Marlekyle of Valka
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Prince Marlekyl of Valka, the conqueror
Marlekyle is a Zenith Caste Solar Exalted. He was born as Marlekyle of Valka, to King Undvic Of Valka and a mysterious woman called Lady Forlorn . After the death of his elder brother Prince Arfalas , Marlekyle became the heir to the throne.
Setting out to build his own Realm, Marlekyle has led a conquest throughout the The Hundred Kingdoms from RY 822 - 831. He now styles himself, Prince of Arfalea, Sovereign of the Hundred Kingdoms and Lord of Creation.
In RY 831, he is reunited with his brother, now a Deathknight. Due to his brother's influence, Marlekyle has welcomed several other Deathknights to his realm, among them Broken Mask of Forsaken Truth. He aimes to march on his home Valka as the final step of his conquest, with the Deathknight's help.
EPIC MOTIVATION
The circumstance of Malekyle's Exaltation has instilled in him a hunger for revenge and conquest. Manipulated and domineered by his abusive father since childhood, Marlekyle hates his Undvic above all things. After learning of his father's necromantic ties, Marlekyle now believes himself having divine right to render judgement on Valka and its ruler.Unite the Hundred Kingdoms into one strong realm. Cleanse Valka or destroy it utterly. Avenge Arfalas by killing Undvic and all those who manipulated them.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Early Life
Marlekyle is the younger twin born to King Undvic of Valka by the mysterious woman called Lady Forlorn. Having two sons at the same time, Marlekyle became the spare, while Arfalas was the heir. King Undvic believed early on that his sons will have great destinies. Determinate to see his sons succeed, the boys were put through rigorous training regimens since early age. Lacking in fatherly love and kept at a distance from their mother, or other companions, Marlekyle and Arfalas developed an almost inseparable relationship to each other. In their adolescence, Marlekyle's life was filled with lessons to prepare both of them for the Valkan throne. Those included politics, warfare and the governing of the state. Both princes were discouraged from exploring anything outside their royal duties. Any interest outside of his expected expertise were quickly forbidden, leaving Marlekyle emotionally stunted and disconnected from the common people.
In the early adolescence, Marlekyle and Arfalas secretly became lovers, an incestous affair that defined much of his person and life.
Staring the age of 18, both sons were often sent out on military campaigns to subdue smaller kingdoms in Valka's sphere of influence. Both princes displayed cold hearted efficiency as it was expected of them.
At 20, they were sent to unite the lands on the east side of Mount Megalapa. It was the first time in their lives that they spent long period of time away from their domineering father, and Marlekyle started to develop his own morality independently.
Exaltation
In RY 821, Marlekyle and Arfalas returned to court to discover their father firmly in the grasp of two of foreign advisors, the Royal Sorcerer Tsevatan and the mysterious Oracle known only as the Green Lady. Upon learning of their father's new obsession with necromancy and his plans to raise an immortal army, Arfalas and Marlekyle each suggested different solutions. Arfalas wished to convince their father of the destructive nature of necromancy, while Marlekyle suggested regicide. Both brothers argued, coming to a compromise that killing his father's two advisors might prove useful to their goal. It is unknown to the Marlekyle how their plot leaked. The day before their plan was to be put to action, both sons were summoned to the now reclusive king. Before the throne, the king humiliated both his sons despite their numerous achievements in the past. He drove an wedge between his sons, playing their competitiveness and pride against each other.The Prophecy: Two sons you shall have, one destiny I have seen.Undvic favored his eldest son Arfalas, an unparalleled warrior and the most noble knight in all of the Hundred Kingdoms. Marlekyle was just a spare to him, forever an angry child in his brother's shadow. Enraged by his words, Marlekyle attacked his father in the throne room. Arfalas stopped him and the brothers exchanged blows. Betrayed and furious beyond sense, Marlekyle slew his own brother. The moment Arfalas died in his arms was the moment Marlekyle saw through his father's manipulation. That his two sons have become too strong for him to control. One must die, so the other can rule. And whoever is stronger shall inherit his throne. It had always been like this. In the moment of his realization, Marlekyle exalted into the Zenith Caste of the Solar exalted. Marlekyle has not revealed to anyone what Sol Invictus said to him in that moment, or what happened directly after that. He only claims that the power of the sun was not the only one at work on that fateful day. For attacking his father, Marlekyle was imprisoned within the dungeons of the Citadel. Later, he escaped, stole the first Orbs of Archgenisis, gathered men loyal to him and set out to conquer his own realm.
