Fenwic Helstrom

Fenwic Segius Helstrom, son of Taston Helstrom and Crise of Das, is a major figure in the history of Falonia and The Continent.

Parents
Austrition and Stoneshire were sister cities with Stoneshire up towards the mountains and Austrition closer to the main land of Falonia. Austrition used Stoneshire as their main source of cheap ore and lumber. The craftsman of Austrion would process the raw materials into valuable items. Austrition then sent a portion of the profits back to Stoneshire. Both cities thought they had the more important part of the deal. Citizens of Stoneshire said, "You can't forge swords without metal." while citizens of Austrition said, "You can't forge swords without forgemasters."

Taston Helstrom was a warrior from the city of Austrition. When Taston Helstrom lived in Austrition, a cruel king was on the throne in Stoneshire. He drove the mines to work harder by hiring mercenaries to hunt down caravans and enslave them. He had enslaved multiple merchant convoys heading to Austrition. The women were made to form a concubine harem for the king and the men were sent to the mines below the city. Crise of Das was one of the women bound to the concubine.

When the king of Austrition heard of the attack on Austrition's trading network, he struggled at what to do. He knew the people of both cities would be happy to fight battles over the issue but the year had been tough and gold was tight. He didn't have the resources to equip the guard for an attack on Stoneshire.

Taston was enraged that the king would not retaliate against Stoneshire. He rallied up a group of men and asked the king of Austrition to let them attack Stoneshire and free the slaves but the king forbade them. He said, "The balance between the cities is precarious at the moment. If we attack now we risk failing and falling into deep troubles." Taston and his men left resentful and inwardly raging. They decided to infiltrate Stoneshire surreptitiously during that night.

Taston and his mind climbed up the mountainside away from Stoneshire and elevated themselves above Stoneshire. They climbed along ridges and cliffs until they found an opening into the mines. They dispatched the guards with their well crafted swords and knifes.

The rebellious warriors stole torches off the walls and used Taston's enchanted sword for light. They wandered the tunnels until they found a miner's apprentice. He began to run but the trained warriors easily caught him. One warrior held him against a wall with a sword drawn to the boy's throat. Taston explained to the boy that they were going to free the slaves and kill the king. The boy eagerly agreed to help the warriors navigate the mines.

The boy led the party deep into the mines where they found almost prison-like barracks. The Austrition warriors killed the guards with magickal blasts and pried the doors off their hinges. The slaves awoke from their sleep and rubbed their eyes with dirt covered hands. The warriors welcomed them with open arms and beckoned them towards the door. The slaves were elated and thankful to their saviors for freeing them. The weakest were led back through the tunnels towards the exit and some volunteered to assist the group. They picked up the very weapons that the guards threatened them with.

The boy knew a special secret passage into the king's palace. It was used to send any illicit consumables out of the palace if a foreign ambassador showed up unexpectedly. The warriors pulled themselves into a dim storage room filled with crates and barrels. They dusted themselves off as they entered the home of the king.

The group climbed up the floors of the palace, doing battle with the king's guard as they were seen. Distant guards were killed with magickal blasts of fire or lightning before they could raise alarm but most were killed from behind with a knife to the throat.

Taston took a ring of keys from a dead guard and opened a door on the top floor. Inside was a myriad of women in varying stages of undress sleeping on pillowed furniture, silk and fur carpets. The women began to make a commotion until Taston momentarily filled the room with a blast of bright white light. He said, "Please, all of you, we are here to free you. If you all will quiet down we can escort you out to-"

At that a door burst open and the king of Stoneshire stood in the door frame. He wore a brown robe and behind him was a lush bedroom with an expensive looking bed piled with purple pillows, velvet blankets and women. He yelled, "What's going on here?! Who are you? Guards!"

Taston replied, "They are all dead. Their blood stains our swords. You will be dead as well unless you surrender to us." Taston drew his sword and approached the king.

The king grabbed a woman from the harem and pulled her in front of him. He backed through the door with the woman between him and Taston. The women on his bed screamed and scattered around the room. "Make a move and she dies." The king staggered back and held the woman strongly on both arms. She looked at Taston with her eyes welling up. Taston looked straight at the woman's eyes and then to the tip of his sword. She followed his gaze. He looked again to her eyes and then back to his sword. He looked at her and squeezed his eyes shut for a second. She followed and Taston light the room with a blaze of light from his sword so bright it blinded the king. Taston opened his eyes to the king let go of the woman and was scratching at his eyes. Taston slid his blade through the king's chest.

