Character Profiles: King Halford Laurall

Introduction

Good evening! Welcome to the gilded halls of old, where monarchs ruled and power was given to those that could wield it. The power to lead, the power to persuade or coerce, the power to kill, and the power to make decisions for entire nations of people. That is the responsibility that sits upon those destined to hold it. Whether by birth or by circumstance, Kings and Queens are a staple in fantasy, and King Laurall here is no exception. As a very prominent figure that the main cast will reference and run into frequently, Halford is a troubled character that has a lot on his shoulders and a lot more to lose if he cannot bring the Empire together. So…let’s take a look at why empires are so hard to rule.

Clarification Notes

For clarification relevant to the setting, usually Human rulers are the ones that have, in recent history, taken the coordinated leadership of the entire Empire. This is mainly due to questionable politics and the direct proactiveness that Humans possess over the other races in the Empire. So, a King/Queen of the Humans essentially has two peoples they have to manage over: The boundaries of the Human territory and its people that inhabit it, and the collective Empire as a whole that strings ties with the other races of Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings.

Background

King Laurall is in his late fifties, and his age has wizened him to the many troubles and risks that come from putting trust in many things…but it has also made him vulnerable. Because of this, he has a unique stake in the current events that are taking place in the story. This will be touched on more in his relevance to the story, but as far as his character background, he has ruled since he was a child. His mother who previously held the mantle passed on during his early years, and with the help from the advisors of the Imperial Court (new idea to consider for future post) in Mogarth, Halford managed to catch on quickly about the responsibilities he had to endure. Rivaling families, bickering nobles, class disparities, military recruitment, negotiating racial tensions–everything that weighed upon him was a pledge he took as a personal challenge to better himself and those he ruled. But it did take time and maturity before the Humans were able to truly gain that respect for him as a ruler.

Years pass, until the armistice that held the Legion and Empire at bay was broken, and open war was declared in protest from the encroachment both factions exhibited. Through the counsel from some of his most trusted advisors, Halford made the decision to reject the sealed deal, and opened mass-recruitment for his people to ready themselves for the war efforts of the new battles that lay ahead of them.

But as we ready ourselves and approach closer to the events of our story, we come to realize that not all are in agreeance with Halford’s decisions. He is a King that has never been one for inaction, a warrior that leads their people by example and joining with them, fighting side-by-side on the frontlines! He sees this as his personal endeavor, his duty, to ensure that his people are able to live to see the next dawn. And because he can’t stay in his capital city, he entrusts his only son and heir, Wranfold, to rule in his stead during his absence. But the lower classes are tired of watching their friends and loved ones being killed by his decisions. The nobility have quarreled constantly with his absence in rulership in the city. While noble that Halford takes his call to his soldiers, it leaves those he tries to care for vulnerable and open for criticism, violence, infighting, and anarchy if left unchecked for too long. And rumors abound of a new faction that might want to do away with the archaic traditions of rulership…

Will a King be able to survive long enough to watch his own city fall?

Relevance to the Story

When the main cast manage to miraculously meet with the King due to extenuating circumstances, they find him in a particularly vulnerable position. While he tries to assume an air of strength and poise, there’s a great deal of uncertainty that wells beneath once he learns of a devastating realization. With the passing weeks he has been away from home, there is talk of those that might be inside the nobility of the Empire who are disloyal…to the point that a potential challenge to his rule is at stake where the very Empire, his people, and his only son, are at stake. Wranfold is the last of his bloodline, and if he dies, then the fate of the Human race will be all but uncertain. It is this realization that encourages Trenton, Linnet, and Baldrek to follow him back to his city of Mogarth to the north.

With his position as prominent as it is, the responsibilities bestowed upon him press deeply, and it’s with this stress that will encourage the readers to really think hard on a couple questions: Why is he entrusting this information with the three of them? Why does he need the three of them to help his people? And why doesn’t he trust Trenton?

A key detail for readers to consider once they get a hold of this book is this…Trenton was once a very prominent member of the Imperial military, and yet, Halford has yet to really exhibit any recognition for him. In fact, Halford treats Trenton as if he were a complete stranger. If Trenton is supposed to be the one with memory loss, then how can a King forget one of their most memorable warriors? Theories abound!

Conclusion

No empire lasts forever…but maybe that’s for the best, for as history is doomed to repeat itself, maybe the upcoming struggles that King Laurall has to bear are ones that he will need to reconsider what is best for his people…what’s best for himself…what’s best for the Empire as a whole…and what’s best for his son. Only time (and a bit of stalling since that won’t really show up until book 2) will tell. But gotta get book 1 finished first!

The current chapter is coming along quite nicely, and I’m hoping to get a sample ready for either the next posting or the following one. Got some new, exciting characters to introduce, and I’m stoked to hear your feedback on their inclusion! Sorry for the late posting, had a bit of a hard time coming up with a topic today, and got a bit delayed from this week. But still got it on track for the right day! Have a great weekend wherever you may be. ❤

Until next time, cheers!

-J.K. Denny

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