Belorin Belgrave-Aqule-Vynquist

Belorin Aqule is a Half-Elven Senator, soldier, and Prince of the Lordship of Ruska. He played a semi-important political role in the western Phagosian Sea, particularly helping with political decisions in the Grand Councilate of West Phagosia, as well as serving as a spy behind enemy lines in Petra, Glanra, and Aquivia.

Early life
Belorin was born in at an unknown settlement in Eastern Syltör or Western Nieden, near the former Silver Coalition and Sterling Crownlands. Not much is known about his childhood, but he distinctly remembers being chased by a beast in the forest at night, giving him a scar across his face that grows in pain with the waxing of the moon. Being cast out to sea sometime at around the age 14 years of age, Belorin washed up on the shores of Aquifia in the Phagosian Sea, with nothing but his clothing, a sliver shortsword, and a few fuzzy memories. He was met by Archduke Side Aquiv I, who showed him the new settlement on the isle.

He was quickly put to work on the island, helping design and construct small houses on the island, primarily composed of spruce logs and planks and bell-curved roofs. After the first few huts of this style, it is believed to be likely that Belorin's builds started the theme of Aquifia (now Humilau) in Post-Plagatean Ruska. In addition, he helped as a fisherman for a short period of time, finding a few strange objects in the water.

Aquifian Wars
During mid-February, 2023, the Aqufian Wars began. Side had staged a coup against Froby, Prime, and the Ruskan government. Belorin, who was only a teenager at the time, participated as minimally as possible in the war, and it was difficult to know which end of the conflict to take. He personally saw no reason for the insurrection, despite leaning toward libertarian-left politically, and eventually sided with the Ruskan government and the Sapphire Alliance. However, he secretly received information on plans of the Ruby Alliance, as he had convinced Side that he was working with them.

Life in Ruska
After the Sapphire Alliance won the Aquifian Wars, Belorin became an adult and established his own residency in the trading hub of Humilau, primarily making income as a farmer. He spent his twenties helping with city work in Humilau, Ardenholm and Ashar. During this time, he also went on a sailing voyage across the Phagosian Sea for part of a season, making the mistake of going alone in a canoe, with only a few weeks' worth of provisions. He traveled all the way to the Soleannen Empire and was attacked by Bardonians off the coast of Trost along the way. Realizing that he had essentially nothing to do in the very theocratic Empire, he returned from the pointless journey where he had gained nothing but experience.

Prime's Wedding
During his life as a worker in the Phagosian Archipelago, Belorin was trained in combat. He was mainly proficient with a spear, arming sword or cutlass, and a shield, as well as a longbow. Although not particularly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, what he lacked in strength and fighting talent was made up for in quick thinking (usually*) and military strategy. Grand Prince Prime Aqule was to be married to Elide Bolodrav-Belgrave in early Summer of 231 TE, around the time of Belorin's thirtieth birthday, and so Belorin, nobles from Ruska, and others set sale to Menaphos, in Centaris, which is the home city of Prime and the location of the wedding's cathedral. The cathedral was built by the Centaris Builders' Guild, primarily Minecraft_leg. The journey there by sea was primarily uneventful, although Belorin learned a thing or two about sailing larger ships, as he typically used his smaller rowboat. Arriving in Menaphos, the wedding commenced, and two families were united, thus further expanding the royal House Aqule.

Petrian War
The very morning after the wedding, the crew had to set sail back to the Phagosian Sea, as growing tensions with the small island nation of Petra were leading up to the high possibility of war. "We'll cut through their forces like a knife through butter," Belorin had proclaimed just days before the battle. The battle would occur at the Malryan fort of Area 52, being attacked by Petrian forces from Devrick City. What the Phagosian forces were not expecting, however, is that Devalia, leader of Petra, received help from the most feared mercenary company in all of Rathnir: The Parahands. This ultimately led to the capture of Area 52 and the survival of Petra. In his journal, Belorin wrote:

