Yadzari Illistim

Yadzari Illistim was supposedly a distant ancestor of Linsandrych Illistim. According to Elven dogma, Yadzari was a heretical shaman who believed the Arkati were not truly gods, because they did not keep the Drakes under control. The Drakes were considered not truly gods, but the ancient Elves were said to have had a more generous view of the Arkati. Yadzari asked why they appeared to serve the Drakes, why did they hide when the Ur-Daemon came, and why had they not protected their followers? Some of the more hysterical Elves at the time were said to have blamed the Ur-Daemon on his blasphemy. However, these are oral traditions, long before written records.

The faith was finally broken when a hunting party found the mutilated body of an Arkati, which was disposed of by Amas, a purported ancestor of Korthyr Faendryl. With the religion of the Arkati having been ripped away, the Elves were spiritually lost, and the lesson of Yadzari was that they had to look to themselves for salvation rather than beyond. It was interpreted differently by eight schools of thought, along family lines, which eventually gave rise to the Houses of the Elven Empire.

The Illistim treat the story of Yadzari as a kind of secular theology. For example, Lilorandrych Illistim forbade her daughter to wear a necklace containing the hair of Linsandrych, because it had become an object of worship in violation of Yadzari's principles. The Dhe'nar would not agree that the faith was broken 50,000 years prior to the formation of the House system, and Elven art history attests to high Arkati veneration in the early empire. Likewise, the legend of L'Naere undermines the arguments of Yadzari, since the Elves supposedly declined her aid. Quite a few of the Arkati were also said to have fought in the Ur-Daemon War. Whether Yadzari actually existed can be questioned.

Behind the Scenes

Memorial

>look obelisk
Looming above the road, the obelisk thrusts rebelliously towards the sky.  Carved in bas-relief on all sides with scenes of the Arkati and Drakes locked in battle, the creamy ivory marble is otherwise unblemished despite constant exposure to the elements.  Below the savage images of combat, graceful, scrolling calligraphy winds along the base of the monument, which is cut from purple porphyry.

There appears to be something written on it.

>read obelisk
In the Elven language, it reads:

Yadzari Illistim's Truth

See Also

• "Elven Dogma and Theology" on Play.net
• "The Legend of L'Naere" - Meachreasim Illistim (5103 Modern Era)