Guortepir ap Gruffudd (ˈɡwɔːrtɛpɪr)
King of Dyfed
Guortepir is the King of Dyfed, a moderately sized kingdom on the island of Ynys. Dyfed is a rich kingdom, with its wealth primarily based on the quantity and quality of their sheep. Guortepir has taken advantage of this wealth to pursue his own passions - the Clarati, and the purity of Dyfed's population. He has long collected artifacts associated with the Clarati sorcerers who once ruled Ynys, and is believed to have the most extensive collection of magical items in the Great Ring. He has used any means at his disposal to acquire these artifacts, and many believe he employs a cadre of thieves to expand his collection when other means fail.
His fascination with the long-dead sorcerers has also made him a natural ally to the Cult of the Clarati, who have found a haven in Dyfed. The cult is not popular with the populace of the kingdom, who hold the more common opinion that it is a good thing the Clarati are gone, but Guortepir is notoriously dismissive of public opinion, and their dislike of the cult is more likely to sway him to support them more strongly.
Guortepir is also obsessed with an idea of racial purity, and believes that only the Ynyswr have a place in his kingdom. He has taken several measures to drive out any ethnic minorities, most particularly any descendents of the Þiodic mercenaries who settled on Ynys after the Age of Warlocks. He considers them to be invaders, despite the centuries that have passed since their ancestors came to the island. He has sent his soldiers and tax collectors to harrass and murder them, and has successfully driven most of them from the kingdom. On one occasion, he even used one of the artifacts in his collection, a wand that can summon fire, to burn the village of Walha to the ground with the Ðuring peasants still trapped in their homes.
The other action he is best known for is the Destruction of Seisyllwg. Seisyllwg was a small kingdom on Dyfed's eastern border. Guortepir ordered his troops to conquer the smaller kingdom, which granted Dyfed access to the River Severin, as well as the valuable river port of Aberinwyr. There are rumors that he also believed there was a Clarati artifact somewhere beneath Aberinwyr castle. After the conquest, his troops rampaged through the small kingdom, killing hundreds and destroying every village they encountered on his orders. The refugees from Seisyllwg have mostly fled north into Bernicia, where they have rallied around Prince Rhys ap Gwawr, the nephew of King @Gwennan and the sole surviving member of Seisyllwg's royal family.
Social
Reign
Guortepir ascended to the throne at the age of 53, when his nephew Emyr died in a hunting accident. He had never been expected to take the throne, and was widely unpopular with the citizens of Dyfed. Since coming to power, he has taken steps to quell any dissent to his rule, and has used the threat of his magical arsenal to intimidate any potential resistance.
Family Ties
His sister, Gwawl, is married to Rhys ap Maelgwn, the King of Cunedda. This marriage created an alliance between the two countries, but the alliance has been strained by the atrocities ordered by Guortepir against the Þiodic minorities in Dyfed.
He has never married, and has refused to declare an heir, hinting that he has found the means to replicate the agelessness of the Clarati. If he were to die without declaring an heir, the crown of Dyfed would, by law, go to his brother-in-law, the King of Cunedda. However, there are several within Dyfed who would oppose this turn of events, and would prefer a candidate from within Dyfed's nobility - although Guortepir's practice of eliminating anyone he imagines could threaten his power has left no obvious candidate for them to rally around.
Relationships
History
Rhys ap Maelgwn is married to Guortepir's sister, Gwawl. The marriage was arranged by Rhys's grandfather, Maelgwn the Tall, before Rhys became King of Cunedda. There is no love in the marriage, and Rhys feels burdened by it, as well as trapped in an unwanted and uncomfortable alliance with Guortepir. His friend and confidant, Princess Wynflæd of Bernicia (who serves as Bernicia's ambassador to Cunedda), is attempting to convince him to denounce the alliance, but so far he has not found the courage to do so.
He refuses to speak any language other than Ynyswr, although he can also speak and read the Clarati tongue.
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