Nobeskhet

A lone woman wandered the eleventh planet. She was Nobeskhet, and she was a god. But what it entailed was beyond her. As she travelled without sight, she began to listen. Hushed whispers surrounded her at every step, merging with one another into incomprehensible buzzing. Nobeskhet spoke to the carefree elements, but all scoffed in dismissal. Only the curious sand paid heed. It swirled underneath her feet, following the eyeless woman along the journey. Nobeskhet introduced herself, and asked the sand its name. But it could give no answer. Instinctively, the woman said, “Rakheem”.

The sand shifted, swirled and embraced Nobeskhet. It spoke “Rakheem” with glee, overjoyed for finally discovering its name. As a show of gratitude, Rakheem gifted a chunk of itself to its friend. The sand grains rolled into two orbs and became Nobeskhet's eyes.

Nearby elements took interest, some in curiosity, some in envy. With ignited purpose, Nobeskhet named each. Firsts were earth, air, water, fire and lightning. Then came light, shadow crystal and whitestone. Each gifted a piece of themselves to the name-giver, forming her fingers. When she heard no new voices, she gazed at the Sun and uttered its name. And at last, she looked at the planet beneath her feet and whispered, “Nobeskhet”. The woman then glanced at her hands. Amidst the nine gifts, was one absent finger, and so she thought nothing was left unnamed.

Suddenly, an earthquake shook the planet. An enormous, long-necked creature emerged from the depths, its human face staring at the woman. She opened her mouth, but her words fell silent as she met the monster’s eyes, gained its vast knowledge and ascended into the eleventh god, Nobeskhet.

Relationship with Shemokmedi

Nobeskhet acknowledges the Sun as her creator, yet doesn't feel indebted to it. Her planet's destruction and the Sun's expectations for the gods to tirelessly protect it proved Shemokmedi’s selfish nature. For centuries, Nobeskhet had hid her resentment and awaited a moment to go against the creator.

A Watchful Eye

The thirteenth planet, Ayonerra, piqued Nobeskhet’s interest. The newly sprouted life was unlike any she had seen before, and the Eleventh God wished to learn the new names. As she scoured through the lands, an uninhabited continent caught her eye. A mad desert swirled with no purpose, its sandy dunes violently crashing against anything on their path. A memory of her gentle friend tugged at the goddess’s heart. She plucked out her eyes and placed them in the turbulent expanse. With newly gained sight, the desert’s sand became aware of his name, Rakheem, and voiced how everything has a name they must discover. Slowly, he helped other elements find their selves, and form into a new race — the Stagyar.

Nobeskhet watched stagyars through Rakheem. The Eleventh God shared his fondness for the elemental folk, and with renewed purpose, sought to protect them from the unkind Sun. She offered an alliance with Med'Hea, a powerful mage who kept Shemokmedi under control. Nobeskhet shot up the skies, circled the creator and began draining its vigour. Taking even the slightest excess energy could harm Shemokmedi, and potentially kill Nobeskhet. Despite the risks, she has kept the delicate balance for centuries, ensuring the Sun stayed dormant, but preventing Med’Hea from accidentally splitting away too much of its strength and engulfing Ayonerra in eternal winter.

Underneath the Sun

Shuyettan stagyars welcome the month of Nobeskhet with the Festival of Creation. In the morning, stagyars don expressionless masks depending on their elements. They act withdrawn and absentminded, dancing in the streets and taking no mind of surrounding people. As the mid-day approaches, stagyars speak their names, take the masks off, and break them with magic. The act symbolises the elements finding their individual names and gaining a sense of self, breaking free from the mindless existence.

The Desert of Creation shares tales of Nobeskhet to all visiting stagyars. Rakheem remembers the Eleventh God as a friend, a mother, and a yet inseparable part of himself. The sand speaks of Nobeskhet cradling him in her palms, before gifting him his self and leaving to confront the Sun. To renew the goddess’s strength and show their gratitude, stagyars place sand around themselves, raise their hands towards the Sun and pray for thirty days. The chant begins at sunrise, soft and quiet at first. It reaches the peak at noon, and slowly dies down at dusk. In the evening, folk huddle around the fire. They feast, chatter, sing and dance, showing joy in their existence and gathering strength for the next day's prayer.