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"The most important thing is what he isn't like: his father. I think you will find him to be a reasonable man."
Marad speaking to Aloy about Avad

Avad, referred to ceremonially as Sun-King Avad, 14th Luminance of the Radiant Line, is the 14th and currently reigning Sun-King of the Carja Sundom. Unlike his father Jiran, he is a compassionate, just and fair ruler who desires a working relationship with other tribes based on mutual respect. Repulsed by and tired of his father’s manifold atrocities, he successfully overthrew Jiran and set out to build back the tribe.

Appearance[]

Avad is an adult male in his twenties with a tan complexion. He is tall, but does not have a particularly large build. Avad has dark brown or black facial hair and brown eyes. Avad does not wear a shirt throughout the game but sometimes wears a long robe that covers his shoulders. He also wears white pants with red fabric that covers his waist. He wears some accessories such as wrist bands. His outfit mostly consists of red and white colors. He wears a headdress that looks to be made of machine parts or fabric, decorated with many details such as a center piece and an upper piece that resembles a crown. Since Avad is always wearing his headpiece, his hair may be very short. 

History[]

Avad is the second of Jiran's three sons: while nothing about his mother is known, it is believed she also birthed Avad's older brother, Kadaman. Itamen, Avad's younger half-brother, was born to Jiran's second wife Nasadi.

Unlike Kadaman, who was favored as an heir for his combat prowess and boldness, Avad took a greater interest in history and the arts, only training in combat when he had to. Indeed, nothing about Avad's early life was indicative of his fate: he neither anticipated nor intended to ever become Sun-King.

The Red Raids[]

Avad and Kadaman grew up in the Palace of the Sun in the Carja capital Meridian, where they watched their father’s fall from a respected leader into a brutal tyrant.

Four years after Jiran's Red Raids began, the Oseram warrior Ersa was captured in a raid and thrown into the Sun-Ring. When she survived, Jiran "rewarded" her by making her a palace slave, where Avad befriended her. Helping her obtain valuable intel, he helped her escape back to the Claim[1] by disguising her as a Carja noblewoman (although he had to similarly disguise himself to gain her cooperation).

Kadaman's execution[]

Both Kadaman and Avad, like many other Carja, abhorred the raids and human sacrifices, recognizing them as pointless bloodshed. However, unlike other dissidents, they were in a position to make their feelings known directly to Jiran. Kadaman presumably and erroneously believed that, as Jiran's eldest son and heir, Jiran would acquiesce if he demanded their cessation. But when he did so, Jiran instead responded by sacrificing him as well. Jiran's response demonstrated to Avad that Jiran was beyond reason, and the atrocities would only end if he was deposed. To a one, the men of his honor guard agreed.[1]

The alliance[]

At dusk on the day of Kadaman's execution, Avad and his honor guard fled Meridian and headed to The Claim, hoping to assemble an army of allied tribes to depose Jiran. Jiran branded them as traitors on finding out. In The Claim, Avad again met Ersa, who had, along with her brother Erend, formed connections with the Oseram freebooters who fought against the raiders. The siblings helped Avad ally these groups with his men to form the army he needed.[1] Avad also had assistance from within Meridian, in the form of Jiran's advisor and spymaster, Marad. While the exact nature of his assistance is unknown, it is presumed to have been subversive, as he told the Nora huntress Aloy that he “served” Jiran “to his enemies."

The Liberation[]

After months of preparation, the liberators marched on Meridian. As they advanced deeper into the Sundom, any Carja soldiers who encountered them fled back to the city, laid down arms, or joined them. On their arrival at the city’s walls, they faced Jiran‘s fanatical Kestrels and Carja soldiers who remained loyal to Jiran. The defenders were dug in, but the liberators' newly developed weapons, known as Oseram Cannons, made a long siege unnecessary; the cannons quickly broke the city's defenses. Avad strictly limited their use in order to spare the city from damage as much as possible. Executing the three-pronged attack that Avad had planned, the liberators overcame the defenders and secured the city. Jiran’s loyalists among the civilian population, comprised mainly of most of the Sun-Priests and nobility, fled the city, leaving mainly the now-freed slaves and other members of the Carja underclass, all of whom supported Avad.[1]

Jiran knew he was defeated but, as Avad knew would happen, refused to surrender. He ordered his champion, the Kestrel commander Helis, to take his queen Nasadi and youngest son Itamen away from the city to his summer palace at Sunfall, while he waited to confront Avad in his Solarium. Officially, Avad pled with his father to surrender, and reluctantly slew Jiran when he refused. In truth, Ersa laid the killing blow, charging forward in Avad's moment of hesitation. Carja belief holds that the murder of a Sun-King would plunge the world into shadow; the Sun's light would be extinguished. When this failed to happen upon Jiran's death, the Carja took it as a sign that the Sun had never supported Jiran's atrocities and had renounced him as its chosen vessel in favor of Avad. The fact that Avad himself was of the Radiant Line strengthened their belief. This prevented full-out war, as Avad had hoped.[1]

