Alaric Helion

Alaric Helion Berem was born as the third son of Cedrik Helion Berem, the Tetoani of Beremken. His father, a man of tradition, attempted to bring Alaric up in the same manner as he was, and how he brought up Alaric's older brothers—the way of the Blade of Esteron—but it never quite stuck. While Lukan and Corvin adapted quickly within their teachings, Alaric constantly lagged behind and abandoned swords practice to spend time learning about Magic with his mother, Thelestine. His childhood was spent with her in their family library and throughout the gardens practicing and casting simple spells and diving into books of all sorts to understand the world beyond their home. While not the path intended for him, Cedrik saw the potential Alaric had with the knowledge he was gaining, and decided to secretly alter the line of succession to favor the child he thought would be best to rule.

With the death of his mother in 6015, Alaric took the opportunity to leave home and attend the Esteron Astral Institute within the unified city of Estrinta. He spent his days learning more about magic theory and the manipulation of spells to modulate effects, excelling in nearly every subject he engrossed himself in. He would write letters home to his father and brothers, telling them of his studies and the progress he had made. The first four years flew by, with the passage of time ending abruptly on his 15th birthday (6019) as a letter from his father arrived.

"My son Alaric," it said. "While you have taken a path that I have not placed upon you, and the midst of my teachings were spent with you off elsewhere, I find that of your brothers, you are the best hope for Beremken going into the future. The world is a changing place, with the Cinderfall and the shattering of the Eastern Empire, the subcontinent is attempting to unify further and foster peace. This future is not one for those trained in swords and strength, but those of will. As you will certainly hear of the following proclamation of mine in the coming days, I feel it is best to inform you first so that you may prepare. I proclaim you, my third son, as the sole heir of the throne of Beremken. May you return soon."

This letter shocked him, never expecting to take the throne he had set his sights mostly within the world that Magic had offered him. He thought back of the letters he had sent and received from his family over the years. His father hardly wrote, but he had never once hinted at this fate. And his brothers, over the years he had told them of his connections to other states and people he had made, and they continued to boast about their path toward the Throne and the High Generalship of Beremken, both vying for the throne but willing to settle for the lesser position. Their pride. Their certainty. He knew it would spurn wraith and malice, and so he waited.

The coming days were filled with dread; Alaric, waiting for the announcement to finally reach them, his mind racing, hardly could stay calm. When the announcement of Cedric of Beremken placing his youngest above his older sons in the line of succession reached the school, it came along with outcry from the factions that backed Lukan and Corvin detesting the action. Each claim was brushed off by Cedrik, claiming that his word and decision were final, and that is how it would be, upon Alaric's return and his own death, Alaric would be crowned Tetoani.

Not wanting to return home out of fear of his brothers, due to the concealed threats within that only a noble would be able to notice in the letters they would sent along with assassins being caught infiltrating the Academy on several occasions, Alaric spent the next few years continuing his studies in isolation. Learning about the magic of life and diving into the history of the region, he eventually entered a contest on a whim to join an expedition exploring a series of ruins across an island chain to the west, and won. The news of his father's death in 6024 and his brothers assuming the regency until his return, sealed this as his path forward. He left the school to Xern with one of the expedition heads, deciding that one day he would return home and claim his throne, but his quest to learn more about the world took precedence, as did staying alive to see it.