Gordian the Red
King of the Rhaesians Gordian Gordia (a.k.a. The Red)
Mythical King of Rhaesia, a legendary participant in the Sacred War, and founder of the House of Gordia
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Gordian's physique displayed awe-inspiring strength and it is thought that he never truly had a mortal equal in terms of raw strength, might and courage
Facial Features
In his younger years, Gordian sported a mane of fiery red hair and a clean face with a wide smile. As king, Gordian wore the helmet he won in combat with Orienos and a bushy, curly beard.
Identifying Characteristics
Bright Red Hair
Special abilities
Divine Strength, Durability and Courage
Apparel & Accessories
Helmet and Sword won in combat against Prince Orienos, son of King Tiridatus of Vounopolia
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Son of the goddess Irea, the indomitable earthquaker, and queen of the waves, and her at the time lover Tyrminas, King of Rhaesia and a lover of wine and women of all shapes and sizes. Born in obscurity, likely in a cave, Gordian did not know the luxury of ease as a child, nor did he know a life of fable and legend like one might expect. Gordian lived a very modest, hardworking, and thankless early years as the son of a minor king in the vast sea of Mykran kings of the Archaic Age. The only tale we are told of Gordian's childhood is quite famous though, as a preteen, Gordian learned of a full cart of harvested hay that had lost its wheel and was stuck in the thick mud of the Rhaesian country. Gordian is said to have gone out to this cart and astonishingly lifted the cart off its wheels with apparent ease, the broken wheel was put back on and the cart arrived back in the safety of the city before nightfall.
Next, we hear of Gordian in his early 20s at the marriage feast of Prince Skiron, brother of King Attalos of Akragus, to Princess Roana of the Mascyrians. Gordian accompanied his father Tyrminas to this occasion and was seated near the table of kings for the ceremonies. Here is when gordian became acquainted with men he would bear arms alongside, namely his secret half-brother, the hero of Mellia, Aleus. After the marriage ceremonies and the revelry of the night concluded, cries and screams rang out in the night as Prince Skiron was found murdered by his new brother-in-law King Kaneas. It isn't known why Kaneas slew Skiron that night but it's thought it was brought on by the rivalry between the Akragai and the Mascyrians and the personal animosity between the two previously. Now the calls of war rang out throughout Mykra and beyond and the two coalitions formed in their readying for war. Gordian was made leader of the Rhaesian forces sent to aid the Akragai and thus Gordian's first taste of war came with perhaps the most famous conflict in recorded history. The Sacred War brought renowned legends to bear against one another, the Akragai were led by legendary Kings like shrewd Arnza, Glorybound Aleus, Purpleborn Pemenion, and finally Gordian himself. The Mascyrians were led by their King Kaneas, his two sons Nicias and Panices, his ally King Tiridatus and his son Orienos a warrior of great strength, battle prowess and whom Gordian would face in single combat twice ultimately slaying him. The war would last 15 years, with verses told of battles in the Orekane Forest, the Zestovima Plateau, the Fotia raid, and finally the final assault on the city of Mascyria itself. It was beneath the walls of Mascyria that the duels that would make the Sacred War famous were fought. Arnza would face Panices in a duel between youth and age, Aleus would slay Nicias, dismember his corpse and throw the head of Nicias over the walls of Mascyria into the lap of his father Kaneas. Pemenion would slay Tiridatus and finally, Gordian would overcome mountainous Orienos and take the warrior's helm and sword for himself.
The Sacred War ended with the storming of Mascyria, the pillaging and razing of the city to the ground. Princess Roana and her brother King Kaneas would kill themselves in the confusion and bring an end to the whole notion of a righteous war. In the slaughter, Aleus would be driven mad with bloodlust and apparently murder scores of innocents before he was according to stories, reprimanded by the recovering Pemenion who was met with an arrow shot into the eye killing him instantly. Since the murder of Pemenion had no witnesses, a trial of Aleus concluded with combat being the deciding method. However, none would volunteer to fight the indomitable warrior, none but brave Gordian. At sunset, beneath the ruined walls of Mascyria, the two half brothers fought each to the death with Gordian being heavily wounded but ultimately slaying the greatest warrior of his age.
After the war, the coalition dissolved and the warriors went their separate ways and bid each other farewell. In the aftermath of the war, Gordian found only hardship, the only survivor of the war besides him would be Arnza, who's journey back home would be fraught with difficulty. Upon returning home, Gordian learned that during his 15 years of war, his father had died on the throne, leaving King Gordian to now lead his people in the shadow of what poets were even then calling the "Sacred War". Gordian reigned as king of Rhaesia for an astonishing 70 years, his rule was characterized by massive growth for his city and for their immediate domination of the region known after as the Rhaesseos. Gordian was married 14 times and sired 21 children, each spawning a branch of the great Mykran house of the Gordia who would come to in some way reach the thrones of many of the kingdoms which Gordian had fought within his younger days. Dying at an astonishingly old age, Gordian never lost his fiery, divine hair and his good-natured and righteous attitude towards his role.
