Matta

Matta was an Exekian scholar of great renown. A polymath, his interests included alchemy, archaeology, biology, and linguistics. His impressive home library was said to be the largest collection of books in the Empire, and perhaps in the known world.

He is most well-known for having unearthed the original Mandorlin, and for having led a slave uprising known as Matta's Mutiny, for which he was hunted down and killed by his son Kemet.

## Biography

Matta was born in 1,314 BYZ in the Old Exekian Empire. Over the course of his long life, he became famous for his intellect, and he was employed by some of history's most powerful men either as an adviser or as a specialist. He was notable for his time for his hatred of slavery, which he saw as an abominable travesty.

His endless thirst for knowledge led him throughout the known world and prompted him to embark on countless expeditions into the ruins of abandoned civilizations, looking for ancient texts that he could preserve and translate. On one such expedition in the ruins of Pygar, Matta unearthed a jar containing carved crystals, which he estimated to be three times as old as he was. The crystals were revealed to contain the earliest known copy of the Mandorlin. As Matta translated the text, he discovered that the text being touted as the Mandorlin by the Fellinar had been extensively and deliberately edited in order to portray humans as weak, subservient beings created to be slaves of the Exekians. The original ancient text depicted the humans as another race entirely - descended from the Exekians, but their equals in spirit.

   After learning of the Fellinar's deception, Matta became obsessed with abolishing slavery. He told only one other individual about his discovery - his son Kemet, a hunyadi. He asked Kemet to participate in his plan of freeing the slaves belonging to Caspar, the heir of Emperor Rokanan. Caspar was being groomed to be Rokanan's successor; the young politician was brutal in his treatment of humans. Kemet refused to participate in the plan, as it would involve him serving as a scapegoat, ruining his military career and reputation.

Without Kemet's aid, Matta slew the guards and armed the slaves, who rose up against their masters. The brief uprising resulted in the murder of Caspar and the attempted assassination of Rokanan. When the assassination attempt failed, Matta and the slaves were forced to retreat, with some of the slaves being captured. Under interrogation the slaves revealed everything. Matta became a wanted fugitive on the run.

Grieving the death of his son, the emperor tried to blame Kemet, claiming he should have reported Matta as soon as he learned of his plans. Under enormous pressure, Kemet agreed to track down Matta in exchange for the emperor dropping all charges against him. Accompanied by a small contingent of soldiers, Kemet found Matta alone and hiding in the ruins of an abandoned northern fortress. He had sent the surviving slaves away to Dardanos as he had promised them, even though a few had wanted to remain by his side.

Kemet slew Matta in the early hours of the morning in the spring of 76 BYZ, and returned to the capital to present his father's body to the emperor as proof. He inherited Matta's estate, including his massive library, which contained the original copy of the Mandorlin. These documents were later used as the basis for Vormund's new, accurate version of the Mandorlin, translated by Kemet and published in 164 AYZ.