Alvar IV síl Verne (1411-1478), remembered by the moniker “the Shining síl Verne”, ruled as the Duke of Verne from 1443 to 1478. Born and raised in the foothills of the Khenak range, Alvar’s life blended vast military experience and knowledge with frustrated, but ultimately successful efforts at internal reform.
Diplomatically, the Duke would turn Verne into the cornerstone of Imperial opposition to the Trisferian Emperors, with Alvar’s famous speech against the síl na Trisfers being instrumental in the election of Rauben III síl Estallen, the last non-Trisferian Emperor for nearly 80 years.
Nonetheless, his best known feat would be to become the first Wyvern-Tamer in generations, working alongside his court mage, Tristan síl Vartras, to temporarily resurrect the ancient art. This endeavor would earn him his nickname, so given for the luminous armour he rode while he presented his new mount to a summit of his nobles.
Biography[]
Birth & Upbringing (1411 to 1423)[]
On the 3rd Esmarment 1411, amidst the Third Lilac War, Alvar “the Shining” síl Verne was born, the second child born to the union of Dustin síl Verne (a cadet brother of Marion II síl Verne) and Thalia Silistra, the daughter of the Duke of Istralore. He was not born in the ducal castle of Verne, but in a mountain fort in the Khenak range called Arca Lar, hidden away from the conflict for the safety of both him and his mother.
Placed in the care of Tristan síl Vartras, the court mage and advisor of his father, Arca Lar would be Alvar’s home until he was 12 years old. Alisa, the Captain of Arca Lar’s guard, would also play a prominent role in his upbringing. Both councilors would remain close friends and confidants of Alvar, serving alongside him in later years.
Tristan oversaw the education of the prince in most matters, from the natural laws of the world to the laws of state until he was an adult. He took well to instruction – while Alvar didn’t have any talent or potential in magic he made up for it with his keen mind. One of his greatest talents was linguistics, with the young Alvar mastering Elvish and studying Old Castanorian under the tutelage of a Castellyrian diplomat. In his later years, he was fluent in a wide array of languages, such as Old Damerian, Kheteratan and Bulwari.
Attack on Arca Lar[]
In 1418, the castle of Arca Lar was attacked by a roaming band of gnolls that came down from the highlands and mountains of the Khenak. This attack caught the local garrison by surprise, and Alvar, who was then outside of the castle walls, was attacked and almost killed by a fearsome gnollish warrior, sustaining a spear-injury in his side. Before he could be slain however, he was rescued by Captain Alisa, who cleaved the beast in two with her Wexonard greatsword.
The spear that pierced Alvar’s side left a deep injury which took more than a year to fully heal, confining him to his bed for most of the time – thankfully, fears of the use of wyvern poison, commonly used by Hill Gnolls, were quickly allayed. As a result of this attack, Arca Lar was refurbished and reinforced by Marion II, crushing another attack by the gnolls in 1422 in which Alvar took part. These events are often considered as the origin of Alvar IV’s heavy investment into fortification and defensive positions.
After healing from his injuries, Alisa began teaching the prince in the use of the sword and spear. Alvar was not talented in this, yet he became skilled enough to fend for himself if push came to shove. He was also taught Wexonard tactics, opening his mind to methods of warfare different from the Vernmen ones.
The Fourth Lilac War (1423 to 1443)[]
In 1423, Alvar would be recalled to Verne, when his uncle, Duke Marion II síl Verne, reaffirmed his support for Adénn Silmuna. Though the 12 year old Alvar, already opinionated, argued neutrality – he believed Verne had nothing to gain from such a conflict, and would only incur losses for little gain (a position some saw as a mark of cowardice) – Marion II ignored his nephew, having already been persuaded by the Moon Party into joining the war.
Calling his banners, the Duke of Verne would join up with Adénn’s host before they began their march on Anbenncóst – while in the Grand Duke’s company, Marion II would lose his life in the Battle of the Moon Council, alongside many Vernman soldiers. This showed Alvar that a weak willed ruler is prey for those that surround him.
Marion II’s son Arman, now Arman V, took up the mantle of duke and continued the conflict to avenge his father. He was joined by Alvar’s father, Dustin, who was a skilled commander. To rule in his stead, Arman V named Tristan, Guard-Captain Alisa and his wife, Isabel Silebor, as regents of the realm. Alvar joined this council of regents when he came of age in 1426, taking a central role in administering the duchy.
Regent of Verne[]
With much of Verne’s army away, Alvar invested heavily in a defensive posture, in accordance with Alisa and Isabel’s counsel. A series of outposts were built on the shores to keep watch of any potential invasion like those that had defeated Verne in the past, while also fortifying the holdings close to the Khenak pass to defend from both the Busilari and Gnolls. These investments bore fruit when, in 1431, the navy of the duchy of Pearlsedge, a member of the Rose Party, tried to facilitate a landing of armies close to Heartspier, an attack that was thwarted thanks to the newly built coastal fortifications.
Alvar also personally oversaw Verne’s military operations along the Luna whilst Arman V and his father were waging war even further away. During these campaigns, his pragmatic tactics often clashed with his more vainglorious Vernmen lieutenants– many of the personal disputes Alvar found himself in during this period were only resolved properly after the war had concluded.
