Duke Urho of the Dales

Duke Urho Ilkitala

The troubled Duke of the Dales, Urho was born into the Ilkitala Dynasty, the primary family from which the Grand Dukes of Canyndor descend. Urho was the son of Tuomo Ilkitala and Kapy Maijalan, thus descended from two primary families of the Ilkitala dynasty. His father, Tuomo Ilkitala, had married into the Maijalan family and in doing so had managed to inherit the title of Duchy of the Dales from his father-in-law, Sulo Maijalan. Due to this high-status inheritance, coupled with the wealth that comes by being the grandson of the Grand Duke of Canyndor, Urho grew up with many luxuries including horses, servants and the best education his father could afford. By the time Urho had become a young man, he was already sufficient in various forms of combat including fencing and jousting. Though his father championed his education and preparation for his future stewardship of the Duchy of the Dales, Urho sought glory in battle and actively sought out war where it would arise. During the defensive war between the Kingdom of Sarbrynia and the southern Kingdom of Volnia, Urho would join his grandfather, Tapani VII, in helping their allies repel any land invasions from the desert kingdom. Urho took part in the great Battle of Balmek, where the joined forces of Sarbynia and Doria fought back a numerical superior Volnian army. Urho was said to have fought bravely, leading a charge from the flank that led to a rout of many Volnian units. Urho would continue to seek out battle up until his father passed and he assumed the title of Duke of the Dales. Though tempted, the poor state of his Duchy was the only thing that had kept him from joining his Uncle, Grand Duke Arttu I, in the Doric-Aijian War. Instead, he saw to the stewardship of his domain, enjoying moderate success and keeping the prosperity of his subjects high enough to suppress revolts, a common occurrence in the tumultuous Dales. However, during the Doric-Aijian war, Prince Turo of the Grand Duchy was killed in battle during the Battle of Rebelly Row, leaving Urho as the natural successor to the Grand Duchy within the Ilkitala family. He may have inherited the Grand duchy and been the first King of Doria since before the Brynish Empire had engulfed the region. However, this was not be, as Urho was forced to flee his home and the Duchy, escaping to the remote islands of the Murathi Archipelago when the Runic Empire invaded the Dales. During Urho's exile, his uncle and Grand Duke of Canyndor, Arttu I, passed away. However, due to a cabal of nobles who wished for a quick resolution to the succession crisis, and one that did not potentially risk war with the Runic Empire, Armas Torajoki, a second cousin of the late Arttu I, was chosen as the successor. While furious at this news, Urho was in no position to take action. Even when he had eventually returned to the central kingdoms and to the Dales, it was only as a de-facto puppet of the Runic Empire, his title of Duke now barely granting him the powers of a regional governor. Urho enraged by the snubbing of his succession rights and the subjugation of his dukedom, was ever keen to turn this series events to his favour.

Species

Human

Ethnicity

Doric

Year of Birth

7628 PA 51 Years old

Parents

Tuomo Ilkitala

Kapy Maijalan

Gender

male

Eyes

Dark blue

Hair

long blonde

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

pale

Height

6'3"