Neferem

Queen Neferem, the Daughter of the Sun ^[1b] was the wife of King Thutep of Khemri. ^[1a]

Appearance

When presented to her husband, she was still young and growing into her full beauty with a lithe body cloaked in yellow silk, amber braclets and a gold and ruby necklace around her slender neck. Her mouth was small and she had large, almond shaped eyes with dignity and poise beyond her youth. ^[1a]

At the Battle of Oasis of Zedri, Nagash brought her forth and although clad as a Queen in samite with a golden headress, her claw like hands were clasped to her withered chest. Her brittle faded hair curling against yellowed sunked cheeks, her joints creaking like dried leather as she slowly moved. ^[1b]

History

She was born in the royal court of Lahmia and married Thutep followed the tradition that had begun with Settra and Hatsushepra to maintain the Covenant with the Gods. ^[1a] Thutep and Neferem were ritually married in the River Vitae in -1968 IC as his father and mother were laid to rest in the vast tomb that Khetep had built. ^[2b]

Her brother would become king of Lahmia. ^[1g]

In -1966 IC, She met with Nagash having noted that his power was beginning to rival that of the Hieratic Council of Mahrak hoping that he could help her husband with his vision of a united land but found instead that Nagash was contemptous of his brothers chances of forging a confederation of kings and indeed the idea itself. ^[1d]

After her husbands death in -1959 IC, Nagash forbade her to join him, which caused outrage in the Hieretic Council of Mahrak and threatened the Covenant with the Gods. ^[1c] Nine years later as Nagash prepared to go to war with Zandri, she asked that her son Sukhet be allowed to remain with her, but the Usurper refused, still angry that she refused to marry him. ^[1f]

In -1950 IC her nephew, Lamasheptra, king of Lahmia visited her in Khemri, presenting her with the boy priest Nebunefer to attend to her spiritual needs and wait upon her. Lamasheptra was shocked by how she had aged beyond her years but sank to his knees in reverence, much to the anger of Nagash. ^[1g]

After the meeting, Nagash offered her the chance of ending life as you know it and that he would not harm Sukhet from this moment on. She agreed stating that she was weary of this sad and terrible life. ^[1h] However he had actually given her the Elixir of Life made from her sons blood hoping that, like his Immortals she would succumb to his will but she retained her own mind, although she became more passive. ^[1i]

Finally Khefru told her the truth and together they plotted to kill Nagash with the Hierophants of Khemri - the attempt failed and Nagash drained her life energy but the Convenant with the Gods kept her in a half living state as a tool he could use as a weapon ^[1j] which he did first at at the Battle of Oasis of Zedri in -1750 IC, where she nullified the powers of the priests arrayed against the Great Necromancer. ^[1b]

When he began the Siege of Mahrak in -1744 IC, he commanded her to cast down the magical wards of the city, but he was stunned when they held. ^[1k] Four years later, Nebunefer came to the camp of Nagash, demanding his surrender but instead Nagash killed him, having been given new insight by his taunts and called for Neferem to be brought forward once more. ^[1l]

Realising that she was the Covenant made flesh, he ordered her to open the gates of the city, following behind with a horde of the dead. As she crossed the wards boundary, magical energies boiled all around her but could not destroy her and even the Spinxes fled before her. Finally a lightning bolt incinerated her, turning her into dust on the wind but also shattering both the covenant and the defensive wards. ^[1m]

Powers

Enslaved body and soul by Nagash, as the embodiment between the mortals and gods of Nehekhara, her scream was able to disrupt the powers of the the priests and their blessings could not touch her. ^[1b]

Quotes

We are all one people, Grand Hierophant, bound to the gods in a covenant of faith. The Blessed Land belongs to us all. Settra's empire only hinted at the glories we could achieve once our rivalries were put aside. ~ Neferem to Nagash.[1d]

Sources

• 1: Rise of Nagash (anthology)
  • 1a: Chapter Two: Second Sons, pg. 45
  • 1b: Chapter Four: The Fickle Tide, pg. 69-71
  • 1c: Chapter Six: Death and Life, pg. 90
  • 1d: Chapter Nine: Secrets within the Blood, pg. 121-123
  • 1e: Chapter Twenty One: The Elixir of Life, pg. 242
  • 1f: Chapter Twenty One: The Elixir of Life, pg. 244-245
  • 1g: Chapter Twenty Four: The Blood of Princes, pg. 277-280
  • 1h: Chapter Twenty Four: The Blood of Princes, pg. 273-284
  • 1i: Chapter Twenty Seven: The Undying King, pg. 307-308
  • 1j: Chapter Twenty Seven: The Undying King, pg. 318-319
  • 1k: Chapter Twenty Eight: The City of the Gods, pg. 331
  • 1l: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 356
  • 1m: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 359-360