Sir Davos

DaviDustin, currently within Drevhall

### Title(s)

Emperor of the Northern Sea, Chapter Master of the KOTWR, High Priest of ECOF, Ruler of Thoronor, The Punisher, The Last Knight Standing, The Crypt Keeper, High King of the Riverlands [Formerly]

### Profession(s)

Political Figure, Religious Figure, Knight

## Affiliation

### Guild(s)

Knights of the Withered Rose [Guild Leader]. The Order [Formerly]

### Deities and Religion

Sol [Kualii and the Holy Fire] and ECOF, Gamagin and True Believer

### Backstory

   Sir Davos, aka DaviDustin, was amongst the very first Rivish settlers back in the Historic Era, who discovered Drevhall. Upon the destruction of their world in the Prehistoric Era, the settlers, guided by David, were wandering through different planes of existence trying to find a place to settle in, until David discovered the world we now call Drevhall, and settled in the Riverlands along with his followers. And with their help, he was able to form the very first kingdom in the Riverlands, the kingdom of Thoronor.
Not much is known about Sir Davos before his time in Drevhall. Rumors have it that he used to be a researcher in the means of survivalism, voluntarily locking himself up in different dimensions with harsh conditions, to study and learn different methods of adaptability and survival. Perhaps this is why the first Rivish settlers decided to follow him in their journey from the first world onto the second, but no one truly knows the real reason.

   During his time in Drevhall, David focused mainly on his own kingdom, making great relations with the kingdom of Epheria and the settlers of Gantrick at the time. These were also the same individuals that formed the Fellowship of the Red Jay, which would help David protect Thoronor’s iron business from other, unofficial iron trafficking organizations.

Thanks to his superior survival skills, David spent a lot of time in different dimensions, such as the Nether and the End. With the latter being of great significance in particular, as he was able to survive in the End for a very extended period of time, collecting almost all the elytras from the End to obtain a monopoly over them and make Thoronor even richer than it already is. As that was his ultimate goal - becoming the richest person in the entire world.

This wasn’t the only instance in which his survivalism research helped him further his own agenda, as he was also the very first champion of the Maze of Doom. While he did not receive the riches that he was promised, he received access to the Maze’s secret collection chambers, helping him profit off of the unfortunate adventurers that meet their ends in the Maze.

With his main goal achieved, becoming the richest individual in the entirety of Drevhall, he developed a thirst for honor and for glory. This was why he joined the Knights of the Withered Rose, as it would quench his thirst for adventure, while also letting him leave a positive mark on the world. And it would not be long before he would become a knight himself. Some would say that David was on the top of the world, he had everything anyone could ever wish for. A knight of honor, a leader of a nation, the richest man in the whole world! What he did not know though, was that his life would go through a massive event, which would change him forever…

### The Events of the Alternate Reality

2 part video https://youtu.be/oZwcLDBAghU

    One day, he would wake up submerged in water. Scared at first, he would reach the surface only to find himself in a place that was like no other. The nether, but in the overworld. Swimming on the beach of a rotten red land, surrounded by 50 others just like him. Slowly apprehending his state, he understood that he was submerged, underwater, for a very long time but did not drown. The sun was scorching hot, burning his skin as soon as he stepped out of the water. And upon finding shade below a crimson tree by the beach, he looked at his reflection in the water - and he could not recognize himself. He was still wearing the same signature coat of his, but he was in shackles, covering his legs, arms, torso and head. Shackles that were bound to him, unable to be removed. He could see his skin through them - coal… that’s what it looked like. He was no longer alive, nor was he dead. He was left for dead, stranded on an island that would ultimately kill him if not for his extensive survival knowledge. This was his ultimate survival test. Could he survive in a world where you’re hunted by everyone… could he survive as an undead being…

