Ulric Elbeck

> I can't sit by and idly watch. I need to help, in whatever way you can use me.
>
> -Ulric, shortly before pledging himself to the Lady

## Ulric

### Relatives

Lizard (grandniece), King Henrik (Nephew)

### Affiliation

Rular, The Lady Lunar, Overworld Alliance

## General Information

Ulric is a member of Rular and a great-uncle to the Queen, Lizard. He is the last Lunar Paladin, the High King of the OVA, and former general of his home country, Skarbrekka.

## History

### Pre-Eventide

#### Early Life

Ulric Elbeck was born to the king and queen of Skarbrekka, the second son by a few years. While his older brother, Rodrick, was better at affairs of state, Ulric preferred the martial pursuits. A deadly shot with a bow and proficient with a sword as well, he lead the military and was fair but firm. He gave mercy to those who deserved it, and crushed the enemies of the crown without hesitation. He looked forward to one day being king; that is, until Henrik was born. With a born heir to the throne, Ulric’s chance at royalty disappeared overnight. While he was happy for his brother, he was disappointed at the lost opportunity. Resigning himself to a live forever in the shadows, he became bitter and cold to most everyone. As time passed, he continued to shrink away from the public eye. He maintained his training with both bow and sword, but he longed for a chance to get away from it all and live out the remainder of his days in peace. Unfortunately for Ulric, that chance was closer than he thought.

#### Desertion of Home

In the year 410, serving as Henrik’s most trusted general, he waged war in the name of the crown. He fought against all enemies, both large and small, and never questioned orders. As time passed, however, he began to notice a disturbing trend. The justification for war became harder and harder to accept until a tipping point was finally reached. He was asked to attack a neighboring country without cause. The king claimed it to be in the name of “expansion”, but Ulric knew that they had valuable resources that the king was in desperate need of. When he refused, he was thrown in jail for treason and sentenced to death. He spent all day in a prison cell, staring out the window and wondering where it all went wrong. Was it his fault? Were there warning signs that he missed? How could he have allowed his nephew to dishonor the family name like this? He had resigned himself to his eventual execution, but he then remembered his grandniece, Lizard. She had run away one night, escaping the reach of her father for greener pastures. Henrik had ordered Ulric to pursue her, but he refused, stating that Lizard would eventually grow tired of life alone and return home. Secretly, he wished to follow her into the great unknown. Ulric seized on this memory, thinking "If that young whelp can run away from home, why can't I?" Using the last remaining connections he had in the city, he was smuggled out of the city and fled into the night.

#### Escape to Lands Unknown

Having finally found his freedom, Ulric was, for once, at a loss. He had spent his entire life being told what to do and where to go. Now here he stood, on the edge of his own destiny, and he struggled to make that first step. It was short lived, however; Henrik would not allow a prisoner to escape so easily, especially one as disrespectful as his uncle. He was chased by soldiers for 5 years. Sometimes, he spent weeks before he saw troops again; other times, he was pursued day and night. They chased him all across the country, through fields and forests and tundras, before finally stopping on the edge of a vast desert. Knowing that the soldiers would have to either be crazy, stupid, or both to follow him, he ventured in alone.

Ulric wandered the desert for what felt like years. Food was scarce, and water even more so. He struggled to find a sense of direction, as everything looked the same for miles upon miles. He would occasionally find small villages scattered throughout the sands and bargain for supplies and information. As he travelled, he eventually learned about the land of Eventide, a nation far to the west. Having a sense of purpose again, he set out for a new land and, hopefully, a new home.

### Eventide

#### Discovery of Rular

Ulric spent weeks trudging through the endless sands. He had just about given up when his foot hit something solid, tripping him up. He looked up and saw a short stone wall, stretching from left to right in front of him. He placed a hand upon the wall and followed it west, eventually stumbling upon a sign post: Welcome to Rular. He had never heard of this country before; "to be fair", he said bemusedly, "I'd never heard of Eventide until a few years ago". He looked around and didn't find any signs of civilization, which suited him just find. He kept walked until he left the scorched desert behind him and finally touched grass for the first time in over a month. Ulric fell to his knees, never happier to have grass scratching at his face. He crawled on his hands and knees until he found a source of water and drank in large gulps, almost choking himself. Wiping a hand across his mouth and sitting down, he finally took stock of his new home. He glanced around, looking for a defensible location, until he spotted it: a large hill, wedged between the ocean, the savannah, and the desert. Ulric rose to his feet and begrudgingly climbed the hill. Once he reached the top, he confirmed what he already knew in his heart: he was home.

