Ashlander Vandus
From Istaria Lexica
 This article is a work of fiction related to Istaria. It is part of the background Istarian story.
|
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Born: 652 B.R.
Died: 573 B.R. (Aged 79)
Known As: The Good King, King Ash, Father of Humanity, Hero of Baden Hill
Key Events in Life:
- 623 B.R. Declared King of the Humans
- 612 B.R. Established the town of Dalimond
- 600 B.R. Freedom for Humans Declaration
- 588 B.R. Battle of Baden Hill
Arguably the most influential Human to ever live, Ashlander Vandus is a towering figure among the humans and the Living Races. Most Humans consider him to be the forefather of modern Human civilization. He was the man who united the various (and often warring) factions of the Humans under a single banner 600 years ago. After unification, he went on to rule as “King”, though no official coronation took place for Vandus; only after his death was the practice of coronation instituted for the “Kingdom of Vandus”, when Vandus’ son took the crown. Nevertheless, Ashlander Vandus is often referred to as “The Good King” by Humans, and his persona serves as an idealistic paragon of virtue that Humans often gauge others against. Vandus was instrumental in the establishment of Dalimond as a center of trade and commerce for the fledgling human society. Primarily an agrarian settlement, it took advantage of strategic placement between the Barasavus Plain to the north and the Granitefall Mountains on the Dalimond Peninsula to the south.
Ashlander Vandus was a man who ruled often times by outright charisma. His “rule” (even though he was never officially pronounced as a king) was one that saw relatively little strife with all things considered. When dealing with his own people, his indomitable charisma would win people over and make two opposing sides seek middle ground. When dealing with other races, especially the Dragons, he would use his knowledge of their ways and customs to his, and subsequently the Humans, advantage. Vandus has an uncanny understanding of Dragon society, so much so that open conflict between Humans and Dragon was kept to a small scale. Vandus was successful in playing to both growing factions of Dragon society against one another until the Humans had sufficient numbers and strength that they could stand firmly against any sort of Dragon aggression. What kept the Humans out of any major conflict was Vandus’ stated desire for Human civilization to be not only one of self-determination not at the expense of other races, but also to be one that was open to the presence and cooperation of those same races.
This did not mean, however, that the Humans ascension in Istaria was one free of conflict. There were a number of military engagements both internally and externally in Human society. Ashlander Vandus was a brilliant tactician and strategist, along with being a skilled statesman and diplomat. He displayed his tactical skills in the only battle fought between Humans and Dragons during the Uprising, the Battle of Baden Hill. Fought west of the settlement of Dalimond, the Battle of Baden Hill was little more than a skirmish between a rabble army of humans and Dragons under the command of Malganival Lunus. As with the majority of his engagements, Vandus was able to talk his way out of a more deadly confrontation and so the Battle of Baden Hill resulted in few deaths on either side.
Ashlander Vandus ruled the Kingdom of Vandus for nearly five decades before dying of old age in the year 573 B.R. A mortuary temple was constructed far to the south near the southern shores of the Dalimond Peninsula and his remains were interred within. A permanent guard was set on the temple and it was considered an honor in later decades and centuries to be chosen to stand guard over Vandus' remains.
