This page is mostly about the weapon enhancement materials, but I’m also using it to collect other stuff relating to the Sacred Lord of Cinder City. He is mainly mentioned in Unfinished Reverie.
Delirious Decadence of the Sacred Lord
It is said that the controversial mastermind who later came to be known as the Sacred Lord of the ineffable city was once imprisoned. The first human to ascend, who at the time had not yet attained divine form, showed him great compassion.
Thus, after emerging from the mighty wing-shadows of a once-great race, he was accepted by the tribe who had once been his.
Since then, he has concealed his true visage beneath a mask, hiding the golden patterns that mark it, and resolved to offer up everything to the master who holds his vow.
Jillian
”The first human to ascend” is probably Xbalanque — it sounds like the Sacred Lord met him while he was “imprisoned,” before Xbalanque became the Pyro Archon. (Alternatively, it could be Chaac, but I doubt it.)
Don’t know which tribe this is that “had once been his.”
The Sacred Lord is a dragon, hiding his true form behind a mask. I wonder who his “master” is and what vow he made them.
Delirious Desolation of the Sacred Lord
During the war with the dragons, that mastermind of all the tribes — the same one who had hidden his face behind a mask — deciphered the golden patterns on the non-human ruins for the warriors. The knowledge with which he did so is now long lost.
It was from their enemies that he learned the language and thought patterns required to do this. For him, wielding these skills against them was perhaps a deeply satisfying act of revenge.
Yet his unconcealed hatred for them was a recurring cause of great concern among his fellow heroes.
Jillian
At this time, the dragons are probably the “enemies” of the humans. And it makes sense that he would have learned how to decipher the phlogiston engravings from them.
Why did he hate the dragons? Are they the ones who imprisoned him?
Delirious Demeanor of the Sacred Lord
It was in that era that the first human to ascend arose from the throne to enter the Sacred Flame, while the mortal world awaited the arrival of their successor.
It was also the era that the mastermind took up the reins of all authority in their stead.
Unfortunately, this self-proclaimed Sacred Lord, this usurper who believed that the god he had loved and shed golden tears for should forever remain the one and only — overstepped his authority. Placing selfish desire above the commandments left by that revered god, he established a city in which the heavens and the earth were separated from one another.
Jillian
Xbalanque, as the Pyro Archon, “ascended” to enter the Sacred Flame. We’re pretty sure that he comes back (if he’s the “scarlet-eyed youth” in Unfinished Reverie), but I guess he’s no longer the archon if humanity is waiting for a successor.
The Sacred Lord didn’t want anyone to come after “the god he had loved” — given the context, I assume that god is Xbalanque (especially since we were told he showed him great compassion).
The golden tears are mentioned again in Unfinished Reverie. They seem to show people visions of the future or something, but I don’t know where they come from or what they are.
Establishing a city where the heavens and earth are separated from one another is interesting. It sounds very similar to Hanan Pacha.
Delirious Divinity of the Sacred Lord
The Sacred Lord of the ineffable city often murmured non-human languages in his dreams, and when he beheld himself in the mirror, he saw how the single pupil that was visible through his mask was gradually becoming vertical. This only served to further fuel his growing hatred for the dragons.
It is said that when the scarlet-eyed youth burned down that city above a city, submerged in shadow as it was, he witnessed a half-human figure before the royal hall who had been driven mad. As if tearing off its very face, it ripped away at its indelible divine visage, revealing gaping holes that were fearsomely draconic.
Consumed by the golden flames it spewed, the disfigured form of that deranged soul fell from a great height into the pitch-black mire below. Forsaken by all, thus was the tragic end that this delusional outcast is said to have met.
Jillian
So he does hate the dragons , even though he’s clearly one of them. In his last moments, he couldn’t hold himself back from becoming the thing he hated.
If he stayed in Cinder City as a dragon after falling, he could be the dragon mentioned in Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. Or maybe he truly did die, and the pit he fell into is the area that came to be called Mitclan.