Saint Autumn

Saint Autumn was born Pohotal Dodarkel to her family and Autumn Dodarkel to the broader world. Her father was the Sefesh, or semi-elected aristocratic leader, of the Barriat tribe of Dryads in Northern Izekra, and Autumn was groomed for leadership at a young age. Her older brother Takufer was the primary heir to her father's regime, but Autumn was quickly identified as a charismatic and capable strategist and speaker from a young age. While Takufer learned the arts of war and rulership and toured the region gathering supporters, Autumn learned the priestly arts of her people and the art of administration. Autumn devoted herself to her role and became a well-respected young leader among the Barriat in her late teens.    Autumn was initially content acting as her brother's steward and priest, but Takufer's rise to power was a disaster. Her brother failed to rally a large group of supporters to his banner and turned to trade and war to gain power and prestige. Takufer began picking fights that were well beyond his means of sustaining and soon the bold dryad boy had dragged the whole Barriat tribe into the growing species-war of broader Rukray. Takufer launched a daring and lethal raid on the rising city of Kenahai and was slaughtered by the counterattack. Autumn's father died in the same attack and numerous other key Barriat aristocrats were enslaved. The tribe worried it may need to flee the region entirely.    Autumn rallied her people and organized a response, recapturing several captives and forging quick alliances with neighboring tribes. She was chosen as Sefesh not long after, replacing her father and spearheading a vengeance campaign in his name. As the war dragged on and neighboring tribes were devastated by brutal slave raids from Kenahai, Autumn rose as a war leader for multiple peoples. Eventually, Autumn became the most capable and influential opposition leader to Kenahai's warmongering King Silas.    It was during the second great war against Silas that Autumn was contacted by a God: Halcyon appeared to her as a great dryad made of sky and instructed Autumn to seek allies in the enemy camp. Halcyon's guidance led Autumn to Ishkibal, a warlord from across the sea who had arrived to support Kenahai and slaughter all Dryads in the land - but a warlord who was full of doubt. Using an enchanted warhorn known as the Horn of Ishkibal, the two leaders met and began negotiating a peaceful solution to the war. These negotiations led to King Silas of Kenahai betraying Ishkibal, who was saved by Kenahai's own warchief Rosha and managed to flee back to his warcamp. Autumn and Ishkibal forged a grand alliance against the forces of King Silas, and the allies were able to seize Kenahai, exile King Silas to the lesser city of Koa, and then slay him there in a great battle. The turncoat warchief Rosha was crowned Sovereign of Kenahai and Autumn was crowned Queen of the Rukrin Dryads. Together, they would serve as the divinely-mandated monarchs of the Holy State of Rukray.    Autumn eventually died, leaving her daughter Verdant Springs (Piyobev) as the Queen of the Dryads. Autumn's lineage, known to Ishkibites as the Fazakar, was extremely politically important for several centuries but eventually became impossible to reliably trace. The head of the zealous Ishkibite wargroup known as the Disciplines of Autumn ritually take on the Fazakari dynasty and Autumn's clan name of Dodarkel.