New Giladis Story

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Giladis
The Merlord
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New Giladis Story

#1 Post by Giladis »

A little warning this is not the Giladis some of you have grown acustomed with, this one is much more like a 40K eldar than an Asur but I think he can fit into the WH Ulthuan society.
Giladis Nightingale
Prince of Athel Ballarn
Warden of Tor Colithis
Admiral of the Southern Seas
Steward of Elthin Arvan
Lord of Laurenlorn
the Merlord


Giladis was born into the house of Nightingale, a princely family that ruled over the realm of Athel Ballarn in Avelornian foothills of the Annulii. Their palace in Tor Colithis was far removed from the troubles of the world and ever since the end of the Daemon Wars they kept to themselves. Even the bloodshed of the Sundering didn’t disturb their tranquil abode. Through long millennia, apart from an occasional merchant or wandering scholar, no one disturbed the denizens of this forested realm and they left the rest of Ulthuan to their own devices. All of that was to change with the birth of Giladis.

Priests of the gods’ spoke of dire portents on the morning of the child’s birth and when the boy finally entered the world the priestess of Isha withdrew back in terror. The child was ominously silent and clutching in his right fist a clot of blood. The ruling prince quickly intervened ensuring the silence of those present, for the boy, his great-nephew, was the first male born into the family for over a thousand years and no dark omen would put the line of Nightingales to jeopardy.

The boy grew happily in his sheltered domain but by the age of fifty his prodigious intellect had absorbed all that the library of Tor Colithis could offer and what palace tutors could teach him. Craving for further knowledge Giladis petitioned his great-uncle to finance his further schooling at the tower of Hoeth in far away Saphery. With heavy heart the prince accepted and the youth was to explore the world beyond the canopy of his forest home.

The scholars of Hoeth quickly noticed his potential as he devoured every morsel of knowledge they brought before him, but this joyous period was abruptly ended as he was cast out of the tower warned never to return. It is not know what really happened but for years a dark rumour persisted that he killed a fellow student during sword practice for calling him a woodland savage. Disgraced he returned to his home in Avelorn to brood over his unfortunate fate. Who know what gods had in store for the youth but it was at that time that the Druchii returned from across the northern sea and King Morvael in desperation ordered the creation of citizen armies of Ulthuan.

Seeing a chance to return his honour Giladis left Athel Ballarn, prince’s furious shouts echoing behind him. His destination was Lothren and his wish, to join the Sea Guard. In spite rumours concerning his expulsion from the tower the High Prince of Eataine took him into his service and by the year’s end he had earned a captaincy for himself. Years turned to decades as Giladis plied the high seas battling their dark kin. Yet for all his skill and dedication he was greatly disliked among his peers for he had developed a habit others believed was something a greedy dwarf would do and not an elf. His planning and execution of battles was matchless and often his troops captured a considerable number of Druchii, which he then sold on the slave markets of Araby. When due to Asur naval supremacy shipping between Naggaroth and Naggarythe became almost nonexistent Giladis turned upon newly build Druchii coastal communities. The word of these actions finally reached the Phoenix King and Giladis was censured for his actions, but unwilling to lose such a resourceful commander the High Prince of Eataine used his influence to ensure Giladis remained in service. So the wayward commodore was sent to the far south of the globe to establish new strongholds that will help the Asur better control the southern seas.

This exile of sorts did little to reign in Giladises spirit. Within fifteen years he had overseen construction of two mighty fortresses at the southern tips of Southlands and Lustria. With his primary task completed and so far from any real centre of power Giladis took to the seas once more. First he relocated his command to Tor Elasor and then basically disappeared onto the Ocean. From time to time he would return, always laden with gold, precious stones, spices and silk. Then he would send gifts to various dignitaries across Ulthuan, along with reports of distant exotic shores and boundless wealth just waiting to be taken. Though it was clear that these were nothing more than bribes, in the time of crisis and all out war receiving such gifts was rare and easily improved the standings of the noble which received such a gift among his peers, so it was not long before elves of high standing started to compete for Giladises attention. Using his new found power Giladis manoeuvred his supporters so that he received the rank of Admiral of the Southern Seas from the Phoenix King himself.

