[Medium Sized Model - 25mm base]
[Presupported in 32mm and 75mm scale]
Raised as a commoner, Artorian never expected that one day he would rule from the divine seat of the Nirloom that soared so high above the streets he grew up in. Some would call him a reluctant ruler, but Artorian has done everything that he has believed is right for his people, usually at the behest of his co-rulers Ferendir and Valius. Now the kingdom he has forged for almost three hundred years begins to crumble around him.
Artorian was not born a noble, nor even in the merchant class of Leacianus’ social hierarchy. His parents were commoners: his mother a herbalist and his father a tailor for commoners, and together they had two other children beside Artorian. His older sister seemed to outshine him in her ability to wield magic, and his twin brother Tyranor seemed to outshine when it came to swordplay and physical prowess. He instead felt he was stuck in a strange middle ground: jack of all trades and master of none. But it seemed that this middleground is what brought him to the Enlightened Echelon when the previous Nirloom passed, and as is custom, a child from each family was to attend in trials to decide the future ruler.
The rule of twins saw Artorian and Tyranor both attend, and through years of gruelling trials that saw many perish or maimed, the twin brothers persisted. Artorian felt at first his presence there was a mistake, as did Tyranor, but their parents persisted that Artorian go, despite the protests of his brother. But in the fires and bloodshed of the trials, the two came together as one in many objectives, putting their sibling rivalry aside and operating as compliments to each other. Though the true marker that saw Artorian crowned by the judges of Ferendir and Valius came when his brother was injured by a conjuration during a counterspell trial. Artorian exploded in a massive surge of power, and after the blinding light had cleared, the judges came to see that all the conjurations, and many enchanted objects in the arena had been dispelled.
Other trials came too, but Artorian was watched closely after that until the eventual announcement by the Arch Marshall and Arch Holder that this young commoner had been chosen as the new divine ruler of Leacianus. So there he rose to the throne of Cad Nirloom, thousands of feet above the streets he once called home. There he brought his family too. Artorian and his family had no house name, for they were commoners, thus they took the family name of Nirloom, a usual occurrence for any commoners who ascended to the throne. But his life did not grow easier as the ruler of Leacianus, for the young Nirloom now had to make a choice as to if he would keep those who voted him as Nirloom, or replace them with others of his choice.
Artorian knew from the start that his dispelling ability was little more than a caveat or scapegoat for Ferendir and Valius to push Artorian: he knew that they simply wanted a young, malleable ruler that they could mould into their own, and often wondered if his predecessor’s natural death was really natural at all. In making his decision, other advisors warned him that to dismiss the existing positions would make enemies out of House Miar and House Valius as well. It felt as though the ceremony to choose his co-rulers was simply a tired and old tradition that had become warped and corrupted, so complied with his advisors and kept the two on.
Artorian would go on to rule peacefully for many centuries, beginning to very cautiously reach out to neighbouring lands to begin trade routes, cultural exchanges and learn more about the world outside the literal bubble that surrounded Leacianus.When Yinsylim, Paladin of Erdrydion came to plea for help from Artorian and his corulers in purging Duskweave Isle of undead, Artorian opted to accept, for he saw it as a chance to truly strengthen relations with their neighbours. Though Valius enforced a caveat onto Yinsylim: Leacianus would be the only kingdom that received Liturium from the island when it was void of undead. Feeling little other choice, Yinsylim’s group agreed.
When the war against the undead was over, the four alliances met and negotiations quickly took a sour turn when King Silus and King Hjolmir I refused to give their Liturium share to Leacianus, ensuring that if they were aware of such a deal they would have rather marched against the undead without them. Though Artorian was fine with this matter, Ferendir and Valius were not. Thus together they orchestrated bandit raids against the caravans that transported Liturium through Belfrie and Formen, taking their share back by force. Artorian knew of this plan and opposed it, but was outvoted by his corulers. The militarization of Leacianus after and during the Liturium War weighed heavily upon his soul, as though he had aged a thousand years in less than ten. Often have the days in Leacianus been rainy since, for the Nirloom’s mood is tied to the weather and colour of the land.