Next, we hear of Gordian in his early 20s at the marriage feast of Prince Skiron, brother of King Attalos of Akragus, to Princess Roana of the Mascyrians. Gordian accompanied his father Tyrminas to this occasion and was seated near the table of kings for the ceremonies. Here is when gordian became acquainted with men he would bear arms alongside, namely his secret half-brother, the hero of Mellia, Aleus. After the marriage ceremonies and the revelry of the night concluded, cries and screams rang out in the night as Prince Skiron was found murdered by his new brother-in-law King Kaneas. It isn't known why Kaneas slew Skiron that night but it's thought it was brought on by the rivalry between the Akragai and the Mascyrians and the personal animosity between the two previously. Now the calls of war rang out throughout Mykra and beyond and the two coalitions formed in their readying for war. Gordian was made leader of the Rhaesian forces sent to aid the Akragai and thus Gordian's first taste of war came with perhaps the most famous conflict in recorded history. The Sacred War brought renowned legends to bear against one another, the Akragai were led by legendary Kings like shrewd Arnza, Glorybound Aleus, Purpleborn Pemenion, and finally Gordian himself. The Mascyrians were led by their King Kaneas, his two sons Nicias and Panices, his ally King Tiridatus and his son Orienos a warrior of great strength, battle prowess and whom Gordian would face in single combat twice ultimately slaying him. The war would last 15 years, with verses told of battles in the Orekane Forest, the Zestovima Plateau, the Fotia raid, and finally the final assault on the city of Mascyria itself. It was beneath the walls of Mascyria that the duels that would make the Sacred War famous were fought. Arnza would face Panices in a duel between youth and age, Aleus would slay Nicias, dismember his corpse and throw the head of Nicias over the walls of Mascyria into the lap of his father Kaneas. Pemenion would slay Tiridatus and finally, Gordian would overcome mountainous Orienos and take the warrior's helm and sword for himself.
The Sacred War ended with the storming of Mascyria, the pillaging and razing of the city to the ground. Princess Roana and her brother King Kaneas would kill themselves in the confusion and bring an end to the whole notion of a righteous war. In the slaughter, Aleus would be driven mad with bloodlust and apparently murder scores of innocents before he was according to stories, reprimanded by the recovering Pemenion who was met with an arrow shot into the eye killing him instantly. Since the murder of Pemenion had no witnesses, a trial of Aleus concluded with combat being the deciding method. However, none would volunteer to fight the indomitable warrior, none but brave Gordian. At sunset, beneath the ruined walls of Mascyria, the two half brothers fought each to the death with Gordian being heavily wounded but ultimately slaying the greatest warrior of his age.
After the war, the coalition dissolved and the warriors went their separate ways and bid each other farewell. In the aftermath of the war, Gordian found only hardship, the only survivor of the war besides him would be Arnza, who's journey back home would be fraught with difficulty. Upon returning home, Gordian learned that during his 15 years of war, his father had died on the throne, leaving King Gordian to now lead his people in the shadow of what poets were even then calling the "Sacred War". Gordian reigned as king of Rhaesia for an astonishing 70 years, his rule was characterized by massive growth for his city and for their immediate domination of the region known after as the Rhaesseos. Gordian was married 14 times and sired 21 children, each spawning a branch of the great Mykran house of the Gordia who would come to in some way reach the thrones of many of the kingdoms which Gordian had fought within his younger days. Dying at an astonishingly old age, Gordian never lost his fiery, divine hair and his good-natured and righteous attitude towards his role.
Employment
Prince and Warleader of Rhaesia during the Sacred War
King of Rhaesia
King of Rhaesia
Accomplishments & Achievements
Led Rhaesian forces during the Sacred War
Victory against Orienos and claiming of his helmet and sword
Slew his half brother Aleus in the trial over his murder of Pemenion
Oversaw the great expanse of Rhaesian power over the Rhaesseos
Spawned the far-reaching House Gordia
Victory against Orienos and claiming of his helmet and sword
Slew his half brother Aleus in the trial over his murder of Pemenion
Oversaw the great expanse of Rhaesian power over the Rhaesseos
Spawned the far-reaching House Gordia
Failures & Embarrassments
Forced to bring his half brother Aleus to justice
Mental Trauma
Survivor's guilt
Wartime trauma
Wartime trauma
Morality & Philosophy
A reputation of honor and righteousness can halt any conflict
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Faithfully serve his city, his father, and his people
Reign over his city, his family, and his people
Reign over his city, his family, and his people
Virtues & Personality perks
Honorable
Courageous
Righteous
Kind
Courageous
Righteous
Kind
Vices & Personality flaws
Trusting
Overbearing
Assumptive
Overbearing
Assumptive
Social
Contacts & Relations
Friend of King Arnza of Illia and King Pemenion of Cokurion
Family Ties
Son of Irea and King Tyrminas of Rhaesia
Half-Brother of King Aleus of Mellia
Grandson of Hemella
Great Grandson of Rymr
Half-Brother of King Aleus of Mellia
Grandson of Hemella
Great Grandson of Rymr
Social Aptitude
Soft spoken and always reserved and respectful, in the poems of the Sacred War, Gordian is always portrayed as a humble and gentle giant of a man who is steadfast in his beliefs and beyond loyal to his friends.
Relationships
Divine Classification
Demi god
Religions
Ethnicity
Circumstances of Birth
Born in the rural town of Rhaesia
Birthplace
Rhaesia, Rhaesseos
Spouses
Siblings
Aleus
(Half Brother)
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Hazel
Hair
Long, Curly, Bright Red
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tan
Height
~7 ft
Weight
~300 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"All thrones are bought with blood. Mine is no more just than a vulture knawing on the carcass of a noble lion it did not kill."
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