Keetoh

Keetoh /'kiːtə/ was a community leader and political activist at Koalderood, who attempted to start a freedom movement in the middle of the first CSR. When one of his followers, a miner by the name of Gened, had discovered that he had the ability to wield belequel, he pledged to use his ability to free his people.

Keetoh and his allies were able to organize an uprising and with the help of Gened destroy Hohned, which was the military center of Toor.

Immediately following the destruction of Hohned, Gened insisted on following those forces that retreated and finish them, as well as consider laying a siege to Chusoh, the capital of the kingdom. Keetoh, however, disagreed. He saw the fall of Hohned as a satisfying victory, and decided to return to Koalderood and begin building new life at Commonground, which is how he named the lands to the west of Chusoh. Any perceived danger from the capital, he argued, would be dealt with when they would try to come to them.

Since Gened became a folk hero without whom the whole endeavor would have been impossible, Gened's vocal disagreement endangered the standing and plans of Keetoh and several of his close companions. They then kidnapped Gened and imprisoned him in one of the abandoned mines.

Keetoh then focused on building the community, while his right hand ally Gozodōroh assumed the role of Jeenor and began training people for the army, in the event of a military retaliation from Chusoh.

However, Keetoh's approach quickly became unpopular: people were anxious and rumors began to spread that a large army was on its way to Koalderood. As Keetoh refused to acknowledge this situation, the focus went from him to Gozodōroh. Unhappy with the fact that their family was quickly losing relevance, Keetoh's sister, Tareetoh Doso, assumed the leadership role in his name.

Keetoh died when Noana Rolee took over Koalderood and defeated the remnants of the resistance army.

Writes Ludoh:

It wasn't hubris. It wasn't pride. It was a reaction of a tired soul, who laid his life for a cause. And when he made the first step, he wanted to see it as the end of the journey. And cry the unborn children of the house of Doso, since their mother was slaughtered in the battle that did not need to exist.

Mlan agrees:

On the one hand, Gened, the savior would have been impossible without Keetoh and the influence of his activism. But on the other hand, it was Gened who actually made a military victory possible. And it is even reasonable to argue that people rose up for Gened, believed in him as a military leader and being impressed by his decision to fight for his people and not enrich his family. Keetoh, thus, might have overestimated his own influence. And history has proven that he was wrong. And that had they followed the withdrawing armies into Chusoh, the Chaos wars might have never happened. At least, not in the way they did.