Alvador Zorander

Alvador Zorander with the dove that tells him of his army's defeat.

King Alvador Zorander was the first king of the Known World during the First Age of the Earth. He lead the human armies against Shyrrik Vaenoria during the War of the First Age, and defeated him, banishing the elves to their mountain fortress.

Biography

During the First Age, the human race was leaderless, scattered into small villages and hamlets. Alvador Zorander came from somewhere to the West, possibly from out of the Sunfields, or from even farther beyond it. When he arrived, he was believed to be the mythical Savior detailed in the religious stories, but he denied this.

He united humanity and built the great city-kingdom of Velerin, from which he ruled The Farlands, then called Heraveil. Later on, after hearing of another land farther East, he sent scouts in ships to Deyeron, which was inhabited by the elves, led by Shyrrik Vaenoria. The elves murdered most of Alvador's men, and the few who survived sent a dove to the king, informing him of their defeat, and what it was they found. King Zorander then grew angry, promising revenge against Shyrrik Vaenoria for slaughtering his men.

The War of the First Age was fought between Alvador and Shyrrik, resulting in thousands of deaths on either side. After Shyrrik Vaenoria fell in love with a human woman, however, Alvador knew he had an advantage. Shyrrik was becoming soft, losing many battles and forfeiting much of his land in an effort to appease the human forces. King Zorander was not pleased, however, for the elf king still lived.

Hidden away in his fortress within the Forest of Rock, Shyrrik hoped to evade human retribution, but Alvador's forces found their way through his maze and cornered him at his keep, killing both him and his human wife. The war was ended and the elves were forced to flee to their secret Halls of Fayn, in which they would reside for the duration of the First and Second ages.

The tomb of Alvador Zorander.

Soon after the conclusion of the war, Alvador Zorander passed, leaving his kingdom of Velerin leaderless. His newly conquered country of Deyeron was quickly divided up by the royal families who traveled down from God's Reach and the far East, and the Farlands was also carved into various kingdoms and duchies, no longer under the rule of Velerin.

The king was buried in a tomb deep inside the forests of the Eastern Mountains, somewhere hidden from wanderers and the large bears that roam the area. Long after his death, he was regarded as an almost religious figure - an example of honor, bravery, and leadership that all subsequent kings and queens sought to emulate. Many believe that he was the fabled Savior, as he did, in fact, unite a scattered humanity, though others argue that his war against the elves was more destructive than beneficial, and if he was the religious figure, he would have brought peace to all lands instead of war.

Appearance

He was described as being tall, pale-skinned, and always dressed in golden armor plating. Beneath his plating, he would wear tunics and robes, also of gold, thought sometimes of bright crimson. Dark, curling hair grew from his head, and he wore a short goatee, which was later speckled with grey in his older years. An overall air of reverence could be felt in his presence.

Name Origin

His name is not alike to many others recorded in the Known World, and so none know where it came from. If he was a man created by the Gods, as some believe, then perhaps his name meant something in a primordial language.