Family History

Sir Rhade

Lived in Era 17, got 1 heir(s) (Rhade) and was a member of Future
Rhade stood in sorrow, watching his father's small empire burn to the ground. He watched until the last flame was extinguished, and then turned his back on the past and marched away with his small group of followers. Life on Fantasia had not been easy, everywhere they looked there was another enemy, and the Lithuanian Ordin did little to protect them. After passing one of many rivers they had been forced to ford, some of Rhade's men came before him.

"Sir, the people are tiring, we must stop this march soon or you will begin to lose followers."

Rhade stared back across the river, then towards the mountains in the east. "Very well, we will settle under the shadow of those mountains. The only entrance to our kingdom will be that little bridge on the river, we must guard it carefully. For now though, let's settle."

The city of Drain grew quickly as people flocked to its freedom and prosperity. Rhade knew that there was no peace without preparedness though, and decided to settle a colony on the bridge. Draw was the name, and after seeing the mobilization of troops west of the river, Rhade quickly began the construction of many armories within it. Another small town was settled in the bend of the river, and Confederacy began supplying the rest of Rhade's empire with food.

Confederacy grew steadily, as well as Drain, but the peace was soon threatened. A man named Hilario from west of the river sent his armies out and began the seige of both Confederacy and Drain. In the man's ignorance, however, he simply passed Draw and left Rhade to build up his troops for a counterattack. After training an army, Rhade went personally to visit the man.

Rhade stood defiantly before Hilario in his own court, "Why do you invade my lands? It is not good for us to battle while we are still so small."

"Are you provoking me?" asked Hilario with an ignorant smile.

Rhade started in disbelief, "Provoking you? Two of your armies now stand right outside my largest cities and you ask if I am provoking you?"

Hilario looked silently at Rhade with that same ignorant stare.

"You'll regret this." And with that, Rhade stormed out.

Weeks later, just after the magical barriers protecting his troops were lifted, Rhade struck. Hilario's armies fell before Rhades onslaught, and soon he was driven back west of the river. Not content to simply ravage his armies, Rhade marched his own army through Draw and towards Hilarion, his enemy's main city. Since all his troops were out in his armory after their defeat, the city was weakly defended, and Rhade prepared to strike. Hilario noticed the army, and rallied his armies to march in defense. Due to all his tactician's calculations, there was no way reinforcements would arrive in time, so Rhade relaxed.
However, as Rhade prepared to strike, he noticed that he could no longer locate Hilario's reinforcements, and that the garrisons in the city had grown tenfold.

"What has happened? What is this!" Rhade shouted at his tacticians.

"My Leige, it appears that in the dead of night Hilario's armies snaked passed us, by use of some magicks we have not before seen," stated the humbled tactician.

"Out of my sight! Guard! Summon my generals." Rhade waited impatiently as they gathered. "Rally the army once again and march west, Hathoria will not be defended since he has pulled his army inward to defend Hilarion. Also, if he wants to play with magic, start training spellweavers and building towers in Draw. If he wants a duel, he shall have his magic and ours."

Almost a week passed with little action, until Rhade's armies arrived at Hathoria. After their victory there, they marched eastward again to Draw to gather reinforcements. Upon their arrival at Draw however, grave news was delivered.

"Leige, Hilario has gained allies, and they have entered combat on his side. Even now two enemy scouts come to settle armories to aid him."

Rhade thought for a moment, "Do not worry, they are both bound in battle elsewhere, and cannot focus here. Raise a small army from Hathoria and kill the scouts before they can settle. General, take your army north to Hilario's armory and take it before he can build up another force. After you have conquered it, burn it to the ground."

Rhade's advisors nodded and left him to his thoughts.

In the face of Hilario's allies, Rhade knew he had to find his own. An invitation from the kingdom of Zeon sealed his decision, and Rhade joined the cult. After some time, one of the scouts was found and executed. The other escaped and was able to settle an armory just south of Hilarion. Rhade's armies did manage to destroy Hilario's armory, but it cost many troops. He knew he had to strike quickly at King Azaruc and end his presence in the area, so he reinforced his army once again from Draw, and marched straight to Azaruc's city. Hilario sent his army out to intervene, but retreated in fear and left Azaruc to himself Without reinforcements, Azaruc's armory fell quickly and Rhade was able to turn north to Hilarion. He called a meeting of his advisors for an update.

