Carolus I Zor

Carolus I Zor
Born:	Early 6 AC
Reign:	Summer of 6 AC to winter of 6 AC
Titles:	Dux Bellae, Rex Septentrionis
Dynasty:	Separatist Zor branch

Carolus Zor (birth: Carolus Constans Zoar) was the middle son and unexpected heir of Tristam, the first unifier of Graal, according to Historia Sarovianorum, the first purported history of the Sarovian peoples. King Tristam had five sons, which were the siblings of Carolus: Xor, Cordias, Timemutt and Caros (future Carolus II). As such, not much is known about the monarchs it portrays especially in regards to their early lives, and some information is criticised by modern Graal historians.

History

Early Life

Carolus was a soldier in his father’s army during the early Wars of Religion and by contemporary accounts, a skilled fighter, was not considered the heir to the throne by his father’s court. Styled as the first Dux Bellae (Duke of Belle Island) upon his birth in 6 AC by his father, the Duke grew up in relative luxury. The Historia Sarovianorum promotes that within months, the Duke was granted the position Master of the Camp by his father, and served on many of his campaigns. In contrast to his brother, Caros, who was a skilled administrator, diplomat and smoothtalker, Carolus I was a brash, arrogant and rude member of the house of Zoar.

Reign

Upon the death of his father after Carolus’ elder brother, Xor, betrayed the Stefanic faith, the unified empire of Graal broke apart due to the inheritance law of gavelkind - where the south was taken by Cordias and the north was taken by Carolus I, who styled himself as Rex Septentrionis, the king of the northern people. The border met at the River Nafets, with multiple raiding parties going back and forth. Tristam’s western dominions were lost in revolt, and Graal seemed much darker than before. Caros however felt robbed of all of Graal, believing his brother lacked the diplomatic touch to bring back Cordias to the side of Stefan, began planning an assassination of his brother. Later the plot was made public, and in response Carolus I renamed the royal house of Zoar to Zor in defiance, and threw Caros in prison.

The Historia Sarovianorum indicates the population was ready for war between the two faiths, though no war came for months. Instead, Carolus I took to planning a campaign to retake holdings in the West. After two months of planning, the King sailed to the west, but according to the Historia Sarovianorum, was never seen again. Two legends were popular immediately after the King's disappearance from Graal. The first says that the King and his bodyguard found a new land, unknown to Graalians before, and set up a massive kingdom there and was never heard of again. The second suggests the King and his men landed in Ol'West, and eventually converted to the native population.