Isadore Ravenswood
The Lost Leader of Neklian
Isadore Unea Ravenswood
Isadore was one of the most beloved and well-known leaders of his time. He's remembered just as fondly, but with an air of mystery and grief surrounding his memory as well, due to his sudden and shocking disappearance.
Isadore was more of a people person, always seeking out everyone and getting to know as many as he could. At one point, his parents joked that he knew half of Neklian by name, and that statement wasn't far off.
The people of Neklian searched for Isadore and his court for months, some continued to search for years, but to no avail.
Many theories were brought up, but with a total lack of leads or evidence, the disappearance was never solved. One popular theory was, that the disappearance of Isadore was the fulfilment of a well-known prophecy ultimately nicknamed the Vanishing of a Leader. Others connect the dissapearance to the stories of The Laughing Caves.
The prophecy had been recorded around three hundred years prior to the court's disappearance, and some consider the prophecy as fulfilled.
With the disappearance of their leader, along with his immediate family and closest advisors, everyone who had a hand in running Neklian had disappeared. This led to conflicts concerning how to govern Neklian and fights and turmoil broke out between different groups. Sadly, this event was the start of the downfall of Neklian and what led to it becoming abandoned and desolate.
Many suspected the court's disappearance to be a plot for power and riches and that they had most likely all been assassinated. However, no bodies were ever found and none of the court members were ever located alive either.
The last refined servant of Neklian was a wonderful man! He was kind and humble and had great skills in diplomacy. He was also very charming and charismatic!
Life of a Leader
Isadore Ravenswood was born into the Ravenswood family, the ruling family of Neklian. He was the second-born child of Cherami Ravenswood and Amil Ravenswood. His mother, Cherami, was the Refined Servant of Neklian at the time of his birth and his older sister, Leena Ravenswood was expected to lead the nation when she came of age.Childhood
Isadore's childhood was a happy one, he had a good relationship with his parents and his sister as well as the nanny who helped raise them when their parents had a lot to see to. Isadore and Leena were extremely close and shared everything with each other. Their parents hadn't expected them to get on so well, seeing as Leena was 4 years older than Isadore, and they thought the age gap might make Leena see her brother as too immature to be friends with. Luckily, they were wrong. During their childhood, Leena had always been a studious and well-mannered child. She'd always made sure to act in a way that was befitting of a future ruler, but she did have a silly side that she rarely showed to the public.Isadore was more of a people person, always seeking out everyone and getting to know as many as he could. At one point, his parents joked that he knew half of Neklian by name, and that statement wasn't far off.
Growing Responsibilities
Isadore became one of his mother's advisors, he helped her to connect with the people of Neklian and see to the people's needs. Being the social butterfly he was, he picked up on tensions before they became a problem and often helped settle issues between citizens. Isadore was looking forward to being able to help his sister in the same way when she became the next refined servant. Isadore was content with not taking over leading Neklian, as he didn't see himself as responsible enough for such a great task.Tragic road to the throne
Sadly, Isadore never got to be his sister's advisor as she took over the role of Refined Servant. At the age of 24, Leena passed away after suffering severe injuries from an accidental fall from a third-story window. This left the entire nation in grief, but no one was as touched by her death as Isadore and Leena's partner Vinse Ravenswood and her daughter Cahli Ravenswood. They both fell into a deep depression. Isadore retreated away from his family, friends and the people of Neklian. Isadore knew that the loss of his sister meant that he would have to step up and become the next Refined Servant, but it seemed impossible to him. He wanted to honour her, but the weight of her loss was so heavy that he felt he may never manage to get up again.When Leena died, I never thought I would amount to anything afterwards. The world seemed desolate and worthless without her. However, I found the light through her wonderful daughter and husband, and together we found the way forward.His family and closest friends did their best to help him. Many checked in with him, sat with him and listened to him when he wanted to talk about his sister. The day of her funeral was almost impossible for Isadore, but he refused to miss it. He wanted to send off his sister together with their parents, her partner and her young daughter. Through this dark time, he formed a very deep connection with his sister's husband. They came together in their grief, as they understood each other in a way that few others did. Leena had been so close to both of them, and they'd both seen her as an irreplaceable force of nature. Six years after Leena's death, Isadore became the next Refined Servant of Neklian at the age of 26. Since there were no other siblings, Isadore couldn't pass on the title to someone else, but at that point in time, he wished to step up and become the new leader. He had spent years working to get back on his feet, and while he would always carry Leena with him in his heart, he had managed to process much of his deep grief. He'd slowly returned to his old ways and he was once again a bright and sociable person. However, he matured greatly due to the loss of his sister.
A good Leader
After getting the title of Refined Servant, Isadore quickly established himself as a leader of the people, who prioritized that Neklian and its people continued to thrive. A few harsh years of drought led to low food reserves, which even Neklian's vast wealth couldn't solve. Isadore worked tirelessly along with the small group of citizens who possessed an Earth Mark and the ones who had a Water Mark to try and ensure a better crop harvest. It was partly successful and Neklian were fortunate to get through the droughts with minimal problems. While there was far from enough food to host the grand balls he'd rather become well known for, they managed to procure enough food to feed the population and stave off a famine. When the drought was over, Isadore brought back the lavish balls and events. He hosted his people, and everyone would get their chance to attend, but there were too many Neklians to host all at once. People would be invited sometimes based on trade, family name or age. One of the most famous gatherings was the Ball of the Musicians in 1382 ADF. It turned into a big collaborative concert at one point during the night, to the joy of anyone in close proximity. The windows in the ballroom were opened and the musicians decided to play a short concert for anyone listening outside. Word spread fast around the inner city, and a large crowd gathered on the streets close by to enjoy the music. by Ninne124
The dissapereance of a leader
While Isadore is remembered for many things, his mysterious disappearance is what most people in present-day Dysvoll know him for.