The news of the Druchii defeat and the death of the Phoenix King were a signal for Giladis to return to Ulthuan, though he was not recalled from his mission, but he felt strong enough to defy the edict. It is said the people of Tor Elasor wept as he was boarding his ship. Though Giladis not once interfered into the ruling of the city, the wealth he had brought in transformed it to the point where it could rival any of the provincial capitals of Ulthuan. As he would later say “I had found a town of limestone and silver but left a city of marble and gold”. Giladises return coincided with the wedding ceremony between the Everqueen and the Phoenix King and what a return it was. At the height of the banquet fanfares silenced the chatter and gossip, the mighty doors of the throne room were flung open and figure bedecked in ithilmar and gold strove in, a cape of emerald green billowed behind him and fiery rubies adorned his breastplate. Yet strangest of all was a golden war mask that hid his face, and all could see how it rippled with barely contained magical power. Following him came hundreds of carriers laden with the riches of the world. Giladis had return to Ulthuan like a conquering general celebrating his triumph, a scene unseen since the time of Bel Shanaar. It did not go unnoticed that he completely overshadowed the royal couple on what should have been their day. Following this display of wealth and power Giladis remained at court for several weeks strengthening his alliances, making new ones and getting rid of those that no longer served their purpose. On the war council he expertly manoeuvred between factions always providing an additional path even though if proposed course of action made little sense. But few apart from the King noticed what he was doing. He was fracturing factions between themselves allowing the Phoenix King’s ideas to be accepted as the best courses of action. When Bel-Hathor, during a private audience, questioned why he was doing it he said “it is the place of kings to rule not to play hosts to squabbling nobles”.

Satisfied with what he had achieved Giladis departed for Athel Ballarn, where his cousin had become the new prince. Little is known of his life for the next few years apart that five princes quickly exchanged on the throne and evil tongues whispered that Giladis was behind hunting accidents and unexpected illnesses which claimed their lives. When Giladis finally became the new prince of Athel Ballarn and warden of Tor Colithis his first action was to call the finest geomancers and treesingers in all of Ulthuan. The palace at Tor Colithis became the heart of a new and imposing citadel that would when completed rival the Anlec of old. Citizen levy which previously did not exist was presented to the people, but in a far stricter and harsher form than that undertaken in other provinces. At first glance it seemed he was creating a copy of the Lothren Sea Guard, but in truth it was much, much more. The library was expanded, scholars flocking to work in it and fabled Swordmasters of Hoeth were brought in to train Giladises personal bodyguards. At the tenth anniversary of his coming to power he announced the creation of a fleet, ten mighty vessels to accommodate his newly built army.

Pleased with his works at home he left Bel-Selith, his closest friend and confidant, to govern over Athel Ballarn and he took once more to the sea. Norse raiders which harassed the eastern coast of Ulthuan proved a source of valuable income as Giladis return to the slave business. Not only that but he even led strikes against the Norse villages in distant Norsca acquiring more than just slaves for these settlements were laden with goods taken by the Norse from their southern human neighbours. The loot was divided among the soldiers but only those who had children were eligible and more children one had, more loot was he given. Though the method was rather crude over the course of three centuries the population of Athel Ballarn quadrupled. With sufficient numbers at his back Giladis felt ready for the next phase of his plan. Using his immense wealth and constant threat of Norse raiders he bought the most exposed island of the coast of Cothique and built heavily defended harbour on it to accommodate his fleet. To go with the harbour a settlement was built to be used as bait against the Norse, with roofs of the buildings covered in gold. But his plan suffered a blow as the Phoenix King ordered Ulthuan to be shrouded in mists. That reduced his income by nearly a third forcing Giladis to seek new ways to expand his power. Unwilling to risk his newly found military strength he turned to internal matters and trade. By doubling his fleet and using these heavily armed and armoured ships to carry trade goods between elven colonies slowly but surely his fortunes began to improve once more.

For the better part of the century following the raising of the mists Giladis spread his trade network across the elven empire, not just by accessing various markets but also by building quarters inhabited exclusively by elves of Athel Ballarn. At the same time politically he supported High Prince Finubar of Eataine, son of his late benefactor, and when Finubar was chosen by the Phoenix King to lead an expedition to Elthin Arvan, now known as the Old World by the humans that inhabit it, Giladis was a natural choice to accompany the High Prince. For fifty years the pair and their retinues spent exploring the new human realms in Elthin Arvan and making lucrative trade agreements. They even met the long lost kin in Athel Loren and rumours reached Ulthuan that Giladis took one of the beautiful devotees of Loec for his wife. Following the pairs return to Ulthuan Giladis swamped his people with a flurry of activities. The fleet was expanded once more, cavalry was introduced into the army and even a colony was founded in the Grey Mountains overlooking the Athel Loren and a mountain pass connecting the human realms of Bretonnia and the Empire. To ensure his profits would not fall Giladis shifted most of his trading on Cathay and Nippon rather than the Old World which were about to be swamped with elven merchants and goods. The only thing that really changed was the time Giladis spent in the colony of Laurenlorn in Elthin Arvan, turning it into the miniature copy of Tor Colithis.
Old Bel-Hathor died peacefully and the obvious choice was the next Phoenix King was Finubar, those that thought differently were in minority and Giladis was among their number. It was no small secret among the courts of Ulthuan that the Admiral did not like the new High Prince of Eataine a mutual distrust that appeared after their return from Elthin Arvan. It was evident from the moment Finubar took to the throne that Giladis had fallen from grace. Many trading partners turned their backs on Giladis and there were calls for him to disband his large army that by now numbered nearly five thousand elves. Sensing for the first time in his life that he might be vulnerable Giladis took to the southern seas where the people of Tor Elasor greeted him like a long lost hero. There he spent several years raiding coastal settlements of Ind and listening to what was happening on Ulthuan. The devastation wrought by N’Kari’s incursion set Giladis into motion. Gathering his troops he sailed back to Ulthuan as fast as he could. Many places on the island continent were ravaged, many elves were slain and there were whispers coming out of Caledor that maybe Ulthuan needs a stronger king, a king that is a warrior rather than a merchant. As the princes of Ulthuan conveyed in the Shrine of Asuryan to discussing the events that have transpired and how to counter them in the future beating of drums and clarion calls of trumpets brought their attention to the field in front of the shrine. Nearly ten thousand spears stood to attention flying the colours of the Phoenix King. To the surprise of the gathered at the head of the host was Giladis in the uniform of an officer of the Lothren Sea Guard. As he approached he addressed Finubar directly “I have done as you have ordered sir, an army trained and ready to respond to your commands”. The Caledorian faction tried to expose this display as nothing but a rouse designed to give other princes a false sense of security, for these warriors were ultimately loyal to Giladis rather than the Phoenix King, but failed.

