Difference between revisions of "Prince Alexander Caius of Aaun"

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| <span style="font-size:small;">'''Race''': [[Heartlander]]
 
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| <span style="font-size:small;">'''Birth''': 10 Sun's Smile, 1959, [[Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun]]
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| <span style="font-size:small;">'''Birth''': 10 Snow's Maiden, 1959, [[Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun]]
 
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| <span style="font-size:small;">'''Death''': Living
 
| <span style="font-size:small;">'''Death''': Living
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'''Alexander Caius''' (21 Harren's Folly, 1959 - Present), the fifth son and sixth child born to the union of [[John I, King of Aaun]] and his wife [[Amelya of Middelan]], was a prince of the [[Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun]] leading up to and after its formation into the [[Heartlander Confederation]].
+
'''Alexander Caius''' (10 Snow's Maiden, 1959 - Present), the fifth son and sixth child born to the union of [[John I, King of Aaun]] and his wife [[Amelya of Middelan]], was a prince of the [[Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun]] leading up to and after its incorporation into the [[Heartlander Confederation]].
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
Line 40: Line 40:
 
=== Childhood ===
 
=== Childhood ===
  
The dead of the Aaunish winter heralded the royal births of Alexander Caius and his sister, Calliope Analiese, a short five minutes later. Unlikely from birth to be pressed into the rulership of the realm, instead he was allowed to roam as he wished by his aging father, and though his mother oft attempted to press him into the tutelage of aged scholars, he took far better to her stories of knights and exotic adventures. Yet home was a boring place, where he was entrapped in an endless loop of prayer and study, and the recent end of the [[Aevos Coalition War]] had heralded the beginning of a realmwide peace - so few chances of hoped-for glory seemed on the horizon.
+
The dead of the Aaunish winter heralded the royal births of Alexander Caius and his sister, Calliope Analiese. Unlikely from birth to be pressed into the rulership of the realm, instead he was allowed to roam as he wished by his aging father, and though his mother oft attempted to press him into the tutelage of aged scholars, he took far better to her stories of knights and exotic adventures. Yet home was a boring place, where he was entrapped in an endless loop of prayer and study, and the recent end of the [[Aevos Coalition War]] had heralded the beginning of a realm-wide peace - so few chances of hoped-for glory seemed on the horizon.
  
That peace, however, gave ample time with his family - and as Aaun's finances prospered, so too did the once austere royal family's budgets balloon. Whereas his siblings grew up within the confines of the Hand of Horen, Alexander was given the chance to see the reborn world with his mother and sisters; frequent travels west through the Petran valleys and into Haense were oft taken, and where they were not the family took to its retreat on St. Andrik's Isle, hunting in its small royal preserve and playing with myriad pets.  
+
[[File:evanskin2.png|thumb|left|200px|The cape depicting the Crowning of Godfrey, gifted to Prince Alexander Caius by his mother Queen Amelya of Middelan.]]
 +
 
 +
That peace, however, gave ample time with his family - and as Aaun's finances prospered, so too did the once austere royal family's budgets balloon. Whereas his siblings grew up within the confines of the Hand of Horen, Alexander was given the chance to see the reborn world with his mother and sisters; frequent travels west through the Petran valleys and into Haense were oft taken, and where they were not the family took to its retreat on St. Andrik's Isle, hunting in its small royal preserve and playing with myriad pets. On one trip to Haense, his mother Queen Amelya gifted him a cloak embroidered with the scene of the Crowning of St. Godfrey, the first and greatest of the Holy Orenian Emperors. On another trek, he stumbled across the shards of a relic ''Triumph'', the sword of that same St. Godfrey that the conqueror of yore had wielded in the unification of his vast empire, or so legend has it.
  
 
'''Squireship'''
 
'''Squireship'''
  
On one such journey to the neighboring [[Commonwealth of the Petra]], he caught the eye of their queen, [[Catherine I, Queen of the Petra|Catherine I]] whilst swinging a wooden sword amongst the weeds. Taking a liking to him, she offered him a practice bout; and when, to the river court's surprise, he prevailed, she offered him squireship at her royal side. Thereafter far less of his childhood was spent with his family and their court of clergy and ministers, replaced instead by the lessons Catherine I would impart upon him whilst fishing and the poetry shared between the knights of the rapids.
+
On one such journey to the neighboring [[Commonwealth of the Petra]], he caught the eye of their queen, [[Catherine I, Queen of the Petra|Catherine I]] whilst swinging a wooden sword amongst the weeds. Taking a liking to him, she offered him a practice bout; and when, to the river court's surprise, he prevailed, she offered him squireship<sup>[https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/234927-a-queens-call/]</sup> at her royal side. Thereafter far less of his childhood was spent with his family and their court of clergy and ministers, replaced instead by the lessons Catherine I would impart upon him whilst fishing and the poetry shared between the knights of the rapids.
  
