King Ursus of Aurora
Present-day Aurorean culture has emerged as a result of the meeting of the ancient local cultures and primarily Middelmerish and Gallicantien cultures — with Middelmerish dialects of Gardian and Gallicantien being the two most common languages spoken in the country. The Aurorean royal family itself originates with the marriage of a Hrimfaxi chieftain and a Trollic princess — as a result the Aurorean royal family has historically been known for the towering stature and great physical strength of its members.
The reigning King of Aurora, Ursus, is no exception. Known for both the size of both his physical frame and his personality, Ursus spent much of his early life as a mercenary and adventurer throughout Realmgard, particularly in the northern regions of the continent. He has subsequently become the subject of songs, poems, and tall tales. Although Ursus is known to have performed many superhuman feats, only a handful of these are actually verifiable as true events.
Despite his personal military experience and combat prowess, Aurora as a nation retains its longstanding policy of pacifism. The one notable exception is when the Free City of Hornsburg made an ill-advised attempt to intimidate the King of Aurora into accepting its annexation of part of Aurora’s coastal territories unchallenged. Although the hot-tempered King of Aurora refused to accept the loss of his kingdom’s territory, Ursus nevertheless first attempted a diplomatic solution with Hornsburg, summoning an ambassador for the purposes of negotiation.
The negotiations were brief and unsuccessful. Whereas the ambassador from Hornsburg did not veer from his city’s attempts to intimidate Aurora into compliance, Ursus himself did not waver. When the ambassador asked what from the king response to Hornburg’s proposal to official annex the Aurorean territory he could bring back to the city, Ursus is noted to have replied that his only response would be coming from his cannons.
The siege that followed was quick and decisive, with Ursus personally leading the defence. Thanks to his inspiring presence among the defender and his own fierce fighting, the Auroreans routed the Hornsburger army. In a further demonstration of his personal conduct, although Ursus is recorded as defeating anywhere from three to eight Hornsburger commands in single combat, he is noted to have spared the life of each of his defeated enemies, an action that is said to have further reduced the morale of the Hornsburger army by leading many of the soldiers to question the legitimacy and even the point of attacking the kingdom of a monarch of such upright personal conduct.
Notably, the failure of the attempted annexation of Aurorean territory has such a debacle within Hornsburg that the public demanded the resignation of the Consul would initiated the hostilities with Aurora. Although the Consul was literally dragged out of office by the citizens of Hornsburg, he narrowly escaped the traditional fate of overthrown Consuls of Hornsburg — namely, being murdered and dumped in the harbour.
His successor as Consul of Hornsburg adopted a much more conciliatory policy towards Aurora, financially compensated Aurora for his predecessor’s actions, and drafted a long-term peace accord with Aurora.
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