It all seemed like a fever dream, although it wasn’t. David was stuck in an alternate reality where the world was different from the way that we know it, and so were the people. Quickly learning of his disadvantages in his new “undead” state, he found ways to turn them into advantages. Those were not the only advantages he found, as he also studied the land that he was put on and discovered resources that would help him get back to being on top of the world, just like what he got accustomed to in Drevhall. However, he knew that going at it alone, the way he’s used to, won’t get him very far. Staying in the shadows in the beginning, he observed the others; especially those who were hungry for power, but also, those who could help him achieve his personal goals, loyal, trustworthy and highly skilled individuals that he could rely on and recruit them to his secret order. An order that would operate behind the scenes, in the shadows, controlling everyone and everything that happens in the world by ways of mass manipulation and string pulling. The silent kingpins. The Crypt.

Rising to the top of the food chain by gaining monopolies over resources, completing heists, covert operations and secret trade deals, David made friends with other secret organizations, whom he all used to further his own agenda. And once it was achieved, his past came back to haunt him, wiping both of the secret organizations that he was associated with - The Crypt which he created, and NULL which he was recruited to. Everyone was killed, but him. Every single one of those whom he’d grown so fond of, the people that he considered as his two families. Everyone lay dead, but him. Shattered by guilt and sorrow, he had to bury all of his friends in the Crypt that he constructed specifically for them. Swearing to protect it for all eternity, he earned his nickname as the Crypt Keeper. Although, he did not need to protect them for that long…

### The Return

In a mysterious turn of events, he would wake up in his bed, in Thoronor, Drevhall. Perplexed, his first thought was that it was all a dream - but that thought did not last long. All it took was one look at his hands, before he realized that it was never a dream, as the same shackles remained on him, and his skin was still coal black. Perhaps this was to remind him of the oath that he swore, to protect The Crypt as the Crypt Keeper, or maybe it is his eternal punishment for the deeds he had committed, and the lives that he cost during his time in that alternate reality.

The fact that it was an alternate reality was confirmed to David when he saw his old friends from The Crypt find their way to Drevhall somehow, although none of them had any recollection of him or the events that occurred in that alternate reality. Regardless of how or why he was sent through that alternate reality, he was now back in Drevhall, and during his absence, things escalated between the order of knights that he was part of, and the Nashar Legion, who were just about to invade the Riverlands. And one day, as he was arriving to Wacked Castle, he noticed a trail of blood leading to the room which belonged to the Chapter Master of the knights, Karl Von Towerhouse. Quickly rushing in, he apprehended the now dead Chapter Master, and the person responsible for his death - the right-hand man of Nashar, general Terebus. And as he was about to escape through the window, David was quick to draw his bow and land a potentially fatal blow on Terebus.

David assembled the knights and followed the orders left by the Chapter Master right before his assassination. And on the fields of Gantrick, the legendary Battle of Gantrick Field took place between the Knights of the Withered Rose and the Nashar Legion, the battle of which David - now Sir Davos, as that’s what the other knights called him - was the hero of; the Hero of the Battle of Gantrick Field, as he was the last knight standing, killing almost a hundred of the Nashar legionnaires and almost single handedly ending the Nashar invasion. The knights took note of this, realizing that this was no longer the same brother in arms that they knew from before. Something David came to realize as well. The skills of warfare and battle that he learned through his extensive training in the alternate reality remained with him. He was a changed man, no longer suitable to just be called a “knight”, the other knights bestowed upon him the honor of becoming the interim Chapter Master of the Knights of the Withered Rose. They saw no other suitable candidate for such a title, and especially after David’s efforts in the Battle of Gantrick Field, they knew he was the right man for the job. With honor, and with dignity, Sir Davos accepted the responsibility and became the new Chapter Master of the Knights of the Withered Rose.

But that is not the only new title that Sir Davos was able to secure ever since his return to Drevhall. Through the exploration of the Catacombs of a Thousand Years, an expedition that both himself and Sir Erebus departed on, they followed in the footsteps of Gamagin pilgrims, discovering the oldest church known to man, through the successful completion of the Path of the True Believer. By Gamagin’s grace, they were both gifted with magical artifacts - Sir Davos got the Crimson Sword, a weapon of The Punisher, capable of draining the entire life essence from any living being with just a few swings of the sword - and Erebus got the Crimson Crown, the truest representation of a True Believer, giving its wearer the attributes of one.