Yet to be a squire is to invite danger, and oft such was the case in the commonwealth, where brigands still roamed along the edges of what was once Veletz. So it was that, in the course of his squireship, he would fight dozens of brigands, and in turn grow embittered to battle like no tourney knight could know. Saving even the queen's daughter from a malefic beast in the north, he would build a certain reputation for skill at arms - yet this did not buy him the happiness he had been lulled to sleep with by his own mother, and so he for a time receded into the libraries and museums of the Temesch crownlands.
+
Yet to be a squire is to invite danger, and oft such was the case in the Commonwealth, where brigands still roamed along the edges of what was once Veletz. So it was that, in the course of his squireship, he would fight dozens of brigands, and in turn grow embittered to battle like no tourney knight could know. Saving even the queen's daughter from a malefic beast in the north, he would build a certain reputation for skill at arms - yet this did not buy him the happiness he had been lulled to sleep with by his own mother, and so he for a time receded into the libraries and museums of the Temesch Crownlands.
  
 
'''Later Youth'''
 
'''Later Youth'''
  
When he emerged, Alexander was well-spoken and well-read, reassured of his talent but oft loathe to its use; rather than demanding a duel of raiders when they captured the Petran queen, he instead offered his own princely circlet as ransom, and rather than begin a battle to save his sisters, he smuggled them out with careful planning.  
+
When he emerged, Alexander was well-spoken and well-read, reassured of his talent but oft loathe in its use; rather than demanding a duel of raiders when they captured the Petran queen, he instead offered his princely circlet as ransom; and rather than begin a battle to save his sister, before this, he smuggled Josephine out with careful planning.
  
 
This did not make him immune to the search of glory, however, for in 1970 he began to travel abroad more frequently; present for the comet that shattered Valdev, the act of scavenging its shards sparked his inner flame once more; and so he began to integrate himself within the foreign court. Besting half its army in an impromptu tourney beside Belisar Ruthern won him the funds, with his mother's assistance, for a manor to be shared with his sister Calliope (whom had been warding in the Haeseni palace) in New Valdev. It was whilst settling there he met Stefaniya Edvarda, a patrilineal niece of the king; they bonded over their shared whims and fancies, in adventures and the pages of old stories alike.  
 
This did not make him immune to the search of glory, however, for in 1970 he began to travel abroad more frequently; present for the comet that shattered Valdev, the act of scavenging its shards sparked his inner flame once more; and so he began to integrate himself within the foreign court. Besting half its army in an impromptu tourney beside Belisar Ruthern won him the funds, with his mother's assistance, for a manor to be shared with his sister Calliope (whom had been warding in the Haeseni palace) in New Valdev. It was whilst settling there he met Stefaniya Edvarda, a patrilineal niece of the king; they bonded over their shared whims and fancies, in adventures and the pages of old stories alike.  
  
As the two bonded, he found fondness for her. In that year he fashioned from his starlight shard a pair of matching circlets for her and her royal aunt, and a blade of soft light for her royal uncle. In such ways a Heartlander may have had the right to court, but in the Haeseni realms more was demanded. Afore the high nobility of Hanseti-Ruska, Alexander faced off against - and bested - [[Ivan VIII of Haense]] in a duel, a ritualistic test of mettle to determine his worth as a man. His devotion to her family was soon tested, for the King's justice on the assassin of the past queen, called too light by some, had drawn the ire of the nobility. The foreign prince's blued blade quieted the voices at his behest, and soon after he was called to the palace, whereupon they met for a firm hand shake, and the king offered his blessing with the fullness of his heart.
+
As the two bonded, he found fondness for her. In that year he fashioned from his starlight shard a pair of matching circlets for her and her royal aunt, and a blade of soft light for her royal uncle. In such ways, a Heartlander may have had the right to court, but in the Haeseni realms more was demanded. Afore the high nobility of Hanseti-Ruska, Alexander faced off against - and bested - [[Ivan VIII of Haense]] in a duel, a ritualistic test of mettle to determine his worth as a man. His devotion to her family was soon tested, for the King's justice on the assassin of the past queen, called too light by some, had drawn the ire of the nobility. The foreign prince's blade quieted the voices at his behest, and soon after he was called to the palace, whereupon they met for a firm handshake, and the king offered his blessing with the fullness of his heart.
  
