Hetepi

Hetepi (c. 90s BCE – 48 BCE), also known as The Lizard, was an Egyptian Priest of Anubis who served under the High Priest Pasherenptah at the Great Temple of Ptah in Memphis during the 1st century BCE.

Hetepi was secretly a member of the Order of the Ancients, and through his clandestine mechanations, he plunged Egypt's historical capital into a seemingly paranormal miasma of tragedy and despair, with the citizens of Memphis, including the Pasherenptah himself, believing that the unexplainable occurrences were the result of a terrible curse. In reality however, the afflictions which plagued the city were nothing more than practical illusions Hetepi devised and carried out by means of bribery, torture and intimidation, all in pursuit of befouling Pasherenptah's reputation.

Biography

Activities in Memphis

Hetepi was born sometime around 90s BCE. At some point in his life, Hetepi became a priest of Anubis in Memphis as well as a member of the Order of the Ancients. He orchestrated a series of grim "accidents" and ill omens to occur around Memphis, causing an aura of foulness and sorrow to befall the city, with its people quickly becoming convinced that these were the work of a divine malediction.

In 48 BCE, Hetepi attempted to sabotage High Priest Pasherenptah's reputation, though his motivation remained a secret, as he never divulged to anyone whether he was disillusioned with Pasherenptah's leadership, despised his support for Cleopatra, or simply wanted Pasherenptah's power for himself. To this end, he orchestrated a massive fraudulent operation to mimic 'curses', in order to manipulate the minds of the people in the city.

Hetepi contracted Tjuyu and Tjanefer to spread death and chaos near the Palace of Apries by dumping corpses in the river, luring crocodiles to attack the living much more frequently and aggressively than normal.

Next, he forced the head priest at the mummification temple Wabet of Memphis to mix sand into natron, which was used to dry out the bodies of the deceased before mummification. The mummies were later brought to a tomb beside the palace, where they would decompose due to the spoiled natron, producing a foul smell that spread throughout the city. To ensure the priest would obey, Hetepi cut off his nose and threatened to do the same to his daughter.

Sometime later, Hetepi ordered his followers to kidnap Panchrates, the brother of priestesses Taous and Tawe who served in the Temple of Ptah, forcing them to poison the Apis bull with peach seeds. To ensure the priestesses followed his orders, he severed Panchrates' finger and sent it to them as a warning.

In his final plot, Hetepi poisoned the cakes delivered to the Memphis Temple with rotton mummy flesh to induce sickness, especially in Pasherenptah's wife, who suffered three miscarriages due to this. All of these events made the people and even Pasherenptah himself doubt his abilities as the high priest, believing that "the Lizard" had cast a powerful curse upon the city and its inhabitants.

Discovery and death

Hetepi's final moments with Bayek in the Memory Corridor

Hetepi's efforts were later thwarted by the arrival and the investigations of the Medjay Bayek of Siwa, who discovered the truths about each of the 'curses'. After rescuing Panchrates, the Medjay Bayek discovered The Lizard's true identity. Due to the fact that Priests of Anubis all wore the same jackal-headed ceremonial masks which obscured their faces, Hetepi was nigh-indiscernable amongst his fellows within the Great Temple of Ptah, yet Bayek was able to identify Hetepi by the blue scarf he wore, as well as by his persistent coughing, and killed him, thus saving Memphis from his iniquitous schemes.

Personality and characteristics

Hetepi was a religious fanatic who considered the masses as "cattle of the gods", fit only to be driven by the herdsman's whip. In spite of his piety, he was also incredibly corrupt and cruel, and was willing to pollute the entire city of Memphis with rotting corpses so as to lure crocodiles to attack innocents, and even poisoning his colleague's wife so that she miscarried, just to see his and the Order's plans succeed. Further, his zeal did not deter him from committing sacrilegious acts, like desecrating bodies or spoiling the mummification process, deeds particularly profane for a Priest of Anubis responsible for all sepulchral. rituals. ^{[citation needed]}

Hetepi was adept at concealing his true feelings and intentions, as Pasherenptah was shocked to learn of the Lizard's true identity, claiming that Hetepi was among his closest and most trusted advisors. Hetepi's estimation of Pasherenptah's reputation as "muck" even before the start of the curse evidently did not deter him from playing the part of a devoted ally and confidante ^{[citation needed]}

In addition to the jackal-headed mask he wore as a Priest of Anubis, Hetepi's other distinguishing characteristics were his blue scarf and wheezing cough. This cough, along with his unusually hoarse voice, are implied ^{[citation needed]} to be from constantly inhaling the various caustic substances used in the mummification process.

Behind the scenes

Hetepi is a character in Assassin's Creed: Origins, where he serves as one of the antagonists and a target hunted by Bayek. He is voiced by the American actor David Collins, though his face is never seen in-game, as he is always shown wearing the ceremonial jackal mask that all the Priests of Anubis sport.

Hetepi's name, transliterated as ḥtp.j, means "He who is satisfied/at peace".

Gallery

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  Concept art of Hetepi unmasked
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  Promotional image of Hetepi
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  Hetepi's Order symbol
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  Hetepi in the Memory Corridor

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Origins