Arylon Family/Taran

Taran Arylon
	Lord Marshal of Suville
	POLITICAL STATUS
	STATUS
	DEAD
	CONTINENT	NATIONALITY
	Atamara	[[File:{{{realmimage}}}|75px]] Suville Abington Cagilan Empire
	TITLES HELD	LANDED TITLES
	Lord Marshal of Suville	Duke of Suville
	RELIGION	RELIGIOUS TITLES
	Aristoi Atamarism	Elder
	PERSONAL INFORMATION
	BIRTHPLACE	PARENTS
	Nardil, Cagilan Empire	Fisc Arylon Avery Stanford
	SPOUSE	ISSUE
	Amanda (common lover) Aeryn Arete (lover) Cristen (common lover)	Taran II Arylon Tyran Arylon Chronas Arylon Calberian Arylon
	HEIGHT	WEIGHT
	6'1"	186 lbs
	HAIR COLOR	EYES
	Dark Brown	Brown

Taran Arylon is the younger of the famous Arylon twins, born after his brother Fisc by only a few minutes. Currently, Taran is the Lord Marshal of Suville, the highest ranking military officer in the realm. Prior to this, he served for a great deal of time as the highest ranked priest of the Aristoi Atamarism religion in the nation of Abington. He began his life in the Cagilan Empire but as his life evolved, he later left the Empire in favor of Abington, and now Suville. Since his defection, his relationship with his brother Fisc Arylon has been somewhat chilly, but still civil – though in recent years the two have made great strides toward reconciliation.

Personality

Taran is a highly educated, cerebral person - concerned with the use and application of political power. He has a sly and relentless sense of humor that has more than once caused him to be labeled a troublemaker. He values knowledge, cunning, cleverness and ingenuity above brute strength. This has caused some friction with his brother Fisc, who has always believed that true power, flows from the use of strength.

Taran also has the reputation as a lover of women. He is charismatic and witty, which has served him well in matters of love. Intellect and confidence seem to ooze from his very pores - along with a fair amount of arrogance.

He also has a rather cavalier view of life, believing that life can only truly be lived if one lives in the moment, and attempts to extract as much from each moment as possible. This has led to many excesses in his life - too much drink, too many women - but has only solidified his belief in taking advantage of all of life's advantages.

Taran believes in a universal human moral code. It is this belief in a moral authority higher than the world of men that led to his abandonment of his ancestral home, the Cagilan Empire. His loyalty was to his beliefs, and when it became apparent that his nation and those beliefs were incompatible he defected.

Recently, upon his conversion to Aristoi Atamarism, he has become more introspective, subtle and reflective. His extraverted nature is now being somewhat tempered by the seriousness of his faith. He now has also found peace, as the tenets of his new religion have satisfied his need for allegiance to a higher set of morals.

Early History

The library at Nardil Academy, where Taran received his early education.

Taran grew up in the Cagilan Empire, receiving a very aristocratic education. He learned much of philosophy, art, science, mathematics as well as theology. At the same time he observed, learned and practiced the specific uses of political power. He saw nobles use the law, the system, the military and the church to gain and use power. He noted mistakes that were being made when people obtained power, and resolved to learn from them and not repeat the same mistakes when he was old enough to wield authority.

Taran's early life mirrored his brother Fisc's. Those who knew the twins at this point in their lives have often said that Taran was a popular, outgoing extravert, and Fisc was a more reserved, less scholastic person. Nonetheless, both boys did well in school, up until they were 7 years old, and Mannix made the decision to set off for the colonies and attempt to carve out an estate in the expansive lands.

Since both Taran and Fisc were too young to take part in their father's expedition, they remained in Nardil to continue their education, while their brothers Jaden and Nexis went with Mannix. This separation effected Fisc a great deal more than Taran, causing him to lose interest in his studies, and retreat away from friends, classes, and sports. He began to grow bitter at his father's absence, acting out and continually getting himself suspended from the Academy. Taran was dismayed by this, and made efforts to include him and temper his behavior.

When they turned 17, the twins received word from their father stating that he was now in the south-east island, fighting for the nation of Toren. He was informed of the death of his mother and brothers, and his own indentured servitude to a noble in Toren, explaining his presence on the island consumed by war.

Enraged, Fisc immediately left Cagilian Empire and set off for the south-east island. So consumed with anger and vengeance aimed at his father for causing his family to be destroyed, he vowed to go to Toren and find Mannix. Taran, on the other hand believed Fisc was acting out of grief and loss, not using his head. Taran knew of the island consumed by war, and swore to Fisc that if he traveled there, he would die. His words rang hollow, and Fisc left for Toren.