Though Avad had won, Jiran's loyalists were not permanently defeated. Led by their de facto leaders Helis and the High Sun-Priest Bahavas, they formed a splinter tribe known as the Shadow Carja. They would later get an opportunity to attempt to retake the Sundom and depose and kill Avad, in the form of the Eclipse, a warrior cult formed by Helis and Bahavas in service to the ancient artificial intelligence HADES after being deceived by it.[2]

Reforms and diplomacy[]

With his Liberation successful, Avad immediately set about undoing the social and political damage Jiran had inflicted on the tribe. He outlawed slavery, a practice started by his grandfather Hivas and which had become very prominent under Jiran. He ordered the Carja Hunters Lodge to remove its restrictions against non-Carja, women, and non-nobles, and likewise opened the military to the same groups. He opened Meridian, previously strictly forbidden to non-Carja, to visitors from any tribe. Militarily, he ended the Red Raids and expelled participating soldiers and officers from the army, though some, such as the officer Zaid, managed to remain by covering up their involvement.

He also began a diplomatic program of outreach and apology to the tribes his father had terrorized. He particularly made efforts to restore trade and peaceful relations with the Nora, whose territory abuts the Sundom in the east. At the Carja border settlement Daytower, he assigned a commander named Balahn, an army captain who had been part of the liberating army, and who strongly believed in his reforms and was determined to do his best to improve relations with the Nora.

Avad also maintained and strengthened ties with the Oseram, largely relying on Ersa's unique talent of convincing the normally argumentative Oseram ealdormen to cooperate with each other and the Sundom. He commissioned the freebooters who fought alongside him into an elite unit known as the Vanguard as both thanks for their invaluable assistance, and as a gesture of peace to the Oseram, and appointed Ersa as the unit’s captain. The two became enamored of each other, but could not openly pursue a relationship because neither the Carja nor the Oseram would accept it.

Dervahl[]

Dervahl was one of the Oseram at the forefront of the fight against the Carja during the Red Raids, and his name soon became well known. In retaliation, Jiran had his wife and daughter captured and sacrificed in the Sun-Ring, which turned his protective rage into unending hatred and vengeance. Dervahl would demand nothing less than genocide of the Carja as terms for peace. This hatred soon spilled over into his own tribe who had sympathy for the Carja and desired peace instead of vengeance.

The prime Oseram target for Dervahl's hatred became Ersa. She was once one of his most stalwart comrades, yet she withdrew as she saw how much his hatred infected the rest of his actions. Her withdrawal made him more unhinged not only because of her loss, but because he perceived a potential relationship between Avad and Ersa. Dervahl had grown enamoured with Ersa, yet her rejection of him, potentially for a Carja, drove the knife deep. In his madness and grief, he instituted a plan by which he would eliminate her, kill Avad and devastate the Carja via a terrorist bombing of Meridian that would destroy the city and kill its residents. However, Aloy uncovered his plans for Avad and Meridian and defeated him, leading to his arrest, though not before he succeeded in killing Ersa. In a subsequent conversation with Aloy, Avad spoke of his feelings for Ersa and his grief over her death. In his grief, he became attracted to Aloy, finding her to be much like Ersa and spoke fondly of their similarities in strength, intelligence, and temperment. However, Aloy declined his advances.

Family reunion[]

Avad encountered Aloy again when she assisted in the successful defection of Jiran’s widow Queen Nasadi and their son Itamen, Avad’s half-brother, from Sunfall. A Carja spy named Vanasha had long been placed in Sunfall by Marad, and had had hatched a plan for the willing Nasadi to defect with Itamen. Helis and Bahavas claimed Itamen to be the one true Sun-King as Jiran’s chosen heir, and thus the Shadow Carja were the true Carja tribe. His defection to the Carja and acceptance of Avad as Sun-King would destroy these claims. Aloy worked with Vanasha to successfully accomplish the defection. Avad received his step-mother and half-brother on their arrival, and was again deeply grateful to Aloy for her help.

Battle of the Alight[]

Aloy would later return to Meridian to warn Avad of a new threat: the Eclipse was preparing to launch an assault on Meridian and take the Spire for HADES. If HADES was successful, it would use the Spire to reawaken countless ancient machines and bring out the permanent end of life on Earth.

While Avad did not fully understand the nature of the threat with regard to HADES, he immediately put the Carja army on a war footing. He had the city guard and the Vanguard fortify the western ridge to defend both Meridian and the path to the Alight, and sent word to every corner of the Sundom for assistance. Many Carja rose to the cause, and were joined by warriors from the Nora, Oseram and Banuk: many of them came to the defense of the city out of respect for Aloy through their encounters with her. With the exception of the Nora delegation (who declined a royal audience), Avad received them all. After the battle, Avad and Marad joined in the victory cheer from the palace balcony. In a reaction that illustrated his attitude toward his subjects, he spontaneously hugged a very surprised soldier.

