Darion II Caedmon

 

King Darion II Caedmon the Restorer
Aliases	The Restorer The Just
Title	King of the Moon, the Sun, and All of Humanity
Predecessor	Kael II
Race	Captioline
Culture	Caedmon Capitoline
Born	3rd of Summertide, 465 Lightkeep, The Capital
Father	Harlan II
Mother	Lyre Swanstone
Spouse	Ophelia Blackthorne
Issue	Prince Harlan Princess Elena Prince Dustyn Prince Gwayne

Darion II Caedmon, known as Darion the Restorer and Darion the Just, is the twenty-second and current reigning king of the Kingdom of Lumera. He is the seventh monarch of House Caedmon, though is the first of the Caedmon Restoration.

Darion was born the only son and child of Harlan II and Queen Lyre. During the waning hours of the War of the Usurper, the young prince Darion escaped certain death as the usurper Kael Voss murdered his parents. He spent the rest of his childhood and early adulthood in secret exile in Silverglade, living a false identity as a squire of Lord Protector Cassius Verdwyn. At the age of twenty-four, Darion revealed his identity to the rest of the kingdom, and led a successful rebellion against the usurper king, slaying him in Battle of Medine and deposing his young son.

Upon retaking the throne, Darion pardoned the lords who rose in defense of the usurper, and has worked to regaining the stability of the realm, which was left damaged by Kael I's oppressive reign. In 500, he organized the Great Council of 500, which introduced a wide array of reforms to the Lumera Codex. Along with that, Darion restored amicable relations with both the Outer Realms, the collective term of the distant kingdoms of the west and south, and with the Luminescent Church.

History

Early life

Darion Caedmon was born on the 3rd of Summertide, 465 to King Harlan II and Queen Lyre Brightstone. He was the first healthy child of the royal couple, and would be there only. Darion was their fourth child, having three older stillborn siblings, and would go on to have one younger stillborn sister and an younger unborn sibling. His birth was declared a miracle by the celestial priestesses who delivered him. Upon being presented to court, Darion was made a prince of the realm and the Prince of Everlight, the title of the heir apparent to the throne. His enthronement as the Prince of Everlight was considered political theater, designed to project House Caedmon's resolve following a series of political blunders by Harlan II. The title is typically given to the heir apparent upon reaching manhood, which is the age of eighteen.

Until the age of five, the then Prince Darion was tutored by mentors on matters of religion and etiquette. At the age of seven, he began swordsmanship lessons with Knight Cosgrove Hallowshield. He was noted for his quick ability with the sword, but lack of interest in the studies of philosophy or history. However, Darion did take a particular interest in religion during his early life. He attended the royal sermons hosted in the chapel inside the Lightkeep, both in the morning and late evening, and took care in his religious studies. He took inspiration from Aureon, specifically his resolve during the Dark Days.

Usurper's War and secret exile

Upon the start of the War of the Usurper, Darion was sheltered by the royal household guard under the commands of Harlan II. As the sole heir to the throne, Darion's safety was considered a top priority amongst those loyal to the king, especially Lord Cassius Verdwyn, the Lord Protector of Silverglade and the king's Warden of Justice. A supporter of House Caedmon, Lord Cassian took great lengths to protect Darion during the rebellion. As the rebellion grew more successful, the king worried more and more about the survival of House Caedmon. In order to protect his son, heir, and legacy, Harlan II placed Darion under the custodianship of Lord Verdwyn.

While Kael Voss besieged the capital, Lord Cassius and Darion fled the Lightkeep, traveling discreetly in the cover of darkness. A day later, the city fell to Kael Voss, and both Harlan II, Queen Lyre, and those associated with House Caedmon were executed by the victorious Voss, who crowned himself king by right of conquest. Darion was devastated by the murders of his parents and kinsman, and vowed revenge against House Voss.

With the war's conclusion, Darion was taken to the Veil of Morning in Silverglade, where he was raised as Lord Cassius's ward. To avoid suspicion, Darion took on the identity of "Royce Coswell", a low-born squire of the Lord Protector and dyed his hair a bright red color. His true identity was only known by Lord Cassian and his immediate family. At the Veil of Morning, Darion was raised alongside Cassius's son, Tyber Verdwyn. Through their shared interests, the boys became quick and close friends, and soon considered themselves to be brothers in arms. Tyber and Darion were described as being incredibly close and inseparable, taking part in activates, training, and education together. Darion also made friends with Tyber's sisters, Aylla, Livia, and Jaesa. It was believed that Lord Cassius intended on Darion marrying one of his daughters in the near future, though this never came to fruition.

Darion's education and martial training was picked up directly by Cassius, who feared delegating the exiled, and believed to be dead, crown prince to others was too dangerous. By the age of sixteen, Darion had become a skilled fighter, able to take on at least three swordsmen when training. He participated in the Tourney of the Morning as a mystery knight, in which he briefly came face to face with Kael I. Darion had a hard time restraining himself near the usurper king, and after the tourney's completion joined Tyber in touring the mountain lords in the north during the remaining duration of Voss's stay at the Veil of Morning.

