Amaltar Vorjurn Ackal Ergot (? - 2401 PC) was the eldest son of Pakin III, and the Crown Prince of Ergoth in his younger days. Within a few short years, the quiet noble would become the Emperor of Ergoth himself, but would only serve in the role during 2401 PC, before falling afoul of a plot by his younger brother Nazramin.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
In his early years, the Crown Prince of Ergoth served in a few minor campaigns, most notably of which was the fight against the tribesmen of the Great Green in 2416 PC. Amaltar commanded the gathered Ackal forces, with the aid of his general, Lord Urakan, to defeat their enemies. The Riders of the Great Horde were victorious, primarily in part due to the actions of the young lad Tol of Juramona, although Marshal Odovar was killed in the conflict. Following the final report of the conflict, Amaltar personally awarded Tol for his actions and elevated him to the rank of Rider of the Great Horde.
Later in 2414 PC, Amaltar had Tol brought before him in Daltigoth, where he awarded the young warrior with the Order of the Silver Saber, the highest medal in the land, for his bravery and service to the empire. Along with his father Pakin III, he also made Tol the commander of the Horse Guards and his own private champion. By this stage, Pakin III was also quite aged and Amaltar had begun to serve as co-ruler of the Ergothian Empire, to aid his father. At the close of the Hylo Campaign in 2412 PC, Pakin III was too ill and completely unable to rule the empire any longer, Amaltar was formally named Imperial Regent of the empire, and ruled in his father's name. He also appointed the Wizard Mandes as an advisor in his court, after the magic-user had appeared in Daltigoth bearing missives from Lord Tolandruth following the Hylo Campaign which depicted Mandes as the slayer of the beast XimXim and a hero of the empire.
The Emperor of Ergoth[]
In 2401 PC, Pakin III finally passed away, allowing his son Amaltar to ascend to the throne. Following his father's passing, Amaltar himself seemed to waste away from a mysterious ailment, which no medic or healer could discern. His once lightly muscular physique became wasted and rake-thin, and his face became soft and rounded. His rule was viewed by the people as a weak one rule, and Amaltar was commonly spoken of as a schemer, rather than his more popular younger brother Nazramin. Shortly before his coronation, Amaltar's condition worsened even further, as he seemed to slip into bouts of madness that concerned the court and his personal champion Tolandruth. Nazramin however, watched on in amusement, as the image magic that he and Mandes controlled, ravaged his elder brother and made him look like a fool in court and to the people of Ergoth.
On the day of his coronation, Amaltar assumed the armor and sword of Ackal Ergot, and continued through the coronation ritual with the support of his champion Tolandruth. He took the regal name of Ackal IV and officially became the Emperor of Ergoth. During the celebrations following his ascension, the engineer Elicarno arrived to offer his respects and presented a new invention, the hand catapult to the emperor. Ackal IV was suitably impressed, and after the blustering of Mandes against Elicarno, he decreed that a contest would be held to test Elicarno's inventions against the magic of Mandes.
Ackal IV saw Elicarno triumph over Mandes, and also decreed that Mandes be arrested for his actions. Mandes in turn decreed that the emperor would soon fall and everything around him turn to dust, before he fled altogether. When the hordes of Enkian Tumult arrived just on the outskirts of Daltigoth, Ackal IV sent Lord Tolandruth to meet with Lord Enkian to learn why five thousand men had been brought to his doorstep. The death of Enkian at the hands of an assassin, and the departure of the Army of the Seascapes avoided one problem, and the decision to allow the fleet under Admiral Darpo to stay in it's current position, also ensured a constant flow of money into the coffers of Ergoth.
By late 2401 PC, Ackal IV believed he was dying and asked Lord Tolandruth to move into the palace to guard him more closely. However the health of Ackal IV took a turn for the better, shortly after Prince Nazramin left Daltigoth to move into an estate several leagues out of the city. The emperor sent Tolandruth to put an end to Mandes, when reports filtered in that there was another outbreak of the Red Wrack.
However Ackal IV's health again deteriorated rapidly with the return of Nazramin. Finally the emperor's mind broke altogether and he soon perished shortly before his champion, Tolandruth, returned to announce his victory over Mandes. With the death of Emperor Ackal IV, his brother Nazramin seized power, forcing Crown Prince Hatonar to cede the throne to him.
Personality and traits[]
Amaltar was described as a pale and lightly muscular man, who had black hair and dark eyes. He cared not for court fashions, and was always clean-shaven and kept his hair short also. Amaltar cared much more for his people than himself, and tried to serve the empire as best he could under his father, and then when he became ruler. Amaltar was far too modest and blind to the insidious nature of his younger brother.
References[]
- A Warrior's Journey, p.106-110, 140-147, 250-255, 372
- The Wizard's Fate, p.162-166, 201-209, 232-241, 243-250, 259-266, 268-269, 291-295, 300-306, 369-372