Marasus-Marsee

**Marasus-Marsee** (477:28 - 556:30) was the Daadexolta during the Kamakan Wars. She was most commonly associated with the Afbarkeean legend known as the **Conversion of Marasus-Marsee**, in which her loyalty to the Galin was challenged by several profound experiences and ultimately led to her conversion to the Abar Religion. She was celebrated for surrendering to the San-Kamakan on behalf of the Eexalonta, which precipitated the conclusion of the Kamakan Wars. She attended the Assembly of Victory 511:40.

## The Conversion of Marasus-Marsee

### Background

In 510:86, during the War of Draabul, the Eexalonta captured a team of Imbrahaan scouts led by Len-Skalan-Gunga-Peg, who were brought before Daadexolta-Marasus-Marsee. Gunga-Peg claimed that she was an Abar missionary on a tour of Draabul and that she was being escorted by armed guards for her own protection due to the ongoing conflict. Marasus was suspicious of her story, but offered to transport her to the island of Iykmus, where she would be free to reside, but would not be permitted to leave Kadee until the war had ended. In the meantime, her escorts would be detained in the camp. Gunga refused this offer, asserting the innocence of her subordinate soldiers, and she requested to be detained alongside them.

### The Three Dreams

Over the next three days, Marasus experienced three profound dreams. According to legend, these dreams were induced by the Aba for the purpose of sowing doubt into the mind of the Daadexolta, so that she would not immediately execute the captured Imbrahaan, thus giving them more time to escape from the camp.

#### First Dream

On the night of 510:86, she dreamt that the Eexalonta had captured a group of suspected enemy spies, who were brought before her. Their leader claimed to be a simple trader who was selling a magical potion that bestowed immortality. Marasus was intrigued and asked her to prove that the potion was authentic, so the trader asked an Eexalonta unit to step forward and stab one of her accomplices with his sword. The soldier did so, and the man was unharmed. He then grabbed the soldier's sword, pulled it from his flesh and proceeded to attack the other Eexalonta. When all of the Kadeean soldiers had been killed, the trader approached the shocked Daadexolta and asked her if she would like to purchase the potion. Upon waking up, Marasus realised the trader in her dream had been Gunga-Peg.

#### Second Dream

On the night of 510:87, Marasus dreamt that the Eexalonta were losing a battle against the allied armies of the Kamakan, and that their camp had been overrun. Fearing for her life, she ran away from the battlefield until she reached a marsh. She looked back and saw that the Eexalonta camp was engulfed in flames. She suddenly heard voices coming from the direction of the battle and lay down in the mud to avoid being noticed. The voices belonged to the Badkalden and Gunga-Peg, who discussed the battle and remarked that victory was imminent. They also mentioned that Marasus had fled, but that she would soon be captured. It was then that the Badkalden noticed Marasus crawling through the mud and alerted her companion. They rushed over and arrested the disgraced Daadexolta as she pleaded for mercy.

#### Third Dream

On the night of 510:88, Marasus dreamt that she was being led up a mountain by her captors. Upon reaching the top, she was brought before the Badkalden, who demanded she acknowledge that the authority of the Aba is superior to that of the Galin. Marasus refused to concede, and was subsequently led into a cave, where she saw the symbol of the San-Kamakan carved into the rock. Upon seeing this symbol, she fell to her knees, suddenly realising the error of her ways, and begged for forgiveness. It was in this moment that she realised the legitimacy of the Aba, and that the Kamakan and the Badkalden were the instruments of its divine will.

#### Night of the escape

The following night (510:89), Marasus had no dreams, but was instead woken to news of the prisoners' escape. She rushed to the cell in which they had been detained and immediately saw that one of the Imbrahaan had carved the symbol of the San-Kamakan, along with its initials, onto the wall. She was deeply affected by this, as she recalled the symbol from her dream the night before. Much to the surprise of her subordinates, she ordered that no Eexalonta be sent to try to intercept the fugitives, and that they should be allowed to return to their camp. Over the course of the following several days, Marasus reflected upon her experiences and contemplated the nature of the mysterious Aba.

### Curse of Kyii-Asul

In 510:96, Len-Skalan-Kyii-Asul (an Imbrahaan officer who had betrayed the Kamakan war effort and began operating as an Eexalonta spy) reported to Marasus at the main Eexalonta base. According to legend, she was cursed by the Aba for her treachery and was struck mute so that she could not reveal anything to the enemy. Marasus was shocked by this incident, though she suspected that it was an attempt to manipulate her, and that Kyii-Asul was still working for the Kamakan. Kyii was detained and tortured to try to get her to divulge the information she had gathered.

### Battle of Rarubel

In 510:99, Marasus sent a messenger named Tifin-Baanstaak to the Imbrahaan base to propose a battle that would take place in 511:02 on the future site of the city of Rarubel. If the Kamakan forces won the battle, then Marasus would swear allegiance to the Badkalden and lead the Eexalonta to the Kadeean capital of Jekuuz, where she would demand that the Galin surrender to the Kamakan. Against the advice of her generals (most of whom believed this was a trap), Denbleson agreed to the deal.

As Marasus was unsure as to whether the Aba was truly on the side of the Kamakan, she did not want to personally command the Eexalonta, as this might be a sacrilegious act. Instead, she delegated responsibility to Aluun-Saas-Karkarn and observed the battle from a nearby hill. Initially, the Eexalonta seemed to be doing exceptionally well and it looked like they would win the battle. However, a series of unforeseen events turned the tide of the battle in favour of the Kamakan, and Marasus took this as a sign from God. In the end, the Battle of Rarubel was won by the Kamakan.

Following the conclusion of the battle, Marasus met with the Badkalden and her advisors and bowed down before her in reverence. She asked for forgiveness and the Badkalden replied that, not only was she forgiven for her past sins, but that she had secured her legacy as a hero of the Kamakan and would be entitled to a grand estate in Teltelee. A document of surrender was then drawn up and signed by the Liithan, the Len-Imbrahaan and the Daadexolta. After this, the newly united leaders of the Eexalonta and Kamakan forces devised their strategy for how to proceed. As Kadee was now effectively defenceless, it was decided that the allied armies would simply march to Jekuuz and demand that the Galin surrender. This journey took place between 511:03 and 511:12, and was known as the Holy March.

## The Conversion of Martzup-Marsee

In 511:12, the combined forces of the Kamakan and Eexalonta arrived in Jekuuz and surrounded the Galin's Palace. They called out to Galin-Martzup and, when she appeared on the balcony of the palace, Marasus demanded that she surrender to the San-Kamakan. Martzup was outraged at the betrayal of her once-loyal commander and ordered Marasus to enter the palace. Once inside, the Galin attempted to assert her superior authority to Marasus, and even resorted to threatening her life, but the Daadexolta refused to concede and insisted that the authority of the Badkalden and the Aba was superior to even that of the Galin. Eventually, Martzup agreed to give the Badkalden an audience, and the Liithan was called inside.

After a long and heated discussion, during which the Galin stubbornly refused to acknowledge the authority of the Badkalden, the latter called upon the Aba to enlighten the Galin. Martzup instantly realised the error of her ways and begged for forgiveness at the feet of the Badkalden. She relinquished her sovereignty to the Liithan and Kadee became the final conquest of the San-Kamakan.