Achara Sylva

== Suwan/Early Valrean (19-24) ==
[Disclaimer, Majority of Wars Mentioned In This Article Are Lore Based And Not Statistically Accurate]
=== Early life ===
Achara was born in south-western Eldham. He grew up on the road, mainly associating with merchants and wanderers as he made his way from town to town to trade. Most of his trade came through raw building materials such as stone and granite to the Rattican. One day while travelling down the road he met a man of similar age and they walked together and spoke of their pasts. Achara, not having much of a history mostly just Listened. He told him of his Grandfather who had fought in the Ottokar Wars, it was here that Achara received his first name, that of this man's grandfather. He shared with the traveler his last name, he unsheathed his blade and just above the hilt was the name Suwan. They would go their separate ways after that, Achara made his way to an abandoned village that the Traveler had mentioned. Upon reaching the village Achara began to clean up the debris, and rebuilding a single simple home. Over time his new town would bring in more people, a small community but a functioning one. Now his community, the town of Trireme, began a small successful mining company. 
One day after a long routine of mining and shipping materials, he took a break and walked outside the walls and away from the other residents of the town. Such daily work was back breaking and barely made ends meet for his people. He leaned against the cobble and closed his eyes, breathing in the moment of calmness and serenity. It was in this moment he realized he was not alone out here, looking to his right he saw another man leaning on the wall next to him, radiating with an aura of authority. The man introduced himself a Asteri M Aulian, the crown prince of Valreach.
Asteri would explain that this was Valrean land and his people were violating their borders, Achara, obviously a little shaken at this would use his fair amount of mercantile and diplomatic experience to properly negotiate a peaceful annexation of his territory. The deal resulted in Trireme's integration into the Vionir Region's authority as an independent town. Achara was given free reign of his province and given an official title as a Governor. 
== Sylva/Becoming a Noble [25-32] ==
=== Adoption and military career ===
"You Now Carry The Light Of The All-Father Wherever You May Go, Faithful to Solarien And His Cohort." -Asteri Aulian.Achara Suwan would submit himself to baptism under Asteri M Aulian in an official conversion ceremony of the religion of Soledom, solidifying him as a member of Valreach. In addition he would join the Solen Legion, a Holy Order dedicated to protecting the home lands of native Valreach. This was mainly as a way to enter militant service, as the Imperial army had been long disbanded. However, over time Achara became a devote believer in Soledom and served the Legion with pride and honor. To further his connection within the Empire, Achara would be adopted by Aydomir Sylva, the reigning Noble of Vionir and taking on his last name as a member of the Sylva Nobility. From here on out Achara Sylva would become a trusted and valued member of the community, gaining the title of minister and becoming a Legion Solarch, a commander within the Solen Legion as well as a priest, certified to baptize and induct new members into the faith. 
Before becoming a Solarch, Achara was a relatively inexperienced and unremarkable fighter, ranking very low in combat ability and constantly overpowered by his piers. During this time Asteri and Yorg Garvus Aulian-Sæncån II would train him in single combat, exponentially increasing his capabilities as a duelist. However, many in the legion were still far too powerful for him to match one-on-one, thus his ability to calculate battle maneuvers and quickly adapt to an opponents fighting style made him qualified to become a Solarch, in which he taught the art of team combat, which would be far more common in actual battle.
=== Uraki Senator ===
"If I Die For The Empire, It Will Be The Greatest Honor" -Achara Sylva.It would not be long after joining Valreach that Achara found it to have been subjugated by the Second Uraki Imperium, which had formed with little notice sent his way. Achara was of course disdainful of his Country's loss of autonomy but would not oppose the decision of the Emperor, Yorg M. Aulian or Asteri. Achara would apply for Senator status in order to raise Valreach's voice within the collective Imperium, once doing so he realized the sheer scale of what had transpired, this was not some regional joke or pipe dream. This was the Second Imperium. He applied for the Imperial Army and quickly rose to officer status due to his experience in the Solen Legion and connections to high ranking officials. 
After joining the Senate Achara would have access to a lot of undisclosed information, including rising tensions with other massive political entities. Many in the world held terrible memories of the First Uraki Imperium and were determined to make sure such an undisputed super power would never rise again. A small collection of states known as CoG went on a propaganda campaign to paint the Imperium as aggressors and accused them of laying claims on their sovereign soil.
