King Bartholomeus

**King Bartholomeus** was the keeper of Castle Rock and Monarch of the Realm. Queen Leonora was his wife with whom he had five children.

His coat of arms was a lion standing on it's hind legs with a crown over its head.

## Appearance

When young Bartholomeus was a handsome man with brown eyes, short brown hair and a short beard with mustache. When he grew older his hair turned grey, beard grew long and he shaved his mustache. He always wore magnificent robes fit for a king.

## History

When he was young Bartholomeus married Leonora with whom he would later have five children, two sons and three doughters. He was a great king, everyone loved him. He would protect the homes of his subjects and rule peacefuly amongst the lush fields of green.

Unfortunatelly his second doughter Charlotte was born small and sicky, she died at the age of three which impacted his wife significantly. Not long after that, his younger son Phillip fell ill and also died due to the Devils Fire, an uncurable dissease. This event was so horrible that it kept following the King in his dreams in the later years.

Then one day a battle broke out in which Bartholomeus lost his elder son, Jan as well as his eldest doughter's soon to be husband, Valdemar. His wife stoped talking to him, locking herself up in her rooms and only letting her two remaining doughters, her lady-in-waiting and maids in. His eldest doughter started blaming him for the loss of her love.

Somewhere in that time Bartholomeus met Christina in the rose gardens and fell in love with her. To cover this relationship he made her his King's Guard. She would always wear full armour and never talk when other people were present so that her identity remains hidden, she would also take up a new name, Christian. She would never leave his side even at night when the King slept.

Bartholomeus was devastated at the loss of his only heirs. It changed him into something dark and bitter. He became obsessed with his legacy, not wanting anyone to take the crown from his family. He tried to father more children with countless damsels, but those attempts were fruitless. They left him with dead bastard sons and worthless healthy girls. The ones who kept living he threw into his arena for entertainment. He started to think that the only person he could still put his faith in was his trustful King's Guard.

### [Speculation]

One day his Court Jester gave him a genious idea, since he han't get more heirs he can instead find a way to rule forever, to be immortal. He fed him lies so that Bartholomeus agreed to build the Alchemist Spire where they would experiment on people, in order to find a way to gain eternal life. They thought they found a way; they created a knife and a soul stone that can contain an essence of one person, giving them immortality. King's doughters found the knife and hid it, but Jester found it. They were to preform a ritual, during the red moon, which required human sacrifice. It is unclear if they didn't manage to preform it or if it failed, but they were unsuccesful. It is possible that the Jester used the knife gaining immortality for himself which caused the King to curse him.

When Bartholomeus grew old, he became impatient in his seach for immortality. He decided to turn to a Demon for help in achieving his dream. He did so in secret, not telling the Jester about his plan. The Demon offered him a contract promising eternal life. When the King signed it, he finally achieved his goal, but he doomed his kingdom in the process, creating an eternal winter that covered everything in thick snow. He became immortal, his soul forever fused with the castle itself.

The families of four houses decided to do something to free the people forever trapped in this white nightmare. Working with Emilia and Katherine, King's two remaining doughters they hid and planned. They created the Astrolabe, a machine capable of creating a portal, leading far away from the castle. They used it on the top of the Bell Tower during the red moon, channeling it's ancient power and they all left through the portal, but the two sisters now cursed for all eternity, stayed behind to hide the Astrolabe pieces for noone to use the device again.

Many years later the Jester wanted to use two explorers that stumbled upon the castle to use the soul stone once more, binding the King. He wanted to lift the curse that the King has set upon him. He was unsuccessful in doing so, as Katherine helped the explorers. However, he was able to comunicate with the King, offering him his service once more.

Some time later another two explorers found themselves in the castle and the Jester decided to try another plan to destroy the King, lifting the curse this way. He cut off Bartholomeus' signature from the Demon's contract and after rebuilding the Astrolabe opened a portal. Then he took the paper with the signature and went through the portal, destroying the King in the process.

## Gallery

Bartholomeus with his coat of arms on the banners behind him.Young Bartholomeus with his wife Leonora.Bartholomeus and Leonora after the birth of their first son - Jan.Bartholomeus and Leonora after the birth of their second son - Philip.Bartholomeus listening to the Jester after the death of his heirs.Older Bartholomeus on the castle's stained glass window.Bartholomeus speaking with the Demon.King's coat of arms.King's JournalKing's Journal