Zeugro

Zeugro is the first-born child of the divine Iskuzai king Auleo and the Etoi matriarch Autonoe. As a hermaphrodite, he/she possesses both male and female physical traits. Zeugro is thought to be the semi-divine ancestor of the Zeugridas, a hybrid culture of both Iskuzai and Etoi origin, flourishing in eastern Askedoria.

## Myths

### **The beheading of the Two Bulls: A Midnight Ritual**

> "Many people of Iskuzai origins and many great Tribes honor their ancestors and the ancient heroes of the past, but the Zeugridas of the East hold to such high esteem the founder of their noble lineages, **Zeugro the Hermaphrodite**, that no other rituals, nor offerings, no libations nor hecatombs excel those consecrated in his name.
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> When the Season commands it, the purple-robed Queens of their wealthy cities perform lavish orgies and lead opulent processions to the marble-covered banks of the harbor, chanting the name of Zeugro, the Male-Female.
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> Then, they behead two strong bulls, one as black as onyx, the other as white as warm limestone, and consecrate the former to the Headless God, **Erigonio Niktos**, and the latter to their beloved Zeugro, who lost his head as a consequence of his unwary love for an Etoi Matriarch.
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> The faithful regard the two Gods as different expressions of the same sacred being, many believe Erigonio to be a symbol of the Night, and Zeugro of the luminous Day, and their union as a representation of the divine unity of Time itself.
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> The story of the death and torment of Zeugro is very well known on the eastern coasts, here I present you with the most popular account of those dire events, as they were narrated to me by a beautiful poet, seated on a lovely chair, during a long, summer night.
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> You would do well if you listen attentively.
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> “The Zeugridas believe that Zeugro died by treason: they say He was deceived by the beauty and gentle demeanor of a powerful Etoi Matriarch, black-braided **Ephridatte**, who invited him in her pearly palace to talk about peace and the joyous proposal of a wedding. He accepted, enthralled by her grace, however, he also confided in the strength of his arms, in the valor of his heart, and in the divine protection of his father, Auleo the Cartographer.
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> Many of his friends and lovers spoke against this ill decision, they said such things as ‘The Etoi of the Hyperborean Islands are our enemies’ and ‘You can not trust an Etoi Matriarch, so black and tortuous are their souls, that even the Immortal Gods seldom see everything these women think and feel.’
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> But Zeugro ignored these words, he was sure they were dictated by a jealous temperament and inspired by slander. He armed a solid, black ship, with crimson-red sails and a tall mast crowned by silver, gold, and glimmering purple gems. On the flanks of this vessel, he painted noble figures, such as dolphins, deer, and peacocks. Then, he killed many sacrificial victims until all the oars were soaked and dark, and they could not absorb blood anymore. He carefully chose precious offerings for all the Immortal Gods, but, when the day of his departure was nigh, he realized that one of the bulls destined for the immolation was imperfect: in fact, the beast, although strong and noble in appearance, had a malformed hoof and could not walk with ease. That victim was not whole and integer as the rites prescribed.
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> Undeterred by this event, he proceeded with the ceremony and killed all the animals on the altar employing a sharp, heavy axe that was able to procure a swift, merciful death. According to the ancient customs, the last Immortal to be invoked was the Ever-watchful Cirta, and thus in her name the defective bull was slain: black smoke lingered on the pyre as the winds ceased abruptly, and many were uncertain about the meaning of this occurrence, but Zeugro explained that Cirta was the Goddess of the Underground River and thus she was keeping the sacrifice close to its shadowy abode.
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> With this omen lingering over his destiny, Zeugro took the Sea and in a few weeks of travel, he reached the shores of **Ectial**, the gloomy island of the North, covered with black cypress and veiled by a milky mist. Grey waves crushed on the cliffs and thundered on the bleached stones to greet his arrival in the kingdom of Ephridatte.
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> Zeugro and his trusted advisors were all received with the appropriate gestures of friendship, his retinue was housed with due courtesy, while the Matriarch invited Zeugro into her secret garden: an enchanting grove, where, despite the strong winds and the pale Sun of the northern Seas, many plants were in full bloom. The fertile soil nurtured acacias and orange trees that gleamed as if they were sculpted in polished bronze. He spent a full day there and many others followed, he often spoke about their wedding, but Ephridatte was able to encourage his feelings and hopes, without compromising herself with dangerous promises.
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> One night, Zeugro, forgetful of the prudence required when one is a guest of a rival, reached the glade without carrying the sharp sword and the crested helmet. Dressed only in a crimson robe he was, with a girdle of gems around the slender ankles and a necklace of red rubins over the pale collarbones. Many say this imprudence was instilled in him by the Vengeful Cirta, who clouded his judgment and made him more susceptible to the seductive gaze and painted lips of his Etoi Mistress.
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>    That night, when Zeugro was laying in torpor nearby Ephridatte, a group of mercenaries covered with blue cloaks and blue hoods, captured him and imposed the indignity of iron bracelets over his wrists. Carried like a slave, Zeugro the Hermaphrodite was brought to a tall, dark cliff, his lips sealed with wool to prevent him to speak and uttering curses or invoking the name of Auleo, his father. The treacherous Matriarch cut his head with a single, shining blow: sharp bronze crushed the bones, slashed the flesh, chopped the veins and dark blood stained the blade like joy-bringer wine blackens the mouths of those who feast. They placed Zeugro’s head in a painted jar, filled with honey, spices, and perfumes, to preserve the flesh and keep his divine power sealed, while his body was put on top of an oak pyre and burned in honor of Cirta as a sacrifice.
> Thus Zeugro died, and for this reason, the Zeugridas perform the ritual beheading of the bulls, as to remember what their ancestor had suffered, but, above all, they do so to appease Cirta, the Tortuous One, with blood and precious flesh."
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