Gordon Blackthorne (son of Arthur III)

For Queen Talia I's son Gordon Blackthorne, see King Gordon IGordon Blackthorne was the firstborn son of Arthur and Alyssa Blackthorne. As the eldest of his siblings he held the position of Heir to House Blackthorne until his death in 1007AE. Gordon was all Arthur could ask for in an heir--erudite, strong and effortlessly charismatic. He was as talented a scholar as he was a fighter. Gordon was also an idealist, who believed he could broker peace with even the bitterest of rivals. It was his idea to serve as a squire to Oswald Knox, hoping he could help close the breach that had existed between the families for centuries. Despite Arthur's reservations, he had faith in his son's abilities. It didn't work out the way Gordon hoped--Preston Knox, his new master's thirdborn son, strongly resented having this foreign figure within his walls, and though the Blackthorne heir was unfailingly charismatic and pleasant his rivalry with Preston soon took a dark turn. One day, the two squires went out on a hunt for some deer, and Gordon returned as a corpse. The Heir to the Thunderlands supposedly fell from his horse and was trampled under its hooves, though it was found afterwards that the injuries he sustained to his head were far too great to have been caused by such an accident, and it is strongly theorized that Preston murdered him. This caused a long conflict between House Blackthorne and House Knox that would eventually lead to the Knox-Blackthorne War. Gordon was greatly mourned by all the realm following his death, and an marble statue crafted in his likeness stands inside the gates of Blackthorne manor in memorial to what might have been. His memory is treasured by those who knew him; he is the only one of the children Arthur ever truly showed affection to, and his siblings see him as an infallible role model. In life he was patient, conciliatory, and intelligent, always willing to forgive his enemies and offer them a helping hand. He was affectionate with his siblings, having a particularly close bond with his youngest sister Talia. Coupled with his strength at arms, tutored by Valar Druun, Gordon would have made a fine lord, but sadly this was not to be.
Category:IronParagon's Characters