King Julius Medorum

King of Rona

In 1256NC King Khorathis II was killed by Arch-Primus Kalos of Sartha at the end of the Great War. In Koril of that year the Ronan Parliament of Dukes assembled and elected a powerful and wealthy noble to be the next King. That man is Julius Medorum. He appointed the next High Lord of The Holy Crown, creating a schizm in the Ronan Church. His High Lord declared the new king to have divine authority to rule. Next he immediately dismantled the Triumverate and made organized schools of wizardry illegal with swift and cruel enforcement, effectively ending organized wizardry in Rona. Under his rule the realms of Sora, Gand and Moar broke away to become independent Kingdoms. Yet his power has only grown and the Dukes and the aristocrats of Rona have only grown wealthier. It is now 1311 NC. He has ruled for 56 years and is now 87 years old. Who is this man? Where does he come from? How and why did he come to power? How has he maintained his position? And most of all, who will be his successor?

Family History: The Medori were a culture thought to be related to both Ganniards and the Moarvik peoples who resided along the western shores of the River Shanin in the south western regions of what is now Rona. Their ancestry actually goes as far back ancient Kamora, though, as their are descendants of nomads who survived the destruction of that ancient empire. In the first century N.C., as the Ronans moved across the realm they were some of the first peoples encountered. Not much record was kept of the earliest exchanges, but it is well known the Medori proved to be excellent at trade and mercantalism. It was from the Medori that the Ronans were first exposed to the other cultures of Verosia, through trade. The Medori were quickly assimilated into the early Ronan kingdom and most of their ancient culture has been blended with the Ronan culture. It is still found in architecture, language, and even the faith. The Medori brought the knowledge of math, finances and art to the Ronans, through the teachings of Chionanthus, Anthrus, Artagerus, Ilex and Elletaria. The Medori people have also become nearly indistinguishable from most Ronans. Occasionally their ancestral features emerge, naturally darker skin, full lips, narrow facial features, and occassionally thick curly dark hair. Otherwise, they are Ronans. There are a few family names that have survived the ages, though, with Medorum being the most prominent and most aristocratic.

The Medorum family line has always been merchants, transporting goods up and down the rivers to trade with other realms. They were responsible for the trade of spices, rare metals, gemstones and even animals betwen the Moarvik, Mikanian, and Ganniard kingdoms. They even traded with Gelvani and Duervar. The Ronan expansion only bolstered their influence and over the course of a few centuries they became the greatest and weathiest merchant family in the river valleys. With wealth came influence and eventually they found themselves the trusted financiers of Lords, Dukes and eventually even the King of Rona. The Wizards of Rona and Moar and the Priests of the Church of Rona became heavily dependent on their exchanges to provided much need incense, papers, inks and rare components. The Medorum family name may in fact have just been a reference to their origin, but it is now known as the name of trade in the western region of Rona. The Medorums may have remained no more than wealthy merchants execpt for the brilliance of an erudite named Mirko Medorum who studied the intricacies of finance. The Duke of Gabelshire was taxing the Medorum trade at the ports, and those piers were small. Only small ships could put in at them, so the Medorums had heavily invested in small vessels. Sea ships from the western realms were forced to dock in Tharthin, where the Medorums had to pay more taxes to transport goods onto their smaller ships before sailing them east up the river. Mirko put forth the idea of expanding the docks in Ferry's Dale (Farrindale) into a port city capable of handling sea worthy vessels. Then the sea ships could come to port fully loaded for trade and sail back out. The Duke of Gabelshire was quite happy to have a greater port presence to bring in more tax and wealth to his realm, but he did not have the funds to pay for such a major construction. Mirko had the solution. The Medorum family would finance the expansion of the city and the Duke could pay them back over time. The tax revenue would still far exceed the loan payments. It was agreed and the result was both the first great river port city of Farrindale and the first Ronan bank. The usefulness of a Keiran style banking structure suddenly blossomed and the Medorum Bank quickly became one of the wealthiest and most powerful private businesses to exist in Rona. Many attribute the Medorums for the creation of the Aristocratic Merchant Class in Rona. For the better part of the last Millenia the Medorums have grown in power. Leading up to the Great War the Medorum banks were the backbone of the economy in most of Central Rona (Camus and surrounding Duchies that remain today).

