Tomac

Tomac is a mythical figure in excation culture, a rare red-fured excation hunter who instigated the creation of the gakika church and foundation of the city of Takahet.

## Tomac the Hunter

In thier early life, Tomac was a hunter for a trive that lived around the Crystal Mountains in the area that is now Takahet during the wandering times. Due to their red hued fur they where able to hide against the red sands and rock which aided them in becoming a highly proficent hunter.

## Tomac the Gakika

after a chance encounter during a hunt led Tomac into the bright lands, which caused irriversible damage to their body, blinding them and turning their fur perminantly white. This experience led Tomac to having a religious epithany that built upon the faiths of the wandering tribes. Tomac used this newfound faith to bring the excation of thier tribe together under their leadership.

Tomac used thier new positon to bring together the other local tribes, introducing members of the other tribes to burgoning faith, growing the ranks of the fledgling Gakika. The power and influence accrued by Tomac allowed them to enact their master plan, the founding of Takahet, Kalem's first city.

## the Poem of Tomac

this is a poem translated from an ancient Easkun text to the best of the human translators ability, including an attempt to stay true to the original text's spirit.

*In the days of darkness before Via,*
there was a hunter born with sand for skin.

When the Priests of Flame come with fire about them

remember hunter Tomac,

who gave them their colours.

Tomac set out to hunt his prey:

an elusive Brightfox with senses sharp.

Four ears always could hear the hunter approach,

but with his red fur,

Tomac was never seen.

They called him destined to hunt,

yet fate one day had other plans.

As the creature led him through deadly mountains,

Tomac saw the sun

and he never saw again.

The desperate prey darted over dunes

with Tomac close on its tail,

when it turned and spoke as though Excation itself:

"Worry not, child.

I am Via."

Tomac heard tales of legend,

of the sun and of the sands,

of creation, of the truth behind the great Sun,

Her sacrifice,

Her fire, her light.

Tomac was bound by the heat,

Via's flames like stabbing blades.

Via's Fox sat and demanded, "A sacrifice.

As have I,

So shall you."

His fur, once red, turned white,

though filled with Via's same love.

"I shall take the fire from your coat," spoke Via.

Tomac nodded

and was red no more.

The sun, once bright, went dark,

though it burned ever brighter.

"I shall take the light from your eyes," spoke Via.

Tomac nodded

and he saw no more.

Tomac saw that Via faltered

and could not bear this world alone.

He took with him a message for all Excations that day

of Via's grace

and of their duty.

Tomac declared Via's Priesthood begun

and they gave her their fire and light.

These brave pilgrims ventured to the deadly Brightlands

so that they and she

may maintain Kalem.

And so Kalem's heart still beats,

thanks to Tomac the Hunter great.

We owe our fire and our light to the God in the Sun

and to the first ever

Priest of Flames.

## notes

* Tomac's name comes from a contraction of the easkun word for parent, Totomac.
* the poem of Tomac was written by Allison Towers.