Aldarra

**Aldarra** (b. 43 AD, d. 131 AD), also known as Aldarra 'the Builder', 'the Wise' and 'the Regent', was an Altryanese statesman, political leader and son of Fawrchar I. Whilst he was said to lack the physical capabilities of his father and brothers, his political acumen made him one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom.

## Early life

Aldarra was born the fifth son of Fawrchar I in 43 AD in Anderium, Mon Altrya. Aldarra was born with club foot and a hunched back, but whilst his body was incapable of matching his father's heroics deeds, his brain and statesmanship were exemplary. In 64 AD, he oversaw the design and construction of the great Hammer Hall, which would sit atop of Farran Hill overlooking the Altrya, whilst five wooden spiked palisades were built atop great earthen mounds. In 69 AD, his father bestowed upon him the title 'Alderman of Altrya' and oversaw the governance of the city.

### Alderman of Altrya

In King Fawrchar's later years, he left the governing of the entire Kingdom to Aldarra. Between 70 and 80 AD, Aldarra oversaw the creation of the 'Royal Alderman Council,' a fair and productive Kingdom wide tax system, great building works and a large number of Guild's. These Guild's included some of the Kingdoms greatest institutions, such as the Farmers Guild, the Merchants Guild, the Guild of Craftsmen and Builders, the Blacksmiths Guild and many more, all with the sole purpose of uniting the realm and benefiting the Kingdom.

### Crown Chancellor of Mon Altrya

Upon the death of his father, his eldest brother, Nul-Agan became King and in 86 AD, he created the title, Crown Chancellor and declared Aldarra, the voice of the King. Under his brother's reign, Aldarra continued to govern the Kingdom all but in name. Mining, farming and trade flourished in the early 90's and Aldarra ordered that many of the capitals wooden structures be torn down and rebuilt in stone. Aldarra recruited an army of architects and stonemasons to design numerous state buildings. Due to the vast Altrya Sandstone quarries in close proximity, all the buildings were built in the same uniformed sand and pale-yellow coloured brick and light red clay roofing.

The first building to be completed was the newly rebuilt Hammer Hall, in 104 AD, which housed the Royal Alderman Council chambers, the Grande Mon Altrya Throne room and all manner of administrative offices. The next major construction projects completed were the Palace of Martyl, which was possibly the grandest project as the King's residence in the capital and then the somewhat more modest Palace of Waterbridge, (would later be named Aldarra Palace) as the personal residence of Aldarra. Waterbridge was noted for having one large tower, so Aldara could see across the city and being built into the structure of the inner castle walls, for which Aldarra liked to travel around daily.

The inner castle walls would not be completed for another 20 years and the outer castle walls not until after the death of Aldarra. Aldarra was also a keen admirer of bridges and set about funding the construction of seven stone bridges in the city, to replace the three wooden bridges that connected the north of the city to the south across the Brenna River. The seven bridges, which had all been personally designed by Aldarra, were named Yana, Olenya, Farra and Dynarra after four of his nieces and Mare Bridge, West Bridge and Warden Bridge. Of the seven, only Yana Bridge and Dynarra Bridge were completed in his lifetime.

On the Southside of the Brenna River, he purchased land formerly known as Cheapside and home to some of the poorer townsfolk and relocated them to the east side of the city. Cheapside was divided into over 30 plots and grand buildings constructed and gifted to the Guild's as administrative buildings.

### Later reign

In the early 100's numerous Adeleyn Temples were opened in the city and by 110 AD, Aldarra was said to have become a pious man and a fervent follower of Adeleynim. In 115 he wrote to the High Patriarch of Adeleya, Mantis Aula, requesting that the Grande Temple Eminence send an Adeleynist scholar to Altrya. Aula dispatched Pella Lukara to Altrya, who would become the first Patriarch of Mon Altrya. Aldarra and Lukara set about organising the faith in the realm and the two struck up a strong friendship, with Lukara later being invited to sit upon the Alderman council as an advisor to the crown.

Whilst the city flourished and constant building projects were taking place, crime and disease rose in the peasant quarters. The number of building projects taking place called for a huge number of labourers and by 120 AD the cities population stood at 20,000. Whilst Aldarra tried to address the disease issue with the construction of sewage systems and laws addressing housing standards, he had little interest in dealing with the crime and disorder issue. This eventually came to a head in 121 AD, when rioting broke out in Greyside, a peasant quarter in east Altyra. The riots were said to have come about by the living standards in the poorer areas and the easy access to strong alcohol available in the unlicensed drinking taverns and brothels which had which would open in every peasant quarter. A further issue was the arrival in the city and popularity of Lion Spice, a recreational drug that when taken would eventually turn the user insane and without boundaries.

The rioting, lawlessness and accompanying fires quickly spread to more luxurious quarters of the city and after the killing of a group of respected merchant men and the rape and murder of Princess Adurin, King Kolgrim stepped in by leading his troops into Greyside and killing the peasants who refused to flea. Hundreds were rounded up and imprisoned and those identified as leaders or committing atrocious crimes were executed.

Kolgrim and Aldarra agreed that a more long-term solution was required and it was decided that Kolgrim's brother, Borwyn, would over-see the creation of a new city guard that would protect and police the city. Thus came about the formation of the Altrya City Paladin Guards.

King Kolgrim, who had replaced his father as King in 114 was to be the fourth and final King that Aldarra would serve under. All four King's had relied heavily on Aldarra as an experienced and wise statesman, however the relationship between Kolgrim and his great-uncle and been tense and difficult in Aldarra's later years. Aldarra attempted to stifle Kolgrim's frivolity and joy of festivals and events and many believed that had Aldarra not have died in 131 AD, the King would eventually have taken matters into his own hands.

### Legacy

Aldarra passed from the world at the grand age of 88 in the spring of 131 AD. In his final years he rarely lefts the confines of Waterbridge Palace and his funeral was to match that of any King before him. Many attribute the power of Mon Altrya to Aldarra's governance and whilst he and King Kolgrim rarely saw eye-to-eye, Kolgrim recognised the contributions that Aldarra had made. In recognition to his service to the realm, the Royal Alderman Council submitted plans to the King for the construction of a statue in memory of Aldarra. Thus in 133 AD, a great statue of Aldarra was unveiled in front of Hammer Hall, depicting the Crown Chancellor in regal gowns holding aloft a crown towards the heavens and a large book under his left arm.

Whilst the majority of Aldarra's building projects were not completed, or indeed started until after his death, one of the crowning memories was the completion of Temple Angelica and Paragon Palace, which early construction was overseen by Aldarra and completed in 132.

Aldarra never married or fathered children in his lifetime, however was survived by his adopted son, Belancur, who would go on to be Grand Master of Guild of Architects and respected Alderman.