This was the beginning of what would become an extremely frosty relationship between the two.

Life in the Cagilan Empire

Discouraged by his brother leaving their home in Nardil, Taran decided to move on.

Taran was of age to make his own life at this point, and traveled to his birthplace of Nardil, a small region on the outskirts of the Cagilan Empire. There he met several young men his age, and he recruited them to serve him in the Cagilan Empire military. He was reluctant at first to pick up a sword, but also felt that to not learn to fight would leave him at a disadvantage politically.

He promised his men action. What he found, however, was quite the opposite. In the ensuing months, Taran was continually disappointed - not only by the lack of any real battles to fight, but at the incoherent, bureaucratic nature of his country. Contradictory orders were given, often times making little sense. Halfhearted attempts at marshaling an organized, elite-fighting force was made. Goals that were short sighted and small minded were pursued, and action that could barely keep Taran's sword sharp.

Taran grew increasingly frustrated with what he referred to as "running in sand". Cagilan Empire was going nowhere, its leaders seemed to think of themselves on an ivory tower, and its nobles seemed content with mediocrity.

Defection to Abington

The Shrine of Sudfern constructed by Taran. This was his first - and greatest - construction project.

It was at that time that Taran received word from an old friend of his from childhood. Aeryn Arete, of Abington sent a courier to meet him, bringing greetings and updates of her own life. The two would send letters back and forth for a month, and each time Taran read of her exploits, he saw something he coveted - a realm that suited him. She would speak of the simple, direct, orderly and coherent nature of her nation's exploits. But more than that, she spoke of her new religion, that of Aristoi Atamarism, and the effect it had on her.

More and more he grew longing of a life he could lead elsewhere. Finally, he arrived at a decision - to move out and abandon the land of his childhood in favor of a new world that more suited the way of life he desired to lead. He informed his captain of his intentions and the troop moved out the next day.

The journey from Cagilan Empire to Abington was not an easy one. Along the way Taran lost more than 10 men, as more than one skirmish claimed the lives of his people. Clever trails, traveling in darkness and ordering his men to evade anything resembling another troop did pay off however, and he arrived in Abington in under a week. The 13 men that arrived with him had the benefit of experience, and were extremely highly trained. Taran initially expected to use them to help the people of Abington deal with their enemies.

New life in Abington

As he began to acclimate to his new land, Taran increasingly paid attention to the plight of the religious peasants in his adopted home, especially the followers of Aristoi Atamarism. He found himself increasingly wanting to help, even despite the fact he still belonged to The Order. Upon speaking further with his good friend Aeryn, he made the decision to officially convert to Aristoi Atamarism - a move that would have lasting implications for Taran.

As time wore on, and he spent more time studying his new religion, he found himself consumed by matters of the spirit, rather than of the physical world. He was fundamentally changing as a person, becoming more pensive, reclusive, quiet and thoughtful. Taran began to wonder if he was any longer suited to command a unit of soldiers. When Aeryn formally requested he become a priest and work to expand Aristoi Atamarism across Abington, Taran formally disbanded his unit and immediately enrolled in the priesthood.

His newfound purpose was well served. Once becoming a priest, Taran traveled to the northern lands of Abington to preach the good word among the commoners. After many successful preachings in the north, it became apparent that more pressing needs were in the south-western regions of Abington. It was there that he became the mastermind of the great shrine of Sudfern - a holy crystal shrine to the faith of Aristoi Atamarism, created with a reflective pool intended to enhance the beauty of the shrine. It stands as Taran's greatest contribution to Abington to date, both in the effect it has had on the faith of his religion, but also on the architectural uniqueness of the realm.

Establishment of the Aristoi Academy

Aristoi Academy, located on the coast of Suville.

After a long blackout of communications between Taran and Fisc, Taran reached out to his brother by writing him a rather conciliatory letter, apologizing for dishonoring the family by abandoning the Cagilan Empire in favor of Abington. His letter told of his spiritual dedication to Aristoi Atamarism, and wishes to reconcile with Fisc, to return to a firm connection of brotherhood. Fisc was impressed by the maturity shown by his brother, and while he could not forgive him for his betrayal, he could move past it. Fisc then sent word to Taran and suggested the two meet at his estate in Dakan and try to start over.

Once Taran arrived, the two brothers began the process of healing their relationship. During their conversation, an interesting parallel began to show itself. Fisc learned that it was Aeryn Arete, the sister of Averyll Arete that was the conduit for Fisc's religious conversion. While he did not share Taran's religious philosophy, Aeryn's involvement legitimized it in his mind and he accepted Taran's life as having worth again.

