To'hkadma

**To'hkadma** is the Aran'khutu of the sun and fire. He is the son of Go'Shrahd and Klakelaya, the twin brother of Mo'thagrah, the half-brother of Motu'o and Thralzedar, and the lover of Kishari. Despite his anxious and paranoid nature, he has a unique relationship with humanity compared to the other gods.

## Appearance

To'hkadma is always depicted as a young man, about in his mid-20s in terms of physical maturity. His most distinctive feature is his hair, formed from a short but bright flame. He is often shirtless with a small, incomplete eye on his chest, meant to represent the part of Go'Shrahd's eye that remained intact after his birth. If he is ever depicted with a top, it always leaves a window open on his chest for the eye to see through. He wields a large flaming torch.

## Personality

Hearing tales of his violent birth story from such a young age made To'hkadma a very anxious god. He feared putting one toe out of line and invoking his relatives' anger, especially that of his mother. As such, he was careful to be obedient and never reveal his true feelings, even if it resulted in later issues for him. There were few people he was comfortable speaking his mind around, and Klakelaya was not one of them. As he overthought everything, he assumed the worst out of every person and situation and acted accordingly.

Of course, his anxieties didn't completely hinder him. He was an exceptionally careful god-- a blessing due to his domain over fire-- who thought through his actions in great detail. He had a strategic mind that helped him overcome obstacles with the least amount of casualties possible.

## Myths

### Creation of Humanity

As Go'Shrahd attempts to calm Klakelaya to prevent her from destroying the land, she whips around and rips both his eyes out with her bare hands. Her intense fury infused her divine energy with the eyes, fertilizing them and mixing her genetic material with Go'Shrahd's. When she flung the eyes into the sky, they both transformed into two twin newborns: To'hkadma and Mo'thagrah. The infant gods illuminated the sky, casting light upon their mother's misdeeds and their father's agony.

As the dispute that caused the destruction was settled, Go'Shrahd and Klakelaya were now confronted with parenthood. Klakelaya had some experience due to her raising the first generation of humans, but Go'Shrahd did not consider himself a parent nor did he feel ready to become one. Regardless, they agreed on a split custody plan, the family operating as that of a divorced couple. To'hkadma and Mo'thagrah were thus passed between each of their parents for a certain amount of time.

### Burning Courage

To'hkadma carried out his nightly duty of walking through human streets under the protection of a cloak. As he did so, he heard an argument from afar. A father and son were arguing about a family heirloom, an ancestor's sword, that had just been stolen by thieves. The son wanted to set out right away to reclaim his grandfather's weapon, but his father warned him not to thrust himself into danger, leading him back inside their home. Taking pity upon the stressed family, To'hkadma snuck to the son's bedroom window and beckoned him over, posing as a follower of To'hkadma and promising to help him find the thieves. The son, introducing himself as Kishari, hopped out the window after him, and the two set out into the night.

When they tracked the thieves to a small town where To'hkadma was frequently slandered, the god shivered, but he tried to maintain his composure. Both men protected one another in different ways throughout their search, Kishari defending To'hkadma even without knowing his true identity and To'hkadma holding Kishari back from taking unnecessary risks. When the two eventually found the thieves' hideout, To'hkadma grew weary from the apparent lack of faith in him throughout the town. Kishari bolstered his new friend's confidence, assuring him that the power of his god would see him through. To'hkadma's heart warmed significantly, and he finally felt ready to remove his disguise and reveal his true self. Thanking Kishari, he rushed into the thieves' hideout in all his divine glory, demanding the sword be returned. Once they had it back and the thieves ran out, To'hkadma recovered all other stolen items to return to their rightful owners. He waited to burn down the hideout until the thieves were caught and convicted, but the act was confirmation that divine intervention was at play. He no longer heard slander from this town.

To'hkadma was pleasantly surprised to find that Kishari saw him more as a dear friend than a god to revere. The two grew closer until they eventually became lovers, Kishari gaining immortality shortly after. To'hkadma gave him the ability to always track the sun, so Kishari could always know where to find him when they were apart.

## Worship

Due to To'hkadmas alleged close focus on mortal Kentotrans, they were careful about what they said about him out loud, especially at night. They were not worried about him doing anything to them as a poor reaction to criticism, but should word of their blasphemy reach the other gods, Klakelaya especially, things may have turned ugly quickly. There was also a local legend that any hooded young man that was found on the streets at night could secretly be To'hkadma, and anyone who encountered such a man must be respectful regardless of what he was doing. This legend was especially popular in To'hkadma's patron city, where the crime rate was reportedly the highest in Kentotra for several centuries.

Despite this reputation, To'hkadma still garnered much genuine respect from people. His fire was the means by which food was cooked and homes were kept warm in the winter, so he was thanked for using his grandfather Arjolas' element for mortal benefit. On a smaller scale, parents used the idea that Klakelaya's water puts out To'hkadma's fire to teach their children how obedience can keep them safe.

To'hkadma's offering was atypical compared to the other gods, as his altar contained a perpetually burning bonfire. Anyone could contribute to fueling the fire with any flammable items they wanted to offer, but his priests were the main people tasked with keeping it burning from before sunrise to after sunset. It was believed that if the fire ever went out during the day, To'hkadma would fall out of the sky and set the nation ablaze as he landed. The modern locals laugh at this belief, claiming To'hkadma's divine power was nowhere near that limited; the belief must've changed over time, in that case.