''"It was a horrible sight. The soldiers from Ruska and Malrya gathered at the fort that night, seemingly prepared to do whatever it takes to take down Petra and their treachery. We set out in our canoes and rowboats, some of us even swimming all the way toward Devrick. That is until, off the coast of Voltaris City, I saw a troop of soldiers so well equipped that it would impossible to be Petrian. Yet they didn't display the Glanran banner. A chill went up my spine as I recognized the insignia on their armor: These were Parahands. Paddling my way in the opposite direction, the mercenaries followed in the water at such an unnatural speed that even the strongest of fish would be knocked away in the current. I could hear the screams of my allies behind me, and at last my canoe leaked and capsized at the single thrust of a spear. Frantically swimming deeper under the water, I finally escaped the soldiers with but a stab wound in my back; I was lucky to have survived, but I regret ever turning back to look when I resurfaced. The entire bay was stained red with the blood of people I once knew, littered with bodies of the dead. I watched as injured, unarmed soldiers struggled to get on their feet, only to be cut down by ruthless mercenaries. Never in my life will I forget that night, no matter how many years pass by."''

The Government
Sometime during Mid-May, 2023, King Froby would appoint Belorin as a representative and ambassador in the Ruskan government. During this time, he was partially in charge of handling diplomatic relations with other countries, but most were handled by higher-ranking officials. Later on, he was promoted to become an official senator, and played a role in the senate meetings and votes for years to come. He maintained his lowly military rank of conscript throughout his time in the government, as Minister of the Military Block Aqule refused to promote members based purely on tactic, and preferred combat skill even when selecting his generals.

Adoption
After two decades of working under Ruskan command, the royal family, House Aqule, made the decision to adopt him. After a brief debate, it was Archduke Lime Aqule who adopted him at first, but Prime (Lime's brother and Grand Prince of Ruska) and Elide "stole" him, hence the name Belgrave. At some point after this, Belorin would begin drafting a blueprint for Aqule Manor, an island castle scheduled to be built for the Aqule family in the next several decades.

Froby's Wedding & The Storming of Voltaris
During the [season] of [April 30, 2023], King Froby Von Aqule was married to Xoda Vynquist, in a much smaller chapel than the cathedral which unified Prime and Elide. However, the Cold War with Glanra was at its peak, and that winter, there was a major battle. When sailing from Humilau to Ardenholm, Belorin heard shouts from the docks. It turned out the Glanran soldiers performed a raid on Ardenholm, attacking civilians including a neutral merchant from neither nation, so Ruska decided to retaliate. Belorin joined in the raid, and snuck onto the western shores of Voltaris City. When Glanra called for a diplomatic meeting in Voltaris, Ruskan government members arrived, including Belorin, but he was told to sit that one out and guard the nobles off to the side in case Glanra tried to pull any funny business. They demanded 150,000 dollars in order to stop their raiding on Ruskan people, but Ruska refused. Eventually, a consensus was reached that Glanra wouldn't attack Ruskan civilians, soldiers, or other members, in exchange for the much more powerful Ruska not retaliating, effectively forming a non-aggression pact.

However, just as the Ruskans left the scene toward the eastern docks, shots were fired, and Glanra made an attempt to slaughter the senators, nobles, and soldiers on the island (in Froby's words, they "got salty"). An exchange of blows from melee weapons and volleys of arrows were made as the soldiers fought brutally in the stone street, and the Glanrans were beaten back without a single Ruskan falling dead or unconscious. Skorm II was forced to re-sign the NAP, and Ruska fled the scene at last. This was followed by a quick battle with Devalia at the work-in-progress capital of Ashar, which ended swiftly, although Belorin was dragged underwater and almost killed by the sharp end of Devalia's naginata.

Block Aqule & the Cyprian Civil War
BB, or Block, is the leader of the former vassal of Ruska, Cyprian. During early May of 2023, he had made several actions that many citizens believed to be tyrannical. Belorin agreed with the citizens, and he was never particularly fond of the vassal's king, who at the time was the minister of Ruska's military at the time. At last, the citizens decided to rebel, and the revolt happened to support Ruska. Although Ruska did not send the militia into battle, they supplied gear to the rebels and "looked the other way" when Ruskan members aided the Cyprian rebels. The rebellion was (unfortunately, in Belorin's eyes) squashed, but this fight sparked hope for a better future: Free Cyprian.

