George Steighart

"Portrait of Burgrave Steighart" Hans Retrasen CE 952

**George Steighart**, otherwise known as **Sir George Steighart** or **George of Strates** is a legalist, statesman, social philosopher, author, and former Burgrave of Schwartzet. He was also a councilor to both Hildern I and the Margrave of Alderburg. He wrote *Utopia*, published in CE 946, about the political system of an imaginary, ideal nation of elves of the same name.

Though indeed a humanist and political thinker, Steighart's frequent visits to Cisteria gave him a romantic view of the elves and the culture of Prace. He argued heavily against the political conflicts and military engagements between the Houses of Merovia and Darcedon, his counsel influencing both Bonafice V and Hildern I to better centralize their power and provide more adequate protections for local lords. He also proposed egalitarian reforms to allow equal rights to all citizens, as well as judge all individuals equally in the eyes of the law. These propositions were attractive to smaller houses and subsequently strengthened Merovia's control over Neuphany.

A Hohenzian army, allied with the House of Darcedon, laid siege to Schwartzet in June CE 984. By the orders of Roland III, Steighart's instrumental role in Neuphany's political affairs prior to the Battle of Agabad, as well as its rapid economic recovery, made him a valuable asset to Laconia. However, during the siege, Schwartzet went missing; as a result, the town was razed. Steighart has not been heard from since, and is presumed dead.

Steighart's influence on philosophy is dramatic and embodies the neo-Hellastian ideals of Modern Age thinkers. Prior to his own disappearance, Roland III pronounced, "Had we been master of such a servant, we would rather have lost the best city of our dominions than such a worthy councilor."

## Early life

George Steighart was born in Strates in Alderburg, Cantabria. A cousin to the heir of the House of Nasz, he was able to attend Wagstaff-and-Buford in Illyria in place of his cousin, where he studied the classics and especially Elvish tradition. He learned Dwarvish and Elvish, and assisted with research of the Otherworld, though his interests lied primarily in government.

## Academic career and tutelage

Steighart took a sabbatical in CE 940 and spent the next two years writing *Utopia* in the town of Schwartzet. His purpose in writing the fictionalized account was to illustrate that what would be imagined to be an ideal society - where people are happy, no one is impoverished, and there is no conflict or death - resembles the precise opposite of what modern politics entails: deception, militarized action, murder, corruption, sacrilege, and ultimately profligation.

His work earned acclaim from his university and was read by Bonafice V, the Corophant of Arborea. Steighart was invited to act as both an adviser for Bonafice V and to tutor Hildern I, who was to become the Corophant in the following decade. Here, he spent time traveling with the Merovian dynasty and helping to invigorate the alliances they were forming across Neuphany to subvert the rule of Darcedon.

## Burgrave of Schwartzet

After the Battle of Agabad, the rule of the Corophant was dissolved, the two Merovian heirs were killed, and the last prince sold his rights to rule Arborea. Alfonse di Grassi, Exarch of Duessel, permitted Steighart to return to Alderburg if he disavowed the House of Merovia and did not publish any other academic writings. Steighart agreed and relocated to Schwartzet, where his reputation earned him a place in the Margrave's council as burgrave, or a fiscal adviser. Despite his promise, Steighart continued to write philosophy guised as children's stories, taking the pseudonym "Brother Bear" and creating fairy tales that were in fact scathing critiques of the Exarch, of Darcedon, and of monarchy in general.

His work continued for decades and he helped spur a rapid economic recovery in Cantabria and Corrivalia, with his conservative recommendations and empowering of local guilds resulting in greater wealth for the region.

On 20 May CE 984, after the new Exarch of Duessel challenged the House of Darcedon's claim to rule, Prince Roland III ordered a small force of mercenaries, raised by the House of Hohenz, to cross over into Cantabria and excise Steighart. The prince long held that Steighart's usefulness was being wasted in Cantabria, though taking him by force or otherwise ordering him to Laconia would be in violation of the Exarch's rights and wasn't worth going to war over. However, with this new conflict, Steighart was one of the chief targets in the early months.

The Hohenzian army set up camp only a mile outside of the town of Schwartzet, and ordered he be turned over to Hohenz on behalf of Darcedon. The Margrave at first refused, but realizing how ill-equipped he was for such a sizable force, ordered Steighart to be brought to him and surrendered. However, the burgrave was nowhere to be found, not in his home or elsewhere. When this was relayed to the Hohenzian army, they quickly razed the town and found no trace of Steighart. He has been missing since.

## Philosophy

George Steighart was fascinated with elvish works and greatly studied the histories of Prace. However, he cites not an elven author as his inspiration, but Visello; describing him as a "man caught in a gale of circumstance" referring to the Cabal that had seized Dinamid rule at the time.

His most frequent points include arguing against the rule of the High Pontiff, which became null after his death; equal rights for all people under the law; fair trial and equal consideration for people of any position of power; and for a "hands-off" marketplace.