Upon reaching manhood, Darion refocused his energy to taking back the crown. With the cautious blessing of Cassius, Darion and Tyber conducted a tour of the realm, covertly determining the potential allegiances of each house in a future war against Voss. While in the Capital, Darion was able to steal Flameheart, the legendary sword of Willem I Lumera wielded by every Lumeran king up until Kael I. The sword, which can be light ablaze by those of Willem's bloodline, was discarded by Voss, who was unable to activate the weapon due to his lack of royal blood, and had been placed on display in the Church of the Sun and Moon. The theft was considered a great triumph for Darion and Tyber, but was condemned by Cassius who believed the two risked exposing their plot.

Returning to Silverglade in 496, the twenty-one year old Darion officially formulated his rebellion. With Cassius's death and Tyber's ascension to the Lord Protectorate, Darion received the full backing of Silverglade to conduct his rebellion, providing him a guard of thirteen men and plenty of coin. In 498, Darion travelled to Calworthia, his house's ancient homeland, to secure the fealty of House Stormforge. While having historically tense relations, House Stormforge remained a steadfast supporter of Harlan II during the War of the Usurper, and continued to resist Kael I's rule for many years afterwards. Upon arriving at the Caedfort, Darion revealed his true identity to Lord Protector Mace Stormforge.

Mace remained cautious of Darion, as many had tried to claim the identity of his kinsmen before. However, after Darion was able to activate Flameheart, Lord Mace was fully convinced of his identity and pledged fealty and support to Darion. With Mace's backing, Darion wished to travel northwards to Winterholm, where he'd hope to continue his covert alliance-making. However, his plans were halted after Lord Mace publicly revealed Darion's existence to the real, in an effort to begin a mass rebellion against House Voss. His actions began the War of the Restorer.

War of the Restorer

Upon the reveal of his identity and existence, Darion sent additional letters to the lords of the realm, confirming Mace's revelations and equally calling for rebellion. Darion was greatly displeased with Mace's actions; he had no time to form serious alliances with the other major houses, and had no army to challenge the usurper king. However, Darion kept his displeasures to himself, hoping not to invoke the legendary anger of Mace Stormforge. At the beginning of Summertide, 498, Darion headed a host of eight thousand men, all of whom originated from Calworthia. Initially skeptical of his chances, Darion became hopeful among new developments.

Upon the revelation of Darion's survival, the realm seemed united in the wish of deposing House Voss. The northern realms, through the diplomatic machinations of Tyber Verdwyn, largely declared for Darion immediately following the revelation of his survival. House Asher of Emberpeak declared neutrality, largely because of the indecision by the regents of Lord Protector Rybert Asher, and while House Oakgrove of Brightstone declared for Darion, their lands were split by civil war as loyalists led by House Blackhold revolted. In the south, Alterbia, the homeland of House Voss and the source of its large armies, became embroiled in a civil war. House Redfield of Redfall, who were once considered allies to the usurper, declared neutrality after being scorned at court five years prior, and House Seabright of Azurereach and House Lysander of Sedania remained neutral at first, but later declared for Darion.

With his alliances settled, Darion moved his army of Calworthians northwards to Silverglade, where they united with Tyber's host of Silvergladers, Winterholmers, and Dunsbarians. At the end of Summertide, the combined host of twenty thousand men marched southwards to Brightstone, where Darion hoped to assist House Oakgrove in defeating the loyalist forces led by House Blackhold. Spliting his army evenly, Darion led a host of ten thousand men southwards to the capital of Brightsmoot, while Tyber led the remaining host of ten thousand in pacifying the northern reaches of Brightstone. Darion participated in his first battle on the 4th of Autumntide, 498, defeating a host led by Knight Jordyn Blackhold at the Battle of Noble Crossing. He later led further victories against the loyalists throughout the rest of Autumntide, culminating in the Battle of the Darkfort and the surrender for Lord Brynden Blackhold. With House Blackhold defeated, most loyalist forces surrendered to Darion or fled to The Capital.

Despite the victories in Brightstone, the defeat of Lord Protector Aedward Theobane at the Battle of Plainfield allowed Kael I to organize a host of fifty thousand men, which reinforced Lumeris and The Capital realm. Although leading a large host, Darion did not have the men or supplies necessary to siege the capital. Because of this, Darion resorted to trickery in order to draw out the usurper king. Through a plan developed by Tyber, Darion lured Kael into occupying the city of Medine in the Wintertide, 499, located at the border between the Capital realm and Brightstone. With the assistance of House Medine, Darion launched a surprise attack on Kael's host, surrounding the city and simultaneously sinking his warships and blockading the port. With limited supplies, Kael's army was weakened by siege, and soon was attacked by Darion's forces.

Along the city wall, Darion engaged in a personal duel with Kael the Usurper, as their forces battled below them. According to some, the sounds of Flameheart clashing with Kael's weapon, the legendary Kingslayer, could be heard all throughout the city. After an hour of constant dueling, Darion got the upper hand against Kael, beheading the usurper king in one final slash. With Kael's death, his five year old son, Prince Kael, was proclaimed Kael II with a regency led by Lord Tarwyn Soady. However, a majority of the bannermen loyal to House Voss surrendered with the death of the usurper, believing the war to be over.

A week following the Battle of Medine, Darion began a brief yet deadly siege of the capital, fighting against the remnants of the usurper's armies and eventually storming the Lightkeep. Entering the throne room, Darion was surprised to see the young Kael II, carrying his infant sister Kalnora. The young usurper, who escaped the watchful eye of his guardians during the siege, took his infant sister on a tour of the throne room. He greeted Darion, believing him to be a tutor of some kind. With that, Darion confined the young usurper and his sister to their quarters, ending the war.