#### Reunited

After a few days, he finally had a simple home set up on top of the hill. It was basically a one-bedroom shack, but it served his needs just fine. He had plenty of space to spread out, a small wheat farm behind the house, and an amazing view of the sunset over the ocean. He never saw another person, save the zombies or skeletons, but that didn't bother him any. Even though he had to abandon his armor and weapons at home, he was able to easily craft a suit of iron and a sword to match. His time in the army taught him to not only find his own resources, but create new supplies if need be. He thought that iron would be enough; it was more than enough back home. Surely this new land wouldn't be that much different! Little did Ulric know how hilariously outmatched he was. Out of nowhere, a man appeared on his doorstep. After introducing himself as Snow and demanding his name, he told Ulric "Don't go anywhere", and then launched himself through the air. Ulric was both amazed and terrified at this brazen display of power and magic. He had heard of magical weapons and armor back home in Skarbrekka, but he had never seen them put into effect. Moments later, he returned in the same way that he left, albeit with one notable difference: he had a companion. As she stepped into the torchlight and removed her helmet, Ulric couldn't believe his eyes. The mystery person was none other than Lizard, his long-lost grandniece! He was completely floored to see her again, after all this time. She, however, was less than impressed to see him. "Ulric? What the hell are you doing here?" She was immediately tense around him, for she feared that he had been sent here by her father to take her home. Ulric held his hands up and quickly explained how he got here; she was, to say the least, a little skeptical. "So you want me to believe that you just happened to find Rular, of all places? Just happened to find me?" Lizard was becoming more irritated by the second, and Snow was definitely on edge. "How to do expect me to believe that? My father..." Ulric interrupts her, saying "Lizard...he threw me in prison. I had to leave." She stopped talking, completely astonished. "He what?" Ulric continued: "Your father...he asked me to do things I couldn't live with. When I said no, he threw me in prison. No hesitation, no mercy. Just tossed aside like..." he trailed off, staring at his boots. "Look, I'm sorry if my presence here is uncomfortable for you. I can leave, if that makes things better." She interrupted him, saying "Stop. You're fine. I'm sorry that I was angry. It's just...I've done so much to escape my previous life, so to see you standing here. All my fears came bubbling to the surface. But I'm not gonna kick you out. You can stay in Rular, if you want. There's room in the capitol city if you'd rather live there." Ulric looks at her and says, "If it's alright with you, I'd rather live here for now. I like the quiet". Lizard chuckled, saying she understood the sentiment. Before they left, she properly introduced him to Snow, and turned to leave. As she left, he called out "Lizard? It was good to see you again". She turned back and smiled softly before flying off with the same trident Snow used. As they left, he heard her explaining the concept of family to Snow, as if he had never had family before.

#### Life on the Hill

In the beginning, Ulric lived alone. He spent most of his time farming and mining, constantly looking to improve his gear. Snow said to him, "You need to have at least diamond armor with full enchantments, as well as a diamond sword with enchantments, if you're going to be of any use". That wounded his pride greatly, as he was never anything less than the best. He had trained for years to become general of Skarbrekka, and now he was right back on the bottom. The biggest difference now was the 30 years difference between him and the other members of Rular. He was by far the oldest person in the country, but all it meant was that he had to train extra hard. He dug deep underground, searching for diamonds. Eventually, he found a few; a good start, but not enough for anything of note. He lived there for a few months, slowly getting used to life in a new land. During that time, he explored the area around his time, and took several trips to Raniss and Cavalon. He had a small wheat farm off the back of the house. It gave him enough wheat to make bread to live on, and combined with the local fauna he was comfortable. Lizard offered him a place in Cavalon, but he declined, saying "I've been in big cities enough for several lifetimes. I just want a place where I can live in peace, away from the bustle and noise of the city." His peaceful existance was short lived, however, as the past caught up with him faster than he thought it would.

#### Leaving Rular

After spending a few quiet weeks in Rular, Ulric felt uneasy. His nephew had never given up on prey so easily, and the fact that he hadn't been visted by any soldiers worried him. So he gathered what supplies he had and set out for the border of Rular. The trek across the desert was far easier this time, although that made sense; everything was easier when you didn't have an army on your heels. He made it to the border with no sign of trouble. 'Maybe I actually am safe' he thought. 'Maybe I'm finally free.' He crossed over into the neighboring kingdom, stopping by one of the same small villages he had visited years before. As he walked through the streets, he noticed the doors and windows quickly being closed before him. The townsfolk, normally indifferent to any visitors, took one look at him and scurried in the other direction. This alarmed Ulric, as he displayed no outwards signs of hostility. It wasn't until he reached the middle of town that he discovered the reason for thier fear: a large wanted poster, bearing his image. Below his portrait were the words "Wanted: Dead or Alive. This man is dangerous and an enemy of the crown. Do not approach. If seen, report IMMEDIATELY to the nearest soldiers. Reward for valid information: 1000 gold." He froze, reading the last sentence the same moment he picked up on the thunderous sound of approaching soldiers. He had no choice; he had to stand and fight. As the soldiers approached, he readied his sword and shield. When they got close, none of them said a word. Instead, they surrounded him with swords drawn. From the back, a voice rang out. "Ulric Elbeck, you are charged with treason against the King and shall be brought to justice for your crimes against Skarbrekka. Lay down your arms or we will kill you." Ulric chuckled, and yelled back "You will certainly try." He launched himself at the soldiers, catching them by surprise. He moved from one soldier to the next, killing them with the precision that came from decades of training. The sounds of combat once again filled his ears, muffled slightly by his pounding heartbeat. His vision went red as he let his anger flow through him. The fight was brief, but nonetheless bloody; in the end, only the speaker remained standing. As Ulric stood over the young boy, no older than 25, he lowered his sword. He sheethed his sword and hauled the young man to his feet, giving him a change to catch his breath. "You look like a smart lad," Ulric said through ragged breathes. He handed the young man his sword, one which bear the royal crest of Skarbrekka. "Return this to your king and tell him that I was killed. If you don't, I'll track you down and make you wish you had listened. Understood?" The young soldier quickly nodded his head, fumbling with the sword before racing off towards the barracks. Ulric watched him go, then returned to the town square. He looked at the wanted poster a moment before tearing it down. 'Hopefully,' he thought, 'that will take care of things.' He turned back towards the desert and began the slow march home, back to Rular.