 
=== Adulthood ===
 
=== Adulthood ===
  
 +
[[File:evanskin1.png|thumb|right|200px|The Prince of Alstion donning his regalia.]]
 +
 +
In all the tournaments that Alexander participated in, he wielded his blade, Abyssal Light—his signature weapon, which he claimed from the clutches of the underdepths. This sword, wrought of Argentum, a silver-sheened metal resembling a blend of Lunarite and Aurum, was forged in the deepest recesses of the earth, likely amidst the wars waged against the perilous Mori’quessir warlords in the Underdark. Known for his grace in combat, the radiance of the luminous blade lent the young man a stable sense of self. He went on to use this artifact of bygone times to carve a legacy as one of the Heartland’s greatest duelists, all in pursuit of bringing prestige to his venerable house.
  
 +
However, Alexander found that his time fighting in tournaments was wasted. It was rarely a contest, and even more rarely did anyone truly put their best foot forward against a prince. It was not true combat nor the pursuit of anything worthwhile that he craved. And so the prince was brought before the Templar of Malchaediel Sulcelia, and she initiated him as her student before all the Wood Elves of the Vale of Nevaeh'len. Anointed now with his life's mission, Alexander would pursue foes of a higher caliber to fight in order to satisfy his yearning for a challenge and his longing to be a part of a greater good. At this point, he had grown less concerned with the mundane affairs of humanity, still he kept his house and his family close to heart. It was around this time that he began to officially court Her Highness, Stefaniya Edvarda.
  
