Ankhisteia, Titan of Flame Myth in Emaxus | World Anvil
Emaxus is currently undergoing a large entry into a new Age (and a large revision of the current Age). Consider this an active construction zone: things are moving around, getting changed, and the world's being reorganized. Apologies for the inconvenience!
- Brian

Ankhisteia, Titan of Flame

Ankhisteia is the fire that consumes a village and the fire that warms a child in the dead of winter. Ankhisteia is change and wrath and heat in all its forms. The only constant Ankhisteia desires is change and consumption. They seek the march of flame across reality to wipe away that which controls it now, without much care for what rises after.   Ankhisteia, as all Titans desired, sought the consumption of reality into flame. The modern interpretations of this are many---after all, flame consumes, then it dies, so this blaze is viewed many ways. More innocent worshippers of Ankhisteia treat them almost like a muse, believing that the Titan of Flame desires all to live passionately, to blaze through life without hesitation or pause, even if it means burning out faster.   Most take it more literally. Terroristic fire cults and vile elemental princes work to open rifts to Akkerath and spread the inferno of the Primordial Flame. To them, it is a pleasure to burn. Akkinara, the Flameborn Princess, is chief among these.

Depictions, Symbols, and Names

Ankhisteia is most often depicted as a massive, star-like inferno, looped in spinning bands of glittering gold. Others, especially mortal followers, choose a more humanoid approach, instead depicting Ankhisteia as a titanic humanoid of pure flame.   Ankhisteia's true symbol---the one used by their elemental courts---is a set of four ankhs laid in each cardinal direction, connected at their base. This symbol is used as elemental effigies for followers of the Flame. People call it the Four-Faced Flame. Simpler symbols, especially those used by fire worshippers---but not specifically Ankhisteia worshippers---tend to just be symbols of fire.   Ankhisteia is also known as the Titan of Flame, the Primordial Flame, the Flame of Yophas, and myriad other titles.

Ankhisteia's Followers

Ankhisteia is one of the most worshipped Titans, save the Titans Who Became Gods, in large part because fire is so important to existence. Flame cults exist across Yophas, and whether they consciously worship the Titan of Flame, they devote themselves to the fire itself. Not all of these cults are dangerous, but many are.   Meanwhile, Akkerath is the battleground for a war of influence between those flame elementals who seek Ankhisteia's universal inferno, and those who wish to preserve Akkerath's position as a trade center---for selfish or selfless reasons. Those who seek Ankhisteia's inferno are the Children of Ankhisteia and their courts: those elemental princes and their armies who hold the Primordial Flame and the inmost regions of Akkerath.

The Primordial Flame

At the heart of Akkerath lies the Primordial Flame. Akkerath was Ankhisteia's home plane in the Reshaping. Yamma killed them there, ripping the Primordial Flame from their chest and plunging it into Akkerath's core. In this, as with the other Elemental Titans, Yamma ensured the ordered continuation of Ankhisteia's element without the marching inferno Ankhisteia desired.   To followers of the Titans---and even some theologians---this was an act of murder and theft. Yamma slew Ankhisteia and stole the only thing he needed from them: their Primordial Flame.

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!