Ebenwald Lysandus

King of Lysandus Aethel Ebenwald

Aethel Ebenwald was the first King of the united tribes of Lysandus. In Bardic History, he is often called Aethel the Stonewilled. His more popular name in the Kingdom, however, is Ebenwald Lysandus, the last name given to him because of his unification of the people in the lands. His primary achievement as king was the taking of The Golden City, which was renamed to that of his house, Ebenwald.
Primarily known for his unification of the tribes, Ebenwald considered himself more as a chieftain than a proper king. Contemporary Chroniclers note that Aethel was more concerned just with securing the land holdings of the region from Dwarven expansionists. However, his strategy of securing the land offensively involved taking cities and fortifying them.

History

Early Life

Aethel Ebenwald was born in the city-state of Brymoor in the First Age 5457. Already his father, Alfred Ebenwald, was the chief of the city. From a young age, Aethel found himself trained in swords and combat by some of the commanding generals of the city. The court wizard also taught him the ways of magic. By the age of 15, he was named a squire by his father to evidently become a knight. It was in the year 5476 that he was approached by a "mysterious" woman who had delivered a message to him.

Young Aethel, with an arm of iron and will of stone.
The blessing of Amagus comes to you.
Behold a score of time, Dwarven Kings you will dethrone.
Until the tribes of Lysandus are one but few.

Aethel would take these words to heart as he reached full maturity. In 5478, his father died because of a disease. Aethel took the place as chief, rounding up the armies of Brymoor in a grand vision to "unite Lysandus".

First Military Campaign: Taking of the Tribes

A few months after the death of Alfred Ebenwald, the Dwarven Kingdom of Boldurun issued a small assault on some of the villages surrounding Brymoor, taking their resources of precious metals. Aethel took the attack as a perfect excuse to attack the Dwarven Kingdom, but realized his military was too small to do so. As such, Aethel proceeded to go the local city of Feller's Rock and discuss negotiations there with their chief in 5478. Chief Percen the Elder refused any alliance. Aethel took a risk and proceeded to challenge the old chief to a duel. Aethel won, and combined his tribe with that of Feller's Rock. The city would proceed to become a military base for future operations.
The rest of the years followed Aethel proceeding to take local cities that refused any alliances, and peacefully negotiate alliances with those that sided with him. Slowly but surely, Aethel amassed an army larger than any that had been seen in Lysandan history at that time, of about 550,000 men. By 5480, he had conglomerated the city of Anfeld into his tribe through a peaceful negotiation with Chief Delmont. Delmont would be allowed to rule his city, but Aethel was still above him in operations, controlled the military, and was soon crowned King of the Ebenwald.

Years of Aggression

Aethel, now entering his late 20's in 5482, began to order construction of castles surrounding areas that were very close to Boldurun. However, Aethel came to a problem: he was starting to lose funds, and could not compete with Boldurun's economic prosperity. Thus, Aethel set his eyes on the Golden City, the very city the Dwarves used to control the lands of Lysandus.
For about 10 years, Aethel commanded his troops stationed at castles to provoke small Dwarven cities to try and take the castles. Fortunately, Aethel's stone castles proved to be a match for Dwarven steel. Slowly but surely for that decade, he dwindled the Dwarven army to match that of his own. Edmur Boldurun at the time expressed concern for his kingdom's borders and started to focus primarily on those instead of protecting the Golden City. Aethel then turned his eyes to the Golden City.
During this time, the cities in the Kingdom of Ebenwald began to experience a famine of sorts. A few of the smaller villages gathered together in 5484 to raid Anfled of it's food supplies. Aethel began to grow worried that his military union would be dismantled by the raids, and as such sent parts of his army to put down the pillaging. Concern grew toward the leadership of Aethel, who himself was beginning to doubt his plans would work. By 5489, however, his military stumbled upon a dried up river, being held back by a dam mechanism constructed by the Dwarven Kingdom of Boldurun. Aethel immediately declared war on them for starving his people, and a month-long conflict, know as the Battle of the Silver River, began in August of 5489. Word spread quickly across the kingdom, with hatred toward the Dwarves growing. It was the event Aethel needed to gather his men's morale back, and to take the Golden City.

