King Ceredin Gréine of Ellandun
King of Ellandun and the Tirdôla Ceredin (a.k.a. Gréine (the Sunshine)
Ceredin Gréine the son of King Ellan and first king of Ellandun or "Ellan's dwelling". Ceredin was a valorous king of men during his wars with the giants and is said to have built the strong walls of Ellandun which went unconquered until the destruction of the Kingdom after the death of his descendant King Eadric.
Physical Description
Specialized Equipment
Ellan's sword was called "Freagróir" or The Answerer and was said to have been among the greatest swords of his age. It slew dozens if not hundreds of giants and was entombed with the dead king before becoming the heirloom of his family.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Ceredin, son of Ellan, of the House of Finbhar was a fiery youth, of passion, and valor, just as his father had been in younger days. When as a boy he first lifted his sword, he bore it tight, and he bore it well. When he was still just a boy, he fought alongside his father and witnessed its fall at the hands of the giants. He saw as his father was torn in two by the flame bringer Hyrbautr, and he saved the Mainar prince Nivalis and spirited his father's army from the field of battle, and to safety. So Ceredin Gréine was king of the Tirdôla of Ellan's hold, amidst the vale of Finbhar they still resided, but far and wide did they live, far from the old hall of the king in the field of Ereiabell. Among the lands of Ellan, Ceredin returned and he remained there in secret, for the giants still possessed no knowledge of the abode of the Tirdôla, nor the Teaghasí who plagued them. The Tirdôla found in their king a boisterous and ambitious soul with a glory-seeking disposition. Ceredin called for those of his people, those remaining of the fae of Nivalis, and several exiled Jotun builders to come and build a great new keep. Construction of the keep of Ellandun was hard but in the end, with the aid of three races, Ellandun became the greatest stronghold of mankind in its age. Atop the shining battlements, one could see for miles upon miles upon miles. With great beacon fires, Ellandun was reunited with its western colonies and the beacons to Crennmair were relit and renewed was the alliance between the brother peoples of the Tirdôla and the Teaghasí.
Together with his friend and battle brother Nivalis, Ceredin set off for the home of the Teaghaisí, to the contest of King Caedrill for the hand of his daughter Annanara. With marriage, Ceredin would reunite the old alliance of men and wed a woman of both beauty and martial renown. In the contests, Ceredin's prowess saw him victorious, in arrow games, javelin tosses, ferocious melees, riding races, footraces, and wrestling matches he had no equal among the suitors. In the final contest of arms and might, Ceredin defeated the Synir giant Kalgran who joined him in his retinue, and Ceredin finally won his prized bride. However, unknown to Ceredin, his friend Nivalis had vied for the Princess' hand and upon being defeated, became embittered and jealous of his friend whom he abandoned for the court of the Mainar king Galendan. Without his friend, Ceredin wed Annanara and the two enjoyed the company of the other greatly. With his new allies, Ceredin called his hosts to war and fought against the new king of the giants, Arnir Avarin of the House of Horsade.
Ceredin called upon the new king of the Mainar, his friend Nivalis to return to his aid and fight with him. With him, the armies of Ellandun rode out with a host of their Mainar allies, and the two battle brothers rode at its head, as twin kings. Meeting the Jotun host, led by King Arnir's brother Yrghal, the alliance's army won a bloody victory. Yet only the Tirdôla and the Teaghasí would reap victory, for in the earliest part of the battle, many Mainar fell, and their king thought he and his people were thrown headlong into a massacre. To his shock, Ceredin watched as his friend abandoned the battle and rode off. Though they outnumbered the giants, they won a grueling victory, and many of Ceredin and Caedrill's men fell to win it. Yet despite this, Ceredin and Caedrill marched on, and they won many victories against the giants, but the Tirdôla did not forget the betrayal of the Mainar at Buren.