 
=== Marriage ===
 
=== Marriage ===
 +
 +
On the 13th of the Grand Harvest, Year 182 S.A., Prince Alexander Caius was formally invited to the Lesanov Palace in Haense for a Lok dinner by the King of Haense, Ivan VIII, and his wife, Queen Nataliya of Ghaestenwald. A custom that was intended to convey the Haeseni monarchy's officiation of Prince Alexander's betrothal to their niece Stefaniya Edvarda Barbanov, the engagement dinner was characterized by the King of Haense's adamant approval of Prince Alexander Caius as Stefaniya's suitor. Oftentimes, the engagement dinner is a source of contention for many couples in Haense who endeavor to be wed, because harsh and penalizing negotiations must be actuated on the matters of dowry, familial agreements and ties, and dangers to prospective future lines of succession. However, no such strife characterized this civil rite. With uncommon peacefulness, the dinner carried on without much stress. Both families conversed unimpeded, with many figures such as Alexander's father, King John of Aaun, his brother Charles Alstion, and his wife, Hedwig of Warsovia, being in attendance as part of the ruling caste of Alstion in the Crownlands. Stefaniya doted over prospective wedding plans while Alexander struggled to make sense of the eating custom. However, he undertook the rote task of finishing the Lok meat despite his less-than-hidden discomfort with the taste. Talks of recent events consumed both families while Prince Alexander openly proclaimed his love for his bride-to-be as the family of Barbanov-Bihar welcomed him with seemingly open arms, including Stefaniya's father, for whom Alexander had brought a thoughtful gift.
 +
 +
Cardinal Villorik of the Church of the Canon was also in attendance and offered the young prince his blessing. Despite the dark tidings of a rumored Southern war between House Ruthern and its relatives in Balian, the heart and cheer of this event went on undisturbed, as now Prince Alexander has found a new home in the farthest reaches of the North with his newly-betrothed. Before the nuptials could be completed, the sovereigns and the lone representative of the church discussed the matter of the growing bandit population in the Kingdom of Ravenmire with all those who had gathered. Alexander mentioned an ongoing initiative that was already underway, and he was given orders to scout and defend himself as needed. Thus, Alexander and Belisar var Ruthern mounted their horses and rode northeast<sup>[https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/237453-regards-to-the-raven/]</sup>.
 +
 +
Pending the completion of his engagement dinner, these enemies, who had taken refuge far from civilization, had been targeted by multiple crowned heads, both his parents and Stefaniya's, making their capture or elimination a priority of sorts. As they approached the town, they noted its quiet demeanor, despite the stout stone walls and lonely flapping banners.
 +
 +
Once inside Ravenmire, Alexander and Belisar quickly confirmed their targets' presence by spotting guards with Aurelian crosses on their mail. Belisar suggested visiting a tavern for information, leading them to discover that the town had become a haven for those defeated in the Covenant War. In the tavern, they encountered a Pertinaxi soldier who confirmed their suspicions but became confrontational when he felt insulted. Alexander, adhering to the customs of their homeland, challenged the soldier to a duel.
 +
 +
Alexander swiftly defeated the soldier, only for Belisar to kill him abruptly, sparking a confrontation with more Aurelian soldiers. Despite being outnumbered, Alexander and Belisar's combat prowess allowed them to emerge victorious, their armor stained with the blood of their enemies. This brutal clash served as a stark reminder of the perilous task they undertook to restore order and fulfill their sovereigns' commands. Their victory in Ravenmire was only the beginning of their mission, but it marked a significant step in ridding the region of its lawless elements.
 +
 +
In the aftermath of Alexander and Belisar’s decisive skirmish, the once-proud kingdom of Ravenmire found itself at a crossroads. The bloodshed and the undeniable power displayed by the Alstion prince and his companion reverberated through the town, leaving its leaders with no choice but to apparently reconsider their position. Recognizing the futility of resistance and the overwhelming mandate of the Church, they made a historic decision. With heavy hearts, they publicly renounced their titles<sup>[https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/237461-to-change-a-title/?do=getNewComment]</sup>, relinquishing their station and agency as kings. This act of submission was accompanied by a formal apology<sup>[https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/237473-on-the-repentance-of-the-son/]</sup>, issued to all the nations that had suffered from their defiance, including Alexander's own. They expressed deep remorse for the turmoil and conflict they had caused, pledging to abide by the Church’s wishes and seeking to restore peace and harmony. The renunciation marked the beginning of Ravenmire’s sovereignty anew, transforming it from a bastion of rebellion into a symbol of reconciliation and humility<sup>[https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/237472-on-the-sins-of-the-father/?tab=comments#comment-2044744]</sup>.
 +
 +
=== Family Matters & Northern Taverns ===
 +
 +
It was only later when Prince Alexander Caius would meet his betrothed’s mother Franziska Elaine Barbanov-Bihar on the 17th of the Amber Cold, Year 182 S.A., chancing upon her while he was with Stefaniya Edvarda outside the Royal Palace. The soon-to-be son-in-law was ecstatic to at last meet the love of his life’s mother. Although, they did yet know it—the two shared an uncanny sense of mischief and camaraderie. Alexander is said to have quickly established a bond with Franziska, and he quickly adopted a respect for her as though she were his mother. Unaware until now that her daughter had been erstwhile engaged, it was not initially a welcome surprise for the aging mother. After brief introductions and hearty embraces, Stefaniya’s father arrived and suggested they go for a drink. It was at this point, that Stefaniya’s mother, saw fit to test the Heartlander’s stomach.
 +
 +
The three would convene in the tavern, ''The Tipsy Tarchar'', shortly thereafter. A few drinks in, and many shared laughs eventually found Alexander favor with Franziska. They played a game of drinks, downing bottle after bottle. At some point, Stefaniya’s bountiful and risqué-in-nature love letters and poems were read aloud with clamorous laughter much to Stefaniya’s great dismay. It was at this point, that she too started to drink. Alexander got immensely drunk and puked on Emma Amador amidst his drunken stupor, the tavern was said to have descended into chaos as a result of him and his soon-to-be mother-in-law’s antics. Somehow, by the night’s end, the couple found themselves on a beach with a few of Stefaniya’s friends. Some Rutherns, and perhaps people of the river city. It was here, they found themselves in good company and went for a swim to sober up. Long afterward, once the furious bouts of partying and celebration had at last taken their toll, Alexander carried Stefaniya back into the city wrapped around him, and his cloak—soaked with ocean water wrapped around her.
  