One day in the year 1396 ADF, Isadore and his entire court vanished without a trace after a ball held in The Glittering Ballroom. Haviong balls was quite common for the court, and many Neklians had witnessed Isadore and his court in attendance and seen nothing out of the ordinary that night.
However, in the morning, all of their beds were discovered empty and untouched, as if the owners hadn't returned to them after the festivities. When none of them were found during the day. worry spread amongst the inhabitants.
So what really happened to Isadore and the Court?
The events of one fateful night
Isadore and his court had decided to stay behind in the ballroom after the ball had officially ended, as they rarely had the opportunity to sit down all together and discuss whatever was on their mind. Most of the people in attendance were advisors and family, and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to catch up and air some ideas and opinions. However, rather quickly, the group began hearing noises from within the caves, which could be accessed from The Glittering Ballroom. At first, they carved it up to nothing but a few guests who hadn't taken their leave, but when the noises continued, they felt they had to make sure nothing was amiss. Isadore insisted on going himself, and with everyone being rather spooked out, they decided to move as a group. Following the sounds, they made it deeper into the mines in The Glittering Caves, until they happened upon a strange-looking figure. A Spirit Fae. Tall, and lanky with ash-grey skin and white irises, the fae looked far different from anything they had seen, but Isadore realised what it was, from the stories his mother used to tell. Spirit fae are not fond of humans, quite the opposite, really, and the fae decided to mess with the group of humans who had been unfortunate enough to come his way. With the use of fae magic, he placed them in a trancelike state and sent them through a portal which led to the Fae Realms, from there. he led them through another portal that took them back to the human realm.Far from home
When the group finally awoke, their surroundings were wholly unfamiliar to them. unbeknownst to them, they had been transported to an uninhabited area north of the nation of Ashilder in the middle of Dysvoll. The group did their best to set up camp and survive off the nature around them while trying to send out small groups to look for any sign of human settlements. However, the group had little to no skills in surviving in the great outdoors, seeing as they had been accustomed to a comfortable city life for many years. When the first winter hit them, they were unprepared and many died, including Vinse Ravenswood. Isadore and his niece managed to survive through their first winter. During their second year, the group had gone from over fifty people to just twenty-one. They'd gotten to the Esir River where they'd established a small camp. During the third year, they spotted a merchant boat sailing on the river, and they managed to get information about a town further down the river, through extensive mimery and hand-flailing.A new life
They made their way in the direction of the town, by following the river and they made it there just before the fourth winter at the end of the year 1399 ADF. The town was Vatnsil, the biggest mining town in Ashilder. Isadore and the other Fae Marked of the court took great measures in keeping their marks hidden, as they knew many people in Dysvoll distrusted Spell-casters. However, they found out the Vatnsil was home to many fae marked, who had created a community in secret to support and help each other. They were accepted into this community, as they shared similar values. It took a while for the group to learn the local language, Isadore's niece Cahli Ravenswood was the first to become fluent, and through talking to the merchants at the marketplace, she learned of the unfortunate fate of their beloved home. In the years they had been fighting to survive, turmoil had erupted in Neklian and the city had become ruined and mostly abandoned after a longer struggle for power and eventual bloodshed. The news broke Isadore's heart, as he realised they had no home to return to. He decided his mission was to ensure his sister's beloved daughter had a good life, and so he set out to do what he could to make that a reality. Cahli was about to turn 24 years old and had had quite an odd life for a girl of her standing and age. Isadore, Cahli and a few of Isadore's closest friends and advisors settled down in Vatnsil, they sold some of the riches they had kept with them since their disappearance and acquired land in Vatnsil, where they built a home and settled down. Cahli married a lovely man she'd gotten close to the community of magic users, and Isadore made sure to plan the day to perfection. Tragically, he died from an illness a few years later, only managing to meet the first of the pair's three children. Cahli decided to name her third child after her beloved uncle, (her name was Isa.) Cahli lived to the old age of 83 and died surrounded by her family in the home she and her uncle had managed to build together.Relationships
by Ninne124
Current Status
Missing (presumed dead)
Species
Conditions
Ethnicity
Previously Held Ranks & Titles
Life
1357 ADF
1406 ADF
49 years old
Birthplace
Spouses
Siblings
Leena Ravenswood
(Older sister)
Children
Sex
Male
Gender
Man
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Dark brown hair with red undertone, long and wavy
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Related Myths
1396 ADF (age 39)
I'm so proud of you Isadore. You have become such a wonderful and kind person, with more empathy than the entire city combined!
I'm looking forward to you helping me out, you know I don't share your talents when it comes to being a people-person. I love you dearly, I hope you have a perfect 19th birthday! From your big sister Leena.
Fantastic Worldbuilding as always ninne! Always fun to see you take on some characters!
Thank you Barron! ^-^