The king fell to the floor and a pool of blood began to stain the luxurious carpet.

Taston picked the woman off the floor and offered a cloak to her. He introduced himself and she said her name was Crise. She was from the city-state of Das in the northern CICS. Taston personally escorted her out of the city with him.

The group approached Austrition as the light of the Sol broke over the horizon. The gates of the city were about to open when the group of now almost a hundred approached the city walls. The guards were baffled at the huge group and hailed them. One asked where they were from. Taston replied that they had just freed the slaves and killed the king of Stoneshire. The guard dropped his sword and ran to the palace to alert the king of Austrition. The king of Austrition allowed the freed slaves to enter the city but forbade Taston and his men from entering for returning for disobeying his orders.

Confused and dejected, Taston turned back to Stoneshire. Crise of Das took his arm and offered to go with. When they entered the city, news of the previous night had just spread throughout the city. A cry of celebration exploded from the crowd gathered near the gates. Taston was completely taken by surprise. He and Crise of Das were ushered back to the palace where they were elected king and queen by mob vote.

They remained on the throne for years. Their rule began an age of lessening tensions between Austrition and Stoneshire. Prince Fenwic Helstrom was born in Year 4521.

Childhood (Year 4521 - Year 4538)

 * gets friends and stuff
 * maybe accidentally does a few bits of magick
 * starts school and begins to learn organized magick
 * excels in magick and is encouraged by teachers and students to travel to Winterden and study there

Fenwic grows up in Stoneshire and is sent to noble school where he meets Rogelio Riggs in primary school. They play duel together and draw together. Fenwic often draws abstract shapes that have no apparent meaning.

One day in school he is doodling and his paper lights on fire. The teacher repeatedly asks him how the paper lit on fire and he says he was just drawing random shapes and squiggles. Teacher takes him aside and once she is convinced he did not light it on purpose, confides in him that he may have stumbled upon a bit of majick. She tells him majick can be dangerous and that he should stick to drawing what he sees and nothing more.

Rogellio assails Fenwic after school and Fenwic tells Rogelio all about what happened. They try to find more majick shapes. They make one piece of paper float and encounter a mischievous creature that must be dealt with by an adult to save them.

In secondary school, Fenwic begins to take organized classes on majick and Rogelio takes classes on basic crafting. They take introductory martial arts classes together where they study weapons and strategy while also learning practical fighting skills. Philosophy, science and history classes are mandatory.

In history, the professor explains the origins of men and the planes and the long standing hostilities between Falonia and Vijj. He says that what is known for sure is that there are three planes of existence: The Hittherworld which they inhabited, the prison-like Netherworld where the mysterious yugoluthi existed and the Etherworld where the fae lived with a small population of elves. All sentient beings, except for the recently civilized vampires and the fae, at the earliest known record started in the Netherworld. Titania, queen of the Etherworld, petitioned Death, head of the Netherworld, to stop using the beings as slave labor and release them to the Hitherworld. He says it isn't really understood why.

There are not many certainties on what happens after death. What is known is that the body, heart and soul seperate and get pulled to the different planes. Just like a body decomposes if left out in the Hitherworld, a heart and soul decompose in the Etherworld and Hitherworld respectively. There are known portals to the other planes but no one uses them. No one has travelled to the Netherworld and come back alive and with their sanity. The few that have travelled to the Etherworld other than the elves have return with garbled memories and a distorted sense of time. Insanity or death comes quickly to those who investigate too much into the other planes.

The conflict between Falonia and Vijj started as simple border disputes and conflict over mineral resources in the mountain borders. Right to fish in certain areas off the Southern coast caused the three Fishermen Wars. Conflict over trade domination and monopolies with the Coalition of Independent City-States and the other independent cities often lead to bloodshed. Over years, rumors about the inhabitants of both states ballooned into popular beliefs. The two are in a state of constant readiness for war. Citieson the border between the countries had to place defence high on their list of peace. For example, Winterden built a large gate in the pass through the mountains and constructed a gigantic wall around the city.

