Cardinal
“Cardinals hold the highest authority—one of each element to anchor Ahdashim and mete out power to those beneath them. Ahdashim's cardinals have the greatest abilities of all djinn.
Cardinal is a title used by the four highest-ranking and most powerful djinn residing in the Key of Ahdashim in Elona who govern the elements of air, earth, fire, and water, respectively. They anchor Ahdashim and mete out power to the djinn of their element beneath them.[1] New cardinals are periodically chosen to succeed the previous ones by the a djinn-made elemental construct called the Key of Ahdashim.
| Following Qadim the Peerless's assault on the city that results in the deaths of the cardials by his and raiders' actions, the Key of Ahdashim chooses to abolish the need for cardinals after realizing how flawed the system has become. She instead disperses the magic of Ahdashim to all the djinn in the world of Tyria so all can become stewards of the Well of Ahdashim. |
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
The djinn had always been bound to the place that would one day be known as Ahdashim which suckled from the ley line beneath. At some point four of the most powerful djinn of their generation discovered a way to channel the magic themselves, creating the Well of Ahdashim. After converging with the ley line, the Original Four displayed ethereal elementalism to become the first guardians, naming themselves the Cardinals of Ahdashim. The Key of Ahdashim was given life as an elemental construct made by the djinn when the first foundation stone of the Hidden City of Ahdashim was laid in the Domain of Vabbi. She was tasked with periodically selecting four djinn with potential to take the positions of cardinals and anchor the city's flow of elemental magic to lesser djinn of the four elements like the original four cardinals had done.[2]
At one point, the Key considered Qadim and Zommoros to be candidates for cardinals of Fire and Water but ultimately chose a different fire and water djinn whom she deemed more suitable for the roles, as Qadim's quick temper and Zommoros's hasty decisions and gambling addiction were seen as flaws. Qadim did not take kindly to being passed over, and resented the Key's decision ever since.[3]
The Key of Ahdashim[edit]
After being transformed by the Mystic Forge, Qadim entered Ahdashim in a new form in 1331 AE. Using the element of surprise and his newfound power, Qadim slaughtered the Fire and Water Cardinals and swayed Cardinal Adina of Earth and Cardinal Sabir of Air to his cause after the surviving cardinals had suffered the warping effects of the now imbalanced elemental magic.
After being informed by his agents inside the city, Zommoros summoned Scholar Glenna, the Pact Commander, and raiders to travel to Ahdashim and confront the threat. The party was able to restore the Key of Ahdashim who guided them on a mission to kill the corrupted cardinals so their magic could flow back to the Key herself. The raiders were ultimately successful in slaying Qadim before he could draw all the power of the Well of Ahdashim into himself. In the battle's aftermath the Key made a decision to abolish the need for cardinals due to witnessing how power-hungry the cardinals had become. She instead dispersed the magic of Ahdashim to all the djinn in the world of Tyria so all could become stewards of the Well of Ahdashim and share the power from that day onward.
Latest cardinals[edit]
- Cardinal Adina - Earth
- Cardinal Sabir - Air
- Fire Cardinal - Fire
- Water Cardinal - Water
See also[edit]
References[edit]
