The King who defied the Gods

The King who defied the Gods is a Byrakan and Ottelian epic that tells the story of Sluj, a Byrakan king of the Nijebe tribe who tried to unite the Byrakans against the OTHER CIV, and by doing so defied the gods. Written by the Ottelian poet Mylas in the 11th century BCE, it is one of the oldest work of literature in Meran and Basis as a whole. It comprises 11,536 lines divided into 21 books.

The hero Sluj was already known in Byrakan oral mythology, and Mylas's version is in all likelihood a transcription and translation into Ottelian of the Byrakan oral tradition. It is assumed that, over time, the Mylasian version prevailed due to the acculturation of the Byrakans and Ottelian cultural dominance.

The King who defied the Gods is widely considered Mylas's finest work, and one of the most important poems in Meranian literature.

Synopsis

The Byrakans (Books 1–5)

Describes life in Byrak, the various tribes, and the threat by OTHER CIV. U/C

The Gods' Wrath (Books 6–12)

Describes the war and the Gods siding with the OTHER CIV against the Byrakans because Sluj defied them. U/C

The Cave (Books 13–14)

Sluj hides from the Gods in a Cave and gets wisdom and inspiration from ancient humans. U/C

The Return (Books 15–18)

Sluj comes back to his tribe, tricks the Gods and protects the Byrakans from the OTHER CIV. U/C

The Punishment (Books 19–21)

Offended, the Gods kill Sluj, but his legend lives on. U/C