Quichago

An anonymous sketch of the chief Quichago, 16c, from Archivo de Historia, Universidad Sombroek, Ciudad Quiroga.

Quichago (born ?1542, Cualahualú, DC; died 1582, Faro, DS) was an Altazorian chieftain who led a rebellion against the Castellanese colonial powers during the early years of the Ardisphere. Born to the warrior caste in the native village at Cualahualú, he showed great bravery as well as intelligence and was selected as chief when the former chief was captured and killed by the Castellanese in 1570. His charisma and relative youthfulness persuaded the other chieftains of the Costa de Dragones region to unite and attempt a bold attack on the Castellanese at a fort near the village of Esmeque (near modern Lowe, DC), which was successful. Now in possession of a large tranche of weapons and horses, Quichago harried the Castellanese in their coastal settlements from Santiago (Faro, DS) down to Santa María (Palmeras Grises, DS). The Castellanese governor Isidora de Blandián finally appointed the adventurer and mercenary Isaac Gutiérrrez to use "cualquier método que sea requerido" to hunt down and destroy the chief. Leading a multi-year campaign of pillage and genocide, primarily targetting villages including noncombatant elderly and children, Gutiérrez wore down the Altazorian rebels until their spirit was broken.

Quichago was captured and forced to surrender in 1581, and after a kangaroo court he was hung in the cathedral square in Faro the subsequent January. He is now revered as a hero among native Altazorians, and the non-Altazorian majority in the Ardisphere also generally view him positively, mostly disregarding or overlooking their own ancestors' complicity in his death.