 
== Titles, Styles and Honors ==
 
== Titles, Styles and Honors ==
 
* '''1959 - Present:''' ''His Apostolic and Royal Highness'', Alexander Caius, Prince of Aaun
 
* '''1959 - Present:''' ''His Apostolic and Royal Highness'', Alexander Caius, Prince of Aaun
 +
 +
=== Miscellaneous ===
 +
 +
[[File:evan art.png|thumb|left|500px|The Prince Alexander Caius and his relatives. In order of left to right are the following Alstion siblings: Charles, Josephine Florentia, John Valentinus, James Marcel, Alexander Caius, Calliope Analiese. ]]
  
 
== Issue ==
 
== Issue ==

Latest revision as of 16:24, 28 May 2024

circle info req sam.png This page contains information about a character that has been or is still played by a member of the LotC community. Please keep this in mind as you proceed reading.
Alexander Caius Alstion
alexandercaius.PNG
Alexander and his Sonlacher spaniel, c. 1970
Prince of Aaun
Race: Heartlander
Birth: 10 Snow's Maiden, 1959, Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun
Death: Living
House: HouseOfAlstion.png Alstion
Father: John I, King of Aaun
Mother: Amelya of Middelan

Alexander Caius (10 Snow's Maiden, 1959 - Present), the fifth son and sixth child born to the union of John I, King of Aaun and his wife Amelya of Middelan, was a prince of the Apostolic Kingdom of Aaun leading up to and after its incorporation into the Heartlander Confederation.

Biography

Childhood

The dead of the Aaunish winter heralded the royal births of Alexander Caius and his sister, Calliope Analiese. Unlikely from birth to be pressed into the rulership of the realm, instead he was allowed to roam as he wished by his aging father, and though his mother oft attempted to press him into the tutelage of aged scholars, he took far better to her stories of knights and exotic adventures. Yet home was a boring place, where he was entrapped in an endless loop of prayer and study, and the recent end of the Aevos Coalition War had heralded the beginning of a realm-wide peace - so few chances of hoped-for glory seemed on the horizon.

The cape depicting the Crowning of Godfrey, gifted to Prince Alexander Caius by his mother Queen Amelya of Middelan.

That peace, however, gave ample time with his family - and as Aaun's finances prospered, so too did the once austere royal family's budgets balloon. Whereas his siblings grew up within the confines of the Hand of Horen, Alexander was given the chance to see the reborn world with his mother and sisters; frequent travels west through the Petran valleys and into Haense were oft taken, and where they were not the family took to its retreat on St. Andrik's Isle, hunting in its small royal preserve and playing with myriad pets. On one trip to Haense, his mother Queen Amelya gifted him a cloak embroidered with the scene of the Crowning of St. Godfrey, the first and greatest of the Holy Orenian Emperors. On another trek, he stumbled across the shards of a relic Triumph, the sword of that same St. Godfrey that the conqueror of yore had wielded in the unification of his vast empire, or so legend has it.

Squireship

On one such journey to the neighboring Commonwealth of the Petra, he caught the eye of their queen, Catherine I whilst swinging a wooden sword amongst the weeds. Taking a liking to him, she offered him a practice bout; and when, to the river court's surprise, he prevailed, she offered him squireship[1] at her royal side. Thereafter far less of his childhood was spent with his family and their court of clergy and ministers, replaced instead by the lessons Catherine I would impart upon him whilst fishing and the poetry shared between the knights of the rapids.

Yet to be a squire is to invite danger, and oft such was the case in the Commonwealth, where brigands still roamed along the edges of what was once Veletz. So it was that, in the course of his squireship, he would fight dozens of brigands, and in turn grow embittered to battle like no tourney knight could know. Saving even the queen's daughter from a malefic beast in the north, he would build a certain reputation for skill at arms - yet this did not buy him the happiness he had been lulled to sleep with by his own mother, and so he for a time receded into the libraries and museums of the Temesch Crownlands.

Later Youth

When he emerged, Alexander was well-spoken and well-read, reassured of his talent but oft loathe in its use; rather than demanding a duel of raiders when they captured the Petran queen, he instead offered his princely circlet as ransom; and rather than begin a battle to save his sister, before this, he smuggled Josephine out with careful planning.

This did not make him immune to the search of glory, however, for in 1970 he began to travel abroad more frequently; present for the comet that shattered Valdev, the act of scavenging its shards sparked his inner flame once more; and so he began to integrate himself within the foreign court. Besting half its army in an impromptu tourney beside Belisar Ruthern won him the funds, with his mother's assistance, for a manor to be shared with his sister Calliope (whom had been warding in the Haeseni palace) in New Valdev. It was whilst settling there he met Stefaniya Edvarda, a patrilineal niece of the king; they bonded over their shared whims and fancies, in adventures and the pages of old stories alike.

