Stallworth Rein

Family

Wife: Vivellion
First Born Daughter: Selenia Born in the year 15ME
Second Born Daughter: Turelta Born in the year 17ME
Third Born Daughter: Nyasia Born in the year 18ME
First Born Son: Damien I Born in the year 20ME

Forming of Ruinous

Before the Modern Era began, Stallworth was born into a tribe of primitive humans known as the Lagrest tribe. The Lagrest people were a warrior like group of hunters who lived near the Crystal Lake.

His tribe was constantly at odds with neighboring Alsatin packs. Stallworth pleaded with his chief to allow their hunters to take to the Startelm and hunt down the beast that were harassing his people. The chief elder refused though and one evening the Alsatin decided to act against the Lagrest tribe.

They came in the night, howling and growling, tearing the flesh from babes in their mothers arms. The attack appeared to be completely unprovoked and was just the savage creatures acting as such. In the raid the chief elder was slain by the Alsatin and in the aftermath Stallworth declared himself chief of the Lagrest tribe.

Now homeless though, his people wandered into the lands that are now known as Waldwick. There they encountered another tribe of humans known as the Testoke tribe. Their leader Benton was very hospitable to Stallworth and his people. Though there were more of the Testoke they were fewer in terms of warriors or hunters. The Testoke were not like the Lagrest, in the fact that they lived off the land rather than by the spear. Together the two tribes lived side by side, the Lagrest hunting for food and the Testoke growing it. Benton and Stallworth governed their own individual tribes, but often would consult with one and other and formed a sort of a partnership. Benton knew that he was no warrior and allowed Stallworth to make decisions on how their tribes would defend themselves from the Alsatin, as well as from other tribes. Stallworth was focused on taking back the land that he had lost however and with the permission of Benton began to teach the Testoke men how to hunt and fight. Benton how ever took charge over the governing of people and the distribution and rationing of food among the tribes. In turn he would teach the Lagrest woman to farm and till.

All went well for some time for the two tribes in their first year together. Soon Stallworth was confident enough in his warriors to attempt to take back the land lost to them near crystal lake. By taking that land back they would be able to increase the amount of game they could hunt. Benton and Stallworth planned to establish the first system of trade between the two tribes and rather than live side by side be separate but equal entities. However their first attack on the Alsatin was an utter failure. The beast were much more nimble than the men and with their sharp claws and fangs were able to tear through their flesh with ease. Again the Lagrest had to retreat to Waldwick. When they returned Benton suggested that they just give up on taking back their land, but Stallworth was convinced that the Alsatin would eventually spread and try to wipe them out. They would have to to replenish their forces though, wait until the young boys came of fighting age, but Stallworth was confident that they could win. Benton agreed with his friend but felt that they would need to approach things much differently.

Eventually the two tribes were visited by a third tribe know as the Gaferty. The Gaferty lived north near the river know now as the Serpent's River. They were fisherman and had established a friendly system of trade with a tribe down the river, who lived in a land now known as Pegasus. They had been seeking other tribes in order to trade the overabundance of fish that they had.

Benton was happy to trade with the Gaferty but Stallworth was still hell bent on retaking his home and agreed to the pact only if the Gaferty would agree to help them. The leader of the Gaferty known as Garth thought this was a fair agreement, as his people had little access to agriculture or live game. He agreed to help them but first he wished to see if their allies down the river would as well. Garth, Benton, and Stallworth would all go to treat with this tribe down the river, who's name has been lost to the histories.

When they arrived they found that the tribe had been completely annihilated. They were slaughtered.

At first Stallworth sought to blame the Alsatin, but Benton pointed out that the wounds suffered were not from claws or fangs but of spears and blades.

It was another tribe of humans and the three leaders were soon after attacked by this aggressive tribe. They had no desire to negotiate with the three allies and so they were forced to retreat back down the Serpent's River. The three agreed that this threat was equally as dangerous as the Alsatins in the Startelm and that the three tribes should unite so they may survive. Stallworth wanted to march on the Crystal Lake as soon as possible, but Garth and Benton both agreed that the pending threat of this new tribe was more important to deal with first, and they were correct. It was not long before these raiders began sailing down the Serpent and attacking the Gaferty, looting all of their food.

