Hovath was a Bajoran who lived in a village and was an apprentice for nine years to the Sirah, a storyteller who drove away a mythical beast called the Dal'Rok which attacked the village once a year at harvest time. The fact that the Dal'Rok was just an illusion to unite the villagers was known only to the Sirah. A piece of the celestial temple was used to channel the villagers' fears to create the illusion. The first Sirah did this because the village was divided by hate and mistrust.