One must fall, to become a shadow so the other can shine. Two sons you will have, one life I can see.
One must live, to light the world so the shadow can remain.
To keep appearances, King Valka announced that his first born son was killed during their military campaign to unify Valka. In honor of his fallen brother, Prince Marlekyle has gone on a self imposed exile, to finish the conquest Arfalas started. King Valka has thus officially validated Marlekyle's action during his conquest. Why King Undvic would do that is still a mystery. Marlekyle believes that his father's proclamation is a trap to bind Marlekyle to the authority of Valka, and to enrage Marlekyle's subjects. He thinks this is a political intrigue orchestrated by his two advisors, directed by a Deathlord who controls Valka through Undvic. The Real reason behind it is a mystery.
Gender Identity
Male
Sexuality
Homosexual
Education
As a prince, Marlekyle is trained in all traditional fighting styles of the Hundred Kingdom. He is versed in mounted and single combat, his signature weapon a grand daiklave made out of Orichalcum. Though royal, Marlekyle has followed the code of chivalry since his youth and has been knighted at the age of 17.
He has also been instructed in all the fundamentals a future king would need. Law, logistics, finance and government.
Other than his brother, Marlekyle did not learn a musical instrument. It has been observed that Malekyle has come to enjoy histories and legends of the First Age since the years of his Exaltation.
THE TEACHER
As a full fledged knight and commander of a vast host, Marlekyle has taken on many squires over the years. He has dutifully trained them in mounted and single combat, as is expected of him. Personally, Marlekyle oversees the training of his royal knights, making them the best warriors in his kingdom. He has especially treasured his mentorship to Albuin Aldarich, his ward and former squire.Accomplishments & Achievements
Known as Marlekyle the Conqueror, he is the most powerful man in the Hundred Kingdoms. For ten years, Marlekyle raged war whereever he went and kingdoms fell to his knees.
In less than a decade's time, Marlekyle has suceeded at what so many kings has tried and failed before him. He has united all major lands and contries of the Hundred Kingdom into one single realm, represented by his newly founded Capital Arfalea.
He has ended centuries of wars between petty kings and bickering neighbors. He has changed the Hundred Kingdoms from a chaotic basked of city states under the influence of the Scavenger Lands to a power even the Confederation of Rivers has to respect.
Now, Malekyle aims to bring his kingdom to new heights, a beacon of order and justice in the name of the Most High.
Failures & Embarrassments
None dare speak of this moment again and no records can be found in the Arfaleen archives.
Driven almost mad by his pain of loosing his brother and the Ghosts of Himring, Marlekyle briefly turned to necromancy. A concept that is in direct opposition of his Zenith nature. However, for that brief time, Marlekyle abandonned reason and gave into his own selfish desires.
Pursuaded by the Necromantriss Botsekani, Marlekyle gathered nine prisoners and one priest to be burn on a pyre. Using their essence dedicated to the dark gods of the Underworld, Malekyle hoped to reawaken his brother's spirit and summon him back to Creation. For what purpose, only Marlekyle knew.
The ritual was observed by Dale Messenger of the Silver Pack and the Deathknight Ragnarok. Not wiling to see his own twin suffer in this manner and descend into darkness, Ragnarok showed himself to Malekyle and the brothers were united.
Afterwards, Marlekyle regrets his betrayal of life and banished Botsekani from his court. He did not kill her, knowing that in some way, she did summon his brother to him.
Mental Trauma
The one defining moment of his life was the loss of his twin brother and the exaltation that followed this trauma. As celestial as a Solar Exalted may be, some scars even an Exaltation cannot heal.
Marlekyle often suffers from nightmares concerning that day. His nightmares grew to obsession and cripling guilt after his visits to Himring, where his already painful memories were twisted and used to break him. For years after that, Marlekyle barely spoke to anyone outside business of state.
In those years, he was haunted by his kinslaying atrocities, driving him towards extreme measures (such as necromatic rituals), just to find some peace of mind and heart.
In memory of his lover and twin, Marlekyle has sworn a life of celibacy.
He has begun to process his past trauma after Ragnarok's return to his side.
Lady Forlorn: That of course is not the real name of Marlekyle's mother. His mother had always been a distant figure, kept away from her sons by their domineering father. Marlekyle has fond memory of her from his childhood. But in his early adolescent years, she fled the Kingdom of Valka one night without saying goodbye. The abandonment by his mother fruther deepened Marlekyle's hatred to his father and brought the brothers even closer. He has not forgiven her for leaving and has not tired to find her ever since.