The men in this tribe wore thick leather armor that the spears of knives of the Lagrest could not easily penetrate. After a few battles it was clear that they were losing and needed to do something differently. Garth then came up with a plan to lead the raiders into a trap on the Serpent's River that would sink their boats and drown them before they ever came on shore. For a while Garth's traps were keeping the raiders at bay, and allowed for the recovery of some of their armor and weapons. Being able to study what they had Stallworth was able to create his own crude version of the armor that would better suit his warriors. Eventually the raiders were able to land on the Gaferty soil by just sending sheer numbers down the river. The Gaferty were pushed back into Waldwick and the three tribes would soon be under attack. Stallworth had tried to lead his warriors against the raiders but they were easily repelled. What remained of the three tribes had dug in behind the wooden spikes that Stallworth had used to fortify their lands.

It was on the eve of battle that lone man came and approached them. The man was was quite large with a small black beard and dark eyes. He was dressed in armor, the likes that they had never seen, shiny and silver. With him he carried an ax made of steel and a shield made of iron, and on his head sat a helmet. The three at first thought he had come from the party of raiders, but he did not. He said his name was Guy and that he had come from the heavens to aid them. With him he brought weapons and armor of steel and iron, enough for all three of the tribes, and said that he would lead them in the coming battle.

He ordered them to assemble their warriors, as they would be attacking the raiders that evening, in order to take them by surprise. They followed the man and he lead them to a decisive victory against the raiders, slaughtering almost the entire lot. Next the man, who would soon be given the title Guy the Great, had lead them to the Crystal Lake, and with their new armor the Alsatin's speed meant for nothing. They were able to reclaim the lands of the Lagrest people.

Soon after the three tribes agreed to all return to the lands they originally called home, but they wanted to maintain an alliance and circulation of trade between the three. Guy, who had now been looked at as a deity to them, had said he would teach them a new way of life. Under his guidance the first "Kingdom" would be created and they would call their Kingdom Ruinous. Of the three one of the leaders would be named "King" he is the one who would be their leader in combat, and the other two would be known as "Lords". Lords would act as rulers among their own tribes as well as act as councilors to the King. The concept was to new to the humans, but according to Guy it was more similar to the way things were being done on the other side of the Serpent's River. The three agreed that Stallworth, being the greatest warrior, would make the best King. He was inspiring to men in battle and more importantly he was willing to take the council of his allies. They knew he was not the wisest among them, but that he was aware of this and would easily take the advice of his wiser companions. Benton and Garth would be made the first Lords of Ruinous. Guy also suggest that they take Sir names, also a new concept to them. He had them take the names of their tribes, so they became Stallworth Lagrest, Benton Testoke, and Garth Gaferty. Next he would teach them about building. Before Guy they had lived in tents and huts, but he guided them in erecting three large castles that would serve as their homes. Stallworth Keep, The Waldwick Virile, and Fort Ellison were built. The three castles were very large and all served as homes to everyone in their tribes. Each castle had its own purpose. Stallworth Keep would defend from the Alsatins in the Startelm to the south. The Waldwick Virile would protect over the many fertile fields that would become their main source of produce in the future. Fort Ellison would protect from the raiders that came form the east.

Once the castles were finally completed Guy disappeared for some years, but his memory remained with the people. They erected statues of him in his honor and began to pray for his return and worship him. Religion began to shape in these early days. Once Ruinous had established itself, repelled a few attacks from the east and increased it's population, by integrating other small tribes into their lands, Guy returned.

He came first to Stallworth and called for Benton and Garth. The two came with haste and presented guy with many gifts of new weapons and armor that they had crafted using their new found knowledge of mining and smithing that they had acquired from Guy. Guy was pleased with how Ruinous had been developing and told the three that they should assemble their men, that the time of war was back upon them. He declared that the Alsatin were unholy beast and that now that they were strong enough that he would lead them on a crusade to wipe them out.

The Alsatin War

Upon his return to Ruinous guy brought with him even more advanced and sturdy plated armor, as well as an assortment of fine weapons. He brought each major house a gift.

To the Garth Gaferty he gave a dagger that allowed wielder to disappear, known as the Kuji Mamba.

To Benton Testoke he gave Long Sword that granted the wielder the ability to see with perfect vision even in the blackest of nights, known as the Night Watcher.

