly killed Pycon with his magic and was given the post by Emperor Kovinus, whom he served loyally until the end. Sagallius and Kovinus developed a deep friendship, possibly the only one the wizard ever had. The rest of his life was consumed by the research of more magic, delving into forbidden lore and powers.
Sagallius thwarted countless assassination attempts on the Emperor, and many suspected he was crucial in making Alahea last as long as it did. After many years, however, Suvan sent in an entire cadre of their best assassins, a squad of elite killers led by Wolkirk the Slayer. The Emperor and his entire family were to fall during a fox hunt. A magical battle raged, and Sagallius could not prevent the deaths of Kovinus and his wife, though he killed all the assassins, banishing Wolkirk into the Void. His bravery saved the single life of young princess Kova, who would grow to be the last queen of Alahea and the cause of the Valterrian. The immense strain of the fight caused Sagallius to go into overgiving, rendering him insane and unstable, and the royal advisors had no choice but to remove him from his post. His favorite pupil, Zarik Mashaen, was instated in his place.
Sagallius began to manipulate the world from the shadows. The only person he had been loyal to was dead, and he was now his own master. He accumulated power and artifacts, perhaps foreseeing the upcoming tragedy that was to befall Mizahar. The day when the Valterrian shook the world, he was ready. The gods were exhausted by the titanic clashes with each other, and he struck them when they were weakest, stealing power here and there.
Finally, he stole the Heart of Aquiras, the ancient god of doors and travels. This god controlled the astral gateways between the Watchtowers, and was removed from the affairs of mortals. He was not expecting to be attacked by one, and fell to Sagallius who used his heart in a ritual to reach apotheosis and become a god himself. Aquiras fell into a deep coma, and his lover, the goddess Priskil of hope and vigilance, still watches over him, her followers being sworn enemies of Sagallius.
Sagallius has meddled with the world of man ever since. He is hated, feared, and fanatically worshipped.
Psychology
Sagallius represents insanity and genius in equal amounts. He seeks power for power's sake, and as a means to acquire even more power. The process of acquiring power is just as important as the goal itself (or even more important). Displaying his immense intelligence in the most cunning way is of paramount importance to Sagallius. His plans are complex and manifold, with layer upon layer of deception, foresight and cause and effect. Like in a game of chess, seemingly unrelated moves merge into deadly strategies in which no pawn is above sacrificing.
A player at heart, Sagallius is extremely manipulative, and will often influence people from a distance, without actually stepping into their lives, but still making sure they do what he wants them to do as part of his grand plans. He will only manifest when it is absolutely necessary, usually avoiding confrontation whenever possible: he knows that mortals can defeat gods - he is a prime example of that. While his influence is often felt, he is almost always unseen or disguised as a commoner or even a beggar. Sagallius much prefers to be underestimated, and because of this holds little visible power to speak of in Mizahar. Even though he is an egomaniac, he does not care for fame - exercising his wit is a reward in its own right.