### Becoming High King

During their expedition, Sir Davos found a journal left by a researcher who was studying the cult of the Red Skull. In this journal, the researcher notes that whoever wields Gamagin’s artifacts is said to wield the power of a God and would ultimately rule over all of mankind. These words resonated with Sir Davos, giving him countless sleepless nights. This would be the ultimate title, the highest possible rank that he could achieve, a means to end his madness, the never-ending search for greatness. But in order to achieve it, he needed both of Gamagin’s relics, and he only had one. While the sword is mighty, nothing represents greatness and superiority as much as a crown does, a crown that belonged to his friend - Sir Erebus of Laputria. And in order to avoid any possible conflict that may arise from this, David met with Erebus and shared his plans with him. He told him of the researcher’s notes, and how they were both chosen by Gamagin to be his representatives. However, there is only one crown - therefore there can only be one king.

With that being said, David proposed to have an election amongst the nations and kingdoms of the Riverlands, where each kingdom ruler would vote for who they would want to be their High King, to rule over all of the Riverlands. And while Erebus had no intention of running for the High King position, he understood David’s point of view, and agreed to run against him in the election.

And after much propaganda, mass manipulation and false accusations that nearly sparked a civil war, Sir Davos was able to beat Sir Erebus in the High King elections 4 to 1, achieving his ultimate goal - becoming Sir Davos, the High King of the Riverlands, effectively ending the Historic Era, and beginning the First Era.

There were a few people who did not like seeing David in that position, accusing him of abusing his power and other maleficent deeds. Some even led to assassination attempts, some successful, some not. It even went as far as having a war break out between the Riverlands and Frostlands. David never expected this ultimate title to be so heavy, and thus he agreed to retire in peace in his home kingdom of Thoronor, still holding all of his titles, attending to his duties as the Chapter Master of the Knights of the Withered Rose, as well as his duties to his people, as the High King of the Riverlands, whenever they need him.

### The Elemental Trials

During his down time, High King David was able to accomplish quite a lot both in personal achievements as well as the expansion and development of Thoronor. One of the things that he was able to achieve during this development, was the completion and restoration of the ancient temple of fire in the Dumenor Castle. Shortly before its completion, the Gods of Four were introduced back into the world of Drevhall, upon the discovery of the Hammer of the Realm and the Elemental Pilgrimage. Thus, slowly but surely, the elemental religions started to grow more and more around Drevhall, following the four elemental Gods. And on one fateful day, a portal was opened by the Gods of Four, where each God chose their champions from Drevhall and sent them through said portal into a different plane of existence - which would later be known as the Elemental Trials.

Full video of the Elemental Trials: https://youtu.be/JrcD4LJ3NqQ

High King David was obviously chosen by the Fire God Sol as one of his champions to be part of the Fire Race, thanks to his successful restoration efforts of the Ancient Fire Temple in Dumenor - dedicated to Kualii, the keeper of vision, also known as the Phoenix. David was placed amongst 1000 other champions spread across 4 elemental races: Ice, Earth, Air and Fire, across 4 elemental islands. And to demonstrate just how strong his faith towards the Fire God is, as well as to redeem himself for his transgressions in the previous time where he was cast into an alternate reality (presumably by Sol as well, where he was undergoing the 8 stages of withering while surviving as an undead being), he decided to form a full fledged religion, similar to the Enlightened Church of Sol from Drevhall. This one however, would be more primitive, to pertain to all the less fortunate souls, making it simple, raw and straightforward - The Enlightened Church of Fire. With himself as the High Priest, the ECOF was set on a mission to unite the entirety of the Fire Race under one faith, under one religion, under one Church. This would be done by baptizing the entire race in the Holy Fire which they worshipped, unlocking the full potential of their power, making them become reborn by the spirit of the Phoenix, giving them increased strength as well as constant fire resistance.