Alvar would embark on several important judicial and economic reforms while regent. Working under Tristan’s guidance, Alvar would lay the groundwork for establishing a comprehensive code of law for Verne. He would also revitalize important manufacturing infrastructure in the western Khenak, expanding their ability to manufacture Vernemen Bronze (a feat that would eventually bear fruit, as the rise of cannons led to a sharp increase in demand for the alloy).
Alvar also became known for maintaining an open door policy with the refugees fleeing the Greentide – even cooperating with the Marquisate of Arbaran, a war enemy of Verne, to transport refugees to Verne’s lands.
During this time, Alvar also began a family. In 1432, he married Ariana síl na Bronzewing, the daughter of a local noble. They had two daughters in 1434 and 1436, Alara and Cela respectively, and a son, Dustin (later Dustin VI), in 1439. He cared little for his children, sending them away to be brought up by councilors like his own father did. Of the three, the only one who received any of his attention during their childhoods was Cela, who showed affinity with magic.
Accession[]
The price of defeat in the Fourth Lilac War would be heavy for Verne. At the close of the war, both his father and Duke Arman V were killed fighting alongside Adénn Silmuna during the Fall of Anbenncóst. Though the Duke’s son had come of age in 1435, and too joined the council, his sickly disposition barred him from upholding his duties – his death five years later in 1440 would leave Alvar the heir to the ducal title, and, after Anbenncóst’s fall, Duke of Verne.
Rule (1443 to 1478)[]
Initial Rule (1443 to 1460)[]
Alvar’s initial period as Duke was mostly uneventful. With Verne losing thousands of soldiers during the Fourth Lilac War, he spent a great deal of time repairing the damage to both the land and its people – to this end, he pushed for the integration of Escanni refugees. This brought much needed foreign ideas to Verne, triggering a “chivalric” renaissance, easing the tensions caused by the devastation of the war. One of these chivalric imports were Escanni themed jousts, events that were quite popular amongst the nobles of the empire.
On the diplomatic front, Alvar IV attempted to balance relations with both remnants of the Moon and Rose Parties, whilst also developing his influence on the Princes and cities of the Luna. To this end, he also attempted to curry favor with the new Emperor. In 1449, Alvar IV published a military treatise on the many failures of the Moon Party and his predecessors during the Lilac Wars, also commenting on the success and power of Lothane III síl Wex and the philosophy of modern war. In this he explained in great detail why they failed, while also painting an image of the Emperor as a grand tactician, strengthening his relationship with the Emperor but displeasing other members of the Empire.
His diplomatic efforts culminated In 1451, where, at a grand ball held in celebration of Prince Dustin’s birthday, attended by the Emperor, a backroom agreement resulted in Dustin’s betrothal to Lothane’s daughter, Nara síl Wex.
In parallel, a grand campaign to secure the Khenak range from the gnoll threat was successfully undertaken, ultimately leading to the death of the “Queen-of-the-Hill”, thus asserting control over the western Khenak peninsula and pushing the gnolls deep into the mountain range.
Wyvern-Tamer (1460s to 1474)[]
His reign began to face difficulty when, in his continuing quest to reform Verne’s law code, he began to take power away from the entrenched noble houses of the countryside. Moving too fast, Alvar and his advisors enraged the Vernman nobility, beginning a tense period of Alvar’s rule, mired in conflict with the nobility and powerful adventurer families opposing his rule.
With his reform efforts faltering, Alvar grew increasingly dissatisfied, lamenting his lack of power in enforcing his decisions. This frustration would lead him to consider new ways of increasing his own power. Unable to leverage Lothane’s influence to suppress his rebellious subjects, he instead put his court mage, Tristan síl Vartras, to work on another ambitious scheme – rediscovering the secrets of wyvern taming, long lost.
In 1463, the ageing Tristan síl Vartras (now 76 years old) finally made a breakthrough, identifying the source of the old Wyvern-riders’ power. Over the next few years, Alvar would spend an exorbitant amount of money on the project, paying adventurer companies and specialist mages handsomely to search for a wyvern egg in the Khenak range, a quest that would last two years. Meanwhile, Alvar invested heavily into the recovery and research of ancient Vernid texts, in order to refine Tristan’s theories.
After the egg was found in 1465, Tristan’s work truly began, as the old mage and his apprentices – including Alvar’s daughter Cela – began to weave increasingly complex enchantments over the newly-hatched wyvern, attempting to bind it to Alvar’s will. Dozens of guards and mages perished during the process – including, on the 21st of Tearfall 1467, Alvar’s second daughter, Cela.
Despite the losses, Tristan and Alvar were successful, and on the 2nd of Castanmark 1468 he would appear before a summit of his nobles clad in luminescent bronze armour – riding a Wyvern. This earned Alvar IV the moniker of “the Shining”, and silenced the upset adventurers. Without the support of the adventurers the nobles too relented.