"Sir, it seems that some of Azaruc's scouts escaped the attack on his armory, and he has already founded another. Additionally, it seems that Hilario has founded a town to the west, bordering the lands of the Illuminati Empire. I fear that if we attempt to destroy that one it may stir up relations with that kingdom. On a lighter note, Hilarion has fallen, and the area immediately west of the river belongs completely to us."

Rhade nodded, "That's good then. Dispatch the main army to Azaruc's new city, and raise another army from Hathoria to deal with Hilarion's futile attempt at survival. Also, send a message to Sir Korian of the Empire that we wish peace with them, and have no intention of attacking them or becoming aggressive towards any other members of Azaruc's kingdom."

It was clear that Future did not intend to give up the area, due to the constant influx of scouts looking to settle. After the fall of Azaruc's last city in the area, Rhade ordered his armies to chase Hilarion's fleeing troops. On their journey south his army encountered a Sir Black, who was pursuaded to join Zeon with Rhade, but after the new ally was found, another problem rose. A nest of enemies was embedded in the south, which may have been where Hilario was planning to flee to. Regardless of their numbers, they all seemed weak, and Rhade saw a chance to cut a deal with Azaruc. Rhade immediately began colonizing every city he came across, messaging each ruler to apply pressure to their king to simply leave him alone.

After very few of such colonizations, Rhade received a message from Azaruc in which he conceded the territory to Rhade and agreed to pull Future back to the north of the mountains bordering Rhade's territory. Rhade had won a powerful victory, but tensions were beginning to rise within his own kingdom, leaving him with little time to simply expand his empire through peace. King Messiah and Viceroy Muhammed of Zeon ruled with tyranny, barking out orders without guidance. Due to the lack of real leadership, members began deserting. First Elfie II surrendered to the armies of Illuminati Empire and joined them, followed by Black who defected to Future. Soon after that Muerto joined Black, and the King of Zeon issued a price on all their heads.

"Call Sikwayi and Toke for a meeting, and send a messenger to Viceroy Korian of the Illuminati Empire, inquire about that kingdom, for we may need refuge with them soon."

Rhade looked between his two allies and nodded. "Mr. Sikwayi, Mr. Toke, I believe that it is time for us to examine our situation. Future is pressing in from the north, and though we have been able to repel their attacks so far, I fear that once they are no longer distracted we shall not be able to stand against them. Our kingdom is crumbling, our leaders take every desertion as a personal insult and call out for murder as a matter of pride, instead of trying to find what made them leave in the first place. After some discussion with Viceroy Korian, I have decided that it is time for me to leave Zeon. I will be following in Elfie's footsteps, and do not ask you to follow me, only to look around and truly see what is happening. I wish peace between us whatever your decisions, though I know Messiah and Muhammed with call for my death as well. Good luck to you in days to come."

Rhade's speech was delivered to many rulers of the kingdom of Zeon before Messiah and Muhammed could squelch it, and many rulers were enlightened. Many rulers followed Rhade's example and ended their association with Zeon; Sikwayi, Toke and Elite to name a few. The loss of so many members so quickly crippled Zeon in its fight against Future, but that was no longer among Rhade's concerns. He was now in the folds of the Empire, and had made peace with both Future and Zeon members in his area. That left only Mirror and Lithuanian Ordin as opponents, and Rhade had no conflict with Mirror.

"My soldiers, my strategists, my peasents, I have gathered you here today to tell you of the events that are to come to pass. Many of you already know of the construction of Storm, our great magic tower near the city of Drain. Fewer of you know of Eastern, our armory on the frontier. I think all of you know of the armory of Helping Out, though, captured in our great battles against Azaruc and Hilario. I will use these three towns to fight the Lithuanian Ordin. My father, back on the continent of Fantasia, joined the banner of these dogs to find allies against Legacy. Instead they deserted him and left him to die. I hope they are ready to pay now, because I thirst for their blood! Horizon from Eastern prepares even now to take Chaos Temple. Transport from Helping Out is marching day and night to reach Saugoti, the entrance to the Ordin's main area. After Saugoti falls, we shall march a warpath to Unlimitedas, where the Ordin's greatest city shall fall to us! Throughout all this, Storm has been ripping our enemy to shreds. Walls have been crushed under the feet of our armies because of the great magics, fire has rained from the heavens upon their armies. Even now I can see into their towns because our mages allow me. Remember this, my people. We are powerful, and we shall be victorius!"

