Arthur [Europeans]
AFTER THE GREAT FLOOD
As the Great Flood’s waters receded into the ocean, a tight-knit community of Songhai remained at its edges, the Seaside Wetlands. The chaos had only brought them closer, uniting them under a lone king and his teenage son, Arthur. The duo’s mythical auras were indisputable. Many graciously followed their leadership, believing that one of them had possessed a divine blessing from The Creator.
Banding together in the face of the region’s perilous conditions, many of the stranded Songhai met a grim fate. The swamps were home to a slew of ravenous alligators, serpents, wolves, and more. As a result, they were forced to focus on defending one another, prioritizing the perfection of both armorsmithing and weaponsmithing. Combat training, engineering, and the exploration of magic became common trades among the community solely as means of survival.
Their worries for ample weaponry subsided after one misty morning. Deep within the Wetlands, a crew of Songhai explorers happened upon a grassy knoll. Atop the bluff shined a single stone, emanating a blinding gold beacon which cut through the fog in all directions. As they neared closer, they came upon what would one day be their society’s salvation. Fused into the adamantine rock stood a shining sword, its hilt carpeted in pristine white leather, colliding with a metal of immaculate quality. The blade seemed unscathed by the elements. After taking in the sight, each of the burly pathfinders tried to remove it from the stone. Their attempts were futile.
The explorers returned to the community and debriefed the lone king about what they had found. That same day, the camp assembled into an extensive caravan and returned to the knoll en masse. One by one, each of them attempted to pull the blade to no avail. Finally, the king stood in front of the stone, convinced he would wield the weapon. He looked upon his people, smiled, and pulled with tremendous force. Gasps filled the air. No luck.
They then looked to his son Arthur, whose small stature made even attempting the feat a laughable notion. “Try it, son,” the king beckoned. Arthur walked forward with wide eyes, wrapping his hands around the sword’s handle. He took a deep breath and pulled.
The ear-ringing sound of divine steel and rock pierced the air. Onlookers covered their ears and eyes as young Arthur held the blinding blade above his head. Radiating an angelic aura, the sword’s exceptional edges shined pure, its name inscribed across the metal: EXCALIBUR. The people all around him fell to their knees in praise. They had witnessed the blessing of The Creator in real-time.
Being the wielder of Excalibur, Arthur was tasked with leading all militaristic endeavors from the front line. He led an army, traveling the Wetlands to eradicate the vicious monsters that threatened his townspeople. The youthful prince sparred with the most fearsome of beasts, including mythical serpents and mud dragons. They were no match for his sword of sacred steel. The lands were cleansed, ensuring a safer home for all.
As the years went on, the survivors rebuilt a society built on law, order, and egalitarianism. These tenets were enacted within the community by Arthur, who became the sole ruler following the untimely death of his father during a hunting expedition. Although he was still young for a king, Arthur displayed peerless intellect, wisdom, and leadership, far beyond that of his late dad. Most heeded his guidance after witnessing the proof of his divine connection as the wielder of Excalibur. Yet, others deemed it ludicrous to take orders from such a young man.
The society continued to flourish and evolve under Arthur’s leadership, with minor conflicts being settled safely and civilly. They established an effective court system, making the Seaside Wetlands a pinnacle of law and diplomacy. They would come to provide accessible negotiations for all the world as a new Bloodline: the Europeans. Arthur, in his astute and strategic nature, welcomed the leaders of all Bloodlines to the region.
