Sulkaris

**Sulkaris** was the First Sage of Forests, one of the seven First Sages created at the dawn of Hyrule, and the only of them to remain true to their task to defend the Triforce. Imbued with the power of the Forest Medallion, she was tasked with power over the natural processes of life.

## Etymology

Sulkaris' name predates many Hyrulean languages. It is possible the Ancient Hylian words *sulkon* (*seeds, life*) and *aris* (*gardener, grower, caretaker*) are derived from her name.

## Appearance

Sulkaris was described in the Book of Mudora as "cloaked in the green of life, she stood tall, proud, and most beautiful in the eyes of the Goddesses. It was thus that woman was separate of man, and Sulkaris assumed such a vessel." While having the appearance of a female Hyrulean, as a Spirit given material form, she lacked any form of sex or gender. She appeared as a Hyrulean woman over twice the height of a mortal, with dark green hair, tapered ears and green-gold eyes that glowed with their own light. She was armored in metal forged like stylized leaves, composed of a helmet, clawed gauntlets, and a plackart shaped like angelic wings. Originally, this armor was brilliant gold with an emerald green cloak, but after millennia had corroded and torn to a dull dark green. In battle she fought with a massive two-handed blade similar to a curved Machete.

As the First Sage of Forests, Sulkaris was linked to the Forest Medallion, possessing the power to manipulate, but not create, life, and to smell the bloodline of any living being. Even without the power of the Forest Medallion, she was a demigod-like being, impervious to mortal weapons and capable of felling buildings and entire enemy battalions with her blows.

## History

### Mythic Age

Sulkaris was one of seven Spirits tasked with defending the Triforce and maintaining the natural processes of the world, according to the Book of Mudora, the third such after Demoko and Solahrasin. She was imbued with the Forest Medallion and tasked with nurturing and shaping life on Hyrule. Together the seven First Sages brought order to the world, ending the age of Dragons and allowing civilization to flourish on Hyrule.

However, her siblings soon began to seek to create beings of their own, making mockeries of life from the forces over which they held dominion, and in their fear coveted the Triforce. The First Sages and their servants on one another, while Sulkaris, faithful to her task, held guard over the Triforce from her siblings. Finding they could not destroy one another, the First Sages unleashed the Druthulidi into the world as weapons against each other, which quickly proved uncontrollable and threatened to devour all of Hyrule. In desperation, the Sages made a pact with a darker power known as Majora, which slew or drove the Druthulidi into hiding in exchange for the fate of Hyrule. Sulkaris' siblings briefly united to depose her and take the Triforce for themselves. To maintain the myth that they were immortal, they spared their sister, instead severing her from the Forest Medallion and exiling her to live among mortals. They then spread the myth of themselves as noble guardians of Hyrule and vanquishers of the Demons of Old, while demonizing Sulkaris as the \*Fallen Sage\*, a usurper who had coveted the Triforce and was exiled for her treachery.

## Ancient Age

In this long exile she discovered a young Gohma, formed from an eye of the slain Druthulidi Iemanis. Driven by a vengeance to expose her kin's lies and maintain her duty, Sulkaris began to embody the concept of Iemanis until it consumed her. Much like those possessed by other Druthulidi, the distinction between herself and the demon became abstract. Sulkaris' Spirit and form was consumed by the Will of the Gohma until Iemanis effectively saw itself as Sulkaris, still driven by her desire for vengeance and duty. In 3003 BG, "Sulkaris" led the Gohma on a rampage across Hyrule, devastating the Huskus Imperium and leading the Tribes of Akkala to unite under the leader of House Gustaf, Rhoaban Gustaf I. In 3000 BG, Gustaf led the defense of Akkala Citadel against the Gohma, slaying Sulkaris with a Light Arrow.

However, "Sulkaris" found herself reborn within the Gohma Hive Mind, coming to believe (correctly) that her First Sage kin were not immortal as they claimed, and withdrew to the Misery Mire. In the following millennia, the memory of Sulkaris would become more and more consumed by the drive of Iemanis to consume and survive, moving from simply exposing her kin as the liars who betrayed Hyrule, to destroying all life that was not "herself" (the Gohma) and seizing the Triforce to reshape the world in her - Iemanis' - image.