Rhade rode out to his western front, spending time in Hilarion, the greatest city of his first enemy to fall, and meditated on the events in his life. His father had never achieved anything near as great as this, but the man's circumstances had not beenvery good. As he sat alone in Hilarion's throne room with his thoughts the door opened quietly. A black-hooded figure crept slowly across the room, knife drawn. The assassin raised a hand and brought the dagger down towards Rhade's neck, aiming for the jugular vein. To the assassin's suprise, the dagger caught only the metal of Rhade's sword, and was quickly flung away. Rhade twirled on the floor and kicked the knees out from under his assailant, then leapt onto the figure and brought his sword to their throat.

As the hood fell away, however, Rhade found himself staring into the eyes of a woman with fiery red hair, who was staring defiantly back at him with a look of hatred.

"Who are you!? Who sent you!"

"My name is Desiree, and the rest doesn't matter. You turned your back on our Lord, I'd be doing you a favor by killing you."

Rhade threw his head back and laughed. "So Zeon has caught up to me, huh? I suppose that they are still spreading their lies and propoganda, do you all still worship Messiah, then?"

Desiree's expression grew cold, "How dare you blaspheme against our King and our Kingdom. Our Lord will strike you down for such words!"

Rhade stood slowly and sheathed his sword, then tossed Desiree her dagger. Staring out the window he said, more to himself than her, "I was once like you, completely enthralled by Messiah and Muhammed. But let you think about this, if your Lord was going to strike me dead, wouldn't he have done it when I first deserted them and dragged other members with me? What all have they told you about me, anyway?"

Desiree, with some uncertainty now, "They said...they told us that you were an advocate of the devil. They said you provoked many wars, and refused to aid your allies in their times of need. Then that you disobeyed direct orders and allied with infidels, and blasphemed against the Lord."

Rhade nodded, "Then there is some truth to their words, if only a little, though I am no advocate of the devil. They speak of my war with Hilario and Azaruc, I assume. Let me tell you about that war. In my first days as a ruler, I found armies outside my only cities. Hilario's. So I drove them back, and I razed his armory. As I was preparing to end the war with him by taking Hilarion, an ally of his came and started establishing his own cities in the area to fight me. Eventually, I defeated both of them and multiple scouts that came to establish cities to help. If simple defense is provocation, then I am guilty. Now, the request for aid from Elfie, who I may mention is once again my ally, came during my war with Hilario. If not being able to spare any troops for aid is an outright refusal, the I am guilty of that as well. As for the blasphemy, if there is a Lord, then Messiah does not know his bidding. I made this clear, and the leaders did not take kindly. But enough about that, what will you do now?"

Desiree looked over at him, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, where will you go? WIll you return to Zeon?"

"You're not going to kill me?"

Rhade snickered, "I'm not much into murder. You may stay here for as long as you like, but if you want another shot at me you'll have to head west to our army, I've got troops over there assistingin a revolt against a tyrant, another one of my devilish jobs," he said, grinning.

Desiree smiled softly, and nodded slowly. "I will stay here for a few days and think things over. You seem kind, and you have much humour, you're not at all like they said."

"Good luck, Desiree."

"And you, Rhade."

And with that Desiree left, her faith shaken and her mind running wild.

A few days later, Rhade was riding towards Saugoti at full speed, after hearing the news that the teleport spell had been successful, but that there had been nowhere to move it. There was only a slim chance that his army could actually take the city in a real battle, but they would have to try anyway.

Upon his arrival to the seige, Rhade was greeted with some news, that another army was approaching to reinforce the city even more.

Rhade gathered his generals and his most trusted soldiers before him. "My men, we must make haste in this attack, and even though our chances for victory are slim, we must win this battle."

Rhade then deployed his generals, and rode out onto the field. With a roaring battlecry, his army charged. As they approached the cities, its walls fell away into dust, leaving the men inside without the first ring of defense, which helped to catch them off guard. It was not too long before they began fighting back, though, and it was clear that they were elite soldiers. Rhade rode over to a small battillion and gave them new orders, to set the entire city ablaze while the rest fought. Soon the city was engulfed in an inferno, and Rhade began pulling his troops back. The enemy troops were not so lucky, though, and Rhade's fighting withdrawel slowed them down long enough to get caught up in the fire.

