Dare Aldamu

Armour of the Naar Iilhia

Watch boy- See that man over there, with the weapons and red cape? The golden mask that shields his face? He is a Naar Iilhia. He's come to rid us of the beast.

— Mother to her son

The Dare Aldamu is the traditional armour of the Naar Iilhia. Today, the seven ray sun adorning their shield is synonymous with safety, a symbol of heroism and bravery across the Danatelian Lands- though this was not always the case, and behind the shining armours hides a dark and cruel curse.

Warriors of the Sun

The Naar Iilhia are a group of holy warriors, known and admired for their prowess in combat. They are monster hunters, mage slayers, and defendants of the Danatelian Lands. They specialise in eliminating dangerous threats that ordinary soldiers may have trouble facing.

The Naar Iilhia get their godly powers from the Ever-Burning, the Danatelian goddess of chaos and destruction. By spilling blood in her name they are blessed with her favours- though the threat of losing oneself in Dagamu is ever-present.

The Ever-Burning is a chaotic and destructive goddess, and the harmful aspect of Deïmon the Bright. It is she who gives the Naar Iilhia the powers they need to fight, asking for wars to be fought and blood to be spilled in her name in exchange.

The Faceless and the Artisan are the benefactor aspects of Deïmon. Naar Iilhia will pray to them for guidance and help, so that they may better resist the violent call of Dagamu and serve their goddess in a righteous way.

Dagamu

Also known as the Call of Blood, Dagamu is a powerful curse that afflicts all Naar Iilhia. In exchange for the powers they receive, Naar Iilhia are bound to bring the Ever-Burning her due of blood, which they do by slaying monsters. However, if they fail to satisfy the goddess, they will be seized by murderous furies during which they will slay all who find themselves on their path.

Holy Armours

Naar Iilhia Warrior by Gobert

A Dare Aldamu is the most prized possession of every Naar Iilhia. Only they may take care of it: the armour itself is a sacred item, which the profane cannot, lest they be cursed by the sun goddess herself.

I tried to touch her cape, and almost lost a hand doing so! Despite this first encounter we ended the night having a lovely chat, and I learned much about her people. Dare Aldamu are a painting of their very essence, and all are as similar as they are unique.

— Journal of Abelard Sattar

The golden masks worn by all Naar Iilhia are the most striking feature of every Dare Aldamu. Made to honour the Sun Goddess, each mask is unique to its wearer. All are made of gold, and their shapes take inspiration from traditional depictions of Deïmon.

Dare Aldamu also include a cape, crafted from vibrant textiles and usually made of cotton and wool. The colours range from raspberry red to deep crimsons, and each features a painted seven-branched sun. They are incredibly resistant, able to shield the Naar Iilhia from even the firery breath of dragons.

The many layers which make up the actual armour of the Dare Aldamu are all lined with embroidered prayers to the Saohri gods. Most are addressed to Deïmon herself, though a few also call on the favours of other gods such as Kirïal the Silent, and Argus the Protector.

Finally, a Dare Aldamu would not be complete without the weapons each Naar Iilhia carries with them at all times. Just like the rest of the Dare Aldamu, these are forged by Dawns during the Week of Forge and Fire. They are all blessed with divine magic, making them some of the most dangerous and sought-after weapons in the Danatelian Lands.

Crafting and Cultural Significance

The crafting of a Dare Aldamu is intrinsically linked to the initiation every Night must take. This initiation is divided into three steps- the Rising, the First Hunt, and the Week of Forge and Fire. Each part of the ritual will bring you closer to Deïmon the Bright. The Rising is your sacrifice to the Faceless, an oath you will carry till your dying breath. The First Hunt connects you to the Ever-Burning, as you make your first offering of blood. Finally, the Week of Forge and Fire unites you with the Artisan

— Teachings of the Dusk

Deïmon the Bright by Aijxjx

The Rising

The Rising is the first step in the rite of initiation of a Night. During this ceremony, Nights must ritually blind themselves by gazing at the light of the sun: this new life of darkness spritually binds them to their goddess, a representation of the intimate bond Naar Iilhia share with Deïmon the Bright.

