Family McKay
The McKay Family
Based out of Belegrond (Eston, Atamara)
After having sent to a military academy in a distant land, Andrew returned with training in leadership, engineering, soldiering, and politics.
Andrew served as a rank-and-file troop leader for several months before being recognized by the King at the time, Zathans Bane, by being given command of the rural region of Region:Slantrax. Down the road from the capital of Hawthorne, Andrew spent much time studying the internal politics of the realm.
After many months serving as the Count of Slantrax, Andrew was recognized again and appointed as a senior advisor to the Crown. His quick ascension through the ranks, though, wouldn't happen until the 2005 Norland War that saw the deaths of heros and the stepping down of several key Royal Council inviduals over just a few months.
It was Queen willy menehunas, after a discussion with the High Marshal at the time, General of the Armies Kahooli TithOnaka, that appointed Andrew as the High Marshal of Eston and Duke of Hawthorne almost simultaneously. Even though High Marshal Kahooli, who was elected King a couple months after Andrew's appointment, had made great leaps and bounds during the Norland War, it was Andrew's tenure that saw the re-gaining of regions lost, starting with the Mountain region of Moramroth.
Andrew found himself ascending to the Crown in a succession of events which would leave Eston forever changed. An assasination attempt on the former Queen willy was followed with information leading to the knowledge that she was plotting against Eston, it's Arch Priest, and it's King. Following a situation where willy was kindly asked to leave the realm, the former King and co-conspirator Kahooli earned himself the infamous title of The Black Duke, seceding the city of Massilion during Eston's Great War. The battles to bring Massilion back into Eston's full control would end the Great Wars. At the end of the ordeal, Andrew began overseeing a period of rebuilding as well as working to mold Eston into a recognized cultural and academic center on the continent of Atamara.
Courting a Queen
During this period of peace, Andrew recognized that his youthful days of being invincible were quickly fading. He longed for an heir to continue the legacy he had made for his family; but, more importantly, someone to share his life with. Andrew's life had been in service to a realm, a greater cause. Being duty-bound as he was, love had always been of second importance to him. However, with this clarity following Eston's Great Wars, Andrew decreed that a legion of scribes and messengers would be dispatched to send his message of courtship throughout the known world.
He only hoped, deep in his heart, that his search would be fruitful. Life without love is a painful silence. It is time for that silence to be broken.
His prayers to the gods were answered when the lovely Taiasin Evadne accepted Andrew's proposal for marriage. Taiasin and Andrew are now expecting the pitter-patter of little feet.
Lastly, Andrew has been a long-time mentor in the realm of Eston. The following are the courses he teaches to all new nobles in Eston, as he has done to several dozen previous:
Family McKay Mentoring Courses
Alexander McKay
Younger than his brother Andrew, Alexander spent only two years at the same academy as had his brother, instead of the traditional four. Alexander made up for the lack of formal study by learning from his father, a great military instructor from his home in Belegrond, and self study.
If Andrew is the "proper" one of the two brothers in Eston, then Alexander is the one that is more cynical with a witty, and some might say "smart-ass" sense of humor. He deals with change by making jokes about it. Alexander fights hard, demanding the same of his troops. However, he is somewhat of a loner because his ways of "boozing and romancing, then leaving" hasn't gained Alexander the stability that his older brother has. Though he seems like a loose cannon, he is fiercely loyal and does have a good common sense about him, even if he is a bit hot headed and quick to the fight.
Though not as famous as his brother, yet, Alexander served Eston as a professional soldier leading his troops, a merchant, and most recently as a mentor and infiltrator. As an infiltrator, Alexander helped start the formal Covert Operations Corps in Eston. However, his career as an infiltrator required him to travel to a distant land to finish the trials of becoming a high-level infiltrator.
After a time far away, Alexander returned to Eston to take up arms once again.