As BB discovered the fact that Ruskans were sending aid to the rebels, war was officially declared. It'd be Veritas versus all of Ruska and the Free Cyprian towns of Pommedora and Golvium (formerly Oasis). Ruska needed millions of dollars to pay for the war, and so they sent their citizens mining to afford the cost. Being more skilled at things involving more creativity, Belorin hated the mines, and still does to this day. The Ruskans built up their forts, preparing for the inevitable consequences of war. During the construction of the walls of Ipotl, Belorin discovered a wild barn owl flying around the bridge between Humilau and the work-in-progress fortress. The two bonded, and he named her Estrella.

The Battle of Ardenholm
Just days before BB and his forces attacked the Ruskan town of Ardenholm, Belorin was helping the builders complete the construction of walls and defenses around the island. The are had ramparts, towers, walls with arrow slits, vast arrays of holes and trenches for the enemy to fall into, and more. It had seemed that they were ready for battle. During this construction is where he formally met Zero No Kitsune, and he, Zero, and Vlogeee would spend a brief amount of time at The Prancing Pony, Vlogeee's pub. This was the last recorded time that Belorin would see his cousin outside of business before Vlogeee left Ruska.

It was just before dawn, and Belorin stood upon the northwestern tower of Ardenholm, accompanied by Zero and several other Ruskan archers. This battle would be lead by several generals, including Rihard Aqule and Soulfood. A few a hours went by, until at last, a small rowboat appeared on the horizon, not far from Veritas. Shortly after, the visible navy grew to a full battalion, all headed straight toward the western shore of Ardenholm. "Fire!" he would hear from the general's post, and so he and the archers all along the ramparts strung their bows, unleashing a wave of arrows that descended upon the opponents like a swarm of hornets. However, it wouldn't be long before the Ruskan supplies of ammunition depleted, and when the Cyprian soldiers reached the shore by nightfall, all hell broke loose.

Almost immediately, as Belorin was firing arrows and even throwing stones at nearby enemies below him, a mercenary fighting alongside BB launched upward onto the wall using a riptide trident, knocked him in the head, slashed with his flaming sword several times in a row, and knocked him all the way off of the rampart all before Belorin could even draw his cutlass. Belorin then slid backward into a five meter deep trench, breaking his ribcage and spine, as well as fracturing dozens of other minor bones. As the horrid sounds of battle began to fade away around him, he would lay there bleeding for over thirty-six hours. He awakened in the morning after the next night, and although the battle continued, the noises began to calm down to only an occasional explosion or yell. Above him, Belorin could overhear a conversation among BB and his inferiors.

"What next?" asked a Cyprian soldier.

"Scan the area for survivors. It'd be a shame if any of those vexatious Ruskans got 'lucky'." The word 'Ruskans' escaped BB's throat in a way that implied he could hardly stand them enough to say the name of Belorin's country.

"Yes sir!" For the next several minutes, the soldiers impaled all of the presumably dead Ruskans in sight, ensuring that they were indeed deceased. Belorin listened with terror.

"We got 'em all?" asked one of the soldiers.

Another peered over the trench that Belorin was trapped in. "Ah, looks like we missed one." He scaled down into the trench, carefully removed the cuirass that protected Belorin's torso, and unsheathed his blade. Watching with complete and utter horror of what could very well be his final moment, Belorin laid as still as possible, attempting to play dead. As the soldier brandished his sword and struck down, Belorin did what his instincts told him to, shifting to the side so that the blade would hit the stone ground instead of piercing his abdomen.

"What the... Oy, Douglas! Come o'er here, look at this!" The soldier beckoned another to come over to the trench.

"What've we got here, Charles?"

"Watch this." Charles attempted to stab Belorin through the stomach a second time, and so he moved to the other side again. "Quite peculiar, don' ye think?"