In response, the Alliance of CATO had justification to mobilize for a "defensive war." all members of the Uraki Governance considered this a farce and attempted to root out the officials that issued these threats. This campaign caused many influential members of the Imperium to leave in protest or being used as scapegoats. Achara was reasonably distraught by all of this, the Imperium was in danger of collapsing in on itself and external pressures practically pitted the entire world of Eldham against them. However, he was not concerned with the safety of the Second Uraki Imperium, just the safety of the Valrean Empire. This of course meant fighting for the Imperium, whoever he had to fight for or whoever he had to betray he would do so to protect his home. War was coming and he would stand against the coming storm, he would not let the gale knock him down, he would not let Valreach fall. Whatever it took. Whatever it cost.
=== Dodging a Bullet ===
"In Ehre Anz Ruhmeh, Uchaile Valriege!" -Asteri Aulian.It came gradually but it was still a surprise. Achara walked into the Valrean High Governance Chambers expecting more pushes for rapid militarization to counter the threat of CATO but the whole room was silent, waiting. He sat uneasily as the Emperor's hand, Asteri Aulian, made his way to the pedestal in the center of the room. he opened a large scroll and began to read to them the Treaty of Segrespent. All in audience, save for the highest ranking officials of the Empire, were in shock.
Simulami and all its Vassals had declared their autonomy from the Second Uraki Imperium. In addition to this the Valrean government suddenly had need for trusted officials to assist the regency, the highest officials aside from the Imperator. Along side Achara figures such as Nile Arietis, Yorg Garvus Aulian, Qetter Aulian, and others became members of higher status and responsibility. Achara personally had been made one of two assistants for Hiems Arietis, head of the Solen Legion. It was a lot to take in but Achara joined the others as Asteri raised his fist and cried, "In Ehre Anz Ruhmeh, Uchaile Valriege!" The echoes of Uchaile and Anvaar could be heard across the capital of Valrum as the people, sensing the cloud lifting joined the roar of national ferver.
== Achara's Wars and Writings [33-38] ==
=== Civil Tension ===
"It Seems You Haven't Properly Trained Your Pet, Aydomir." -Wilhelm Arietis.Not long after the meeting Achara had been invited to a dinner with the Emperor's Hand and several other important officials. Achara put on his legion uniform and made his way to the table, expecting to only see Hiems seated beside Asteri, however he saw another man, one whom he had never seen before sitting on the right of him. Achara sat next to Nile and began to converse with the others at the table about the happenings of the kingdom and petty politics. He felt someone watching him and turned to see the mysterious man, without any attempt of hiding it, staring directly at him.. analyzing him. Achara was not sure what to make of this, nor did he even know why he was here. He had been part of the Valrean government for nearly twelve years now, surely he would have known who this was if he was an official. Catching the pair's gaze Asteri laughed and introduced him as Wihelm Arietis-Sanguine, head of the House of Arietis and Imperial Affairs. Wilhelm had been very busy and had not been around the capital for a long time because of this. Achara sipped his wine uncomfortably, this was the man in charge of Arietis-Sanguine, the overlord house to his own, Sylva. Achara had no real important title as a noble but handled many of the affairs for Sylva. making him someone a man like Wilhelm would be keeping a very close eye on. Achara sighed and asked Nile Arietis to pass him another drink, this would be a long night.
=== First Sylvain Uprising ===
"And He Left You With Nothing But The Sole Of My Boot. Pathetic." -Wilhelm Arietis.It was not long after the death of the Emperor Yorg M Aulian that House Sylva found itself entangled in a noble conflict with its northern neighbor, House Arietis. Noble Wars were not illegal, in fact, they were encouraged as a way to test local military readiness and fuel the ambitions of more minor nobles. Lord Aydomir's health was declining rapidly and he decided to use what time he had left to break House Sylva off the yoke of House Arietis. Calling upon Achara to lead the armies, or rather, the small gathering of peasants holding spears. The Vionir region never had a need for a strong military, due to its proximity to the capital and lack of important infrastructure, being mostly a center of raw material while their rival had many high ranking military officials and heavy industry. Hiems Arietis in particular was the largest threat that Achara had to deal with, despite the fact his father, Wilhelm Arietis, was the mastermind and second only to the emperor, formerly Asteri Aulian, now known as Tyros Aulian II. After visiting every town and city in Vionir, Achara had assembled nearly 14,000 poorly trained and equipped militia fighters, while Hiems and Nile had assembled 15,000 military trained men equipped in ironclad armor with the crest of Arietis seared into their pauldrons. Odds were already heavily against House Sylva as small border clashes gave way to the first major conflict of the war, the Battle of Aydomir's Heights, a slog nine hour long