Letter of Legitimacy

He is Âldal, the one true Emperor of Pallernen, or a direct descendant of his should His Imperial Highness choose to secure his line more throughly during his own lifetime, leaving the throne to an heir. None but the rightful ruler of these lands could ever come into possession of this letter. It is your duty as the governors of our capital and subjects of the crown to welcome him with open arms. Your monarch has returned!

— Gal Ûlwel Echewichen, Commander of the Hartilian Guard

The Letter of Legitimacy was a message written to the Final Council of Aûrkustel by Gal Ûlwel Echewichen, the Commander of the Hartilian Guard. Written nineteen years after the Ocher Outbreak had killed the previous Emperor of Pallernen, Ianichel II, leading to a chaotic interregnum, the message was a declaration to the governing body of the old imperial capital that the lost heir to the throne, or one of their descendants, had finally returned. Although Âldal the Lost remained hidden from the world and refused to claim his father's throne, one of his descendants would eventually do so generations later. 
Nearly 200 years after the letter was written, a descendant of the lost heir, a man who also bore the name Âldal, stood before the Final Council and handed them the letter. The councillors were skeptical at first, but after confirming the signature and seeing men bearing the ancient armour of the emperor’s elite guard standing proud beside the young man, the council welcomed him. Some even wept, for their long wait was finally over. Their families had served the House of Pentiwichen dutifully for 220 years while the throne stood empty and, for their loyalty, they were generously rewarded. Without Ûlwel Echewichen's letter and his signature, it would have been far more difficult for the legitimate heir to the throne to return, leaving the remnants of the empire divided and weak against foreign invaders.

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Letter of Legitimacy

To the Final Council of Aûrkustel,
Long have you waited for the return of your rightful emperor and a restoration of order to the land and long have you remained in ignorance of what has befallen His Imperial Highness and the rest of the entourage. Breathe at ease, for all the answers lie within this letter.
Following the tragic death of His Majesty, Emperor Ianichel II, and the vile attempt at usurping the throne by that traitor, Âldiwel, we in the Hartilian Guard realised that we were not enough to hold everything together on our own, not while the rightful heir to the throne was but a child. As the empire that we had sworn to defend unraveled around us, we held on to our promise to Emperor Ianichel and prioritised the safety of his son, the last of the House of Pentiwichen.
We cannot reveal the exact location in which we hid, patiently tutoring the young boy, preparing him for the responsibilities of a great and powerful monarch. Rest assured, however, that his Imperial Highness never once abandoned the land of his forefathers. He was raised on good Hartilian soil as his father before him.
As I write this letter, the rightful heir to the throne has just seen his 20th winter. We oft wonder when best to reveal him to the world. Some of my brothers-in-arms suggest that now is the time, yet His Imperial Highness disagrees. He has grown to become a patient man and his plans are measured in decades, not mere months or years. There is a chance that the emperor we were meant to have will never reveal his presence to his subjects and that he will first prioritize the survival of the dynasty before his own claim to the throne. Although a sad thought to consider, he shows great wisdom in contemplating such options. With the world as turbulent as it is, his life, and therefore the entire House of Pentiwichen, might be in mortal danger were he to press his claim.
It is this consideration of his that has led me to the decision to write this letter. I am now an elderly man, not much long for the world. I fear I will never see the day that I’ve so yearned for, but I can at least do what I can to assist my emperor, even from beyond the grave, should it come to that. My signature has graced many an important document, most of which lie somewhere within the Imperial Archive. You know who I am and where my loyalties lie and therefore look upon the signature on this letter and gaze upon the face of he who has brought it to you.
He is Âldal, the one true Emperor of Pallernen, or a direct descendant of his should His Imperial Highness choose to secure his line more throughly during his own lifetime, leaving the throne to an heir. None but the rightful ruler of these lands could ever come into possession of this letter. It is your duty as the governors of our capital and subjects of the crown to welcome him with open arms. Your monarch has returned!
Aprēa's blessing upon you,
Gal Ûlwel Echewichen, Commander of the Hartilian Guard

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Type

Text, Letter

Medium

Vellum / Skin

Authoring Date

1293 AA

Authors

• Ûlwel Echewichen

Signatories (Characters)

• Ûlwel Echewichen