Valder Gehel

Cruel and Contemptuous

Valder Gehel

We cannot afford such frivolous pursuits and all that idealistic nonsense that spews forth from your mouth, son. You will marry some rich lord or merchant’s daughter no matter your thoughts on the matter!

— Valder Gehel to his son Elîvihel

Valder Gehel was the Lord of Gehel Keep, a small fortificaion on the shores of the Pallern, until his ailing health abandoned him in 1058 AA. Known as a cruel and strict man, he was succeeded by his son Elîvihel, a boy he had been deeply disappointed in as a consequence of the child's rebellious and idealistic nature. His reign over the family’s holdings is generally viewed in a negative light as he failed to prevent the continual deterioration of his ancestral keep, likely leading to intensification of his frustration and the rage that he wrought upon his own family.

Early Life

Not much is known about the House of Gehel prior to the ascension of Elîvihel and his sister Apêrah. From what little is known, Valder had supposedly been born in Eberstêi, a town in the Kingdom of Motilich, north of his family’s keep. As a young man, he craved enjoyable challenges and fortune, striving to bring wealth and power to his family. The lure of adventure had set him on the path of a sellsword, taking him to lands far from home as he killed, plundered, and then proceeded to waste much of his fortune on women and alcohol. Those carefree days of bliss would come to a sudden end when his companions had turned on him, offended by his selfishness and greed. They had run his leg through with a spear, leaving him to die on a filthy street hundreds of miles from home.
Having survived the encounter thanks to the generosity of a few attentive travellers, Valder was able to recover from his injuries, although his leg would be weakened forever. With his adventuring dreams dashed asunder, he ventured home, his pockets bare as his brothers-in-arms had diligently emptied them. On his journey to Gehel Keep, Valder was teetering on the verge of starvation, which forced him to turn to thievery and begging.

Lord of the Keep

We’ve no funds to pay for a dowry, so you’d better be off seducing the King of Motilich or Latolia and hoping that he’ll shower you with gifts appropriate for a mistress.

— Valder Gehel to his daughter Apêrah

Valder Gehel had returned home just in time to miss his father's funeral by a day or two, but at least his reappearance had cleared up the question of succession. Right away he began working hard to find himself a wife—or rather a powerful and prosperous father-in-law that would come with the wife. He'd been well into his 30s by then, but the quest to find the perfect woman was something he felt he couldn't rush. Much to his disappointment, however, there were few who desired to send their daughters off to a crumbling keep covered in foliage. Having reached the age of 46, Valder finally settled for what he deemed as less, marrying Einilla Yûsil, an 18-year-old girl from a family even less relevant than his.

Failure of a Father

Valder’s own frustrations with his own failures in life made him hope that he could find a second chance through his children, forcing them to follow the strict path he had set for them, hoping it would lead to their ultimate salvation. Instead of making any significant progress, however, his actions had only served to alienate his own wife and children from him, leading to heated arguments and physical confrontations.
His son and heir, Elîvihel eventually slipped from his grasp following one such argument, venturing out into the world to find love through his own means, a decision which led to his marriage to Queen Tiyla of the Hartilians.

Deteriorating Health

Ever since his injury, Valder had failed to adapt to the drastic change in his daily routine. His appetite had been as eager for food as ever before, yet his body failed to exert itself as it had during his mercenary days. The weight that he gained proved too great a burden for his heart, slowly draining the life and energy from his corporeal form, while his mind withered under the strain of stress and the disappointments of life.
Once his son had run off to seek out a random woman in a kiretia, all the hope that Valder had still harboured vanished. With his will weakened, the body followed suit and within days his heart had failed him at last.

Relationships

Valder Gehel

spouse

Towards Einilla Yûsil

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Einilla Yûsil

spouse

Towards Valder Gehel

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Species

Human

Ethnicity

Hartilian

Life

988 AA 1058 AA 70 years old

Circumstances of Death

Heart Complications

Birthplace

Eberstêi, Kingdom of Motilich

Place of Death

Gehel Keep, Kingdom of the Hartilians

Family

House of Gehel

Spouses

Einilla Yûsil (spouse)

Siblings

Children

• Elîvihel Gehel
• Apêrah Gehel

Sex

Male

Eyes

Light brown

Hair

Long receding jet black hair

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Bloated, tanned and blemished

Height

1.76 m

Weight

112 kg

Belief/Deity

Hillenēq Hūril

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