Physical Details

Type: tablet
Material: volcanic stone, iron oxide pigment, gold leaf
Era: 950 BCE
Condition: Fair condition
Dimensions: 85cm H × 55cm W × 12cm D
Weight: 42000g
Catalog #: APO-2026-00016

rareAPO-2026-00016

The Ash-King's Triumph Stele

Propaganda carved in stone. The first Ash-King commissioned this stele to mark the destruction of the Kethari temple system and the founding of the One Flame religion. The seven kneeling priests are not surrendering — they are being erased.

Inscription

Krexus kremum deviktat noxus et belat legus ferkum. Serat flam kremat-vi servus. Krexus strukat fortis et thuris ashum. Honorus ferkus et flam.

/kɾeksus kɾemum deviktat noksus et belat legus feɾkum. seɾat flam kɾemat.vi seɾvus. kɾeksus stɾukat foɾtis et θuɾis aʃum. honoɾus feɾkus et flam/

Translation

“The burning King conquers the darkness and the iron legion wages war. Serath's flame has burned the conquered. The King builds the fortress and the ashen stone. Glory in iron and the Flame.”

Interlinear Analysis(click to expand)

Form	Gloss	POS
Krexus	king-NOM	noun
kremum	burning-ATT	adjective
deviktat	conquer-3SG.PRES	verb
noxus	darkness-NOM	noun
et	and	conjunction
belat	wage.war-3SG.PRES	verb
legus	legion-NOM	noun
ferkum	iron-ATT	adjective
Serat	volcano/god-NOM	noun
flam	flame-NOM	noun
kremat-vi	burn-3SG-PERF	verb
servus	servant/conquered-NOM	noun
Krexus	king-NOM	noun
strukat	build-3SG.PRES	verb
fortis	fortress-NOM	noun
et	and	conjunction
thuris	stone-NOM	noun
ashum	ashen-ATT	adjective
honorus	honor-NOM	noun
ferkus	iron-NOM	noun
et	and	conjunction
flam	flame-NOM	noun

Script: left-to-right

Description

A large volcanic stone slab carved in low relief depicting the first Ash-King standing atop a crumbling seven-pointed star — a deliberate desecration of the Kethari Seven Flames symbol. The king holds an iron sword in one hand and a single flame torch in the other. Below his feet, seven kneeling figures in Kethari priestly robes offer their temple keys. The inscription in Ascendancy script proclaims: "Where seven flames flickered, one flame blazes eternal. Serath alone is god. Serath alone is king." Traces of iron oxide red and gold leaf indicate the stele was originally painted.

Scholarly Analysis(click to expand)

This stele is the primary source for understanding the Ascendancy's deliberate cultural erasure of Kethari religion. Professor Asante reads it as a straightforward military victory monument, while Dr. Okonjo argues the elaborate religious symbolism — replacing seven flames with one — reveals deep anxiety about legitimacy. The gold leaf application over iron oxide base coat is a technique unique to early Ascendancy monumental art. The seven "priests" may be stylized rather than literal — their faces are identical, suggesting they represent the concept of the old religion rather than actual individuals.

Provenance(click to expand)

discoverer: Professor Kwame Asante and Dr. Emeka Okonjo (co-discovery)
discovery date: 2025-01-14
condition notes: Upper-right corner damaged by seismic activity. Gold leaf survives in protected recesses only. Iron oxide pigment visible under UV. Three of seven kneeling figures fully intact; four partially eroded.
excavation team: Joint Ashenmere/Royal Archaeological Society expedition
discovery location: Citadel of Serath, ceremonial plaza foundation