Ceredin's men, scorned by the betrayal of the Mainar, descended on the northernmost towns of the Mainar at the war's conclusion. These vicious reprisals bit away the last bits of friendship between Ceredin and Nivalis. But the actions of Ceredin's men later shredded all manner of their friendship. The Tirdôla went on and closer they came upon the lands of the Mainar and came upon the grove where the city of Ydalvi lay, and the palace of King Thallan of old was discovered. Those who came feigned friendship, for those inside Ydalvi had not yet heard what they had done. A day passed, and as friends, they arrived, but in the night they donned dark cloaks and at the hour of Faen prayer amid night they revealed their intentions. Those who had gathered at the Aubeiri gardens of the king had been ambushed and slain without discrimination. At once the streets of the city were lined with armed men, and they came upon every Mainar home and either butchered those inside or put it to the torch. King Nivalis and his Mainar abandoned the world, cursing the Men of Ellandun, and fled to the otherworld of Arallfyd. There they remain, and while the ages have passed, they have remained there still, while the world they fled has passed them by. Yet one more story would be woven into the tapestry of Ceredin and Nivalis' lives, the union of their children, in spite of them. Nivalis' eldest son, Taliesin, had come to spy far away, a woman of the world abandoned by his people. This was Frinda, who unknown to the Mainar prince, was the daughter of Ceredin and Annanara. Taliesin came upon the walls of Ellandun and despite the fiery animosity felt for the Fae now among that place, he was granted an audience with the king, and in view of Frinda, played a song so enchanting and so lovely that she became enmored with him and sought him out in the lull of the court's day. They met and together they fell in love, these two of lines who now were bitter rivals, and as Taliesin returned to Arallfyd, he promised her he would return to her once more. This became an often routine to them, and they each loved each other, for Frinda's serious demeanor was soothed by Taliesin, and her stern face gave him pause, and humbled him before her. Yet the lie was discovered inadvertently by Taliesin's brother Amaethyri, who alerted their father of Taliesin's disappearances. Thus upon a Mainar host, Taliesin was captured before he could sail to the world and be with his love. Nivalis imprisoned his son in the central cell of Tywyllen's tallest tower and he would never return to Frinda again. Unknown to all, Frinda was with child, and this child would be Saracel, a name that means "secret" and he would go on to live in the wild woods of the east, the lands once known to the Géadine as the Old North from where they made their exodus from the giants in elder days. He would rule a people of mixed Faen and Human heritage, the Coedwids, and Saracel's grandson would be Gydwïyr, who would lead the alliance of Men, the remaining Fae, and the gods themselves in the last war with the giants, ending the Age of War and bringing forth a new dawn for humanity. Yet Ceredin would die, a man of the past, a man bitter and angry, for friendship lost and betrayal made him erratic and irrational. He no longer shone, like his namesake, in the eyes of his people but seemed to wither slowly, and as time burdened him, he scorned it and fate, and all manner that had doomed his life. His Annanara's passing further hardened his heart, and for many years he did not leave the stretch of Ellandun and his lands became darker for it. But as age crept to him, and death loomed, Ceredin sprung up, and he defied all he had been and once more grasped his sword with vain glory upon his mind. He rode off, with a small army, and he fought his last battle and he died. King Ceredin Gréine would be the last great hero of Men for an age, for after this his kingdom weakened greatly and his people suffered. The valley of Finbhar grew black for the first time and it would be many an age before sunshine returned to it.
Together with his friend and battle brother Nivalis, Ceredin set off for the home of the Teaghaisí, to the contest of King Caedrill for the hand of his daughter Annanara. With marriage, Ceredin would reunite the old alliance of men and wed a woman of both beauty and martial renown. In the contests, Ceredin's prowess saw him victorious, in arrow games, javelin tosses, ferocious melees, riding races, footraces, and wrestling matches he had no equal among the suitors. In the final contest of arms and might, Ceredin defeated the Synir giant Kalgran who joined him in his retinue, and Ceredin finally won his prized bride. However, unknown to Ceredin, his friend Nivalis had vied for the Princess' hand and upon being defeated, became embittered and jealous of his friend whom he abandoned for the court of the Mainar king Galendan. Without his friend, Ceredin wed Annanara and the two enjoyed the company of the other greatly. With his new allies, Ceredin called his hosts to war and fought against the new king of the giants, Arnir Avarin of the House of Horsade.
Ceredin called upon the new king of the Mainar, his friend Nivalis to return to his aid and fight with him. With him, the armies of Ellandun rode out with a host of their Mainar allies, and the two battle brothers rode at its head, as twin kings. Meeting the Jotun host, led by King Arnir's brother Yrghal, the alliance's army won a bloody victory. Yet only the Tirdôla and the Teaghasí would reap victory, for in the earliest part of the battle, many Mainar fell, and their king thought he and his people were thrown headlong into a massacre. To his shock, Ceredin watched as his friend abandoned the battle and rode off. Though they outnumbered the giants, they won a grueling victory, and many of Ceredin and Caedrill's men fell to win it. Yet despite this, Ceredin and Caedrill marched on, and they won many victories against the giants, but the Tirdôla did not forget the betrayal of the Mainar at Buren.
