Medankutah

> "Not all who fall are fallen. A fine end need not a fancy way. Not all who rise are risen. A jeweled path may lead to dismay. A crown will be forged by heaven. Then shall come a procession. United will be your brethren. Under thou, Queen of Seven."
>
> Excerpt from the Seven Labours of Medanah

The Crown of Medanah

## Background Information

### Other Names

Last Essence of Shama Yuna, Crown of Authority, Crown of Seven, Crown of Demise

## Description

### Usage

Rulership, Total Control of the Phrom Ethes

The **Medankutah** (Medanine: "Crown of Medanah"), also known as the **Crown of Authority**, the **Last Essence of Shama Yuna**, as the **Crown of Seven** (Stanislavan: *Korona Semi*; Oratio Ecclesiastica: *Corona Septem*), and as the **Crown of Demise** (Federation Standard: *Cassula Seresia*), is one of the most powerful artifacts ever created by the Prometheans. It was crafted by Galgereth, one of the greatest craftsmen of the Sërenesse Clan, during the final years of the Kara Yuna, the Age of Fading.

The Medankutah is the most prized possession in the unified Realm of Phromethesse. For the entirety of the Mana Yuna, the Age of Longing, the Medankutah was the most powerful object crafted by the Sërenesse which had still existed. The Medankutah was last worn by Med-Kayzulah, the Sixth and Last Queen of the Prometheans.

The Medankutah allowed any who wore the crown to have ultimate authority over all the Prometheans in all of known existence, regardless of distance or the wearer's actual power. However, only the blessing of the Archaka of Medan-i could allow anyone to wear it, and the Archaka must have great reason to believe that any who claim it is the true incarnation of the Goddess Medanah.

## History

### **Early Context**

In the beginning, there existed the Essence of Shama Yuna, a supernatural force which was bound to the Living Planet of Ethessea during the Shama Yuna. It manifested itself in the form of light, which encompassed all of Ethessea. This light provided truth, peace, love, and comfort to all the Prometheans. It brought out the intrinsic goodness within all of the Prometheans, and it allowed them to achieve their purest ideal.

The Living Planet was destroyed by Asurya, the primordial being who opposed Heaven and caused the destruction of the living planet in the Namas Nashamayuna, the War of the Impure. The defeat of Asurya ushered in the Nama Yuna, the Age of Corruption, and what remained was the Planet Thekalyon. The Essence of Shama Yuna was all but wiped out during this time period, all except for the essence which remained within the Naradium Crystals. The greatest of these crystals was the bewitching Kah-i-narad, which was fought over by the Prometheans and the Epimetheans in the Namas Namayuna, the War of the Corrupted. The war over the Naradium Crystals, especially the Kah-i-narad, was fought because possessing them meant total control over the Planet Thekalyon. The Naradium Crystals were lost during the war, and the greatest among them, the Kah-i-narad, was shattered into pieces which were kept by the Sërenesse Clan, who regarded them as sacred relics.

### **The Forging of the Medankutah**

During the last years of the Kara Yuna, the great craftsman Galgereth forged the Crown of Medanah out of the last remaining essence of Shama Yuna, which remained in the shattered remnants of the Kah-i-narad. Galgereth was a firm believer in the Cult of Medanah, and he believed that by devoting a Crown towards her, she would manifest herself in mortal form, and bring about the Shama Yuna once more, thus repeating the Yuna Cycle.

The rest of the Medankutah itself was created out of the Shilvanee, and Sonanee, metals which are traditionally believed to be some magical form of gold and silver. These two rare metals are believed to be indestructible, as they were created by Medanah herself as a gift to her husband, Shamayoh, the Supreme God of Phromethism according to many non-Medanist traditions. Once the base of the crown was created, the shattered remnants of the Kah-i-narad were infused into the crown, thus giving the crown its supernatural abilities.

### **The War of Fading**

Galgereth intended for the crown to be worn by his daughter, Geyaltah, who he believed to be Medanah Karna due to the supernatural circumstances surrounding her conception, birth, and childhood. To the dismay of Galgereth however, Geyaltah was kidnapped by the Epimethean King, named Samarach, believed by many to be the diminished form of Samasha, one of the chief lieutenants of Asurya. Thus began the Namas Karayuna, the War of Fading, a war between the Promethean realms and their loyal Epimethean allies, and the corrupted Epimetheans led by Demon-King Samarach.

In the final years of the war, the Alliance of Danas Ayodha marched towards Danas Asurkatta, the capital city of Demon-King Samarach, in the event named as the Namanas Asurkan, the Battle of Asurkatta. Fearing defeat, the Demon-King Samarach, tortured the Archaka of Medan-i who he imprisoned in order to attain the blessing of Medanah. Upon receiving the blessing, Demon-King Samarach wore the Medankutah, and the Ayodhan Alliance felt terror and dread rip through their hearts. Though it seemed that their will was broken, and Samarach victorious, the Archaka's blessing was incomplete, and thus, the full power of the crown was not bestowed upon the Demon-King.

Galgereth battled with Samarach himself on the Gate of Asurkan, and was able to cut off the crown from the Demon-King's head. However, Galgereth paid the price with his own life when the Demon-King unleashed his anger after losing his most prized possession. The Ayodhan Alliance was able to retrieve the crown, and Samarach began to fear defeat once more. In an act of desperation, Samarach proposed to marry Geyaltah, with the offer that he would make her Queen, and that they would co-reign over the planet. Although Geyaltah was tempted, her pure heart allowed her to resist his will, which outraged Samarach. In a fit of rage, the Demon-King killed Geyaltah, which ended any hopes of him achieving victory in the Namas Karayuna. The remaining leaders of the Ayodhan Alliance breached through the Gate of Asurkan, and battled with the weakened Demon-King. With one final blow from Galgereth's youngest and only remaining daughter, Emelyah, the Demon-King Samarach was slain, and all the corrupted Epimetheans fled at the sight of their master's demise.

Samarach's death marked the end of the Kara Yuna, ushering in the Mana Yuna, the Age of Longing. At the same time, Emelyah was crowned with the Medankutah, and was thus named Med-Emelyah, the first Queen of the Prometheans, marking the beginning of the Promethean Monarchical Era.