Oliver Osrick

The Playboy Prince, Man of Intrigues

Oliver of House Osrick—He is the younger brother of Bingum II Osrick, King of Gwyfned and King-Emperor of Aorlis. Oliver was born in 1186, and died in 1225 at age 39. His reputation has suffered in later days, with his romantic escapades overshadowing his many political and military accomplishments. In the decade since his passing, he is remembered less for his sobriquet, the Knight of Swans, and as the diplomatic and military problem solver he was. He played a prominent role supporting Bingum, and he and his brother remained close confidants. Now he is known more as the Playboy Prince and the Man of Intrigues, and for his philandering ways, many married mistresses, and innumerable bastard offspring. As the king’s brother, Oliver was the Royal Count of Khellidor, the Warden of the North, a prince of the Realm, and a defender knight, aka a Defender of the Realms. These days, he exists as a sentient ghost in Castle Whitefeather. Oliver’s downfall came when he was captured by the Ashen Twilight, and they broke his mind and twisted him into a long-range puppet for Magron. Rather than allow himself to be used as a tool against his brother, Oliver heroically committed suicide, a selfless act that also resulted in Magron’s (temporary) destruction. Oliver was educated in all the knightly and royal arts, and he was skilled at romance and seduction, problem-solving, and politics. Osrick loved his mistresses, and he matched them up with husbands so that his illegitimate children would have families and legitimate names. Many men benefitted from honors and money that the prince sent their way, and they were instructed to raise his by-blow children as their own. It was a sophisticated system that allowed the prince to play. Prince Oliver never married, but he sired at least eleven known natural sons and an unspecified number of daughters. Oliver had many friends, but Galen Trueheart served as his personal troubadour, and the prince’s brother King Bingum II was his closest friend. At 6’ 1”, the prince was a handsome, robust man with long, flowing blond hair and blue-gray eyes. He also bears the Osrick sword birthmark above his heart. He would have been attractive under any conditions, but his captivating charm, dazzling smile, and royal title made him irresistible. As for magic, Oliver wore his swan signet ring for a time, but passed it on to his mistress Elsbett of Dalryme, who then gave it to their natural child, Sir Bhradrix. Made by Melena, the seal’s powers were luck, anti-magic, non-divisible corpus, sealed system, and rapid healing. As for other magic items, the prince had access to the Osrick’s comprehensive collection of enchanted treasure. Oliver never developed the gift of royal healing.

Oliver
1186	0	Prince Oliver Osrick, the Playboy Prince and his twin Eulard Short Mantle are born to Gregor I Swiftsword, King of Gwyfned and Glory the Day Flower. Oliver has an older sister, Maschia the Righteous, b. 1182.
1196	10	Eulard Osrick Short Mantle dies of Quinsies (Streptococcal tonsillitis)
1197	11	Oliver’s father Gregor dies, and the prince’s older brother Bingum II the Lucky becomes King of Gwyfned. At the same time, Oliver is made royal Count of Khellidor by life-estate.
1204	18	Osrick forms tastes in mistresses and fathers his first bastard, Wayland of Liddlemass. Wayland later becomes guild-master and a former warden of the Merchant Adventurers’ Guild.
1205	19	His natural son Nicholaus of Rooth is born, later to become the dean of Gwyfned Cathedral.
1206	20	His natural son Bohemond is born, later to become the steward of Castle Whitefeather.
1208	22	His natural son Bhradrix the Spider Knight is born to Elsbett Dalryme.
1213	27	Oliver takes Galen Norald as one of his new squires.
1219	33	Oliver, competing in a tournament in Kaldur, has a chance meeting in Edby with his natural son Bhradrix.
1222	36	Melena gives Oliver his magical seal ring to protect him because she foretells he’ll need it. Oliver ignores her gift and gives his seal to Elsbett of Dalryme to pass to his son Bhradrix.
1223	37	Oliver is captured by the Ashen Twilight in Allyn with bail set at a staggering 500,000 Regals.
1224	38	In late 1224, the Lord Ordainers arrive on the scene. These Gwyfnedi peers offer to pay the prince’s ransom, but in return, they will assume control of Gwyfned and Aorlis.
1225	39	Oliver is delivered back to Gwyfned. After a year in captivity, the prince’s mind is almost broken, and all attempts to heal him fail.
1225	39	Prince Oliver’s mind was not completely lost, and he heroically defies Magron’s control by leaping from his Whitefeather castle tower cell, sacrifices himself to protect his brother Bingum. Magron, who is puppeting the prince from distant Allyn, dies too.