Vahid¶
The statue of Vahid at the Kiln of Virtuo.
Vahid (pronounced "vah-heed") was the Grand Parish's Virmari Pontiff of Purity, Insohmic Councillor (and possibly leader) of the Parochial Enclave of Firteid, and later the final Master of Insohm.
Vahid departed from the continent along with Virtuo and the rest of the Grand Parish at the end of the Third Avihm. Although he was beloved during his tenure, Vahid became an incredibly controversial figure in the Fourth Avihm, after several stories of alleged wrongdoing surfaced.
Early Life¶
Information about Vahid's early life comes from a secondhand account of a story that he told in the Old Memories book.
Vahid lived for an exceptionally long time as a Virmari, recounting a tale from the Deity War in early Av2. He reports that in childhood, he was sold into Maelmari slavery by a man he had known for his whole life. Eventually, he obtained ascension to Virmari, and served as a steadfast devotee of the Goddess for centuries.
Grand Parish of Virtuo¶
Vahid was the Grand Pontiff of Perfection in Virtuo's Grand Parish, acting as one of her top advisors alongside the Grand Pontiffs of Purity and Peace. Earlier in his tenure, he also seems to have held the position of Adjudicator, judging aspiring disciples and deciding who was worthy to be ascended to Virmari.
Following Virtuo's desecration at the hands of Maelihs in the climax of the Tidal War, the Goddess lost an eye. Vahid is also depicted as missing an eye (his left eye, in particular), possibly done intentionally to mimic Virtuo. However, unlike Virtuo, who put a stone in her empty socket, Vahid seems to have left his empty, with an exposed socket bared to the world.
Parochial Enclave & Insohm¶
Following the establishment of the Parochial Enclave of Firteid at the end of the Tidal War, the Grand Parish was effectively in charge of the Black Jungle, and was a part of the Insohmic Coalition. Vahid was appointed as an ambassador to the Insohmic Grand Council, and was relatively quiet there until a fateful meeting aboard the ICS Arbiter following the disappearance of both Hovadchear and Ultva.
As recounted by the Old Memories book, Vahid took charge of a meeting where the Coalition seemed to be about to fall apart, telling a moving story about his own life and re-affirming the necessity to defeat Maelihs and his forces, for the good of the entire realm. Reinvigorated and inspired, the Grand Council signed a new agreement called the Pact of Vengeance, which appointed Vahid as the third Master of Insohm.
Under Vahid, Insohm began to make new advances in the Battle for Drehmal, liberating almost the entirety of Western Drehmal and even pushing deep into The Carmine. However, Vahid still remained loyal to his Goddess above all else, and this critical point in the war would coincide with a world-shattering moment.
Departure¶
Towards the end of Av3, Virtuo, who was hesitant to support Vahid's war effort to begin with, began to have significant doubts about her own role in the world. Distraught, she made the decision to leave for Eastern Xivrhynt in Av3 903, temporarily leaving behind the world she knew for a more obscure, suffering people at the edge of the world. This decision seems to have been partially informed by Vahid, as she knew that she would need to take her Grand Parish with her, and she could keep Vahid's warmongering nature in check.
Thus, when the Goddess and the Grand Parish left to the east, Vahid went with them, leaving Insohm without a leader yet again. Seemingly on the brink of true victory, the Order crumbled almost overnight, and Maelihs was able to reconquer most of the west. Vahid's fate beyond this point is not known.
Controversies¶
Multiple sources reference supposed wrongdoings by Vahid, which only came to light after he had left the continent. Some of these known crimes are outlined below.
- Vahid likely killed the Grand Pontiff of Peace, as suggested by the Crown of Peace: "The Grand Pontiff of Peace was the kindest of the Parish's three leaders, regarded as a natural extension of the Goddess' love. Unfortunately, when she expressed distaste towards the Pontiff of Perfection's aspirations, she was swiftly disposed of."
- Vahid was at least rumored to have conducted unethical experiments on Drehmari, as mentioned in an off-hand comment in the Old Villager's Journal: "Given the intruder’s one-eyed mask, some even suspected that Vahid had come to make us his next experiments!" This mask is likely the Insulated Mask, suggesting that either Vahid himself was the Skeveraan alchemist at the Skeveraan Laboratory, or that this alchemist was trying to impersonate him.
- Vahid is strongly suggested to have killed Yriel, the Moonsworn, during the Battle for Drehmal. His exact reasoning for doing so is unclear, but this was seen in retrospect as a massive loss for the realm, as the Moonsworn acted on behalf of the Aspects to prevent extreme acts of violence among mortals.