battle in the mud and rain that resulted in the Noble Lord Sylva and Achara's father, Aydomir's death at the hands of Hiems Arietis. Many more minor clashes continued between local commanders with Mugen and New Yoake falling to Arietis while Fuchs Sylva, Aydomir's brother, oficially accepted the adopted Achara as Noble Lord of Sylva. Under this new title and authority, Lord Achara raised another 3,000 soldiers from criminals and teenagers along with the survivors of Aydomir's Heights totaling to 10,000 militia, a juicy prize for Wilhelm who immediately took the bulk of his forces to assault Achara's camp. Using the irresistible bait of 35% of Sylva's military aged men, which would effectively end the war, Achara lured Wilhelm, Hiems, and 12,000 of their best soldiers onto the ice sheets on the river separating Trireme and New Yoake, using mobile siege machines to chuck rocks onto the ice and drown the cavalry and heavily armored soldiers in the frozen water. Hiems managed to drag Hiems out and quickly formed a small defensive line around the wounded Noble but it was far too late, after killing 27 Sylva militia men Hiems was finally overwhelmed by sheer numbers and collapsed. Both Nobles were taken into captivity, leaving Nile as the senior member of the house to continue the war, however, seeing that House Sylva now had 17,000 soldiers to bring to bear and House Arietis had lost the majority of its professional standing force and within a month surrendered to Lord Achara, granting his independence in exchange for the release of all prisoners of war on both sides. The conflict finally ended with 10,800 casualties on Sylva's side along with the sacking of 4 small settlements and 4,000 civilians taken as slaves as war reparations, and 10,672 casualties on Arietis' side, although a larger percentage of those numbers were deaths in comparison to Achara's forces due to the Battle on the Ice. This period solidified House Sylva's standing amongst the great noble lineages of Valreach and was the first true step to power for Achara. 
=== The Finite Imperium ===
"Grand Solarch Hiems Arietis Has Sided With The Usurper, He Wishes To Detain The Patriarch. As Of This Moment He Is Relieved Of Duty, Solarch Marshal Marcevys Hrafn Has Command. Rally The Legion And Prepare To Combat The Following Belligerents. House Moreau, House Rabonius, House Aquila... House Arietis." -Stijn Opladen.The Second Valrean Civil War was perhaps the most deadly conflict in Valrean History. A conflict of interest led to Tyros Aulian's Second-in-Command, Wilhelm Arietis, to betray and kill him, sparking a massive internal conflict over succession rights. Wilhelm immediately claimed the capital as his own as troops from Houses Rabonius and Moreau flooded the streets and attempted to force submission out of the other noble lords in attendance. The backbone of support for the Late Emperor's regent came from major houses such as Aquila and Moreau, along with Ciosetia after Joshua II bent the knee following Wilhelm's proclamation. Achara fled the scene and pushed for Friedrich Aulian, the Patriarch of the Solen Church to be instated as Holy Emperor. He promptly sent a notice to the Solen Legion to mobilize against Wilhelm's Alliance, along with support from House Sylva, Hrafn, Astilor, and Fydhar. In total the loyalist's under Solarch Marshal Marcevys Hrafn, Solarch Sylva, and Solarch Opladen rallied 234,000 soldiers, while the Imperial Resurgence under Regent Presume Wilhelm Arietis and Grand Solarch Hiems Arietis raised 350,000, which was scraping the barrel for both sides, recruiting about 70% of the conscription aged males to fight. The Loyalist forces had expected to have time to train and properly rally their men due to the choke point in the holy river known as Segrespent Fortress, however, due to the invention of smoothbore firearms and canon technology Wilhelm had punched right through the impressive defenses and marched directly for Alderhorst, where Friedrich was being held. The Three Solarchs split up to try and hit different points of the Resurgent Army, Opladen went to intercept Hiems while Achara went back to his own territory to prepare to slow him down, and Marcevys ordered the Knights of Edenheim under Karl Astilor to ride out and evacuate the Patriarch to Aeire. 
In order to reach Friedrich, the Resurgent Forces had to make a long and treacherous journey through the Vionir region, known for its dense foliage and only one major road that Achara himself had helped lay the stones for. Using the homefield advantage, Achara ambushed the 80,000 soldiers marching down the road, slowly picking them off until Hiems managed to draw Achara out into the open where the main Sylvain forces engaged the mostly ragtag militia that had been thrown together for that hasty march, the majority of the elite's being left behind to break the siege around Valrum. The resulting melee was chaotic and no proper lines were drawn, Achara and Hiems faced off against one another, however, despite Achara's towering height advantage Hiems had far more experience and was naturally superior in nearly every way, bringing him down and crippling his right arm and only by the arrival of Opladen, considered to be the best duelist in the empire. The Battle of Trireme cost tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides and sent the Loyalist forces into a general treat across the entire eastern front. 
