On Astredur I
As it stood in the Year 343 of the Fourth Age (4A 343), from the Death of Queen Demetria I to the Rise of King Rhydian Calenad
The Empire of Astredur1 was founded by Demetria rei Uniferes, later to be known as Demetria I, Demetria Foires2, or The Foremost Queen, when she conquered Hetarnas, to the North, and Rosaras, to the South. Her expansion was stopped at the northernmost border that marks the icy land of Norlethen, a place that hasn’t been ruled since before the dominion of Dorchadas.
The Queen’s Peace3was several long years of stable reign, where the united lands flourished under the hand of Demetria I. Her strong military quelled any unrest, and her edicts were tolerant to the different cultures of Heternas and Rosaras. Because these lands had been neighbors for centuries and trade was strong, the Empire did not have much trouble assimilating. However, there were those in the North, especially some of the nobility, that did not like the changes. This dissent was loudest from House Alreinaran, whose High Seat was Colwin Caledon4, Lord of Maes’arnath. Yet, despite having the support of several strong Houses, even the Lord Colwin et Alreinaran wouldn’t dare try to breach Demetria’s Peace.
At the end of the War of Shadow, Demetria died alongside the Heroes of Aani, Fergan mel Zohar, High King of Adara, and Augustus esi Enyelin, King of Lehtia. She was succeeded by her son, Demetrian Perdan5. He reigned for some time, trying to hold together the empire his mother had brought together by sheer force of will. However, the War of Shadow had a devastating toll on the world, the Heroes’ Sacrifice seemed to have more consequences than they had imagined. It marred Aani, the order and reason of the world fell apart.
Demetrian I disappeared suddenly, from one day to the next, he was gone. No one knew where he went, or what happened. Rumors cried murder, foul play, and the ambition of the nobility. However, history remembers Demetrian Perdan as one who forsook kingship and left the realm to suffer. In his absence, the High Lords formed a Regency Council. Adelie da Regenet, High Seat of House Regenet, had been Demetria’s Mistress of the Robes and Lady-in-Waiting, she was there when the Queen died. Adelie was credited as one of the few who protected the Heroes on their mission to Bryndor. Her magic, in recent days, has been immortalized in paintings, tapestries, and other works of art. She was one of the most powerful magic users in her day, her power was remarked to have look like silver flame, or the pale light of the stars.
These implements comprise the Regenet Coat of Arms, a shield affixed with twinkling stars on a field of sapphire. This an intentional imitation of Demetria Foires’s own arms, a tower crowned by stars on a field of white stitched with golden thread. Her banner was often called The White Tower, but it was later forgotten to time. The current thought is that there was an actual White Tower, but was destroyed during the War of Shadow, or it crumbled from the hands of time. The title Princess of the White Tower was originally a title of the Regent, first taken up by Adelie Souven6when her House was elected the House of Regents. However, this title was granted to the second-in-line to High Seat of House Regenet, when Damon Lyoncur7 was invested with the Crown of Union. While he took the regnal name of Demetrian II, he is remembered as Damon rei Regenes. The Queen Mother, Matilde da Senet, disowned her son for this action. She was recorded to has said, “You forsake the tradition of the Court of Stewards. My son, you have the heart of a lion. Full of pride.” While this was not published, it was preserved for the closed record, The Book of Memory. A tome that is kept by the Royal Library of Stelindel. Matilde never took an epithet, or the royal honorific of rei and the postfix of es in her family name, even though this was hers by courtesy. She retired to a country estate, dropping her title of Queen Mother. She lived to see her great-granddaughter succeed the Throne and take the name Demetria II. Matilde died a year later, having lived what some considered an unnaturally long life.
The Regency Council, now the King's Council, I suppose, met early in the morning the night after they declared Damon de Regenet the King of Astredur. I write, now, in the margins of a history that will never be told, not in my lifetime at least. In the middle of the meeting, as the sun started to rise above the windows of the chamber, Matilde da Senet, the King's Mother, barged into the council, followed by the wisp of a lady's maid that clung like a shadow to her mistress. "When I woke up this morning, Damon, I thought that Maud (her maid) had dreamt up the news she uttered to me." Every one in the chamber rose, including myself, except for the King. They argued briefly, the golden ornaments in the graying woman's hair chimed together passionately. She said, before she departed, "You forsake the tradition of the Court of Stewards. My son, you have the heart of a lion. Full of pride." By the time of this writing, being after sun's descent, the High Lady Matilde had departed the City for some time and the King had earned the name Lyoncur. ~ The Book of Memory, the Notes of Forgeron le Retenir, the Lord High Librarian.
A year after the ascension of Damon Lyoncur, the Lord of Maes’arnath, Cadmon et Alreinaran waged war in The Northern Dissension. Cadmon Thoren8 was joined by eight other powerful lords who thought that Damon’s coronation as King of Astredur was the last straw, as they favored the regency, where they had more power and control, practically running their lands as petty kings. It was a bloody war that brought only pain and sadness. After ten years, Damon Lyoncur died in The Battle of Merensvale. He was succeeded by his son, Mael Concur9, or Demetrian III. He made peace with the rebellion, where the lands of the north were released from their oath of fealty. Thus, formed the nation of Tir Hetarnas.
Cadmon Thoren had a crown made by the Brían, who lived in a wooded vale. The Trystron was named by its makers and Cadmon Thoren thought it an insult for the symbol of his power to be named the Crown of Sorrow. The Brían thought it a suitable name given its price. The Trystron would later be melted down to form the start of the Monstrance of Sorrows that would later adorn the Steadfast of Calon’dinas. The destruction of this gift would insult the Brían. Cadmon el’Alreinin was killed by Rhydian Calenad10, his younger brother. Please, read On Astredur II and On Hetarnas for more.