Overview
Garl Vinland began life as the son of a disgraced noble family within the Empire of Cyrillia in the year 102BF. As a child he worked his way up through the Cyrillian military. He attained great fame in the army by throwing himself into near suicidal situations with reckless abandon. In the year 88BF, at great risk to his own life, he held the center of the Cyrillian lines against and invading Visigar Army. This gained the attention of Emperor Valens (then Legate of Monferra) who quickly made Garl a Centurion Primus.
Garl over the next year consolidated the Empire's control over the North at the behest of the Emperor and fought off several invading Drennish hosts. In 86BF a Shadow Dragon began to plague the region that would later be known as Vinland. Garl bested the creature in single combat and discovered the creature had been sent from the wastes of the North, the realms of the Witch of the Black Veil. The Emperor made Garl Legate of the North and sent him and his new legion to slay the witch. No one knows what happened when Garl ventured forth to the North but what is known is that when he returned he had reached some agreement with the Witch of the Black Veil to cease hostilities. Garl then assumed full leadership of the Prefect of the North. He was a popular governor with the dwarven people who made up the region and eventually took a Dwarven wife of common stock. This enraged the nobility but further endeared him to the common folk. In the year 81BF the Nobles of the Northern Prefect rose up against Garl but were quickly crushed by Garl's more numerous, if inferior equipped, army. For the remainder of the year Garl consolidated control over the region.
Then, in the years 78-71BF Garl defeated three separate invading Drennish armies with no help from the Empire. Scores of citizens were killed in the raids and it became apparent to Garl the Empire could no longer protect it's subjects. After Emperor Commodius died and a period of disorder ensued, Garl took the opportunity to declare independence. Upon doing so he was declared by the local
Dwarves to be King of a new Dwarven kingdom, Vinland.
Garl ruled Vinland until his death in 14BF. His reign was a prosperous reign. The Dwarven mines in the mountain range, now known as the Crescent of Vinland, expanded greatly. The plains dwarves went to the sea and became known far and wide as fearsome raiders as well as skilled fisherman. The economy of Vinland prospered and Garl was able to conquer the majority
Halflings and
Humans of Alba.
Garl left many children, but his first born son, Pepin I succeeded him. For more than 1400 years the line of Vinland has remained strong and in power over the Kingdom of Vinland, however, Vinnish power has ebbed and flowed over time.
Contemporary Opinions
Garl Vinland was seen as a great warrior by the Drennish Tribes. The Cyrillians believed Garl had been seduced by the Witch of the Black Veil and was nothing more than a skilled general who became a thrall of the reclusive Witch. The Vinnish viewed Garl as a benevolent and kind ruler who placed the greater good above himself.
Modern Opinions
Garl Vinland is generally viewed by historians of the North as a strong and charismatic leader who seized power in a time of crises and saved his people from further destruction that resulted from the collapse of the Empire of Cyrillia. In the South, historians view Garl as an opportunistic Legate who struck when the Empire was weak and further hastened it's decline by denying it the valuable Gold and Iron mines of Vinland.
Common folk opinion in the north views Garl as a great leader who saved the people from a shadow dragon and the misrule of the Cyrillians. Common Folk opinion of Garl in the South views Garl as a great Dragon Slayer who was coruppted by the Witch of the Black Veil and turned into her thrall.
Then
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