King Gaiagara, or Gaiagara, is a minor god of the Echtoan faith and one of the most popular mythical figures in the world. Stories of Gaiagara are told around the world as a romantic hero, a tragic lover, and a destructive force of nature. Although his role in these stories changes, he is unique in that his stories predate most incidents of worldwide cultural exchange. Mythology
Mythology
According to Githmund; "Capable of love and wrath as well any man or beast but felt deeper and expressed more lavishly: this is Gaiagara. That noble beast appears in many cultures throughout the known world, unknown yet not so lofty as Gods, of the earth but much more divine. The uembians called him ‘King’ and they may be correct in doing so – Gaiagara is a creature of balance set to devour those who do not heed his true dominion over Io. He has been seen in three forms; the first a colossal monster with two hideous heads, the second a tall man in immense silk robes that flow up to the heavens, the third as a mark on the back of his lovers."
Due to the omnipresence of Gaiagara myths, it is unclear where the story originates from. The typical story from Asiri Asa runs as follows; "Gaiagara is a monster of the ancient world, created not from the Gods but as a by product of their making, being older than some of those deities. By his own will and desire for companionship he used his massive body to encircle a territory for himself; and this was the world. He was rewarded by the Gods, especially Lothes Kol, Fitheum Su, and Lismdom Ir, for his rudimentary creation when these and other deities chose to populate this world. As such, in every way, Gaiagara could be called the God of Love as well as the God of Death and by some, even the God of Folly. It is by his hand the world was made, as consequence the sentient lives which we lead, and by his hand he could easily annihilate all this. So, was it pure love or simply folly that led Gaiagara to wish for a thing he could be absolutely devoted to?"
Personality
Though destructive and powerful as a beast, Gaiagara the man is apparently laidback and cheerful. He nearly always depicted as meditating or laughing, and often with famous past lovers. Because of this, Gaiagara is also an incredibly romantic figure. Apparently anyone he chooses to be his lover will never find their feelings to fade, and he will love them regardless of age or appearance until they die – and mourn them long after that. Some say that his long sleeps are a result of his grief at the death of another lover who refused immortality.
Others see Gaiagara as a benevolent ruler, an immortal from ancient times who cares only to ensure balance is held firm. In these parts, one will often see the image of a two-headed snake consuming itself, referencing the legend that while sleeping, King Gaiagara consumes his own flesh to ensure the world remains whole while he rests. In still other parts of the world Gaiagara is called the King of Mortals, having taken over where the Gods no longer walk.
Gaiagara's personality is divided into two halves; the lover and the destroyer. When Gaiagara wakes, if his last lovers are deceased, he will seek out new ones, usually one female and one male, though always two who are ‘equal opposites’. On these lovers he places a mark (a semi circle, a full circle cut in two, a snake similar to the Tohu Hanga mark of Lothes Kol, or the mark of Gaiagara, depending on the culture); this is how he communicates with his chosen mortals.
Gaiagara the Lover is a lonely traveler, a figure that has inspired many tragic romances throughout centuries. He longs for companionship unbound by time. While he is described as the perfect lover, devoted, passionate, affectionate, he has never been successful in convincing a lover to forsake the cycle of death (omtholi) for him. Thus, he is constantly mourning the loss of bygone loves.
Gaiagara the Destroyer contains all the passion and devotion of his other half, but displayed in the opposing way. His love of the world prompts him to decimate any threat to its being. Often this is thought of as a divine punishment for war due to misreadings of Zindea's Foundation of the Earth.
Worship
Some cultures raise entire groups of their young in the hopes of creating one of Gaiagara’s next lovers, preening, breeding, perfecting. They believe that Gaiagara’s only weakness is his love for the two mortals he chooses, the only escape from his terrible wrath.
In ancient times. Some cultures attempt to breed perfect ‘lovers’ for Gaiagara in attempt to gain his favor/protection from him/honor him. In these parts of the world, anyone baring Gaiagara’s mark would risk being killed so that another (village, tribe, etc) could get the chance to give Gaiagara one of their own.
Connection to Weather
"King Gaiagara has only shown us his devastating power once in recent memory. His decimation of the far-off land the Westerners call Basin was so great, their land so utterly destroyed, the land that fell into the sea rose the water even here." This incident is often called Kol's Melancholy, the resulting change in weather destroying the fertility of Pruci's homeland being one of the suggested reasons the empire fell.
Art and Architecture
jijijijiki