Douglas watched with confusion. "'Tis. Ye don' think he's alive, do ye?

"Nay, must be the death throws. They always get me."

"Aye." The two soldiers returned to their posts.

"Have you finished off all the survivors in this sector?" Belorin could hear BB ask from outside of the trench. "And I do mean all of them."

"Aye-aye, cap'n--"

"That's king to you, Douglas."

"We killed 'em all, but this one lad down in a trench kept dodging my attacks," added Charles.

"Did you kill him?"

"He's dead as a doornail." The remaining soldiers regrouped, and moved on to the rest of the ruined battlefield. "Hail Cyprian!"

Belorin was later discovered by Vlogeee, who rescued him from the now Cyprian-controlled Ardenholm. Although it took him about a year to fully recover, he still attended whatever senate meetings he could, once he was stable enough. Thankfully, it was his back that took the main blow, and his head hit the ground a split second later, so he only received minor brain damage, in contrast to a fatal blow.

Vlog's Rebellion
In the, Senator Vlogeee Aqule made an announcement to the citizens of Ruska to flee, and created propaganda about the current was situation being a suicide mission. Although he already felt this way, the destruction of his beloved town lit the final fuse. When he was banned from the Ruskan Senate for sedition (the ban being a direct free speech violation), Vlogeee packed his bags and decided to leave Ruska.

Before leaving, Vlogeee told Belorin that he saw something in him, different than the others of the Ruskan government. "Belorin, don't be like them. I know you can see the outcome of this war. You have something the others don't." Belorin remained loyal to Ruska, but he still kept close ties with his former cousin (Against his father's wishes), and tried to establish new laws based around preventing others from meeting the same fate that Vlogeee's Ruskan career did. Vlogeee began a movement against Ruska, but never appeared to arise to a point where government officials would need to worry... yet.

Raids of Pommedora
Years later, by the turning of year 250, Belorin was informed by Rihard Aqule that BB was planning a large scale raid on the Free Cyprian village of Pommedora. He went to prepare for the battle, where the soldiers waited at the towers for incoming attackers at dawn. The horizon was empty for hours, until at last, a Cyprian soldier who some recognized to be named Bacon Boi appeared, swimming toward the Pommedoran shores. Half a dozen Pommedorans leaping off the ramparts and into the water, Belorin followed and helped chase down Bacon Boi as the archers fired arrows from above. They swam after him past Pommedora, Golvium, Veritas, and even on land in Zephyr Island, but he eventually escaped to an unknown location.

When more showed up, including BB, the tides turned. The Pommedorans suffered heavy casualties, and the raid migrated to the Cyprian capital of Veritas. Side Aquiv II also showed up to aid the dying Pommedoran soldiers, but in the end, Cyprian won, and the Pommedorans withdrew their attacks. This was followed by a surrender contract being signed by all of the highest ranking Ruskans, but Froby had yet to complete the contract. Time went on, and Ruskan citizens were beginning to grow nervous, spending each night thinking about whether their nation will be subjected to Cyprian rule.

Vassal of an Empire
As the Ruskan citizens soon found out, the reason that King Froby was procrastinating the completion of the surrender contract was that he was working on sealing a deal with Synderia: being vassalized so that BB could no longer safely attack Ruskan shores without being countered by Synderia and the Helmian Army. The deal was completed, and the Surrender contract was cancelled. Shortly after, Cyprian would join with Myrtana, under the Councilist Union of Carvinia-Kush-Tybingen, or C.U.C.K.T.

The Mafia: La Famiglia Masseria
By this point in time, Belorin was already somewhat affiliated with the Masseria Crime Family (within the Rathnir Mafia), led by Joe Masseria, the Grand General of the Ruskan Army during the Cyprian Civil War. Although he had yet to commit any profitable crimes, or "rackets", he planned to open an inn and casino somewhere in Rathnir which scammed the rich into gambling their money to "the house", as he needed to supply his family and recovering nation (which was still in massive amounts of debt from the war)...

[WIP]