As the talks progressed further, they each spoke of their evolving understanding of their fields - military and religious. The information each of them had accumulated was extensive, and they began to talk of spreading that understanding to other nobles in both Toren and Abington - and even beyond. It was then that the brothers started the process of creating the Aristoi Academy.

After Taran left Dakan, the members of the Arylon and Arete clans began preliminary negotiations on the creation of a center of learning, with the stated purpose of identifying nobles who have the potential for greatness, and helping to elevate those nobles to places they could not have reached alone, by educating them to be truly influential.

As the basis of the knowledge that would be taught came from the collected works of the Aristoi, it was decided that a loose affiliation with the Aristoi was wise, and thus it was named the Aristoi Academy. Work began in the early spring on the central facility, which is now completed and located in Suville, near the main temple of the Aristoi.

To this day it remains a lasting legacy of the Arylon clan on the continent of Atamara.

Leaving The Priesthood

Taran overlooking the city of Stoneville the night he picked up his sword again and renounced the priesthood

The King of Abington, Gaihu, began to slip into a deep pit of insanity. Dubbed Gaihu the Mad, he began a campaign of terror against his own people, inciting the people of Abington to rally against him. It was at this time that a great purge of religions in Abington took place, and the realm was left with only Aristoi Atamarism.

His religion no longer needed him, and the realm was crumbling. It was at that time that Taran decided his heart was calling him to once again serve his people with the blade, and not the cloth. He returned from his northern preaching campaigns to the capital of Stoneville, and once again armed himself and went out to war.

In the following weeks and months, a rebellion was called against the mad King, and Taran joined the revolutionaries. However, a major difference of opinion with the leadership of the rebellion caused friction. The rebels wished to end the monarchical rule of Abington, replacing it instead with a republican form of government. Taran did not support the move, still believing in the righteousness and nobility of the crown of Abington. The initial days of the rebellion saw a great deal of friction with Taran publicly questioning the choices of the revolutionary leaders, and their staunch defense of mob rule.

In the end, after a great deal of grief and death, the mad king was overthrown and a republic was formed. As those events played out, Taran became disillusioned regarding the future of the realm of Abington. These feelings would directly lead to his support of the emerging realms that would be born from the ashes of Abington just a few months later.

Secession from Abington

In the aftermath of the mad King and the great invasions of Abington, the duchies of the realm decided that in order to save the essence of what was Abington, they would fracture themselves into individual realms. One of these new realms was centered in the great city of Suville, where Taran had spent a great deal of time preaching and building temples. It was only natural that he would go to the city and pledge his sword to the fledgling realm of Suville. Since that time he has been in loyal service to Suville, in hopes that the greater glory of what was once Abington can be restored to Atamara.

High Marshal of Suville

Taran surveying the battlefield as the newly appointed High Marshal of Suville

Shortly after the official succession of Suville from the once great realm of Abington, the fledgling nation was desperate for leadership. It needed highly trained, intelligent and strong nobles to fill positions across the realm - and Taran felt the call to service. Taran had the training and knowledge required to become the leader of the Suville military, but he assumed there would be others who appeared to have more experience and he did not seek the role. Initially, he looked to the position of Arch Priest - looking to impose his intellectual brand of jurisprudence on a nation that had none.

However, completely unknown to him, the Queen of Suville had identified Taran as a noble who had the energy, experience and knowledge to take care of the Suville military - and in a surprise to Taran, she publicly announced his appointment as the first High Marshal of Suville.

This is an extremely high honor to Taran, one he did not expect. He is now etched into history as the first military leader of a new realm. He is perhaps an important symbol - a young General for a young nation. In a time of great uncertainty when nobles are coming and going, when alliances are forming and dying, when maps are chaotic and rulers unpredictable, the young Captain of Suville has made it his mission to provide an example to the rest of the nobles he comes into contact with. He seeks to provide stability, solid leadership and keep Suville as cohesive as possible in a time of great uncertainty.

His initial campaigns have been highly successful thus far, though to this point they have largely been supplementary actions to beat back hordes of monsters and aid the realm of Caergoth in defense of their key regions. The realm of Suville was not at war with anyone through its early history, so the future of large scale military actions in the new realm were somewhat uncertain. It would not be long, however, before Suville's first military commander would be tested - and it would not be a light training exercise, war was brewing.

Response to the Invasion of Cagilan Empire

The City of Narville, burning in the aftermath of the successful defense of Suville against the Cagilan hordes

In the late winter after the founding of the realm of Suville, word began to reach Taran that war was brewing. His spies that had spread across the continent brought word that a growing army of Cagilan Empire troops, joined by men from Tara were massing several regions away from Suville, and that they planned to attempt a colony takeover of either the city of Narville, or the city of Suville itself.

