The Books of Blutora

9 : King Cobalt I

A brief biography and collection of notable events within and around the life of King Cobalt I of Schium who lived from C-80 until C-147.

Cobalt Errendium was born an Arberi in the year C-80 within the town of Goldcrest in Mariteia. His parents were Hyun and Rintelia Errendium, both successful Ezeru farmers who lived in the eastern part of town. He grew up an only child for the most part, as his younger sister Yutelia died at a very young age to a rare yet lethal disease. 

For most of his childhood and upbringing, Cobalt would be taught how to tend to the wheat and potato farms his family operated. In his free time, he would go around the town and offer to help out some of the neighbors and fellow Goldcrestians with any tasks or labor that needed completed. This was a way to meet and come to know many different people who had plenty of tales and stories to feed his eager mind. With a knack for adventure and a general sense of fearlessness, Cobalt often found himself in trouble with his parents and in risky situations he could have otherwise avoided. 

It was a combination of these attributes that eventually led to Cobalt being selected as a member of the Crest Council of Eight at the young age of Twenty, in the year C-100. For the first nearly two years of his tenure as a member of the CC8, he would become a very outspoken voice of change and leadership. While he never became the voice of the council, of which many thought he was capable of, his short run with a seat on the council left quite an impact on the town of Goldcrest felt from that point onward. His position as a member of the council came to end in the year C-102 when the events of the Crest Exile took place.

Within the year of C-102, Cobalt would lead a small rebellion against the leadership of Goldcrest as a response to a large bandit raid and push for new and revamped leadership and ways of life. Unfortunately for the young Arberi leader, their efforts proved fruitless and not long after the beginning of the rebellion Cobalt and his people found themselves banished from the province of Mariteia as a whole, giving name to the Crest Exile. Forced to up and leave everything behind, Cobalt led his followers north of Goldcrest, and deep into the deserts of what would later become the province of Odelia.

During their journey north through the Desert and in search of a new place to call home and settle in, the group Cobalt led would eventually come across a very important person in the life of the first Schiumian king. In an event of extreme fortune, Errol Solseaker would be found on the brink of death and saved by the exiled settlers. Upon hearing the past and goals of Errol, including his divine quest in search of Sol, Cobalt would name him Solseaker, and invite the newly met traveler into their ranks, and even knight the stranger as his first act as King. 

In the months following, Cobalt and his followers would settle upon the fork of a River deep in the center of the Odelian desert. They would slowly build up the first houses and points of civilization all the while protected by Knight Errol during the trying early months of the founding of Schium. Once the early Schiumians had a consistent system in place for self sustenance, and began working on material gain, Cobalt would order a special weapon be forged for the brave Knight Errol in thanks for the immense service in protecting the citizens during the most trying of times. Errol would proceed to begin a span of roughly twenty years of adventuring, exploring, and networking on behalf of the kingdom of Schium. Meanwhile, Cobalt thrived in his new position as king, creating trade routes and good relations with neighboring cities such as Skalafell, Ceseon, and Nautabu - all of which contributed heavily to the food supplies and means of growing for the newly founded kingdom.

During the early years of building his new kingdom, Cobalt would rarely find himself outside of the desert, travelling only when absolutely necessary. He preferred to spend as much time as he could leading and assisting in the construction and expansion of the speedily growing desert oasis. By the end of the year C-112, the Schiumians had successfully completed the construction of the Eraikull Palace acting as the home and seat of the King, his royal family, and royal court. This marvel of architecture was dreamed up by the new King and made possible by one of the citizens of Schium who came to claim an understanding and know-how in building, never giving a real name, and only wishing to be referred to as 'The Architect'. 

In the year C-122, Cobalt would have to bid his lifelong friend Knight Errol Solseaker farewell one final time as the knight made the decision to continue his journey from twenty years prior, in search of Sol as given to him from a divine source, as he had always told. Following the final departure of Knight Errol of Schium, Cobalt would fill the void of the kingdoms protector by knighting Illterune Preller of Schium, the firstborn of the kingdom of Schium, and mighty brave young man that had captured the peoples hearts. Knight Illterune would be the last knighting that Cobalt would perform as the young man would eventually outlive the first king of Schium.

In the years following C-122, King Cobalt I would marry a woman known as Finrei who would become the first Queen of Schium, and bear to Cobalt one child, a son, Cobalt II. While focusing largely on family, Cobalt would still remain a large factor in the developing of Schium, constantly overseeing each area of growth and expansion for the city, from trade to architecture, and defense to education. By the year C-145, Schium had developed into a settlement that held population numbers steadily just under a thousand. The kingdom was exporting glass from their specialty factory at a very profitable rate, and making a name for themselves across the farthest reaches of Blutora.

As his final act as King in the year C-146, Cobalt would attend the Arid Summit along with King Tynril IV of Skalafell, and both respective royal courts to form the province of Odelia uniting the kingdoms of Schium and Skalafell under a common banner, that would be led in a future crown development known as Ettiene, roughly halfway between the two kingdoms. King Tynril IV would become the first Arid king of Odelia and be named Arid King Tynril IV of Odelia at the age of thirty one. King Cobalt at the age of sixty six signed the bindings of Odelia and helped usher in the prosperity of his kingdom, and new province as a whole for hundreds of years to come.

During his reign as King of Schium, Cobalt founded the settlement, led the developing and growth of the kingdom over the course of forty five years, and built in less than half a decade, what many other kings and leaders across the era's could never accomplish in their entire lifetimes. He was largely responsible for the founding of the province of Odelia, as well as creating one of the most successful trade businesses the land of Blutora has ever seen. He knighted two extremely accomplished Knights of Schium, and fathered an eventual well respected leader.

King Cobalt I would pass from age in the year C-147, passing the crown of Schium to his son who would shortly after be crowned King Cobalt II. The founder of Schium left a lasting legacy that remains held in the highest of regards among both the people of Schium, and the people of Blutora as a whole, a legacy that will stand for all of time to come.