On another hand, both Alara and Dustin understood then, that their father cared for them as nothing more than tools supposed to fulfil a role. This led Dustin to despising the very symbol of Verne’s pride. With a wyvern finally under his control, Alvar finalised his reforms, creating a great code of law. Using his newfound authority, Alvar started expanding his diplomatic reach, threatening Busilar and nations along the Luna.
These internal and external successes lasted for six fruitful years, where Verne regained some of its past glory, but the end was abrupt. During the night of the 9th of Truefrost 1474, Tristan síl Vartras passed away, and the wyvern broke free of his control, flying away into the Khenak after killing two guards standing watch.
The Wyvern’s Last Roar (1474 to 1478)[]
No new reforms were achieved during Alvar IV’s rule. After an altercation with his son Dustin, the aging Duke retreated to the castle of Arca Lar for a year, letting Dustin and his wife take care of the realm. Unfortunately, Dustin was not like his father – he stripped power from most of Alvar’s councillors, and instead took power into his own hands. Dustin did not have the same reformist will nor decisive will as his father, and so while Verne maintained its standing and prestige, it stagnated governmentally and diplomatically.
Alvar IV returned to power at a critical moment. The Emperor of Anbennar and Alvar’s hated rival, Caylen I of Pearlsedge, had become deathly ill during Alvar’s absence, and was now attempting to build a political coalition to elect his successor, Tomás. Throwing his considerable diplomatic standing against Caylen, Alvar became the nexus of Imperial opposition to Pearlsedge’s ambitions.
When the time came to elect the new emperor in 1476, the anti-Trisferian faction struggled to rally support behind their favored candidate, the powerful mage (and rather belligerent) Duke of Estallen, Rauben III – in part due to Alvar IV’s previous dislike of the hotheaded prince.
Nonetheless, Alvar swallowed his prior reservations, and, calling the Parliament to settle, launched a scathing attack on the síl na Trisfers and Pearlesdge in general, recalling every remotely dishonorable or questionable thing they had ever done. The sheer anger and vitriol behind the Duke’s words stunned many of the electors. He then recalled his own attempts to tame a wyvern, and his far-ranging reforms to his own Duchy, and spoke of a future Anbennar that broke the boundaries of the accepted, and broke through its present stagnation to achieve greatness.
Finally, not having mentioned Rauben III once up to this point, he then gestured to the Duke, saying simply “There is only one man here worthy of the Realm.”
Alvar’s speech, nicknamed “the Wyvern’s Last Roar” soon after, effectively transferred the glory of his own name onto Rauben, without actually saying a point of favor in his name – with the Duke having a high standing for his efforts to reform his duchy, this worked, and Rauben would just barely secure the imperial nomination.
This victory would not be long lived, however. The Emperor, now Rauben I, would die after only a year on the Dove Throne – though Alvar IV tried to rally once more against the síl na Trisfer, the obvious mismatch between what Alvar IV indicated Rauben would be and what he was actually like in office had made itself clear over the past year. Discredited, the Duke of Verne failed to rally the anti-Trisferian faction, and Tomás II was successfully elected Emperor.
The last year of Alvar’s rule was defined by tense relations with the new Emperor, but nothing of note happened. On the 7th of Teysuren 1478, Alvar IV passed away at sea of a heart-attack, after winning a race settling a grudge with two of Verne’s admirals (considered to be one of the events that inspired the creation of the Stingport Regatta).
Succession[]
The crown went to his son, Dustin VI síl Verne, then aged 39. Dustin was not as great as his father. While he maintained the status of Verne diplomatically, by the end of his rule Verne’s military had fallen behind. Dustin VI also neglected his predecessor’s quest to resurrect the ancient wyvern-riders, as he was personally both terrified and resentful of the creatures that had killed his sister. Nonetheless, his grandson, Alvar V, managed to reestablish the wyvern-riders of Verne in 1504, building on Alvar IV and the Court Mage Tristan’s previous work.
Legacy[]
Duke Alvar IV is remembered as a reformer and lawmaker, who defended Verne from enemy incursion while also laying the groundwork for the development of its industry. His legacy rests on two achievements – establishing a code of Law curtailing the judicial influence of both nobles and adventurers, restoring accountability to both groups, and laying the groundwork for the resurrection of wyvern-riding in modern times. Diplomatically, he cemented Verne’s standing and prestige, and ensured that Verne would remain as one of the main opponents of the síl na Trisfers, even as they ascended to the Emperorship.
Nonetheless, his personal legacy is more complex. Though his determination and force of will won Verne glory, they also cost him his daughter’s life – his general nonchalance to that fact remaining a black mark on his character. His “Last Roar”, while a fascinating moment in the history of the Imperial Parliament, likewise did not have the intended effects – though it secured Rauben’s election, it was ultimately an exercise in vainglory that merely disguised Rauben’s faults, and would later backfire for the anti-Trisferian faction.
Alvar and his two closest confidants, Tristan síl Vartras and Alisa, are considered to be the inspiration for The Great Men (great mustachios) Theory, theorized by Erning of Heartspier – infamously, Alisa’s contribution was that she would have been just as influential as the Court Mage Tristan if she had a mustachio.