Throughout his secondary school career, Fenwic excelled at majick and his teacher recommended that he travel to Winterden for tertiary school where he could learn much more. Fenwic said goodbye to his childhood friend Rogelio and his parents and set off with a merchant caravan for Winterden.

Tertiary Education (Year 4538 - Year 4542)

 * takes classes at The Academy
 * gets very skilled
 * Takes Philosophy class by Sunela Nava, young female professor, encouraging
 * Takes History class by Fidukey Weacher, male, middle aged, controlling
 * Takes Arithmancy by Astoreth

Military Training (Year 4542 - Year 4542)

 * graduates a year early and enlists in military
 * Bootcamp and intense training
 * sword fighting by Centurius Theophorus Gremor, male, teaches proper dueling in his class and everyone hates it and says it's worthless in real war and fighting. Gremor continuously yells "Observe, Predict, Adapt!" and gives examples in fencing. Once everyone passes a fencing test he starts a fencing match with Fenwic, the best dueler. They go back and forth for a while. Centurius Gremor yells "Observe!", parries a thrust from Fenwic and punches him in the face. The class is completely surprised. Fenwic throws his helmet off and asks Gremor what's going on. Gremor doesn't let up. He throws off his own helmet and duels Fenwic out of the ring. Gremor yells "Predict!" and continues to fight dirty, slicing at Fenwic's legs. Fenwic has to play off the environment and fight through the crowd of classmates, who are still appalled. Gremor grabs a second sword off a student and begins to spin and turn making unrelenting timed swipes at Fenwic. He yells "Adapt!" as Fenwic passes a rack of swords. Fenwickicks the rack towards Gremor who is surprised but glad. Fenwic pushes Gremor back towards a wall and forces him to trip on a stool. Fenwic ends the duel with his sword point in Gremor's face. Gremor drops his swords and begins to clap.
 * advanced magick by Majickus Eligina Fairbourne, female, artsy. "Feel the majick flow from your heart. You already know what to write."
 * field potions and medicine, Derwent Lundstrom, small jumpy and paranoid guy, britishey. Many small potions at the ready. Medical supplies all around the room.
 * Meets Tohavus Cutaelli, athlete and warrior
 * bond through exercise together, running, forest/mountain hikes, climbing
 * Shares dormitory with Vartoror Linlo, chemist, crafter and herbologist. Fenwic enters the dormitory room with all his luggage and sees a giant wall of glass piping, potted plants, Bunsen burners and flowing liquids. He drops his luggage and goes to touch a bottle of yellow liquid flowing out of a dripping nozzle. Vartoror slides out on a rolling board on the floor: "Don't touch that!" Fenwic steps back and says "What are you doing in here? Did you take up this whole room?!" Vartoror: "I insisted on a single room with a skylight and they give me this! Ugh!" Fenwic: "Did you really think you could get your own room?" Vartoror: "I'm the grandnephew of the count of Ibium! OF course I get my own room!" Fenwic and Vartoror bond over time.

Early Military Career (Year 4542 - Year 4544)

 * Squad goes on small missions and he excels
 * domestic missions
 * foreign missions
 * spying
 * hints at upcoming war. Vijj has strange shipping patterns.
 * escort missions

Large Scale War Breaks Out (Year 4544 - 4564)

 * Fights in war
 * Former sword fighting instructor dies in battle
 * Allies cross snowy mountain range to attack enemy
 * gets lost alone in the snow
 * rescued by old friend
 * comes back as war hero
 * becomes king of Winterden

Kingship (Year 4564 - Year 4586)

 * Fenwic ruled Winterden with a council of advisors below him:
 * Rogelio Riggs: Consul of the Armorers, Weapon-Crafters and Blacksmiths Guild
 * Harelesa Dreaddirge: Consul of the Majicians Guild
 * Tohavus Cutaelli: Captain of the Winterden military and City Guard
 * Vartoror Linlo: Consul of the Potion-Makers, Chemists and Herbologists Guild
 * Sunela Nava: Chief professor of philosophy and psychology
 * Fidukey Weacher: Ambassador of Winterden
 * Charles Danormo: Treasurer of Winterden

=Fenwic Receives the Ring of Arzacon=

In Year 4567, Fenwic was approached by an elf named Raturgin Ivoryblade and a dwarf named Vosro Orecrusher. Each claimed they owned the patch of land in the mountains beyond most of the residential area. Raturgin claimed that the elves had long lived in that area beyond the city and had tended the fields for genrations. Vosro also claimed that his family had tended the land for generations, but from below. The Orecrusher clan provided a steady stream of mined materials and crafts from that region of the mountain.

