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THE TRAGIC HISTORY OF HOUSE GUERNATAL
OK…well, only the past 16-some-odd years have been tragic. House Guernatal has been the ruling family of Iorden for 700 years, since the White Forest Concordat. That document, penned and guaranteed by the Th’ura Akbyyr (the Elven High Council), granted House Guernatal sovereign rule over the lands of man. It also stipulated that the Th’ar lo-Hyyl, the famed Elven Knights of the Wood, would protect the human rulers of Iorden from all enemies. Most of Guernatal’s reign has been a peaceful, prosperous time…at least as far as these things can be expected.
King Gunther Guernatal has held the throne for most of his 66 years of life. He once had a son, Prince Uther. Uther was, by all accounts, an excellent prince, and would have made an excellent ruler of the kingdom. Tall and handsome, brave, kind to lords and servants alike, clever, and so on, and so on.
Prince Uther disappeared 16 years ago, during a visit to Brimshire. He was presuemd dead, a political assassination, although no party ever claimed responsibility for the deed. Although it seems preposterous, the family’s luck seemed to have turned for the worse ever since that fateful night. Shortly thereafter, the half-Orc General Traft abandoned his post as Esteemed Commander of Blackhold and fled over the Black Mountains to foment unrest. Under Traft’s influences, Orc raids over the mountains became more insistent. House Guernatal, as was proper, provided men and gold to defend the kingdom from the Orcs, yet deflecting the constant guerilla attacks drained the House’s resources and reputation. To make matters worse, Gunther’s wife, the Queen, died of a winter plague, leaving Guernatal with no heirs. Dirty rumors were appearing here-and-there, suggesting that without an Heir to the throne, the Elves might “re-interpret” the White Forest Concordat. The Concordat had held society together for 700 year; the concept of it being broken seemed preposterous, yet the rumors oozed through society. Financial struggles, politicking among the other 4 Princedoms of Iorden, and time, resulted in the slow erosion of King Gunther’s influence.
The King remarried, a beautiful woman named Dagmar, of house Greenhorn. She was much younger than Gunther, and her family was, strictly speaking, not quite prestigious enough to warrant her marriage to a Guernatal. But, the king loved her, and he had earned his right to a foible or two after such long, dedicated service to the realm. Not to mention, Dagmar was a well-beloved ruler, especially among the common folk. She was well known for her charitable efforts among the poor, especially in the crowded cities.
Unfortunately, the design of a monarchy is such that there is one single responsibility of a queen that is held up against all the rest, outweighs all the other good or bad deeds of her reign. Dagmar was unable to produce an heir for house Guernatal for many years. The lineage of the house was in danger for the first time since before the Concordat. There was some mumbling and murmuring among all high-and-low, but so long as the Queen was young enough, hope remained. As the years passed, the hope faded and faded, but never vanished. Finally, it was announced one day that Queen Dagmar was with child, and the realm was flooded with joy and, especially, relief.
But joy was not long for the House Guernatal. Word was passed that General Traft had escalated his efforts in the Black Mountains. No longer content with propagating dissent and small guerilla raids along the kingdom’s border, Traft had apparently raised an army large enough to constitute a legitimate threat to the heart of the kingdom. And then, Dagmar’s delivery began, much earlier than expected. Despite the best effort of the court’s physician as well as the High Priest’s pleas to Galadon, nothing could be done for mother or child.
And so, King Gunther of Guernatal found himself late one night, wracked with grief for the loss of his beloved wife and unborn child, with an army of Orcs at his doorstep, a court full of plots and intrigue, and no hope of an heir.