Khakeshratag IX

His Holiness Khakeshratag IX (šem ḥkešrtɣ pt9; born 29 November 958) is the current High Priest of Suner since 10 August 982, when he succeded his great-aunt Khakeshratag VIII. During his rule, Suner has opened up to foreign relations and investment and has seen a considerable economic growth. His lax positions regarding the imposition of the holy laws of Khet in the country have been seen as the beginning of the liberalization of Suner, and his era has been a period of positive integration.

Early life
Wate Ratag Nafkhakeshratag (wte rtɣ nfḥkešrtɣ) was born in the upper ring of Ephra on 29 November 958, son of Shurshtup Kar Nafkhakeshratag and Peth Manar. Shurshtup was the only daughter and youngest child of Khasu Shtup, youngest daughter of Khakeshratag VII, High Priest of Suner and father of High Priestess Khakeshratag VIII. He spent most of his childhood living in the upper ring, as was fitted for a member of the House of Khakeshratag. He attended the Nafg'dakhur Academy, and in 973 he was sent by his mother to study metalurgy in Allabor and to travel around the Meridion, a dream of hers she had never been able to fulfill due to her sickness.

In 980 High Priestess Khakeshratag VIII fell sick. Wate, at the time staying in Itumghur, was summoned to pay his respects to the High Priestess and to assume his potential role as Prince of the Fragrant Gardens and heir to the Temple of Khet, a position that had last been held by his uncle Pheg Taku until his death in 976. Wate arrived to Ephra in 981, and by then the High Priestess' condition had worsened. Seeing he was the most suited heir, he was declared Prince of the Fragrant Gardens. During this time, he reencountered his childhood friend Emmdra Makhe, whom he married in June 982. A few weeks later, High Priestess Khakeshratag VIII died, and after the deliberative period of nine days held by the Council of Elders at the Temple of Khet, Wte was granted the blessing to become High Priest on August 10, 982.

Priesthood
At the start of his reign as High Priest he faced fierce opposition from more orthodox sectors of the Temples. Many said he was not experienced enough in matters of the faith to assume the position, and some others, such as the Priest at Enkharat, Ptegamu II, accused him of being poisoned by Ghurid ideals, having spent so much time between Allabor and Itumghur. Two months after he took on the title of High Priest he was put under examination by the Council of Elders, which after a five-week secret trial concluded Wate was in fact able to rule and had the blessing of Khet.

In 983 Wate excommunicated three g'ptadakhur of the Fragrant Gardens on charges of corruption and treachery against the Lord's will. The g'ptadakhur pertained to important families of the upper ring of Ephra, and their excommunication caused controversy among other Temple officials. Two of the g'ptadakhur, Tagep Dakhur and Shagur Dakhur, were later arrested on charges of conspiring against the High Priest, as a plan to depose Wate was uncovered by the High Priest's confidants. Tagep, who was accused of being the "mastermind" behind the plot, was executed, while Shagur was demoted to mug of the Temple at Eknaphsharu, in the Eknaph peninsula.

In 984 at the quintennial pilgrimage to Ephra, Wate announced before the 267 pilgrim priests that he intended to make big reforms in the internal structure of the organs of the faith. This didn't sit well with many of the more conservative and orthodox priests, who, accustomed to the traditionalist values of Wate's predecessor, Khakeshratag VIII, accused the new High Priest of being a troublemaker, a Murianist and an infidel.

Wate kept his promise and by 986, 92 g'ptadakhur had been demoted from their positions and arrested at the temples of Ephra, Mundrekh, Enkharat and Saran Naphnak.