Reference:DRC research notebooks/King Kerath
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| Location | Tokotah Rooftop, Ae'gura |
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Took the throne in 6731 DE at the age of 54. Kerath is probably the most well known name of all the Kings, not because he was necessarily considered the best, but because he was the last. His name came to represent all of the Kings in the later years, including the renaming of the Arch of the Kings to the Arch of Kerath.
His mother had raised him to follow the teachings of Gish and by the time he took the throne he was believed to be a whole-hearted believer in the Followers. Because of that, and the experience of watching his father interact with his advisors, Kerath had decided from an early age that a King was no longer the correct way that D'ni should be led. At least, he argued, not until the true Great King would come.
The fact that Kerath, in a single reign, was able to convince his people that the way they had been ruled for thousands of years was wrong and should be changed, should be considered nothing short of miraculous. Kerath carefully crafted his arguments as a benefit for the Guilds more than anything else. After all, he argued, "D'ni is the Guilds…let us be protected by their fortress and be ruled by their wisdom."
It was hard for the Guilds not to support a proposal that removed the King from the highest authority and replaced him with Five Lords, Lords that would be automatically chosen from the Grand Masters of the Guilds. It gave all of the power of D'ni to the Guilds and there were only a few Grand Masters who seemed to disagree. Those few were known as faithful followers of the Great King, and Ri'neref, who had always supported the role of Kings.
Fortunately, for Kerath, though his people believed a variety of different philosophical ideologies, only those who faithfully followed the original teachings of Ri'neref and the Great King were disturbed at the thought of no King. And, it was the majority of D'ni who no longer followed those beliefs but instead those of Nemiya, Gish, The Watcher and various others. As a result it was a cultural impact that the public had to overcome and not a religious one[a].
Kerath, attempting to further please the Guilds, recommended new renovations and additions to the Council Chamber and construction of a new Guild Hall, meant to celebrate the new power that would be there's [sic]. A symbol of the new power of the Guilds and Lords and further insult to the Great King, burying his memory even further under government construction.
Construction began in 6970 DE on the new Guild Hall. There was no better symbol of the attitude of the D'ni in 6970 DE. The Tomb of the Great King was further buried under massive buildings dedicated to government and the Guilds.
By the end of his reign, Kerath had convinced a majority of D'ni of his own beliefs. Most claimed to be followers of Gish and his writings, and most viewed the outsiders as a threat. "If not now, then soon," Kerath often said[b].
After his death, Kerath's words would be proven true with the onset of the Mee-Dis War. Outside factions invaded with attempts to destroy the Ink-Making and Book-Making Guilds and almost succeeded. By the time the war would end, there would be few left who did not follow Gish and thus, believe in the end of most outsider involvement. The discovery that conservative factions had led to the start of the Mee-Dis War would come much later, when it was far too late to alter the conservative trends.
Regardless, in 6977 DE Kerath abdicated the throne and gave over the power of the Kings to the first Five Lords of D'ni History. They were Lord Taeri of the Guild of Messengers, Lord Hemelah of the Guild of Healers, Lord Moleth of the Guild of Caterers, Lord Kedri of the Guild of Writers, and Lord Korenen of the Guild of Analysts. Kerath died eight years later.
The time of the Kings was over.