As the two bonded, he found fondness for her. In that year he fashioned from his starlight shard a pair of matching circlets for her and her royal aunt, and a blade of soft light for her royal uncle. In such ways, a Heartlander may have had the right to court, but in the Haeseni realms more was demanded. Afore the high nobility of Hanseti-Ruska, Alexander faced off against - and bested - Ivan VIII of Haense in a duel, a ritualistic test of mettle to determine his worth as a man. His devotion to her family was soon tested, for the King's justice on the assassin of the past queen, called too light by some, had drawn the ire of the nobility. The foreign prince's blade quieted the voices at his behest, and soon after he was called to the palace, whereupon they met for a firm handshake, and the king offered his blessing with the fullness of his heart.

Adulthood

The Prince of Alstion donning his regalia.

In all the tournaments that Alexander participated in, he wielded his blade, Abyssal Light—his signature weapon, which he claimed from the clutches of the underdepths. This sword, wrought of Argentum, a silver-sheened metal resembling a blend of Lunarite and Aurum, was forged in the deepest recesses of the earth, likely amidst the wars waged against the perilous Mori’quessir warlords in the Underdark. Known for his grace in combat, the radiance of the luminous blade lent the young man a stable sense of self. He went on to use this artifact of bygone times to carve a legacy as one of the Heartland’s greatest duelists, all in pursuit of bringing prestige to his venerable house.

However, Alexander found that his time fighting in tournaments was wasted. It was rarely a contest, and even more rarely did anyone truly put their best foot forward against a prince. It was not true combat nor the pursuit of anything worthwhile that he craved. And so the prince was brought before the Templar of Malchaediel Sulcelia, and she initiated him as her student before all the Wood Elves of the Vale of Nevaeh'len. Anointed now with his life's mission, Alexander would pursue foes of a higher caliber to fight in order to satisfy his yearning for a challenge and his longing to be a part of a greater good. At this point, he had grown less concerned with the mundane affairs of humanity, still he kept his house and his family close to heart. It was around this time that he began to officially court Her Highness, Stefaniya Edvarda.

Marriage

On the 13th of the Grand Harvest, Year 182 S.A., Prince Alexander Caius was formally invited to the Lesanov Palace in Haense for a Lok dinner by the King of Haense, Ivan VIII, and his wife, Queen Nataliya of Ghaestenwald. A custom that was intended to convey the Haeseni monarchy's officiation of Prince Alexander's betrothal to their niece Stefaniya Edvarda Barbanov, the engagement dinner was characterized by the King of Haense's adamant approval of Prince Alexander Caius as Stefaniya's suitor. Oftentimes, the engagement dinner is a source of contention for many couples in Haense who endeavor to be wed, because harsh and penalizing negotiations must be actuated on the matters of dowry, familial agreements and ties, and dangers to prospective future lines of succession. However, no such strife characterized this civil rite. With uncommon peacefulness, the dinner carried on without much stress. Both families conversed unimpeded, with many figures such as Alexander's father, King John of Aaun, his brother Charles Alstion, and his wife, Hedwig of Warsovia, being in attendance as part of the ruling caste of Alstion in the Crownlands. Stefaniya doted over prospective wedding plans while Alexander struggled to make sense of the eating custom. However, he undertook the rote task of finishing the Lok meat despite his less-than-hidden discomfort with the taste. Talks of recent events consumed both families while Prince Alexander openly proclaimed his love for his bride-to-be as the family of Barbanov-Bihar welcomed him with seemingly open arms, including Stefaniya's father, for whom Alexander had brought a thoughtful gift.

Cardinal Villorik of the Church of the Canon was also in attendance and offered the young prince his blessing. Despite the dark tidings of a rumored Southern war between House Ruthern and its relatives in Balian, the heart and cheer of this event went on undisturbed, as now Prince Alexander has found a new home in the farthest reaches of the North with his newly-betrothed. Before the nuptials could be completed, the sovereigns and the lone representative of the church discussed the matter of the growing bandit population in the Kingdom of Ravenmire with all those who had gathered. Alexander mentioned an ongoing initiative that was already underway, and he was given orders to scout and defend himself as needed. Thus, Alexander and Belisar var Ruthern mounted their horses and rode northeast[2].