Early Life: Julius Medorum is the only son of Gregori Medorum and Julijana Leodora. He was born in 1224 N.C. shortly after King Khorathis I was assassinated by Chancellor Kypus, highest ranking Arch-Magus of the Council of Nine, and the ascension of Acascius Khorathis, himself a wizard, to the throne. At the age of 4 the Kurvarge invasion began and by the age of 7 they had sieged Riverport, north of his home in Farrindale. He stood upon the walls of his city and watched the Kurvarge pillage, burn, loot and rape as they came dangerously close to Farrindale before turning east towards Camus. The siege of Camus ended with the Mage's Council destroyed by one of their own (see Ilvanvolf) who was later discovered to be behind the invasion. The Kurvarge was pushed back North but the devastation was immense. Though his family began to prosper from the rebuilding, only a year later the Orange Plague sweapt across the lands. By the age of 12 the Shield of Acascius was constructed to hold back the Kurvarge. When he was 16 the Parthans began to outlaw wizardry for its hand in their own political discord, and though the King of Rona stood in the support of wizards, the people were gathering and meeting to discuss ways to force the wizards out of power. Medorum's own father, Gregori, was one of the leaders of this movement and spoke often of the evils of wizards and their unrelenting desire for power, allegiances with fiends, and their desire to destroy the church and the power of the King. By 17 the Gelvani kingdoms to the west began to war amongst each other. Gregori Medorum often railed at the influence the Gelvani had over Rona through their "wizard pawns". He declared the war a threat to Ronan society and called on the King to deny the Gelvani access to the realm, for fear they would bring their war to the safety and peace of these lands. When he was 20 the Day of the Dragons sent the world into a tremor of fear, as hundreds of dragons (once believed to be all but extinct), flew over the realm towards the east. The people acused the wizards of having summoned them to serve in their designs to conquere the realms. In only two years after the eastern duchies across the sea began to fall to the forces of evil. The holy city of Ironcrest was infiltrated and the high priestess of Reahnyn, Aliana, was assassinated. The Duke of Authbrig was murdered in his bed chamber by his own chamberlain who was discovered to be an undead wizard called a Lich. Then in 1252 N.C. the Great War erupts between Rona and Parthus, bringing all of the realms of Verosia into it. A Parthan armada lands in Seagate and takes the city. In the sea battle, numerous merchant ships are seized or sank. Julius' father, Gregori Medorum, was seen leading his own merchant ships against the Parthan fleet, and dying trying to defend Rona from the invasion. Seagate fell. Upon hearing of his father's valiant actions and his tragic death, Julius Medorum buys a commission in the Royal Navy, and commits his entire fleet and the great wealth and power of the Medorum Bank to fighting the war. In the years that followed he would fight many sea battles and attain every increasing rank and prestige. By 1255 N.C. he was Vice-Admiral of the fleets protecting the lands from Riverport to Farrindale. In 1256 N.C. the city of Tharthin was besieged, and he answered their calls for help, sailing his fleet to their defense in the west. However, he had suspected that the Parthans may be planning an attack on the capital in the east, so though he took the infantry ships, he ordered the Riverport Army to march for Camus and to not send any signal ahead, so they may arrive unexpectedly. When Vice-Admiral Medorum arrivied in the Bay of Bryninia he led the naval battle against a smaller Parthan fleet and was able to land forces at the docks. His soldiers joined the forces of Tharthin in routing the Parthans and their orc allies, driving them from the city. He also learned that the Parthans had used the Magna Portalus, a giant portal created by the wizards, to attack the heart of Camus. His army from Riverport had arrived in time to help defeat that army, but not before Arch-Primus Kalos of Parthus himself had murder King Khorathis II. This was in spite of the fact that the King was surrounded by the Council of Nine, the very order of wizards created by the Kings of Rona to protect the King. The wizards had once again failed the Ronan people. Admiral Julius Medorum sailed home to a Kingdom in sorrow, but also to a gathering of powerful Dukes declaring him a hero. He was then called to a meeting of the Parliamen of Dukes to receive honors and accomodations, but there he gave an empassioned speech about turning the tides of war, defaming the wizards, calling for an end to the Triumverate, and demanding total authority to the people through the Parliament of Dukes who would elect their next King. The Dukes were so moved by his words that that very day they elected him as the new King of Rona. King Julius Medorum was crowed in 1256 N.C.

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