Saturio, the Grey King XIII
Overview
Saturio is the thirtheenth king of Hulwar, right now located in the City of Man Manvongr, his original name unknown to the public.
His wife died a few years before the Spiral and Saturio was never the same since.
Life before Crowning
Saturio was the child of his parents. Naturally, it would be strange otherwise. That means he was spoiled, he could do whatever he wanted. Which was eating, riding, hunting and keeping himself fit. He didn't care for politics or relationships between nations. He thought, his council would do all the things like they did with his parents. But they didn't.
He was twenty eight years old when his parents died. His mother catched a fever and his father choked on a chicken bone. Saturio cursed the gods but neither of them responded, not even Idur. So he was crowned Saturio XIII and later he got the nickname "Grey King". But we are coming to that.
Life as a lazy King
As the title says, Saturio was a lazy king. He valued the advice of his council and let them do all the work and thinking. Which worked for smaller things he needed to decide, but he was the lazy king after all.
Which meant he spent a lot of money on hunting troops, equipment, food and drinks. It wasn't all bad during his reign, since he poured a good amount of money into the money printing business. Which means that he contracted mechanics and scholars to refine the process so they could print better and not so clunky currency.
At some point during his splendours he met his soon-to-be-wife Trula. With her he had a fulfilling relationship and he was not so lazy anymore until he took her with him on a hunting trip. Her horse was scared by a wild boar, she fell and broke a leg. The boar finished the job.
After that he was not the same man anymore. After that he was the Grey King.
Life as the Grey King
The man was broken. He had envisioned a glorious life with his wife and possible children. Now he retired early in the evening to his bedchamber where he sank deep into depression. He began to wear grey as his official colours because it represented his current state of mind. And this mind was broken.
Saturio collected all of the things from Trula. Her dresses, her jewelry, her favourite pillow, even her hairband and put it all in his bedchamber. To remember her.
"When he is going to bed and gets his sweet milk, he still cries for hours. We can hear him. No idea how he survives the days with this lack of sleep."
The Spiral, the King, the Scout
Saturio awoke from his grief-induced depression - or at least could see the light of the sun again - as reports came in that something terrible had happened. Then the reports were more specific, but Saturio didn't trust them. So he asked for scouts and found them in Halisca Fidelis and his sister.
His military advisor said that they should send the sister first because she was faster, more agile and better in scouting than the younger brother. Who was sent shortly after the deployment of his sister and catched up to her with his satuunit which was called "Cloud Spotters".
As Halisca and his sister came back and stated that, yes, the rumours and reports were true, he didn't awoke as one might hope, but he was back. Still broken, still crumbling on the inside, but he was there, acting like a king should act. He took a look at his council, at his state and at his own state and decided he should be a king. Now. Years later. Cool.
After he approved the fundings for the army he started to behave better. He still cried and was depressed, but now he had a purpose. He now had a goal he could work for.
Saturio replaced some members of his council with fresh people and then he ordered to bring him food and the reports he needed to act like the king his citizens needed.
I am glad at least he has found some purpose again. It must have hurt so much to lose his new wife. :(
It did and I deeply sympathise with him :<