Verti - the Drowned Hailan Character in Agia | World Anvil

Verti - the Drowned Hailan

"Hailan Verti, guide my son to Irath'las. Let not the Darkness claim him, nor the Fake Light of Tewyblis. Bring him to the light of the Glux and let him find his peace there."
— A mother's prayer after her son was lost at sea.

It is rather curious that the great hero Verti should die at the hands of the Tilor O Irath'Miesdys. Though his story is more of a legend rather than a moral story, he is still called upon in prayers for those who have been drowned, or for luck on the sea.

Origin of Verti

Verti was born to a poor family in Fundras. At the age of fifteen, he lost both his parents to sickness and decided to enrol in the city guard in Sivinas sa Wrimau in Fundras. How he could afford the basic supply for him to even be considered, is unknown, but some records tell that most recruits and instructors laughed at the scrawny child who had never held a sword in his life, and yet it only took him months to be as good as those who had trained for two years.

For ten years he was a city guard until the church posted a recruitment note to join the church militia and push back the Satlonian invaders in the lower part of Western Agia. He decided to sign up, and travelled to Diundad da Luzven, the Holy City, to learn more about the quest they called 'The Cleansing Mark'.

During his stay on the Saithon island, he rose in rank, and proved to be an excellent leader, whose strategy lead to a major victory, and made him ultimately a hero. Even then there was a debate about whether he should be anointed and Hailan.

The Death of Verti

Upon his return to the Holy City in Aistana in 57 BGD, he learned that some of his nearest friends who were still in Saithon, had been massacred by some of the very people he had defended in Saithon and he was devastated. Some records claim it changed him into a completely different person, not letting anyone into his life again.

For several years he lived by himself, taking up a mercenary job here and there until rumours turned the hero into a frightful person. Most people saw the wandering hero as a bad omen and swore that he had been replaced by an Illirfrain, only seeking the demise of the goddess Irath's followers.
One day some villagers saw him inside an abandoned house, talking to a shadow, and then shattering some of the remaining, broken furniture that was still inside. They immediately told the Tilor O Irath'Miesdys what they had seen, and they immediately wanted to cleanse him by drowning him. They confronted him and dragged the hero to a full bathtub. It took several members to carry Verti to his demise due to his resistance. Finally, the Hand of the Tilor dragged him the last part of the way to the bathtub, he took a bottle and poured the content into the water, and then he held Verti's head water until he no longer moved. They slowly started to make their way back to the inn where they stayed until they saw movement from the presumed dead Verti. Verti had pulled his head out of the tub and was coughing badly.

The Hand of the Tilor decided to take more drastic means in use and took Verti on a ship, where they tied a rock to his leg, and tied his hands together. They threw him overboard, and because of the rock, he could not escape from drowning.

Verti the Hailan

A few decades after Verti's death, the church found records of him, telling that he had taken on a job to help an abducted priest from his captors, and solely ventured inside an abandoned house to free the man. Once he was inside he battled with an unknown person and helped free the priest. It was not long after the Tilor came and took him with them, not listening to the freed priest.

The church of Irath decided to anoint him to Hailan in honour of his deed and being able to survive the first attempt to drown him, much to the displeasure of the Tilor, who did not want an Illirfrain to become a Hailan.

To this very day, he is considered a patron for the drowned and the seafaring. Mostly he is included in prayers to keep sailors safe. And other prayers he is included to help guide the souls drowned at sea, to reach Irath'las, Irath's realm.
Species
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Date of Birth
27th of Lagirodd Diomdu
Date of Death
9th of Parcyntas Temyn
Life
92 BGD 42 BGD 50 years old
Circumstances of Death
Were suspected to be a Illirfrain, and was cleansed by drowning.
Children
Eyes
Light brown
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Belief/Deity
Irathism
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations

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Tilor O Irath'Miesdys
Organization | Jan 28, 2022

Illirfrain
Myth | Jan 21, 2024


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