The War for the Golden City

As the Silver River was replenished of it's waters, public support of King Aethel began to raise. The northern tribes of Keller began to swear allegiance toward Aethel for bringing the water back. Aethel's army grew proportionately, enough to take on a fortified city like the Golden City.
Aethel, now being hailed as King Ebenwald by the Keller people, assembled his armies and began a front toward the Golden City. Establishing castles along the way, Aethel finally brought his armies to the Golden City in 5492. Though at first he was filled with doubts, Aethel was once again visited by the "mysterious" woman, who revealed herself to the The Lady of the Lake. The Lady blessed Aethel and his armies, ensuring them they would not fail.
Aethel's first plan of attack was securing the forests in Lysandus and using the wood to build trebuchets. Aethel, however, soon grew distracted when Boldurun decided to start an invasion of his lands. Aethel dispatched his armies to hold back the Dwarven invasions, and asked for a call of aid to an ancient enemy of the Dwarves, the men of Gothai, to assist him. The Gothains agreed, and began to attack the borders of Boldurun. The Dwarves now faced two fronts, allowing Aethel to focus primarily on his target.
What resulted was a conflict that took around 4 years to complete. The final month of the War of the Golden City resulted in the then thought-to-be impenetrable walls becoming crumbled from the barrage of knights and war mages alike using trebuchets and calavary to weaken the walls and their warriors. Finally, by 5496, the armies of Ebenwald managed to break through the main gate and stormed the city. Aethel took the city hostage and put the Dwarven King, Edmur Bolderun, to the sword. The royal Dwarven family fled back to the remaining holdings of Boldurun, leaving the men of Lysandus to securing the city. He would rename the city after his own house, Ebenwald.
The December of that year, the priests of Amagus came to King Aethel with the Chiefs of Ebenwald and Keller. They all agreed to make Aethel Ebenwald the High King of their lands. Aethel was crowned the King of Lysandus, uniting the tribes into one Kingdom. Thus, at the age of 39, and indeed 20 years after his vision, Aethel Ebenwald became the King of Lysandus united under one house.

Age of Prosperity and Later Life

As King Lysandus began to become older, he began to convert the businesses and industries in the Golden City to become that of his Kingdom, growing the lands economically. Indeed, with the Silver River under his control and the Golden City, an Age of Prosperity began. Art, poetry, business, and constructions excelled in this 20 year period.
In the last 5 years of his life, Aethel began to grow phenomenally ill with a foot disease. Many of the clerics of Amagus could not cure this disease, and began to worry of what happened. As Aethel grew weaker, he focused more of his life to writing, focusing on memoirs and notes to give to his sons when he would eventually pass. In the March of 5521, King Aethel died in his sleep, finally ending his fight with his illness.

Mental characteristics

Accomplishments & Achievements

• Becoming the Chief of Brymoor.

• Becoming the Chief of Anfeld.

• Was crowned King of Ebenwald (the united tribes in Brymoor and Anfeld).

• Military victory in the Battle of the Silver River.

• Construction of dozens of castles across the landscape of Lysandus.

• Taking of the Golden City.

• Being crowned the King of Lysandus.

• Starting a new Age of Prosperity within the last 20 years of his life.

Failures & Embarrassments

Many Bardic Chroniclers like to make note that it was probably Aethel's actions that led to the blocking of the Silver River in the first place. Though Dwarven raids did happen in the lands, Aethel provoked the Dwarves more than they ever had experienced. As such, the Dwarves blocked the water supply in order to weaken their enemy and strengthen the border.
Aethel's aggression toward his people during the famine was also deemed unwarranted, as they were not incurring a proper rebellion. This has led some chroniclers to consider him cruel in that aspect.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Aethel Ebenwald seemed to be motivated by ensuring the growth and prosperity of the lands of Lysandus. His unification of the tribes was more or less a result of him wanting to strengthen the defenses of the land against the dwarf kingdom nearby.

Likes & Dislikes

Aethel seemed to enjoy writing in his life, being intrigued with the legends of his ancestors in the lands of Lysandus. He wrote military memoirs and was fantastic when it came to writing legislation for his people. Ultimately, his taste in entertainment, such as theater, led to fantastic plays being developed during his reign.

Vices & Personality flaws

Bardic chroniclers nowadays discuss that Aethel was a cruel man and bloodthirsty. One report, during the taking of the Golden City, had him told by his general to simply dispose the king and let him go into exile. Aethel, however, turned to his general and told him not to stop his victory. He proceeded to kill the king on his throne.
One unfounded theory is that he may have been a thrall of Morganine, considering he was devoted to the art of war more than discovery that Amagus wanted to promote. Still, Aethel was a writer and reader, which leads some to add onto this theory saying he was devout to both gods.

Social

Religious Views

Ebenwald Lysandus was a devout follower of Amagus, being pious and looking to the god and his clerics to guidance in his decisions. In fact, some of his council men when he was deemed King of Lysandus mostly consisted of Amagus clerics.

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Sources:

• A History of the city of Ebenwald, by Harold Pontworthy. Date of Writing: Around First Age 5800.

• Life of Ebenwald Lysandus, by Rimilde. Date of Writing: Around First Age 5500.

• The Chronicles of Lysandus, by Aedweld. Date of writing: First Age 5750.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Chief of Clan Ebenwald, Chief of Brymoor, Chief of Anfeld, King of the Ebenwald, King of Lysandus

Life

5457 ME 5521 ME 64 years old

Circumstances of Death

Died of illness

Birthplace

Brymoor, Lysandus

Gender

Male