From that point on, Viceroy Abra's cities fell like flies. From Saugoti, they took Amsterdam. From there, Kazkas. From Kazkas to Karo Reikmas. From Karo Reikmas fell Godland and Godville. The last city in the area to fall was Stonfield, which was the greatest victory yet, but Rhade's army was forced to hole up in Stonfield because of an enemy army's approach. The enemy was stronger than his army, with little better than a 15% chance in outright battle. So Rhade chose to build up walls around Stonfield, to let the seige walk its course and see it to its outcome. He also had his mages bless the city, enhance their weapons and ignite the walls he had constructed. There was nothing to do now but wait.

Rhade lay in his chambers, a nobleman's room in Stonfield, and tried to come up with strategies to beat the army outside his gates. This army had more magic defense than he was used to, and his mages might not be able to break it enough to rain fire. What if he was able to lure the-- The doors to his room burst open and ten of his soldiers rushed in, surrounding him with their swords facing outward.

"Sir, people were seen scaling the walls of the city, we believe that they may be assassins. We don't know how many there are but it is definately more than one."

Rhade drew his sword and ordered his soldiers to be quiet. They waited, listening intently, until they heard a group of footsteps outside.

"Oh Rhade, I assume?" Asked a man who had just stepped into the room, followed by about ten of his own men, all with swords drawn. "My name is Kaslan, and I'm here to take your kingdom, I lost mine, you see, and now I need a people and land."

Rhade spat at him. "What makes you think my people will follow you?"

As Rhade looked, Kaslan's shape shifted right in front of his eyes, until he was looking at a mirror image of himself. "Shall we dance, Rhade?" Asked Kaslan as he drew his sword, which had also become a mirror image of Rhade's.

Kaslan's men charged, and met Rhade's with a clash of metal. Rhade drew his sword and watched Kaslan, waiting for him to move. Instead of approaching him, the shapeshifter lowered his head and chanted something, blasting Rhade with a burst of concentrated air that flung him backwards. Rhade leapt up and charged at the mage, who began flinging fireballs from his hands. Deflecting these with his sword, Rhade dove and kicked the legs out from under the man, bringing his sword towards the mage's neck. His sword met steel, however, and Kaslan attacked him with a flurry of slashes and jabs. This drove Rhade backwards, and as he was focused on deflecting the sword, Kaslan hit him with a fireball in the stomach. As Rhade doubled over, his sword was flung to the side by another gust of air, and he stood defenseless before the mage.

Kaslan formed fireballs in both hands, and flung the first at Rhade's left shoulder, where it singed through his clothes and burnt into the flesh. He did the same with his other fireball into Rhade's right shoulder, then kicked him in the chest, forcing him to the ground. Kaslan raised his sword and prepared to end Rhade's life.

"Goodbye Rhade, I promise I'll take good care of your empire."

Kaslan began the swing that would have decapitated Rhade, had he not dropped the sword mid-swing. Kaslan stumbled backwards and grabbed a table for support as Rhade looked on in confusion. Finally he fell forward and Rhade could see the arrow that was embedded in his back. Looking up, Rhade saw a woman with fiery red hair holding an unstrung bow.

"Desiree!?" Rhade asked as he got slowly to his feet. His soldiers were out chasing down the assassins that had fled when their leader was killed, so they were alone now.

Desiree nodded at him and smiled. "I thought about everything you said, and with your permission I'd like to stay with you instead of returning to Zeon. I hope you don't mind about that man, but it looked like you needed some help."

Rhade reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, "Desiree, you are welcome with me anytime you'd like. I'm afraid, though, that it won't be safe here much longer. I assume that you noticed the army outside our gates, and they are too strong for us to defeat in battle, with too many mages for mine to cast anything on them."

"Oh, I noticed the army on my way in, I took the liberty of assassinating a few of their stronger mages, so if you want to try now you would probably have a much better chance," said Desiree, smiling.

Rhade grinned, and called to his mage to contact Storm. Within minutes fire was raining down outside the city, easily breaking through the army's barrier.

"What better time than now to attack? I'd be honored if you would join us in battle Desiree."

Desiree smiled and drew her sword, "The honor is mine."

Rhade walked out and gathered his generals. "Let us ride!"

Riding through the raining fire unharmed, Rhade's army struck the bewildered soldiers. It did not take them long to regroup, however, and the battle shifted quickly against Rhade. The generals of his enemy were adept, and began pushing Rhade's army back into Stonfield. Watching the direction the battle was going, he sounded the horn for retreat and rode back into Stonfield. Sounds of celebration were heard behind them as they closed the gates, Pncl's army thinking that Rhade was defeated. Following the plan laid out before the battle, however, Rhade's army rode through the city, exiting out the sides and charged the flanks of their enemies. The ghosts and riders cut through the army of humans and trolls like butter, having caught them completely off guard. The generals, in a panic, called a full retreat and lost much of their army.