The day before they came to Fenwic, Vosro had been tunneling with his brothers when he broke through the surface into the middle of an elven festival. The elves detained the dwarves and set a guard around the tunnel.

Raturgin said to Fenwic, "That land is holy to the elves of this mountain. If you do not grant my people the land of my fathers you shall not have our support when the Vijj attack next. Your city will miss us. Elves have long memories, king."

Vosro doubled the threat, "That land has a giant deposit of ferronium. If you do not grant my people the land of my fathers you shall not receive another speck of ore or another scratch of enchantment. You will not have to wait for the Vijjans to attack to be sorry."

"Stop! Both of you," said Fenwic. "Raturgin, your fighters are an immeasurable asset to the safety of Winterden. Vosro, the trade from the dwarves is unwavering and interwoven with the lifeblood of Winterden. For this I grant you both the land." Vosro and Raturgin's eyes glanced at each other. "The elves will have rights to the land on the surface and no deeper than one story below the ground. The dwarves will have rights to the land underneath the surface. Any crossing of the surface will be trespassing."

Raturgin and Vosro agreed to the deal. The next spring, the Ivoryblade clan sent Fenwic their harvest of the Balbao fruit and the Orecrushers sent the Ring of Arzacon, a ring with a powerful enchantment. If the ring was used to seal something, only one person could reverse the spell and open it up again.

The Balbao fruit was useful during the drought of Year 4568. The Ring of Arzacon was used to send messages across unsafe areas with the assurance that the information inside could only be revealed by a person specified when sealed.

=Zeparaberius Attacks Winterden=

In Year 4570, Zeparaberius was summoned by the majicians of Vijj to attack Winterden. Zeparaberius was massive, beyond anything that any of the majcians of Winterden had ever seen. He took a form with gigantic wings, twisting horns, scaled legs and claws that easily tore through flesh and bone. The demon easily crossed the city wall and ravanged the city as it approached The Academy. Arrows, bolts and swords glanced off the demon's skin. Zeparaberius broke free of any net or cage. The distance to The Academy was closing fast.

A demonic shout was heard all across the city, "Bring me Fenwic Helstrom and this city will see another day! Delay and I will hunt him down!"

A messenger ran to the Chancellor's Chambers to alert Fenwic of the huge demon. Fenwic sent the messenger sound the high alert and rush to the basement of the Academy. "Evacuate the bioluminescence greenhouse immediately." He ran into the hall and grabbed a student of sailing. "I need you and anyone else you can find to bring the tar supplies to the bioluminescence greenhouse. Don't ask why!"

He grabbed his sword and bolted for the nearest terrace. He cast a bolt of lightning at the ground near the demon in the street below. "I hear you're looking for me!"

The demon held a member of the town guard in each hand. "Yes my masters dearly want your head on a platter."

"Why not place it there while still attached to my shoulders?"

"If only it were that easy," Zeparaberius threw the guards to the ground and flew up towards the terrace of The Academy. "But they specifically demanded you were dead, they know we're good at finding loopholes in commands. Now if you would please jump down these few stories and kill yourself this can all be over quickly."

The hand of Zeparaberius extended towards Fenwic. The king eyed the red glistening hand for a moment then cast a lightning bolt straight for the demon's head.

Zeparaberius caught the blast and threw it back at him. "You shall regret your insolence, puny man!"

Fenwic quickly jumped out of the way of the reflected lightning and rolled to the side. Zeparaberius lunged at him and the king sprinted back into The Academy. "Clear the halls! He's right behind me!" Students scrambled into classrooms and bars could be heard locking every door. {C Fenwic dashed down the carpeted hall towards the main stairs. Zeparaberius chased him on all fours, wings flapping to add to the demon's speed. "Run all you want. I will never tire."

The king jumped onto the railing and slid down two floors. He glanced up and saw Zeparaberius effortlessly gliding down the stairs. Fenwic turned down another stair. He cast an electric pulse to a hanging chandelier which fell upon the demon and sent him hurtling towards the stone steps.

