St. Darius

**St. Darius of Nippothemheim**, born as **Darius Lagganthard** was a 9th-century SY Pretorian preacher and monk. He is partially credited with the rise of Pretorism in Ahremia, especially in southern Ahremia. He wrote *The Chronicles*, a retelling of the Pretorian creation story and the story of Pretor which has gone on to become one of the greatest pieces of Pretorian literature. He was of relatively simple means, being a monk from a southern Ahremian monastery. Eventually he came to reject the old gods after he personally recieved the word of Tyn from the spirit of Pretor, who took the form of a bird.

## Life

Darius Lagganthard was born in about 785 SY on a farm near Sirien, in the Duchy of Eroda. He grew up in the village of Nippothemheim (also called *Nippotho*), a small farming town located on the Izall River, a tributary of the Slorend River. Later in life he published *The Chronicles*, which included a biography of his life. In his writings he describes how as a child he would follow the Izall to its headwaters to its beginning on the Izall Ridge, and watch as the drops collected to form what would become the river Izall.

Both his parents were very religious, and made Darius attend near daily worship services. At around the age of 12 the Lagganthard family was visited by a monk from Scarthal Abbey, who suggested that the family give Darius - who was only their second born son - to the abbey. Darius was then adopted by the monastery and was enrolled in teachings on the monastery which was around 25 kilometers from the village.

At Scarthal, Darius was considered one of the most intelligent monks residing there. At one point he made a pilgrimage to a holy spring deep within the Velosi Mountains, and on his way he passed through the city of Antilogne where he heard talk of the cult of Pretor, a religious cult which followed the teachings of an ancient man named Pretor who recieved the word of one god, called Tyn. Upon returning to the abbey Darius began to question the beliefs that were taught at the abbey. On the eve of the Great Feast, Darius was walking along the Izall River late at night when he was visited by a bird who held the spirit of Pretor. Pretor delivered the good word of Tyn to Darius, thus converting him. Soon after Darius left the monastery and took all the rest of his remaining means to purchase a pack donkey.

Until around 830 SY, Darius made it his mission to travel Ivlon and spread the word of Pretor. He initially focused his efforts in his native Ahremia, but later founded Pretorian cells in both Pedras and Sagda.

During his later life he settled down in the Lohnian city of Ulrox, where he led a relatively hermit-like life while completed his biography and retelling of the Pretorian creation story - *The Chronicles*. He gave copies of his book to Thiodian Winfeld, 1st Baron of Swallgate and his lifelong friend St. Periah of Armina. His book spread throughout the Pretorian population of northern Ivlon, and today is considered one of the most important and widely distributed pieces of literature in the world.

St. Darius died in 751 SY in Ulrox. His remains were given over to his adoptive son, Darius the Younger, who buried them beneath a small stone monument in the foothills of the Velosi Mountains.

## Gravestone

After the formation of the mainly Pretorian kingdoms of Lohn and Ahremia, Darius' grave located near the border of the two countries has become a popular pilgrimage site. The site was chosen by Darius' son, Darius the Younger, who is thought to have chosen it do to its remoteness and thus its protection from destruction by the anti-Pretorian monarchy ruling Lohn at the time. At the time of its construction, the grave was covered by a small stone slab engraved with "Darius, child of Pretor and loyal servant of Tyn. May his soul be cherished in *virom*." This slab was later replaced with a more grand gravestone. The actual site of the grave is located near the headwaters of the Klenax River in the Velosi Mountains, about a three days ride from Pedras.