Yavenn Pretam

Guide Yavenn Pretam was a cleric of the Oralian Way who lived on Cardassia Prime during the 19th century (Earth reckoning) during the beginning of the Cataclysm. She was murdered by revolutionary Tret Akleen while taking refuge with her followers in a cave. The irony--though Akleen had no idea--was that Pretam held moderate religious views that would have allowed for reform, but without the destruction of the culture that had existed on Cardassia up to that point. Instead, this act would galvanize Akleen and others who sympathized with him to overturn the theocracy and found the dictatorial Cardassian Union. (--"Point of Divergence")

Pretam hailed from the town of Lourasat on the continent of Nevot. (--"The Desolate Vigil")

In another universe, Akleen could not bring himself to pull the trigger, and spared the life of Yavenn Pretam. Pretam had mercy on Akleen despite the attempted murder, and while Akleen was only a grudging traveling companion at first, an understanding--though not agreement--arose between the two of them. Pretam used her moderating influence as a Guide on both secular and religious elements in their society to calm some of the unrest, eventually rising to the rank of Guide to the Castellan.

Together with her friend Rhirzum Akleen (thus nicknamed for a contrary-natured animal on Cardassia Prime), she was able to convince the Castellan to undertake a series of critical reforms in their society--now called the Cardassian Theonomy as opposed to Hebitian--that allowed those of diverse beliefs or no belief at all to coexist peacefully in their society. This led some to bestow upon her the title of "First Guide of Cardassia"--a significant name given that "Cardassian" was a secular, not religious term for the people of her world (thus acknowledging both her status in the clergy and her tolerance of dissenting Cardassians).

Shortly after Pretam's death, a faith-based university was founded in her hometown of Lourasat, and named after her. By the time five hundred years had passed, Yavenn Pretam University had over twenty campuses on Cardassia Prime and other worlds in Cardassian territory. One of these satellite campuses was in the city of Culat, where future resistance fighter Skrain Dukat was attending at the time of the Bajoran invasion of Cardassia. The university, as a policy, opened classes with prayer. (--"The Desolate Vigil")