With this act Giladis returned to the favour of the court though relations with Finubar remained icy. Once back on Ulthuan Giladis started buying seemingly worthless land, ruined settlements, grassless ravines, rocky coasts and trading rights for goods that have long stopped being profitable. Amidst the chaotic squandering of his wealth, as others saw his acquisitions, he petitioned the Phoenix King to sanction the purchase of the title Steward of Elthin Arvan from a bankrupt Tiranocian noble whose forefather was the last elf to oversee the colonies of Elthin Arvan during the general retreat following the War of the Beard. Believing the Admiral had lost his senses Finubar saw no ill in granting the request. After all, the price for which he bought the title was less than some elves spent on lubricating the council of princes to become new Phoenix Kings. Following the purchase Giladis disappeared for several decades and matters of ruling Athel Ballarn and her colonies fell on certain Imraldar, who claimed to be Giladises son. His rustic appearance and shadowy behaviour did little to dismiss rumours that his mother was an Asrai. It was at the heels of the great victory on the Finuval plain that Giladis re-emerged onto the political scene of Ulthuan. A fleet of a hundred ships landed on the coast of Yvresse and started pushing the Druchii and human warriors northwards. Twelve great battles Giladis fought and in each battle he obliterated his foes allowing none to escape. Word of his arrival spread throughout Ulthuan like wild fire and before long his forces merged with those under command of prince Tyrion driving the enemies to the far north of the island continent. Seeing the war on land close to completion Giladis once more boarded his ships and turned to what he knew best, piracy. Thousands of Druchii warriors were captured as they tried to escape Ulthuan only to be sold on the slave markets of Araby and Estalia earning Giladis a fortune which he cleverly used to repair settlements and domains of nobles he saw as useful in the future. Though Tyrion and Teclis were lauded across Ulthuan as the great heroes of the war many of the common folk saw Giladis as their hero little suspecting his hidden motives.

The years following the Great Druchii invasion saw Giladis slowly rebuilt his weakened forces. With delicate agreements, bribes and calling of favours he has built a network across Ulthuan of nobles that are more loyal to him than any other elf. His powerful personal army and fleet, second only to that of Lothren, ensure that no one dares to make a move against him and his image among the people of Ulthuan is one of a loving benefactor. As ever there are rumours surrounding Giladis that he has somehow created a pathway between his palace in Tor Colithis and Athel Loren allowing him to transverse thousands of miles with but a single step and that he is working for the benefit of the King and Queen of the wood which crave dominion over Ulthuan and her riches. Hushed voices whisper at the phoenix court that Finubar might not rule for long and that the council of princes could be more divided than ever. What future brings is unknown and some fear that the fate of all elves may one day rest in the hands of this mysterious and ruthless elf.

Giladis the Merlord, Phoenix King of Ulthuan sure has a ring to it...


fireblade
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Re: New Giladis Story

#2 Post by fireblade »

I like the darkness in his character. No living saint here :)
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Baalan
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Re: New Giladis Story

#3 Post by Baalan »

Certainly a more interesting take on elven psyche - as far as I am concerned it is rather boring depicting the Asur as nothing but pure vanilla...
And to be honest? This character has my vote as next PK - about time too :wink:

cheers
"Full of pride and sorrow for what i am gonna do with tears in my eyes and a dream in my heart...Nagarythe shall endure..."
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Giladis
The Merlord
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:13 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
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Re: New Giladis Story

#4 Post by Giladis »

Thanks.

I am glad you like it.
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