Ceredin's men, scorned by the betrayal of the Mainar, descended on the northernmost towns of the Mainar at the war's conclusion. These vicious reprisals bit away the last bits of friendship between Ceredin and Nivalis. But the actions of Ceredin's men later shredded all manner of their friendship. The Tirdôla went on and closer they came upon the lands of the Mainar and came upon the grove where the city of Ydalvi lay, and the palace of King Thallan of old was discovered. Those who came feigned friendship, for those inside Ydalvi had not yet heard what they had done. A day passed, and as friends, they arrived, but in the night they donned dark cloaks and at the hour of Faen prayer amid night they revealed their intentions. Those who had gathered at the Aubeiri gardens of the king had been ambushed and slain without discrimination. At once the streets of the city were lined with armed men, and they came upon every Mainar home and either butchered those inside or put it to the torch. King Nivalis and his Mainar abandoned the world, cursing the Men of Ellandun, and fled to the otherworld of Arallfyd. There they remain, and while the ages have passed, they have remained there still, while the world they fled has passed them by. Yet one more story would be woven into the tapestry of Ceredin and Nivalis' lives, the union of their children, in spite of them. Nivalis' eldest son, Taliesin, had come to spy far away, a woman of the world abandoned by his people. This was Frinda, who unknown to the Mainar prince, was the daughter of Ceredin and Annanara. Taliesin came upon the walls of Ellandun and despite the fiery animosity felt for the Fae now among that place, he was granted an audience with the king, and in view of Frinda, played a song so enchanting and so lovely that she became enmored with him and sought him out in the lull of the court's day. They met and together they fell in love, these two of lines who now were bitter rivals, and as Taliesin returned to Arallfyd, he promised her he would return to her once more. This became an often routine to them, and they each loved each other, for Frinda's serious demeanor was soothed by Taliesin, and her stern face gave him pause, and humbled him before her. Yet the lie was discovered inadvertently by Taliesin's brother Amaethyri, who alerted their father of Taliesin's disappearances. Thus upon a Mainar host, Taliesin was captured before he could sail to the world and be with his love. Nivalis imprisoned his son in the central cell of Tywyllen's tallest tower and he would never return to Frinda again. Unknown to all, Frinda was with child, and this child would be Saracel, a name that means "secret" and he would go on to live in the wild woods of the east, the lands once known to the Géadine as the Old North from where they made their exodus from the giants in elder days. He would rule a people of mixed Faen and Human heritage, the Coedwids, and Saracel's grandson would be Gydwïyr, who would lead the alliance of Men, the remaining Fae, and the gods themselves in the last war with the giants, ending the Age of War and bringing forth a new dawn for humanity. Yet Ceredin would die, a man of the past, a man bitter and angry, for friendship lost and betrayal made him erratic and irrational. He no longer shone, like his namesake, in the eyes of his people but seemed to wither slowly, and as time burdened him, he scorned it and fate, and all manner that had doomed his life. His Annanara's passing further hardened his heart, and for many years he did not leave the stretch of Ellandun and his lands became darker for it. But as age crept to him, and death loomed, Ceredin sprung up, and he defied all he had been and once more grasped his sword with vain glory upon his mind. He rode off, with a small army, and he fought his last battle and he died. King Ceredin Gréine would be the last great hero of Men for an age, for after this his kingdom weakened greatly and his people suffered. The valley of Finbhar grew black for the first time and it would be many an age before sunshine returned to it.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Victorious in wars with the three giant kings
Called for the construction of the walls of Ellandun
United the nations and clans of men
Called for the construction of the walls of Ellandun
United the nations and clans of men
Failures & Embarrassments
Caused the fleeing of the Mainar to Arallfyd
Defeated and killed at Terseh
Defeated and killed at Terseh
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Unite his people and beat back the giant onslaught
Virtues & Personality perks
Brave
Courageous
Driven
Able
Careful
Courageous
Driven
Able
Careful
Vices & Personality flaws
Proud
Vain
Decadent
Arrogant
Hubristic
Vain
Decadent
Arrogant
Hubristic
Social
Family Ties
Husband of Annanara of the Teaghaisí
Son of King Ellan Oengrin
Father of Elithain
Grandfather of Furewil
Son of King Ellan Oengrin
Father of Elithain
Grandfather of Furewil
Relationships
Species
Ethnicity
Date of Birth
21st of Laris
Date of Death
29th of Amiel
Life
4989 B.E
4900 B.E
89 years old
Circumstances of Birth
Son of King Ellan Oengrin
Circumstances of Death
Died in battle against King Gedroda at Terseh
Birthplace
Ellandun, modern Canura in Archeau
Place of Death
Terseh Battlefield, modern Talvagunhar
Family
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Belief/Deity
Archaic Areul Pantheon
Aligned Organization
Orainar
Gangleri Tunga
Founded Settlements
Comments