With loses mounting rapidly, Friedrich Aulian willingly gave himself up and knelt before Wilhelm, signaling there would be no more resistance and bringing and end to the Second Valrean Civil War. The now Emperor Arietis-Sanguine began to intact a new policy of extreme militarism and revival of traditionalist values, supressing non-natives and reafirming the imperial grip on the nation. This would somewhat affect Achara's own domain for a time, cutting back on some of his territories to add to the imperial house before the Nobility laws were passed, encouraging new houses and allowing for nobles to fight for power once more. Achara would take this opportunity to seize new lands to the south and west.
== Astyla/Ruling a Kingdom [39-47] ==
=== The Last Noble Emperor ===
"Abandon The Notion Of Redemption, For The Stains Of My Rule Are Indelible" -Wilhelm Arietis.For a while Wilhelm's rule was jarring to the people, but they gradually came to accept it. After all, he was one of the most qualified to lead and he had begun industrializing the country and bringing attention back to more Valrean values, encouraging participation in the Solen Church. However, his rule was short lived. After Hiems declared marshal law, Wilhelm disappeared and left behind nothing but a single letter expressing his deep sorrow and regret. This led to a dispute of succession that resulted in the Lord of Astilor, a distant relative of the Aulians, to be placed on the throne. 
A few months prior, Karl had proclaimed himself King of the West, due to the fanatic support of his growing population of non-natives and radical youths. In a diplomatic move to secure power in the event of a Third Civil War or Wilhelm's abdication Karl and Achara had a ceremonial wedding to solidify the alliance between the largest noble house in the east with the kingdom of the west. During this period Achara was rarely referred to as Lord Sylva, rather being addressed as Prince Consort, which was frustrating for the now 41 year old Achara. By the time Karl asscended to the throne there had initially been promise to establish Valreach as a Diarchy, however that plan fell through and Achara was instead named Emperor Consort and King of the East. This wasn't exactly ideal for Achara, but he was both growing too old for another conflict and had completely lost function in his right arm. In the end he settled for what he had, and was for a time quite happy for the first time in nearly a decade. Despite their many disagreements he grew quite fond of Karl, and came to treat his In-Law siblings Avery and Aruthor as his own. The Astilor and Sylva lines became one after an official marriage in the presence of all of Valreach's major nobles creating the new Imperial House of Astyla. 
=== The Fall of a Nation ===
"If I Can't Help My Citizens, What Does This Crown Mean?" -Karl Astyla.
Despite the peaceful times brought along by Karl, the older nobles to include Achara were downright outraged by Karl's radical reforms to law and culture. The Valrean Identity was practically being erased and rewritten and the new generation implanted themselves in this new era with no complaint or question. Achara sent funds to Karl regardless, trusting in the process and praying that this was the right choice for the nation he had bled for. In the end, a devastating event shook the entirety of Eldham, forcing a mass migration away from the mainland. En route to Porthaven, the Imperial family was attacked by rebellious dissidents from House Areitis' underground Resurgence group that had kept in the shadows, leading to the panic of many and the death of hundreds of civilians in the chaos, Hiems among them, killing the Grand Vizier Bruno. Achara tried his hardest to defend his In-Laws while Karl leapt off the carriage in a attempt to save a child, succeeding but taking a sword to the back in the process. Achara went into a blind fury and with just the one arm managed to slay five attackers, managing to get Aruthor and Avery out of the city and back onto the road, bleeding out along the way. They would be picked up by an old friend of his by the name of Rein Cannae, who took them to a ship and successfully evacuated the last of the royal line to Abexilus, where the Empire had shattered into the Valrean Cabal, Kingdom of Artilon, Atheleon, and Thei Proto Order. The three of them would settle in Artilon for a while, where Aruthor and Avery both became monarch for a time before a native restoration assumed leadership.
=== Saying Goodbye ===
"Patience Child, It Won't Die, We Will Never Die." -Achara Astyla in the visions of Himmel AeternalisNone of the royals who escaped Eldham really spoke of him again, choosing to let him rest in the past. A single small house within modern day Eos Astral built by Rein seeking to live out his days in peace with the memory of Valreach contains a small gravestone on the side titled...
"HERE LIES HIGH LORD ACHARA ASTYLA."
Category:Traveler's Era
Category:Valreach
Category:Drakaes