Upon hearing this, Taran immediately began making plans to counter the invasion force. He identified that the prime target was likely Narville, and directed that all funds and efforts went to reinforcing the defenses of that city. Duke Martok reinforced the walls, and the mobile forces of Suville set up an extremely strong presence of militia in the city, to guard against any invasion. As the army approached Suville, Taran then ordered a small increase in Suville's militia defense, and stationed his mobile army in Werdham, allowing him to respond to either a Narville attack, or a Suville attack.

The invading force had diverged, with the Tara forces heading to south-west Suville, threatening the capital city, and the forces of the Empire heading for Narville. Taran ordered his men to retreat to Suville and reinforce it to protect it against any invasion from the west, while he ordered a small detachment to Narville to ensure the safety of that city.

After vacating Werdham, the Cagilan Empire forces had moved there to threaten both cities. Taking the bait Taran had set, they immediately attacked Narville. With most of his mobile force in the city of Suville, he ordered 2/3 of his forces to move on cover of night - late in the day, to Werdham to smash the slow moving units, and those that remained behind. He ordered 1/3 of his forces out to Webguard, to confront the Tara forces threatening Suville. He also ordered those in Narville to bare down and get ready to defend the city.

As the morning light broke and battles begun, it became clear Taran's strategy was working. Utterly shocked Cagilan troops were outflanked in Werdham, and the overwhelming Suvillian attack force wiped them out quickly and easily. In the west, the small strike force from Suville took the Tara forces by surprise and though slightly under matched, were able to gain the upper hand and smash them.

But the shining jewel of the day was the Battle of Narville. The Cagilan empire brought a force of roughly 18,000 CS to bear on the walls of Narville, roughly double the amount of defenders protecting the city - but Taran knew it was Suville's finest soldiers with superior strategy. Wave after wave of Cagilan soldiers launched themselves against the shining walls of Narville, and wave after wave was beaten back and denied entry. Showers of archer fire rained down on the Cagilan army, mercilessly slaughtering their men. Siege engines were destroyed before they touched the walls, and those that did make it were neutralized immediately. At the end of the day, as the black smoke drifted away, the cheers of the victorious Suvillian forces on the top of the walls could be heard even by the strike force in Werdham.

The combined armies of the Empire and Tara immediately withdrew from Suville lands, humiliated by three simultaneous defeats in one morning, and their armies in shambles. The effects of the failed invasion were such that the Empire decided to remain in their own land and not persecute the war any further.

Proud of their resounding victories, Suville hailed its success in its first real test against an invading force to date. As a result of this defense, Taran enjoys widespread goodwill and support across all corners of Suville.

War Against ASI and the Protectorate

Forces of Suville attacking the region of Lanston

As the winter dragged on, Taran began to hear rumors of a great underground diplomatic movement that was underway. Despite his position, he heard only whispers and shadows of fact - men were speaking about a brewing transcontinental war, though against who they did not know. This struck Taran as odd, given hostilities with Cagilan Empire - he had been successful in defending Suville from a massive invasion, but if soldiers were to leave the realm to attack another nation, that would surely leave them vulnerable.

It was not until spring neared that he began to learn the truth. A group of not less than seven nations, Suville included, were planning an all out offensive against the Ash Sea Islands, and its puppet realm, the Protectorate of Magnus. From what he could learn, the Protectorate had designs on some of Suville's territory and ASI had grown arrogant and petty toward the other nations of the world. This was clearly unacceptable, given the fact that Suville was already uncomfortable with the presence of the Protectorate in Riverholm as it was, and there had been long standing animosity against ASI since the birth of Abington.

Queen Callisto confirmed what Taran had heard from his spies in the underground, and instructed Taran to prepare for the coming invasion by working with the generals from Caergoth and Carelia. He did so, coordinating the southern offensive against Lanston and Riverholm while the northern armies struck ASI's border territory on the other side of their empire.

The initial campaigns were highly successful - the combined forces of Suville, Caergoth and Carelia crushed Protectorate forces in a dozen battles, and wiped out the southern army of ASI in Werdham shortly therafter. Over the course of the next few weeks, Taran helped engineer several brilliant offensive campaigns into enemy territory, as well as some key defenses of Suville territory. Under his stewardship, the armies of Suville and Caergoth have now completely destroyed the puppet regime of the Protectorate of Magnus, and are making preparations are underway to press the war into ASI territory.

The war is ongoing, and the difficulty is likely to increase, but thus far Suville's first offensive war is going as well as its first defensive one.