The Night will be brought to the Temple of a Thousand Suns, on the day of the summer solstice. The walls of the room are covered in hundreds of fractal mirrors, with a single hole in one of the walls through which the rays of the sun may pass. The Night must stand in the center of the temple, alone, and await the sun to penetrate the room.

It was almost time. They had sealed Sonya inside, and she was left alone with hundreds of thousands of fragments of herself, staring back at her wherever she looked. Finally the sun aligned with the hole, the first rays slowly spilling into the room. It filled with light as they danced and jumped from mirror to mirror. She took a deep breath, trying to ready herself for what came next.

Nothing could've prepared her to when the light first hit her eyes. She felt the sudden pain, as if the sun herself had set them ablaze. The searing sensation seeped through her body as it burned with what felt like a thousand flames from the inside out. She struggled to keep her eyes open as the pain screamed through every inch of her body, knowing that if she could not stay quiet this would've all been for nothing.

There are only two requirements for a Night to pass the Rising: they must remain quiet during the entire ceremony, and they must keep their eyes open the entire time. Failing either of these tasks will result in their expulsion from the Naar Iilhia. Those who succeed emerge from the temple as a Dawn, eyes now forever burned by the divine light of Deïmon the Bright.

She Who Cannot Be Gazed Upon

No one has ever seen the eyes of a Naar Iilhia. As they emerge from the Temple of a Thousand Suns, Dawns are gifted a veil, which they will wear for the remainder of their life.

Traditional depictions of Deïmon the Bright always paint her hidden underneath a veil, a halo glowing behind her head. It is said that behind the layers of clothing that cover the goddess, is a being made of pure light, brighter than the very sun.

The ritual blinding Naar Iilhia subject themselves to is likely inspired by a famous Danatelian myth, which tells the story of how Samara the Enchantress lost her eyes by trying to gaze at the true form of Deïmon.

Kilji with Scabbard

The First Hunt

The next step in the initiation of a Dawn is the First Hunt. Now blind, they must slay their first monster, and use its parts to start the crafting of their Dare Aldamu. First Hunts are extremely demanding, as the Dawn must face whatever beast they hunt with no weapons or armour.

It had not taken him long to get used to the darkness. Already his other sense had sharpened- he could feel the blades of grass beneath his bare feet, the fresh scent of citrus floating in the summer air, the thunder of hooves charging towards him. He readied his stance, and prepared for impact.

They are usually accompanied by an elder Naar Iilhia, who will stand by the Dawn to help them in case anything goes wrong during the hunt. When the beast is killed, they must return to the Breath of Fire. It is customary for other Naar Iilhia to gift parts of their own Dare Aldamu to the Dawn as a sign of welcome to their ranks.

Week of Forge and Fire

The last step in the initiation of a Dawn is the Week of Forge and Fire. Once they have gathered the materials they will use to craft their Dare Aldamu, the Dawn will then isolate themselves in the Breath of Fire, a sacred sanctuary of Alty'aetatna Alnaar. The Dawn must clear their heart of all ill intentions, for the Dare Aldamu is meant to protect them from bad influences, and they must not corrupt the sanctity of the sanctuary.

The Dawns will spend 10 days crafting their armour and weapons in isolation, as they fast, meditate and pray to Deïmon the Bright. As the sun rises on the 11th day, the Dawn will emerge from the forge wearing their Dare Aldamu, and present themselves to Deïmon with a final prayer.

I salute you, Deïmon the Bright, Alty'tajealuni-Dafia the Faceless, who rises in the sky and watches over us. May your light burn the shadows that may cloud my heart, may I learn from your wisdom and never stray from my path. You are the greatest among the sky, the strongest of the Gods, who stand in your light. Life, power and grace to the Burning Sun!

— Prayer to Deïmon the Bright