King Araya

### ***The Tale of King Araya the Great***

The Mighty Fenrir, having purged the dragon wyrms, began the War of the Faithful.

Over two thousand years passed. Many of the ancient cities fell to corruption and decay. The gods were slowly forgotten since the gods had taken their power with them when they slept.

King Tom Araya was born into the royalty of the City of Aqualon at a time when magic was whispered about. Only the shamans were known to use magic. An ancient belief that was very rare and often discounted. Araya's father Philip, took the throne of Aqualon when his brother, Alexander II, died in a fishing accident.

Magic was a secret art. A secret the Prince of Aqualon began to learn under the tutelage of his friend, the shaman Kerry King. Perhaps it was the young Araya's destiny, perhaps it was his curse, King Philip of Aqualon died unexpectedly from a sudden plague. Leaving the 15 year old as King of Aqualon. The new king was surrounded by chaotic clans constantly at war with each other.

His first act was to create the famed Walls of Aqualon. His second act was to bring order from chaos and he put the warring clans under the hooves of the Aqualon cavalry. His third act was to create the famed First Great Library of Aqualon. And his last great reform was increasing rewards of land and contracts to the equestrian class knight lords.

Young King Araya was obsessed with knowledge. He studied the Great Library as if possessed with a fever. He searched until finally he found unpopular details of the Legend of Fenrir. A fabled resting place of The Mighty One. He swore-in 7 Lords to rule and care for the land while he left in search of Fenrir.

He gathered a few ships and left the harbor headed for destiny. It is said that on a tiny island on the edge of the known world, King Araya found the last mortal resting place of Fenrir. There, it is believed, he convened with the High Defender of the Gods and learned the secrets to magic he had been looking for. Araya then returned to his homeland with this sacred knowledge and a new black crystal dagger named Red Bane.

Upon his return, King Araya was greeted with a two month celebration known as the First Triumph. It served to increase the King's place in the heart of Aqualon's people. Now and forever, His People. He searched through the populace, not just the aristocracy, to find seven new lords. Lords with latent magical ability and potential.

Good King Araya used his new won magical knowledge and Magelords with his Advanced Heavy Cavalry to unite the continent under his banner. He initially spread north to Asguard, then west across the plains to the thick western forests of Vandal. The few warlords and chieftains who opposed him were driven away by the enlightenment of philosophy, art and engineering knowledge of the Araya Reign. The King returned home to Aqualon after conquering the western half of Vandal. The people held a Triumph celebration when he returned.

His rule was highlighted by his pursuit for the ancient cities that prospered before the War of the Faithful. Araya's quest for knowledge was like a fire. After taking the west of Vandal, Araya pushed into the continent dividing mountain ranges, The Broken Heaven range and Brig's Pillar range. It was just east of Broken Heaven that King Araya met the barbarian tribes of the lizardmen. He began a genocide, cutting a path to the eastern coast.

Araya reached the coast and held a ceremony and dipped his sword into the ocean water. The King turned from the coast and began his long journey home when he uncovered the ancient dragon Tyrannus, the sole survivor of the Purge of Fenrir and had survived the War of the Faithful. There at the Black Tower in the massive swamps of the X'oatl Everglades, the two legends met. Great King Araya and his companion, Kerry King, The evil Wyrm, jealous of man, battled King Araya and the Arch-mage Kerry King until at last Tyrannus was defeated in the bogs surrounding the Black Tower.

Araya succumb to his wounds, his mortal remains returned to his beloved Aqualon. His closest friend, the Arch-mage Kerry King entombed himself with Good King Araya to join him in eternity. Somewhere in the bowels of the ancient aqueducts of Aqualon, lies the greatest King of Aqualon.

### ***The Tale of the Seven MageLords, a Tale of Forever***

As once heard retold in the city of Northgard by the troubadour Snorri Sturlefson.

Mortally drained of his might, King Araya laid his body down one last time. His long-time companion Kerry King by his side.

"I shall leave my empire to you old friend, you are the wisest of all the land."

"No my king, I watch over you forever as I promised so long ago."

King Araya left the mortal world and took his rightful place among the legends of Terra before he could announce his successor.

The seven provincial lords, left with no king and no heir to the throne, divided the empire among themselves. They agreed to continue ruling as they had when Araya was enthroned, until their deaths.

The lords grew in magical power with time. Their every whim was catered to. The power of magic and the residual awe of King Araya's name kept them safe to continue their studies. As the years passed, they forgot their oath to Araya and to the people.

One fated night, on the Eve of the Harvest Moon, the lords gathered for their annual meeting to discuss the affairs of the empire. By now the meeting was about them and not the people. Now they gathered to demonstrate the power and opulence they each wielded. On this night, one of the lords had a power none other had. He had accomplished immortality.

The first immortal lord, Lord Therion, now wore the Mark of the Dragon Cult. He explained how he found the shade of an ancient dragon. The dragon told the lord he would grant the secret of immortality if they but served the dragon's Will. On that night, in the light of a red moon, they summoned the shade of the dragon and swore allegiance to It.

As the gods slept and the good people of the field celebrated the harvest, the MageLords were given undead power to sustain them, forever.