William of Aanen

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William of Alstion
williamalstion.png
Lord Justiciar of Renatus
Born: 18th of Godfrey's Triumph 1700
Touron, Aeldin
House: Jrent-Alstion
Spouse: Nicoletta Varoche y di Montelliano-Kavietsby
Juliana de Alba
Father: Prince Charles of Alstion
Mother: Livia Vladov


William of Aanen (High Imperial: Villelmus, 18 Godfrey's Triumph 1700 – ), was the inaugural Lord Justiciar of the Empire of Renatus and Lord Privy Seal of its successor in the Ninth Holy Orenian Empire. Born in the city of Touron in Agathor, Aeldin, he was tutored from a young age by his father and his father's household in the various systems and workings of an Imperial Court.

During the course of the War of Two Emperors, he would become infamous for his duels in penmanship with the Orenian pretender Joseph I, for being a chief architect of the massive megastructure known as Fort Loches and Helena's defenses in the Siege of Helena, and for his precipitous rise within the Empire.

He was known to be a close companion and confidant to Adeline of Alstion, many attributing his otherwise implausibly fast advancements through the ranks of Renatus to it in some capacity.

Biography

Birth and Childhood

William was born William Jrent to Prince Charles of Alstion and the Lady Livia Vladov out of wedlock when the two nobles had a summer fling in the Agathorian city of Touron. He was at the age of three brought to be raised in his father's court in Pronce, where he would learn calligraphy, poetry, legalism, architecture, and strategy. William was known from youth to be not only capable, but nearly prodigious in various arts and sciences, though many would say his mind was twisted in return for his great gifts. Comparisons were frequently drawn to his father, who not only personally taught William throughout his childhood, but was said to have been his mentor and guide through letters even upon leaving Aeldin.

War of Two Emperors

Upon the outbreak of the war, he was sent at the age of 14 to the Renatian capital of Helena in order to aid the war effort in the name of his ailing father. Immediately enlisted into the Imperial Legion and soon squired to the Grand Marshal of Renatus, Ser Rozmeo Kastrovat, he boarded with his longtime friend and distant cousin, Robert d'Anpalais, in the outskirts of the city, and was appointed a Draughtsman of the nation in preparation for the Orenian invasion.

Initial Stages

Personal arms used to sign the Chain Letters exchanged with Joseph I.

His first action in Renatus was to plan with Robert the defenses for the most likely invasion route of the Orenian forces, through the central highway in Norland. On a grassy hill overlooking Helena, they drew up the plans and oversaw the construction of Fort Loches, the single largest structure in Arcas on the day of its completion. The fort was half-destroyed in a single night known as the Storm of Sighs, in which a massive thunderstorm collapsed the upper sections of the immense building, but was nearly rebuilt within a month.

As the construction was underway, he traded words in a duel of law and cultural understanding with the Orenian ruler, and was understood to have written the last retort between the two, Joseph I not responding a third time either through insufficient ability or time.

He participated as a Man-at-arms in the battles of Lower Rodenburg and Helena Fields, winning accolades for winning duels against fully grown adults.

Siege of Helena


While the only road capable of transporting such a large army as Oren's was then sufficiently defended, however, Orenian marshals rerouted an army twenty-thousand strong through a dense forest. William was then immediately recalled to plan the defensive work of the palace. There, he built the Gates of the Dragon, said to be impenetrable by an army of any size, and, combined with plans drawn up by the Renatian General Staff, oversaw the refurbishing of ships to serve as makeshift archery decks and the remodelling of the city's main thoroughfares. On his Gates, he wrote the poem The Dragon's Throne, whose first two lines would be cited constantly throughout the war;

Woe to ye who wakes the dragon,
Woe to ye who seeks its throne.

On the eve of battle, he was given command of the allied High Elven forces in an administrative error, and led the initial defenses of the Palace proper. What Renatus did not know, however, was that Oren had created trebuchets capable of launching projectiles five times that initially predicted, preemptively destroying the ground-level defensive framework. His regrouping of the High Elven forces was finished only just in time to meet the Orenian charge, turning into a massive brawl in which he claimed the first lives, and was dragged unconscious from the battlefield by an elf under his command.

The Gate of the Dragon Empress, his final defensive line, was breached after blocking four trebuchet hits, and acting as a chokepoint for many hours, before eventually the attackers were able to push the beleaguered Renatian forces into a last stand. For his part in the Renatian victory, he was awarded the title "Hero of Renatus".

Post-Siege

Also in the aftermath of the siege, he was soon integrated fully into Renatian leadership. Starting with editing for the new Emperor multiple minor documents, and then penning them himself, he was known for creating the Courts of the Dragon, which translated later into his appointment as Lord Justiciar of the realm. He was legitimized in the Court of 1720 and granted the titular title of Lord of Jrent.

Dissolution of Horen

Following the dissolution of House Horen as decreed by His Imperial Majesty, Godfrey II, in 1721 William was no longer regarded as a Horen. Like the rest of the Johannian line, he took on the family name of Alstion in its place.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

William has received multiple titles, decorations, and honorary appointments.

  • Owyn's Flame, 1716 - Godfrey's Triumph, 1717: William Jrent, Hero of Renatus
  • Godfrey's Triumph, 1717 - Current: His Imperial Excellency the Lord Justiciar, William Jrent, Hero of Renatus
  • Sun's Smile, 1720 - 1721: His Imperial Excellency the Lord Justiciar, Ser William of the House of Horen, Lord of Jrent, Hero of Renatus
  • Sun's Smile, 1721 - 1724: His Imperial Excellency the Lord Justiciar, Ser William of the House of Alstion, Lord of Jrent, Hero of Renatus
  • 1725–Present: His Imperial Excellency the Lord Privy Seal, William of the House of Alstion, Prince of Aanen, Duke of Frederica, Count of Alamar, Frederica, and Thelen, Hero of Renatus, Col. IRH, KOP, RK

Issue

Name Birth Death Marriage Notes
Lilia Marielle d'Aanen 1721 ~ Alexander Rothesay Secondborn daughter of William and Nicoletta, and twin sister to Natalia Sofie.
Natalia Sofie d'Aanen 1721 ~ Henrie Touronnaise Firstborn daughter of William and Nicoletta, and twin sister to Lily Marie
Michael William d'Aanen 1724 ~ Unwed Firstborn son of William and Nicoletta.
Joanna Adeline d'Aanen 1728 ~ Unwed Secondborn daughter of William and Juliana
John Philip d'Aanen 1731 ~ Unwed Firstborn daughter of William and Juliana
Maria Elizabeth d'Aanen 1737 ~ Unwed Firstborn son of William and Juliana.