Morality & Philosophy
Born a prince, destined to rule, Marlekyle believes in the nobility and superiority of his birth.
Now chosen as the King of KIngs, he sees his own god-king status confirmed and is eager to rule as he sees fit. After all, even Sol Invictus believes in him.
Having seen his father's realm, Marlekyle would do anything to prove himself different. He is convinced that the common people can only thrive when the king is good. His own personal definition of a good king is heavily based on the virtues of Sol Invicus.
To be a good king, one must be strong, but not tyrannical. Compassionate, but not soft. Passionate, but not temperamental. Brave, and not fullhardy. And most of all, a good king must be just. It takes a firm hand to hold together a kingdom of individual countries all vying for their own personal gain. Marlekyle has no doubt, that he himself is that king. For he is the Son of the Unconquered Sun. For meen are sheep, and only a god can rule them all.
If even the Lord of Heaven sees that in him, how can a mere mortal not?
Personality
Marlekyle is a very confident and sometimes arrogant man. In his standing of sovereign, he is unquestioned and never doubts his own birthrights. To the outside world, he portrays an image of power and divinity. He periodically forbids is closer circle to speak or record events that would tarnish this image, knowing that protection his own reputation by extension also protect the image of the crown. In his heart, Marlekyle is complicated. He suffers from an unhealthy urge to prove himself better than his father or what his father thinks of him. His survivor's guilt towards his own twin often cripples him, driven him to seclude himself in medidation in search of clarity. Despite being surrounded by subjects and courtiers from dawn to dusk, Marlekyle is lonely. He has no one he can truly entrust his inner thoughts to and nor does he want to, for those doubts would rob him of the air of absolute control. Yet he desires friendship and companionship, but cannot have them knowing that as king, he must display infallible authority and decisiveness. And as a god, he must remain mysterious. Before he was reunited with his brother, Marlekyle was a joyless man. All that was good in his life died with Arfalas, by his own hand. And he hates himself for it. In some part of him, he believes that he deserves this suffering.Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.However, Marlekyle is also driven by love. Since reuniting with Ragnarok, Marlekyle has changed, as if he was the one who returned to life. All his hopes and wishes he had previously projected onto his brother's memory can now be realized. The love he feels for Ragnarok strongly defines him and drives him. In his own heart, he knows that his devotion to Ragnarok is endless. Safe for betraying Creation, there is little Marlekyle would not do for his brother husband.
Show spoiler
Much of this love for Ragnarok can also find it's root in guilt.
Marlekyle struggles with the manner of his Exaltation. Always believing that Prince Arfalas was the better man between them, Marlekyle sometimes wonders if Arfalas was ment for his position. That Arfalas held back during their duel and thus fell was only one of the details that haunted Marlekyle. In his weaker hours, he wished that he had died and Arfalas lived, ruling this world as King of Kings.
Faith
Before his exaltation, Marlekyle had not been a devout man. He had an inquistive mind, always questioning what gave his family the right to rule.
Since his Exaltation, Marlekyle believes in Sol Invictus. As both the source of his power and the moral guideline of his faith, Marlekyle advocates the Faith of Sol Invictus within his realm, with himself as the head of that faith and high priest.
Constantly entangled up in war, Marlekyle uses the Faith of Sol Invictus and his hatred agaisnt Creature of Darkness as a powerful propaganda tool to justify his conquest against Valka.
The Crown of Arfalea: A golden crown studded with diamonds. Section of it contains orichalcum and white jade, giving this crown magical properties. It is a relict of the Shogunate Era, most possibly modeled after the legendary "Crown of Thunder", bestowed upon the Queen of Solars by the Unconquered Sun. This crown is attuned to Prince Malekyle, granting him 5 automatic successes on all social rolls when wearing it.
Social
Family Ties
Relationships
Trivia:
...brother, you were always the better of us.
Divine Classification
Solar Exalted
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Prince of Valka
Prince of Arfalea
Sovereign of the Hundred Kingdoms
Lord of Creation
Prince of Arfalea
Sovereign of the Hundred Kingdoms
Lord of Creation
Age
33
Date of Birth
10th Day of Ascending Wood
Birthplace
Valka
Spouses
Ragnarok
(Lover)
Siblings
Ragnarok
(Elder Twin)
Children
Current Residence
Arfalea
Gender
male
Eyes
pale blue
Hair
dark
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
light
Height
188cm
Weight
85Kg
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations
Timeline
The unification of the Hundred Kingdoms
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