With the Fire Race baptisms turning out to be a huge success, the ECOF set on a different mission - The Enlightened Journey - where members of the church would embark on a pilgrimage to one of the other elemental islands which contained the Holy Fire Sanctuary, located within the volcano of the Ice Island. The Church's mission was to reclaim their long lost sanctuary and restore it to its former glory - which they were also able to accomplish successfully, thanks to their incredible feats of faith, performing miracles with the help of the Fire God for all to see. Their faith was so strong in fact, that members of all elemental races took on the pilgrimage to the volcano to reach the Holy Sanctuary, where they would be baptized in fire and enlightened. High Priest David successfully managed to baptize all the champions of all the elemental races, enlightening them and spreading the faith of the Holy Fire - uniting all elemental races under one faith, under one church - the Enlightened Church of Fire. And while not everything went as smooth as it seems, with wars and conflicts breaking out all across the elemental world, the ECOF was there all along, right in the middle of it all, advocating for peace, protecting the innocents and being the main mitigators of all conflicts and wars, overseeing and controlling most political affairs - with High Priest David being front and center of it all. He didn't just prove his faith to the Fire God, but he endorsed it, strengthened it and evolved it, converting hundreds into becoming devout members of the Enlightened Church of Fire.

### Return to Drevhall and NILF

As great as his journey was in the Elemental Trials, things were turning quite dire in Drevhall during his absence. The Nation Independence Liberation Front - NILF for short, was starting to gain traction as an anti - High King organization, planning to take down High King David and make him relinquish his throne. Slowly but surely, majority of Riverlands citizens became involved, and members of NILF grew more and more power hungry by the day. They were no longer satisfied with High King David just relinquishing his throne; they wanted him dead. The saddest part of it all is that many of the main members of NILF were close friends of David, who were planning to orchestrate the ultimate betrayal. Unfortunately, their plans were cut short, when suddenly members of NILF started to fall one by one, getting assassinated. These high profile assassinations alarmed NILF and caused them to disband, but unfortunately for them, internal commotion amongst NILF members caused them to turn on each other, with some even revealing all of their plans to High King David, including names, dates and proof. Hurt and betrayed, High King David rounded up all the remaining NILF members and locked them up in the cells of Wacked Castle, where they would remain, awaiting trial on counts of high treason against the High King. And on the day of their transport to court, known in history as the Wacked Massacre or Bloody Wednesday, the assassins struck again, with one of them breaking into the Wacked Castle dungeon with the help of an accomplice who was part of those that were jailed, and proceeded to massacre everyone in the jail cell, leaving no survivors. This all happened right in front of David's eyes, who saw his so called friends lay massacred at his feet. This instilled a great deal of doubt in David's mind, making him question all his actions as High King, as a leader and as a friend. The weight of his dead friends souls on his shoulders was too great for him to handle, as he took off his crown that gave him fire resistance, and made his way to his Nether Fortress, where he mumbled a prayer to Sol as his follower, and Gamagin as his champion:

*"Sol, Gamagin, if I failed you in my actions, let this leap of faith be where I take my final breath - but if I didn't, let me reach the fortress unscathed, unharmed by the lava nor the fall. Let me know if I failed you both. Let me know..."*

And as he muttered those final words, he took his leap of faith, where he walked off the roof of the communal nether bastion and plunged into lava. To the great surprise of all those who gathered around to try and stop him, they watched him rise from the lava and reach his Nether Fortress, unscathed and unharmed, now not only being Gamagin's champion, but also Sol's chosen one. Whether that last statement is true or not remains to be seen, but one cannot disagree that his great feats of faith in the Elemental Trials didn't have something to do with him gaining the favor of Sol, saving him in his self sacrifice. This was further corroborated with High King David being approached by the Order of Sol and inducted into their order, solidifying his place as a champion of Sol.