King Ethain

Ethain, son of Mathen, is the current king of Cidaris.

## History

### Kraken affair

One summer, a huge number of ships sailing into the city of Cidaris began to sink because of kraken attacks. Soon after the kraken's first appearance, an odd boat with an equally strange girl named Sha was found ashore. King Mathen, Ethain's father, believed she must have been sent by the kraken and that the attacks would cease if Prince Ethain married her. To entertain guests at pre-wedding feasts, Mathen invited three famed poets: Dandelion, Valdo Marx, and Ellen Daven.

Later, during the wedding reception, a servant rushed into the throne room and informed that the kraken had attacked again, this time destroying an entire fleet. Enraged, Mathen accused Sha of lying and ordered her thrown into a palace dungeon. When Ellen and Dandelion defended her, he ordered them jailed as well. Feeling deceived, Mathen then sentenced Sha to be fed to the kraken the next morning.

Numerous people gathered on the shore as soon as the sun appeared on the horizon. A couple of men started to push a boat with tied Sha out to the sea but were stopped by Prince Ethain in full armor. Even though he didn't love her, he felt obliged to protect her from horrific death. King Mathen ordered him to go back to the palace immediately and during their dialogue the kraken appeared again causing tremor. Ethain went straight to the abandoned boat and started untying his wife. Mathen ordered guards to stop him and about a half of them rushed to do so while the other half sided with the Prince. The King encircled them and stabbed one of Ethain's defenders, Cavox, in the back. The guard managed to turn and stroke him.

Meanwhile Ethain freed Sha and she hugged him crying. She touched his cheek, gazed upon his eyes and jumped straight into the ocean, causing kraken and waves to disappear.

Mathen didn't survive the injuries and died in his son's arms. Few days later, Ethain was crowned.

### First years on the throne

Ethain eventually renovated the damages of the city and the fleet and trade flourished again. Unlike his father, Ethain became a sworn patron and connoisseur of art, especially poetry.

Around the 1250s the King managed to overcome the crisis with a warlord who had risen against him, with the help of King Foltest of Temeria. Later, at the late 1250s or early 1260s, he became a suzerain of Duke Agloval of Bremervoord, expanding the realm.

He sent his mage, Dorregaray of Vole as his representative and spy to attend the Thanedd meeting in 1267. Afterwards, Dorregaray became the recotr of the Ban Ard Academy, leaving the court mage position of Cidaris open.

Until 1272, he successfully evaded an invasion from Nilfgaard. However, with the Northern Front at a standstill, Nilfgaard has turned its attention to the wealthy ports of Cidaris.

## Personality

King Ethain is perceived as a wise politician, just ruler and a good strategist, though some compare him to a pirate.

Ethain has been interested in poetry since his youth. He used to express states of his mind via self-made metaphors. As a king, he warmly welcomed art and artists at his court, which became known as a centre of culture. He was a man of honour, rushing to help the people even when he did not love them.