To Stallworth Lagrest he gave a giant battle ax that could shake the very ground, know as the Mountain Mover.

Although the three weapons still remain with the descendants of the three, it has not been proven that they actually possess these magical attributes and are such kept as keepsakes for their respective houses. The Mountain Mover still remains in Stallworth Keep buried in the tombs with Stallworth. In addition to the weapons and armor, Guy also brought with him ships. Part of his plan was to invade the Startelm on two front. He wanted Stallworth and his two lords to lead half of their forces into the wood from the east, by land, and he wanted to lead the other half from the west, by sea. The Alsatin had never experienced an attack from the west before and once they caught wind of the Ruinousians attacking from the east they would concentrate their warriors on fighting them and Guy would be able to come in from behind and take them by surprise.

With Guy Stallworth would send one of his most trusted Knights, and friends, Randle Nyis. Randle had become almost a 4th advisor to the King. He was a former leader of a smaller tribe that had become part of Stallworth's kingdom and Stallworth, seeing his worth as a warrior had made him into the first "Royal Knight" of Ruinous.

It was shortly after conceiving their plan of attack that the Lords of Ruinous had their forces consolidated and were ready to launch their invasion. They had the element of surprise on their side and with it their early campaign was a rousing success. The plan had gone off with out a hitch, just as Guy intended. They surrounded the packs of Alsatins, that had rushed to the south east of the Startelm and decimated them. Many of the packs scattered and it soon after became a matter of hunting them down and clearing them out.

Stallworth, Garth, and Benton all led their armies up north, where scouts had gathered that the majority of the Alsatin had retreated, while Randle was charged with clearing out the southern part of the Startelm and beginning to clear away the woods, so that the land may be settled. Before they could begin their second offensive though, Guy the Great had disappeared, such as he had many years ago. Stallworth did not see this as a reason for concern however, and continued on with the plan. In the South Randle's army slaughtered hundred of Alsatin and cleared hundreds of acres surrounding, what is now known as the Adelphia River. Randle was a huge success, but in the north, they resistance they met was much more intense than they had seen before.

At first they were able to push the Alsatin back, far beyond the river, into what is now the current and much tinier Startelm, but soon their forces were not so scattered, and they became much more organized. The Alsatins rallied around three Demon Children wielding weapons of Fire, Water, and Wind. The three Demons fought with such intensity, that they appeared to rival what even Guy the Great was capable of. They were able to control the elements and turn them against the Ruinousian Army. Stallworth was forced to retreat across the river, back into the land he had taken. He was confident that Guy the Great would return to their side and help them complete their holy crusade, but Guy never came, and as they sat across that river the Alsatins were growing in numbers.

Once Randle arrived with his army Stallworth decided the to rush his entire force back across the river and crash them into the much smaller Alsatin Army. His main problem however, was that the bridge they had built to originally cross the river had been destroyed by the Demon Children. He moved his men further down the river and this time had them build a bridge of stone, that still exist today now known as the Blood Bridge, so they might cross the river and come around the Alsatin on their right flank.

Upon the completion of the bridge, the three Demon Children were there before even a single man had crossed. They wished to treat with Stallworth and his lords, but they were refused. They had not wanted to negotiate with the evil that was before them, but the Demons left them fair warning, that if they come across that bridge that their numbers would be reduced greatly.

Needless to say Stallworth did not heed their warning and when they crossed the bridge they were not met by an army of Alsatin but instead by the three Demons and a Barrage of Fire, Torrents of Wind, and Violent Waves that crashed across the bridge dragging hundreds of men into the sea miles away.

Soon enough it became clear to the lords that this was a battle they could not win and that Guy was not returning to help them. Though Stallworth was still refusing to treat with the Demons Benton and Garth had felt that it was time. As he had always done in the past Stallworth took the advice of his council, and of his friends, and the three alone crossed the bridge to meet with the demons.