Pending the completion of his engagement dinner, these enemies, who had taken refuge far from civilization, had been targeted by multiple crowned heads, both his parents and Stefaniya's, making their capture or elimination a priority of sorts. As they approached the town, they noted its quiet demeanor, despite the stout stone walls and lonely flapping banners.

Once inside Ravenmire, Alexander and Belisar quickly confirmed their targets' presence by spotting guards with Aurelian crosses on their mail. Belisar suggested visiting a tavern for information, leading them to discover that the town had become a haven for those defeated in the Covenant War. In the tavern, they encountered a Pertinaxi soldier who confirmed their suspicions but became confrontational when he felt insulted. Alexander, adhering to the customs of their homeland, challenged the soldier to a duel.

Alexander swiftly defeated the soldier, only for Belisar to kill him abruptly, sparking a confrontation with more Aurelian soldiers. Despite being outnumbered, Alexander and Belisar's combat prowess allowed them to emerge victorious, their armor stained with the blood of their enemies. This brutal clash served as a stark reminder of the perilous task they undertook to restore order and fulfill their sovereigns' commands. Their victory in Ravenmire was only the beginning of their mission, but it marked a significant step in ridding the region of its lawless elements.

In the aftermath of Alexander and Belisar’s decisive skirmish, the once-proud kingdom of Ravenmire found itself at a crossroads. The bloodshed and the undeniable power displayed by the Alstion prince and his companion reverberated through the town, leaving its leaders with no choice but to apparently reconsider their position. Recognizing the futility of resistance and the overwhelming mandate of the Church, they made a historic decision. With heavy hearts, they publicly renounced their titles[3], relinquishing their station and agency as kings. This act of submission was accompanied by a formal apology[4], issued to all the nations that had suffered from their defiance, including Alexander's own. They expressed deep remorse for the turmoil and conflict they had caused, pledging to abide by the Church’s wishes and seeking to restore peace and harmony. The renunciation marked the beginning of Ravenmire’s sovereignty anew, transforming it from a bastion of rebellion into a symbol of reconciliation and humility[5].

Family Matters & Northern Taverns

It was only later when Prince Alexander Caius would meet his betrothed’s mother Franziska Elaine Barbanov-Bihar on the 17th of the Amber Cold, Year 182 S.A., chancing upon her while he was with Stefaniya Edvarda outside the Royal Palace. The soon-to-be son-in-law was ecstatic to at last meet the love of his life’s mother. Although, they did yet know it—the two shared an uncanny sense of mischief and camaraderie. Alexander is said to have quickly established a bond with Franziska, and he quickly adopted a respect for her as though she were his mother. Unaware until now that her daughter had been erstwhile engaged, it was not initially a welcome surprise for the aging mother. After brief introductions and hearty embraces, Stefaniya’s father arrived and suggested they go for a drink. It was at this point, that Stefaniya’s mother, saw fit to test the Heartlander’s stomach.

The three would convene in the tavern, The Tipsy Tarchar, shortly thereafter. A few drinks in, and many shared laughs eventually found Alexander favor with Franziska. They played a game of drinks, downing bottle after bottle. At some point, Stefaniya’s bountiful and risqué-in-nature love letters and poems were read aloud with clamorous laughter much to Stefaniya’s great dismay. It was at this point, that she too started to drink. Alexander got immensely drunk and puked on Emma Amador amidst his drunken stupor, the tavern was said to have descended into chaos as a result of him and his soon-to-be mother-in-law’s antics. Somehow, by the night’s end, the couple found themselves on a beach with a few of Stefaniya’s friends. Some Rutherns, and perhaps people of the river city. It was here, they found themselves in good company and went for a swim to sober up. Long afterward, once the furious bouts of partying and celebration had at last taken their toll, Alexander carried Stefaniya back into the city wrapped around him, and his cloak—soaked with ocean water wrapped around her.

Titles, Styles and Honors

  • 1959 - Present: His Apostolic and Royal Highness, Alexander Caius, Prince of Aaun

Miscellaneous

The Prince Alexander Caius and his relatives. In order of left to right are the following Alstion siblings: Charles, Josephine Florentia, John Valentinus, James Marcel, Alexander Caius, Calliope Analiese.

Issue

Name Birth Death Marriage Notes

Ancestry