Androc the Glorious

One of the greatest Telerian commanders of the Second Great War, Androc the Glorious was renowned for his unyielding courage, inspiring charisma, and skill-at-arms. He ruled the Concord of Werinbur, an alliance of five wealthy cities situated in central Anhelt, along the meanders of the Leostead River. Androc’s story begins with his saving of a Kaerok lion cub. The creature was abandoned and had a large thorn embedded deep in its paw. He removed the thorn and bore the mewling animal home, where he begged to be allowed to keep it. His father agreed, only if Androc took complete responsibility for the lion, which the boy had named Kitherus. The cub and boy grew up together, each fiercely loyal and protective over the other. Androc became tall and strong, his body and mind hardened by the ceaseless hunting needed to keep Kitherus fed, earning respect from his peers and tutors. His confidence grew, and he became popular. Bandits feared to trifle with the prince and lion when they toured the land, which the people loved. They marveled at such a strange and strong bond between the two. By the time the Second Great War began, Androc had earned his spurs and his first child had been born. He answered his father’s call to arms and Kitherus, full-grown, was at his side. Androc achieved glory wherever he fought. At the Battle of Pharsine Pass, he led a charge of three thousand knights into the rear of the host of the Demonspawn Taaresh I’klick’si. Kitherus kept pace with Androc’s barded steed, and together they slammed into the unprepared foe. Both saved each other’s life in the chaos. When a Demonspawn threatened to hack into Androc’s flank with an ensorcelled ax, Kitherus ripped it apart. When some monster sought to leap upon the lion’s back to slit its throat, Androc caved in its head with his mace. The battle was truly won by Kitherus, who ripped off Taaresh’s serpentine head with his enormous claws and then crushed it between his canines. Androc became renowned for his devotion to his soldiers and to Lumaya, and was loved by all who fought beside him, whether they be Human or Orc, Elf or Ogryn. Perhaps Androc’s greatest, yet most tragic victory was at the Ending of the Saltmire Portal. There, wizards and shamans worked together to close a portal through which thousands of Undead and Demonspawn emerged. Amid thick marshes, warriors of Teleria fought the relentless onslaught. Wounded men and Elves drowned in pungent water as their comrades’ corpses piled atop them. Ogryn sank to their necks in mud, their faces devoured by monsters while they were stuck. All cohesion among the forces of Light broke down, but they fought on, knowing they had to buy time for their magic-wielders. Androc and Kitherus were at the center, exhausted and caked in filth. Androc fought like a madman, swearing oaths to Lumaya and cursing as he drove shield and mace into the bodies and heads of his enemies. He was so consumed with fighting and surviving that he didn’t see Kitherus being overwhelmed by Undead horrors biting and tearing into his flesh. Hearing the lion’s pained roars, Androc finally saw what had befallen his companion and wailed as if his firstborn were dying before his eyes. Fury came over him. At battle’s end, Androc was coated head to foot in blood and Demonic ichor, him and Kitherus surrounded by mounds of enemy corpses. The Arbiter saw it all. When the battle was finally won, she approached Androc as he crouched next to Kitherus’ near-lifeless form, face buried in the lion’s gore-matted fur. She praised them for their courage and faith, and helped Androc carry his dying companion out of the swamp. Then she blessed them, folding Kitherus’ fading spirit into the man’s armor and weapons, rendering beast and man as one. With a thought, Androc could now transform his heavy mace and shield into a long spear, which he called the Gildthorn in honor of the day he rescued Kitherus as a cub. He could also transform his helm so that it resembled a roaring lion’s visage. Through it, the lion’s spirit amplified Androc’s voice so that when he delivered a speech, bellowed orders, or roared war cries, they reverberated across the battlefield so all could hear. Androc went on to win many more glorious victories. The sight of his unmistakable armor and the sound of his roar could rally the most hard-pressed forces or lead the most ferocious of Siroth’s warlords to consider withdrawing from the field. His retinue – known as the Knights of the Wild – each wore armor designed similarly to Androc’s, incorporating forms and motifs of powerful animals such as stallions, bears, or falcons. Their presence on the field was a stirring sight and a sign of surely impending Telerian victory. Androc went on to win many more glorious victories. The sight of his unmistakable armor and the sound of his roar could rally the most hard-pressed forces or lead the most ferocious of Siroth’s warlords to consider withdrawing from the field. His retinue — known as the Knights of the Wild — each wore armor designed similarly to Androc’s, incorporating forms and motifs of powerful animals such as stallions, bears, or falcons. Their presence on the field was a stirring sight and a sign of surely impending Telerian victory. Androc did not pass through the war unscathed. Months before its end, after over two decades, a scorpion-esque Demonspawn drove its stinger into his heart while he was defending wounded soldiers. Venom surged through his veins within seconds. Were it not for the Arbiter’s timely intervention to place Androc’s soul within a Shard, he would have suffered an agonizing death. For all his courage and strength, Androc had neglected his family to fight the war. Not only did this make his sons resentful, but they and their successors for multiple generations greatly lacked Androc’s skills. So deep was their spite, that they sought to besmirch Androc’s name, to improve their reputation by comparison. Over time, the notion of the Lionheart became tainted by the murderous hatred of Skinwalkers created during the Red Crusade. It was as if the venom that had laid Androc low infected his entire legacy. To this day, the Concord of Werinbur is a relative backwater of Kaerok, having fallen far short of its potential for centuries. Now, all that remains of Androc’s glory are a handful of crumbling statues, and the lions depicted on the region’s tattered banners.