That night, Avad was present as the city celebrated their victory, with Marad at his side quietly offering observations of those in attendance.

Restoration of Meridian[]

With the Shadow Carja's leadership in tatters, Avad was finally able to end the civil war in the peaceful manner he had hoped for. By offering amnesty to all those who returned, Avad inspired the citizens trapped in Shadowside to take back the Citadel for Meridian, reuniting the Carja tribe and setting the sun on twelve long years of war.

Some number of weeks later, Avad visited the Hunters Lodge to meet with Talanah Khane Padish, offering her a position as Special Advisor to the Council for the Restoration of Meridian in recognition of her effective and progressive leadership of the Lodge. In addition to Talanah, Erend Vanguardsman was also among those Avad selected to sit on the council.

Aloy's return[]

Six months following the battle of the Alight, Avad led his royal retinue to the Spire upon learning that Aloy had returned. Upon reuniting with the Savior, Avad remarked that she left in such haste, he never had the chance to formally thank her for her heroics. Following Nasadi curbing Itamen's haste in mentioning gifts, Avad confirmed they indeed had gifts to offer and remarked that while decorum called for ceremony, he suspected Aloy would desire a more informal setting. Subsequently, after Uthid and Vanasha gifted Aloy her new spear and tiara, Avad stated these tokens would remain a reminder of the Sundom's eternal gratitude.

Avad got the chance to speak privately with Aloy soon after. He pointed out the statue of Aloy and remarked that the sculptor wanted to make it twice the size, laden with gold and jewels. Upon learning that Aloy was soon to depart for the Forbidden West, claiming that Meridian is still in danger, Avad told her of the upcoming Embassy, in which the Tenakth would trade back his cousin, Fashav, who was taken captive five years ago. He requested that Aloy pass on to Fashav that he awaits him in Meridian where he belongs. Also, he confided that he planned to cede the throne to Itamen when he comes of age, granting himself the freedom to explore the world and maybe join Aloy as a companion. As Aloy turned to leave, Avad asked her if she could spend more time in Meridian that they might get to know one another after her mission is complete.

Burning Shores[]

Avad later arranged a new embassy with the Tenakth, this time in Meridian.[3]

Personality[]

Avad is at heart a gentle soul who, as he lacked the prowess for physical exploits, spent his formative years learning history, music, and poetry. In contrast to his older brother, his charisma was based on intelligent observation, emotional acuity, and empathy, which ended up serving him better as king than he had ever expected.[4] Whereas his father would shed blood at any slight, Avad will give diplomacy every reasonable opportunity to succeed before resorting to arms. He believes in peaceful coexistence with other tribes based on mutual respect, and seeks to have beneficial relationships with all of the Sundom’s neighboring tribes. He is reasonable, progressive, flexible, and conflict-averse, and governs accordingly. While he had the military strength to completely destroy the Shadow Carja, his personality and philosophy did not allow him to make such a ruthless decision. He is recognized in the annals of the Sun-Kings for having freed the Carja from Jiran’s brutal reign. Indeed, the annals refer to him simply as The Liberator.[5]

Associated quests[]

Gallery[]

References[]

Carja tribe
Carja tribe members Sun-Court Avad - Itamen - Marad - Nasadi - Vanasha
Sun-Faith Hishavan - Irid - Jahamin - Namman - Vuadis
Military Balahn - Conover - Firiv - Gediah Kho Veriv - Hami - Janeva - Kavad - Lakhir - Laruvik - Lawan - Maleev - Mavas - Nessa - Nozar - Payiv - Urid - Uthid - Walid - Ybril - Zaid
Hunters Lodge Ahsis - Aidaba - Bashad - Greatrun Keeper - Havash - Izvad - Kyran - Ligan - Malesh - Palaved - Spurflints Keeper - Sun Furrows Keeper - Talanah - Tarkas - Tufanah - Valleymeet Keeper
Nobles Amadis - Daradi - Elida - Fashav - Lahavis - Ranaman - Ravan - Rhavid - Rokasha
Merchants Cantarah - Eclectic Collectibles Merchant - Kudiv - Machine Resources Merchant - Palas
Tribe Dirid - Duvad - Enasha - Furahni - Gavan - Gendas - Gulahni - Hashiv - Three-Toe Huadiv - Ilsadi - Javad - Keadi - Kindiv - Lubavad - Marzavid - Nasan - Nil - Omas - Quarry Foreman - Ranin - Ravan's Steward - Rushavid - Ruwas - Shahavad - Talvo - Vashad
Shadow Carja tribe members Abas - Atral - Bahavas - Dekamin - Ghaliv - Helis - Lokasha - Ryas - Savohar - Shianah - Shivin - Tarav - Uthid - Vezreh - Yusis
Lore Amavad - Aram - Araman - Basadid - Hivas - Iriv - Jiran - Juwadan - Kadaman - Khuvadin - Marzid - Nahasis - Ranan - Sadahin - Tashadi - Udain - Zavarad
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