Exactly what words were exchanged among the six were not recorded in history, but the agreement was that all the land claimed by Ruinous would remain theirs and that the Alsatins would keep what remained of the northern half of the Startelm. It was also agreed that both races stay completely to their lands. No Ruinousian was to every set foot with in the Startelm, safe for a few miles that they allowed them as a buffer zone, and no Alsatin would ever set foot on Ruinousian soil. This pact has remained in tact for over two hundred years, as most people believe the Alsatin to now be extinct as not one has ever been seen by human eyes since that day. What became of the Alsatin or the Demon Children after that day is not known, but they were never seen or heard from again. With newly claimed land Stallworth saw fit to reward his most loyal and successful knight, so he gave the title of Lord to Randle Nyis, and granted him all of the land he had claimed in the Southern Startelm. The region was renamed Adelphia and Randle erected his own castle, also called Adelphia. Here he built large docks to house the ships that Guy had left them and began to build his own. This was the start of the first Royal Navy.

The Years of Peace and the First Royal Family

The years that followed the Alsatin war were peaceful during the rein of Stallworth. Many of the resources at the Kings disposal were put into the growth of Adelphia, as well as rebuilding the their armies. Now with a keep and docks built near the ocean they were able to increase the amount of fish caught each year ten fold. Hunting had altogether become obsolete by this time as Stallworth's and Benton's subjects had begun domesticating livestock as a source of food. All was well in Ruinous and it was time for the King and his three lords to begin thinking about the future. They had all decided that they would take wives so they may further their lines and their legacies.

For his wife Stallworth took Vivellion Gaferty, the youngest and most beautiful of Garth's sisters. Garth had proposed the idea to Stallworth saying that by joining their families by blood they will strengthen the bond of their kin in the future. Vivellion was a considered to be a rare beauty in those days having thick black Gaferty hair, a trait that would remain strong in the lines of the Lagrest, as well as deep dark eyes of nature. It is said that Stallworth was madly in love with her once they were wed and they two had four children together, three girls and one boy.

First born to the King was his daughter Selina, and then his daughter Turelta, and then his daughter Nyasia. Three births and three girls, and while Stallworth was very fond of his daughters he still desired a son, although the law set before them years ago by Guy the Great allowed for a daughter to inherit all her father owned it was still preferable that it be a son. A son so he may carry on the name of the family and so he may carry on the legacy of his father. After the birth of his third daughter Vivellion had been advised to have no more children, but she bore one more anyway, going against the advice of her midwives. This final birth nearly killed Vivellion but she did survive and she did bare a son, Damien. Damien was exactly like his father in personality, yet exactly like his mother in features. The boy by look was more Gaferty than Lagrest, but he was everything Stallworth could have wanted in a son and more.

As the Prince grew he became a fierce warrior, able to best even Stallworth. Damien wanted so badly to experience the glory of battle and war like his father did, but Stallworth advised him that a good king looks to avoid battles rather than fight, a lesson he had learned the hard way. Still though Damien had a thirst for battle and simply sparring with the Knights had no longer satisfied him, so Stallworth held the first ever tournament of arms. He sent a calling out to the four regions that a tournament would be held that would test a warriors skill in single combat, and that there would be a prize for the winner. Knights came from the four regions to represent their lords, as well as the sons of Randle Nyis and Garth Gaferty. In the end the tournament came down to Damien against a mysterious black knight.

To his dismay, Damien had fallen in single combat to the black knight who revealed himself to be his eldest sister Selina. Stallworth was amused that his daughter had bested her younger brother and grateful that he had learned a lesson in humility and how he should not be boastful. For her prize his daughter requested that her father hold the tournament annually but that he permit woman to compete as well. Her father granted the princess this request and woman were treated as equals on the field of combat from that day froward.

During the remainder of his rein Stallworth and his council developed a system of trade and currency that still exist in modern times. He pioneered the use of gold, silver, and copper coins, and built a road connecting the four castles of Ruinous, known as the Connecting Way. It was not until the old age of seventy eight that Stallworth finally succumbed to old age. He left in place his son Damien, who was now more than man grown and was practically ruling the Kingdom in his place for the last ten years of his rein anyway. Stallworth had no quip with giving his power over to his son. He loved and respected him, and felt that Damien would make an even better king than he was. He was last of the three original pass, Benton six years before, and Garth eleven. He was loved by his people and his lords. Though his early years as king were filled with turmoil and bloodshed, the majority of his rein brought nothing but tranquility to the Kingdom of Ruinous, and that would be what he was so fondly remembered for.

The Rein of Stallworth Lagrest

Family

Forming of Ruinous

The Alsatin War

The Years of Peace and the First Royal Family