Fenwic saw the sailing student from before rushing up the stairs towards him. The king nearly tackled the student as he turned him around. The two barreled down the stairs as Zeparaberius cut the ancient chandeleir to ribbons and shards. "You have the tar? Great, I need you to pour it all over the greenhouse. Yes, the greenhouse. Seal any possible holes except for the entrance and a small window in the back. Go!"

Fenwic shoved the student down one hallwall and ran down another. Zeparaberius lept down the flight of stairs in one jump. "Keep buying time, little king. Your wallet will run out soon enough." The demon ripped a lantern of the wall an hurled it at the king scrambling down the hall. The lantern nearly hit Fenwic and hit the carpet in front of him. Fenwic vaulted over the flames clawing up from the pool of oil.

The king rounded a corner with Zeparaberius close behind. As he ran along an aquarium his swung at it with his sword, breaking the glass and releasing a torrent of water and surprised fish. As he left the poll of water he shot electricity back at the water. Zeparaberius sprung from the water just as the bolt hit. He flapped his wings and flew across the hall. "You are much more inventive than my previous targets, and much more willing to destroy."

Fenwic turned his head back to the demon, "The ends justify the means!"

Zeparaberius smiled, "But you will never reach the ends you desire."

Fenwic slide down the banister of another staircase and scurried down the final steps into the basement of the Academy. The greenhouse was covered in tar. except for the door which lay open. The king yelled to the sailing students, "Kill the torches!" The room went dark except for a few glowing mushrooms left behind in the greenhouse.

Zeparaberius jumped down the stairs and into the dark basement. "Hide all you want, small king. I will find you." Fenwic silently snuck through the basement. He crouched low and charged a blast with his sword. He let it fly through the room at the demon. Zeparaberius caught it and threw it into the darkness. A stuent screamed in agony. Fenwic was now on the other side of the room. He charged another blast and shot at the demon. Zeparaberius dodged it and leapt towards where the blast had come from with claws and teeth out. Fenwic ran behind the greenhouse. He stood behind the one window left untarred.

He held his sword up to the window and started charging up a very large blast. The light from the sword showed through the window. "Now you will die, little man."

Zeparaberius leapt at Fenwic and in doing so entered the greenhouse. Fenwic ran to the other side and slammed the door. He grabbed a handful of tar and placed it upon the door seal. As Zeparaberius turned and saw the king behind the glass door the demon smiled and showed the multitude of shining teeth. Zeparaberius lunged at the door.

The simple glass door rebuffed the dmon. Dazzed, he thrusted his brawny shoulder at the door again. Fenwic placed more tar on the door jam. The door held strong. Fenwic held up his hand pointed to the Ring of Arzacon. He had sealed the door with the enchanted ring. Now it could only be opened by the one person he allowed it to, Harelesa Dreaddirge, his majickal advisor.

Death (Year 4586)
Harelesa Dreaddirge had followed King Fenwic's rise to power close behind him. The King of Winterden historically had the ear of the King of Falonia. As the forward base in most wars against Vijj, Winterden was an influential military city. The Academy scholastic advances were the prize of Falonia. Whoever was King or Queen was the second most influential person in the country.

In early Year 4586, Falonian spies had reliable information that Vijj wad been building up weapons stockpiles and expanding the army. King Fenwic resisted any advances by the council to prepare for war. Tax revenue was down due to a bad harvest, so Charles Danormo, the treasurer had to make hard cuts to the budget. The majicians were losing funding from the city and the city guard had to cut members.

Harelesa devised a plan to usurp the throne and overthrow the weak king, She would prepare the city for war and petition the King of Falonia for emergency war funds. If she could carry out a preemptive strike on Vijj she could assert Falonia's superiority. The power and prestige gained would put her next to the King of Falonia.

She gained followers through an underground network of majicians and other warriors. They agreed with her sentiments and wished to keep the front of any war away from Winterden. It had been the site of many wars and most families had at least one member die in battle.

In the summer of Year 4568, Harelesa collected her secret followers and surrounded the Academy. The group clamped strangled the facility. Scores of professors and some students were killed in the fray as they pushed up the tower and towards the Chancellor's chambers of the Academy where King Fenwic resided.

