King Aldric

In the halls of the Founders Academy, King Aldric cuts an imposing yet dignified figure. His skeletal form, draped in robes of deepest black trimmed with intricate golden runes, serves as both warning and promise to his students. The emerald that adorns his chest pulses with the collected prayers of his people—prayers that transformed him into a lich upon his death, marking him for an unexpected journey of continued redemption.

Reign and Methods

The years following the Second Cataclysm were fraught with uncertainty. Nations struggled to rebuild, people fought over resources, and the very fabric of civilization seemed perpetually on the verge of unraveling. It was in this climate that Aldric ascended to his throne, determined to create a haven of peace and prosperity for his people at any cost.

While his public face showed a wise and benevolent ruler who brought unprecedented prosperity to his kingdom, the shadows told a different tale. His network of spies, provocateurs, and hired troublemakers worked tirelessly to manipulate neighboring kingdoms, creating artificial crises that made his own realm seem like a paradise by comparison. He became a master of the careful application of chaos, using it like a sculptor's chisel to shape the perceptions and behaviors of both his subjects and his neighbors.

The Path to Redemption

The turn in Aldric's path came through a chance encounter with Auranyx, an ancient gold dragon who saw through the king's carefully maintained facade. Their debate lasted through one long night, with the dragon systematically dismantling each of Aldric's justifications for his methods. By dawn, the king faced a truth he had long avoided: his actions, meant to protect his people's happiness, had instead corrupted the very peace he sought to maintain.

His abdication shocked the kingdom. Few understood why a ruler so successful would suddenly step down and dedicate himself to Valeris, the god of redemption. Upon his death, something unprecedented occurred. The collective prayers and well-wishes of his people transformed him into a lich. Unlike most such transformations, driven by the wizard's own desire for immortality, Aldric's undeath came as a divine mandate: a chance to continue his path of redemption by teaching others to avoid his mistakes.

Today, his ethics classes at the Founders Academy are among the most demanding and insightful offered. He brings centuries of practical experience in governance, enhanced by decades of philosophical study and personal reflection. His lessons often involve complex scenarios drawn from his own reign, though he presents them as hypotheticals, allowing students to wrestle with the same moral dilemmas he once faced.

The golden chains that adorn his robes serve as both decoration and metaphor—each link representing a lesson learned, a step taken on his path to redemption. The emerald at his chest, which holds the prayers that transformed him, pulses with different intensities depending on his proximity to true redemption. His students have learned to gauge the ethical weight of their answers by its glow.

As a member of The Cabal, Aldric serves as both ethical advisor and living reminder of the importance of moral courage. His presence at meetings often shifts discussions from expedience to principle, though he's careful to balance idealism with practicality. His own history makes him uniquely qualified to recognize when pragmatic compromises risk becoming moral failures.

• Ascended to the throne during the uncertain years following the Second Cataclysm
• Created unprecedented prosperity through manipulation of neighboring kingdoms
• Encountered Auranyx, an ancient gold dragon, who revealed the corruption in his methods
• Abdicated the throne and dedicated himself to Valeris, the god of redemption
• Transformed into a lich upon death through the collective prayers of his people
• Teaches ethics at the Founders Academy, using his own mistakes as teaching tools
• Serves as ethical advisor to The Cabal, balancing idealism with practicality
• Maintains a memorial garden, adding names of fallen warriors as a reminder of the cost of war