An Angel Called Eternity

Lore Chapter: Owkrestos and Nordicos

Twenty-Sixth Day, Fourth Month, 870 AD.
Alekos Virgilos, Prince.
Kingdom of Polaeros.
Polaeriopolis.
The Seeker's Palace.

Dear Alek,

It was ever so nice to meet with you in person again last month! I must confess, your recounting of your journey to Brythonia has left me feeling an odd mix of wonder and bitterness; wonder at the questions and answers you found on those islands, and bitterness for I could not be by your side as you travelled there. No matter, hearing of your explorations is more than enough for me! Contained within this letter should be the information you asked me to send on those kingdoms of the Heptarchy neighbouring Teleytaios. In unofficial terms, I worry about our bordering kingdoms, especially Owkrestos. Towards the end of last year, as you are no doubt aware, the unpopular King Aered was killed in a coup leaving his only issue, a bastard of eleven, to take the throne. Whilst I am of course no stranger to bastards being given positions of power, I am worried as the regency council for the young king has just formed, and amongst its appointees there is not a single member of house Blackoak. The reason this worries me will become apparent when you read of just how influential, and vengeful, Lord Aertax Blackoak is.

Owkrestos is a land of song and story. East of Teleytaios and south of Nordicos, it is a land covered in forests and fens with little in the way of conventional agricultural terrain. As a result the people that live here are predominantly hunters and gatherers, and the only thing that grows in abundance are orchards, berry bushes and mushrooms.
To those from the other Klironomean kingdoms Owkrestos seems strange, almost foreign. In these lands the blood of the Skraelings runs deep, and in a great many places it never truly disappeared. The people call themselves Klironomean, they worship the Church and venerate the First Saint, but the fact remains that their customs are odd and their way of life different to the other six kingdoms.

The royal family of Owkrestos has fallen on truly dire times. House Wyldlarch has ruled over Owkrestos almost as long as house Sperakos has ruled Teleytaios, having integrated the local lordships and defeated their rivals sometime towards the end of the first century. The house has ruled from the city of Stagspring for some eight-hundred years. There is a legend popular in Owkrestan folklore relating to the crowning of house Wyldlarch, which I shall now relay in an admittedly abbreviated form, so as to ensure brevity:
Legend has it that the Royal House of Wyldlarch gets its origin not from some ancient nobleman, but from the son of a great hunter, who came across an injured white stag whilst out hunting. According to myth, it was said that whoever slew the white stag was to be the rightful King of Owkrestos as chosen by the Angel of the Wilds, Arnka. The great hunter did not disgrace himself by finishing off the wounded beast however, believing that there was little sport and even less honour in killing such a magnificent beast without having earned it through skill and cunning. Instead he bound its wounds and gathered for it food and water. When the great hunter left to fetch another pail of water for the stag that he may continue cleaning the beast's wounds, he returned to find the Angel lying injured before him instead. The Angel claimed that he had been hunted for four generations by the lords of Owkrestos, and that only the great hunter had shown him kindness, honour and mercy.

"In return for your mercy," the Angel said, "I decree that your firstborn, and their firstborn after them, shall be the Kings of this land for a thousand years."
"Your Holiness," the great hunter replied, "I am honoured beyond all words, but if I may ask, why reward my son over me? I seek only to know, for I do not wish to sit the throne."
"Well," the Angel smiled, "I find myself in need of a new Kennelmaster."
And, so the legend goes, a mist of stardust the Angel returned to the heavens, his new huntsman beside him.