In victory, Rhade resumed his march across the lands of the Ordin. The next city to fall was named Quetzaltenango, but another army from the Ordin was already marching forward, and Rhade knew he could not defeat that one with the little force he had. Instead he retreated from the city, taking all the resources they had with him. Back in Stonfield, news of his new conquest falling to the enemy reached Rhade, and he mourned. He had lost his momentum, and it would take time to gain it back. Another army stood outside Stonfield's gates now, but this time with less power. Rhade's mages poured fire out of the sky upon it, and then he marched into battle and easily won. His three opponents began to amass their armies into one, however, and marched at Stonfield with the biggest army he had to face yet.

Rhade awoke in the morning, fearing what sort of army he would see when he looked outside his city. Instead he was greeted by a messenger with a few letters.

"Sir Rhade, my lord Shadow Phoenix wishes to inform you that he has defected from the Lithuanian Ordin and now prepares to take Unlimitedas."

Rhade nodded, it had been expected, then opened the next letter.

"Sir Rhade, this is Pncl and I would like to tell you that Librudder and I have deserted the Ordin for Mirror, and we would like peace with you."

Shaking his head, Rhade instructed his messenger to send a negative reply, for the Empire was at war with Mirror. He then laid back down in his bed and rolled to Desiree, gently shaking her awake and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"It seems that we are at peace once again."

Desiree smiled through her sleep, "I'm glad to hear it. What will you be doing now, then?"

Rhade stretched and sighed. "I don't know, I'll secure some sort of peace with Pncl and send some scouts out to see where to go next. I've got my eye on that Neiveikiamas to the north, she has a large city but she doesn't seem much of a ruler, and she attempted to aid in the battle against me."

"Sounds good." Desiree looked over at the guard and shooed him out of the room, then rolled herself over on top of Rhade.

The next morning Rhade again awoke to messages. Pncl and Librudder had left Mirror to join the Empire, after agreeing to let Rhade have control of Quetz back. Kamasutra, the ruler of Neiveikiamas also defected from Lithuanian Ordin to the Illuminati Empire.

Rhade chuckled to himself. "Everywhere I turn my armies, my enemies wilt and join us, how will I ever expand this way?"

Peace persisted for a while, and it left Rhade to wonder why, for Korian had never been a peaceful leader. Then, one day as the ignorant Kamasutra continued to attack the Empire's allies, Korian's true intentions were shown. He had been planning a secret assault on Future territories across the map, and from the look of it had a lot of support for this dishonourable move.

Rhade moved quickly to talk with Sikwayi, his kingdommate, and Viceroy Gorilla of Future. After he let Korian's plan be known, he made arrangments to defect and set his armies strategically to cripple the Illuminati. He left in the dead of the night and launched a full assault on Sir Pncl and Lady Kamasutra, since their mistakes and ideas had begun the whole ordeal. Quickly Korian's plan failed as Future swarmed upon the defenseless northern holdings of the Empire, and obliterated the southern defenses, leaving Rhade to rip out the middle. The core area began to fight back though, and Rhade began to lose ground. It did not take long for the north to be secured and both Rhade's main armies and those of Gorilla to move into the core and attack, forcing Pncl to defect, forcing Shadow Phoenix to hole up in one last city, and totally relieving Korian of any and all cities. Rhade watched as victory after bitter victory took place against his former allies, whose dishonourable choice had caused all of this.

Just as it looked as if the Illuminati Empire would be destroyed completely, their real leader, King Arzun, returned and negotiated with Future to end the war. Korian was demoted and kicked from the kingdom, and everything settled down once again.

News spread quickly of an approaching storm, one prophesied long ago, that would destroy their world. Rhade sent his most powerful archmages with Desiree, who was now heavy with child, to live deep within the forests with a group of elder elves whose magic could resist the power of Armageddon. His wife and son would be safe.

After watching them set off towards the forests Rhade turned his attention back west, where storm clouds gathered. He raised his sword and immediately his army quieted. Sixty-thousand ghosts, twenty thousand riders, five thousand archmages at his disposal, the largest army he had yet amassed. A fierce warcry flew from the lips of the lone elf, entombed in a fiery silver armor, and he charged towards the storm. The army followed, determined to fight with their leader against whatever sought to destroy all the world.