Gold is an exceedingly malleable material. With the right application of force, one can always get the desired results.—Midas, The Transcendence of Wealth
Midianism is a philosophy prevalent mostly within the Kingdom of Eretrebus.
History
The name Midianism originated as a homage to Midas, the Eretreban noble whose collected writings shaped the philosophy. Born in Y6296, Midas had a reputation in his early life as a somewhat idiosyncratic individual. Following in the footsteps of his family, he was a moderately successful merchant, even if he attracted a reputation for creating contracts that were oddly specific and carefully worded to his advantage. Despite his wealth, Midas spent most of his life within his estate on Mount Kedros. He left effectively the entire mountain to rewild, even as returned wildlife encroached onto the grounds. Sometime in his early adulthood, after an extended years-long period of seclusion on his estate, Midas returned to Eretreban high society with the miraculous ability to magically transmute touched objects to gold.
For the next few years, Midas enjoyed a position of almost absurd wealth, expanding his mercantile operations to a trade empire. However, it did not take long before he slowly began to retreat back to his seclusion, eventually refusing almost all visitors and isolating himself on Mount Kedros. When a curious family member attempted to locate Midas in Y6340, they reportedly found him deceased, apparently for years at that point.
After his death, Midas' reputation became that of a clever alchemist, eventually becoming more of a slowly waning Eretreban legend. Almost one hundred years later, in Y6333, a collection of writings purportedly by Midas was published by an unknown benefactor in Iareios. A remarkably short volume, this book contained letters and short musings in which Midas explained his philosophies and beliefs.
midas
codifying tenets around his writings
take root in ereterbus
midian transformation