Utena Crystal

Early years, before the draught

She was born in one of the forsaken settlements, which disappeared after Killing Sands created The Imposible Desert. Since there are no records left regarding those settlements, it is impossible to know exactly where they were.
Her parents were both old god shamans. Her father dedicated himself to cultivating herbs for both healing and communion, while her mother crafted their learning in drawing for everyday use and exposition. She followed in her mother's steps, creating beautiful drawings from an early age. As part of her training and vocation, she experimented with new pigments and searched for good places to exhibit her larger designs.

After the drought

According to history, after the drought started, her father was struck by the old gods when he was trying to communicate with them. Her mother went crazy, and her drawings showed a storm that would kill anything in its path, leaving only dust behind. The gods' message was clear—they were forsaking this area and abandoning anyone here for unknown reasons.
She decided to take matters into her own hands. She took some of her father's herbs and confronted the old gods directly. She received only silence from them, but something else arrived in her dreams—an old city lying beyond the mountains, built not by the old gods but by mortals who could protect them if they dared to abandon their land, their gods, and embrace a new future, free from anything and anyone.

The spech

The land is dying, our gods have turned against us, but we will continue. if the gods have forsaken us, we will forsake them and make our own path to the future. The ancestors have left us a path, we will follow it and flourish.

— Utena Crystal

When she woke up from her vision, she started drawing the mortal's city and began speaking with the village people. This culminated in an informal speech where she passionately informed them about the situation: they would need to leave this place and the old gods behind, never to return. The gods were forsaking this place and anyone still on it. They were refusing to communicate, killing or driving mad anyone who tried, just like her parents. Death in this land was just a matter of time. But she had been shown an alternative, not by a god, but by an ancestor. A city built by mortals, their ancestors, and how they could use it to protect themselves, instead of being dependent on capricious gods. This speech given by the de-facto shaman created a violent schism in the village.

Some of the village folk, either because they agreed with her words or were inspired by her speech, started preparing for the long journey ahead towards the promised protected city. They were getting ready to leave everything behind, in the hope of new future.

We don't need the gods anymore, we will make our own land beyond the mountains

She is as crazy as her mother. She will lead you to gloom and death

Other folk considered her a fraud. Her family was responsible for communicating with the gods and had failed them all. They were responsible for the situation and were trying to run away from their sins. At best, she had become as crazy as her mother and would lead those unfortunate enough to follow her to her godless city, to their death.

The journey

Not much is known about the journey itself, except that it was a perilous odyssey filled with many dangers. Some of these dangers arose even before departing, as some of those who did not believe in Utena's vision tried to boycott and even attack the group. However, Utena Crystal led the group to follow the river up the mountains, and when the Killing Sands finally arrived, destroying the river and everything around it, they were safely out of its path, watching the desolation from afar.

Arrival in the city and late years

When they arrived at what would become The capital, Spiralai, they quickly took possession of the central portion of the town. They identified the spirals in the central mountain as an important mechanism worth controlling. So their first settlement started there. Under Utena's guidance, the people started to learn how to study the different mechanisms of the city and how to leverage them for their safety, until her death. Her funeral was mourned by all, even those who were not from her tribe. And her tomb is still placed below the current palace, so her wisdom can continue to inspire those who come after her.