A messenger sprinted up the stairs to alert King Fenwic. He burst through the door and interrupted King Fenwic reading.

"Your highness I beg your forgiveness but there is no time, you must get away from here! Lady Dreadirge is on her way to ki-"

The messenger stopped midsentence. King Fenwic rose to his feet and let his book fall to the floor. Before he could take a full step the messenger fell flat on his face, an arrow stuck in his back.

"Run."

Two more arrows flew up the hall and into the chambers. Fenwic dropped to the floor immediately as the arrows burrowed into the ceiling. He grabbed his sword and ran to the balcony. Harelesa Dreadirge sauntered into the chambers in her full armor.

"Your highness, I beg our pardon that my visit will be so short but I have other pressing matters."

She drew her sword and stabbed the book on the floor. She pulled it up to her face to look at the cover. She jeered at him more as she approached the balcony.

"The Moral Decisions of Politics and Warfare. An interesting read, your highness. I believe you may find the chapter on the long term ramifications of unilateral decisions."

She entered the balcony and was met by a quick attack from behind the open door. The swords of the two combatants lit up with their respective elements, Harelesa's with fire and King Fenwic's with electricity.

The two pushed into each other with an immense force. They reeled back away from the blow. Fenwic staggered towards the railing and Harelesa fell back towards the door. She pushed forwards again swung at King Fenwic's head.

The King easily blocked the blow and fought back with a bolt of electricity. The sparks nicked Harelesa's boots. She shoot a ball of fire at King Fenwic which he could not dodge. He was hurled backwards onto the very edge of the balcony.

Harelesa approached him and rebuffed his strikes at her. The tip of her sword rested on his throat. King Fenwic's sword laid upon the railing away from him and too far away to make an attack back at her.

"You have one final chance, your highness, to stop this madness and see what is really going on. Without a strike on Vijj right now we will be the victim of yet another bloody war. This city cannot take that."

King Fenwic narrowed his eyes at her.

"I may be an old man, but you need to really see what is going on. Your eyes have been tainted by the fear of blood."

The King twisted and kicked Harelesa away from him. Her eyes widened and she tripped back towards the open chambers. Fenwic disarmed her and placed his own sword on her throat.

"I will not kill you but you are hereby stripped of your position as consul and- "

An arrow stuck out of the King's throat. A soldier in all black emerged from the chambers. He lowered his bow and approached the king who fell to his side. The soldier helped Harelesa up from the floor.

The secret guard quickly took control of the Academy and soon after, all of Winterden. Harelesa led a group to the chamber beneath the Academy to release Zeparaberius and use him to attack Vijj. She greeted him with his titles of "The Great Destroyer", "King of Chaos" and "The Demon Duke".

Once released, Zeparaberius saw the Ring of Arzacon and tore Harelesa Dreaddirge to shreds of flesh and bones. Without a summoner or summoning circle to restrain him, Zeparaberius was free to wreak havoc upon Winterden and proceeded to roam the countryside, attacking other cities of Falonia.

Quest for Rebirth (Year 4586)

 * Fenwic must be brought back to trap Zeparaberius and retake the kingship
 * Most trusted council goes to reincarnate him
 * Body
 * body of close friend or council fixes up his old body
 * Heart
 * tracked down in the Etherworld
 * Soul
 * council visits Death to buy his soul back
 * Death refuses
 * Council tracks down the soul and kidnaps it from the Netherworld
 * Put back together
 * Special machine/ceremony?

Afterlife (Year 4586)
In Year 4586, Fenwic Helstrom was resurrected by loyal members of his council. He was taken by a chariot of behemoths and intercepted Zeparaberius on the way to Havenport, capital city of Falonia. He entered a discussion with Zeparaberius referring to him by that name. He asks what Zeparaberius wanted since he was just then freed. Zeparaberius was surprised that Fenwic knows his real name. No one had called him that since his talks with Ginny. He said that all he wanted was to end his tired life of work and toil. Fenwic knew of no way to kill an espiri as powerful as Zeparaberius short of the Curse of Xenodus, which destroys the souls of the caster and target. Zeparaberius asked Fenwic to perform the curse and Fenwic agreed, ending both their lives and preventing any full resurrections or work in the Netherworld.