[h1]The Torgaros[/h1]
The Torgaro family has been the ruling family of Orsholon since the creation of the kingdom in [url:https://www.worldanvil.com/w/Arnathia/t/torgaro—orsholon-royal-family-timeline#rens3353]3353 BTG[/url] and the crowning of Rens Torgaro as the first King of Orsholon.
[container:imgfrm][img:1111129|right|200|nolink] [/container]Rens was chosen for his leadership of what would become the Orsholonian people during the 30-Year Winter. His experience in mining and his leadership kept many of his people alive inside the caves and mines of the Rinzeremel Mountains.
Since his crowning, there have been a total of 147 rulers of the Kingdom of Orsholon, all from the Torgaro bloodline. Before the crowning, Rens worked with friends as advisors on how the line of succession should be decided. In those discussions, it was decided that the oldest firstborn of the line would be crowned upon the current rulers death, then the next oldest, then secondborn, etc. It was also decided (although more as a guideline than a rule) that the ruling family limit themselves to one child, to avoid creating the temptation of intra-family intrigue and power struggles.
[quote]We shall honor the lives of those lost by not repeating their mistakes.|King Rens Torgaro [/quote]
While this was considered an effective way to remove much of the treachery found in royal families, it presented a problem for succeeding Rens. At the time of his crowning, Rens was already 57 years old and his wife had been lost in the aftermath of the Cataclysm. His time in the caverns and mines were spent focusing on keeping himself and the other survivors alive, which also helped to keep his mind off the loss of his wife.
[container:imgfrm][img:1111211|left|200][/container]Once they were able to emerge from underground and begin to plan a new city, Rens’ advisors began pushing him to find a wife so that he could have an heir. In 3339 BTG at age 71, Rens met a much younger woman, Ari Senra, and fell in love. He and Ari married, and did not waste time in producing an heir, Tradryn.
But age, the hardships after the Cataclysm, and the stresses of becoming a ruler began to take their toll. Before Tradryn turned 6, Rens died, leaving Tradryn the sole heir and King of Orsholon.
Fortunately, the advisors were all friendly and knowledgable and acted as the de facto rulers of the kingdom until Tradryn reached 14 years of age. He had been taught well to be a fair, just and benevolent king, and he was beloved by Orsholonians. His reign lasted for 85 years, yet even at death, he was referred to as “The Boy King”.
The family traditions in mining also helped the kingdom overall. The Torgaros used their knowledge of mining techniques and trading to slowly become a wealthy and prosperous nation. The country grew over the centuries because of their mostly benevolent rule, but not without some growing pains.
The first major conflict the Torgaros had to face was the Border Wars, from 3168 BTG to 3062 BTG. King Lineas (6th King of Orsholon) [container:imgfrm][img:1111444|right|200][/container]had been encouraging Orsholonians to expand their lands by moving further south and west, across the river valleys and toward the southern end of the Rinzeremel Mountains. In doing so, some of the Orsholonians had moved onto land that was being claimed by their Baduhm neighbors. These disputes began to heat up, and within two years, villages were being attacked by both sides. Lineas, who had a reputation for being very smart but with a fiery hot temper, tried to appeal to the Baduhm, sending a messenger with an offer to meet with Baduhm leaders to negotiate borders.
The messenger’s horse came back with a mutilated corpse strapped to its back. Lineas exploded, and declared a full war. Little did he know, the Baduhm had already beaten him to that declaration, and soon, masses of Baduhm troops began marching across the river valleys toward the capital.
Orsholonian troops were able to hold them off and they retreated, but not before losing much ground to the Baduhm.
The war lasted more than 100 years, and the Torgaros would see three kings’ reign consumed with the protection of Orsholon. The final, King Jiten, would be the one to end the war. While Lineas had a fiery hot temper, Jiten’s was more of a burning cauldron. When contained, it was no real danger to anyone. But once tipped, it consumed whatever was in it’s path in a red-hot rage. His father, Bretrak,[container:imgfrm][img:1111456|right|200|nolink][/container] had tried to negotiate with the Baduhm, only to be rebuffed or fooled. Lives were lost, as was territory and riches.
When Jiten took the throne, his actions were swift and violent. He massed the Royal Guard Of Orsholon and put citizens to work extracting iron from the mountains surrounding Orsholon City. Behind the walls of the city, they forged some of the finest weapons ever seen, and began arming the Guard. Young men, many of whom disagreed with the more passive approach Bretrak had taken, lined up to serve. In a two year period, the military had grown to nearly 2,000 members, which at the time represented nearly 40% of the populace.
[quote]When the enemy strikes, we strike back in kind. But to stop them from striking, we must make them fear our wrath and run from our might!|King Jiten Torgaro[/quote]
[container:imgfrm][img:1113820|left|200][/container]When the time came, Jiten himself led the forces to meet the Baduhm. He made no overtures, he made no contact. His orders were simple. Destroy the Baduhm. Spare the women and children unless they fight. Show no mercy.
Even with this much harsher, much more violent prosecution of the war, it took 18 years before the two countries would come to a truce. From the outside, Jiten was seen as a vicious, murderous thug. His people, however, saw him as a powerful warrior and effective ruler.
[container:imgfrm][img:1130656|right|200][/container]Not all of the Orsholonians were destined for war. Some had more…colorful reputations. There was Queen Tomold, also known as “The Temptress”. Tomold had many suitors, and she always with a plan behind entertaining them. Her plans usually benifited the country, and [i]always[/i] benefited her. She moved the country forward diplomatically with other countries, but was less effective in domestic issues.
She gave birth to one son, out of wedlock. Not much is known of the father, and his name has never been spoken. There are rumors that Queen Tomold made sure that would never happen, but no one dared to speculate publically about how.
[quote]My dear, power rests not in the ruler, but in the way they use their rule. Now, what can you offer?|Queen Tomold, to a would-be suitor.[/quote]
Or King Zenddyn, “The Little Tyrant”. Unlike Tradryn, who benefited from a young age from the advice and guidance of the original advisors to King Rens, Zenddyn was 15 years old when he took the throne, a dangerous age for anyone to make decisions, particularly a king. He rarely listened to advisors, believing he knew better by the sheer fact of his bloodline. He was entitled, spoiled, and prone to mood swings. In other words, a teenager.[container:imgfrm][img:1127664|left|200][/container]
Zenddyn eventually grew out of these behaviors, and by the time he was 25 years old, was considerd a fair ruler. While not reponsible for much growth of the kingdom, he did spend the majority of his nearly 60-year reign atoning for the missteps of his youth with the people of Orsholon.
Perhaps the most consequential rulers after King Rens were King Senden[container:imgfrm][img:1110385|right|200][/container] and his son King Gawas II. Senden is the Orsholonian ruler responsible for conceiving, planning and ultimately putting into motion the events of The Gathering. Until his reign, there was no comprehensive agreement between the Nine Nations on trade, territory disputes, diplomacy, or anything else. Senden worked to create an agreement that would bring these countries together to create a lasting peace for all of Arnathia. Sadly, while Senden worked to create the [container:imgfrm]Declarative Articles, he died before they could be signed.[img:1110357|left|200][/container] His son, Gawas II, continued his father’s work, bringing the countries together to sign the Articles and ushering in a new age of peace in Arnathia.
The Torgaros have grown Orsholon to become the smallest, yet wealthiest, most powerful nation on Arnathia. Without their stewardship, Orsholon could not have grown to such a status.
[quote]With this signature, I complete the work of my father, Senden, and usher in a new era of peace and harmony among the peoples of Arnathia. May all the gods favor this declaration.|King Gawas II, at the signing of the Declartive Articles[/quote]