| Antonius Bayle | |
|---|---|
| [[|100px]] ' | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Title | Ruler of Qeynos |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Human |
| Faction | Antonius Bayle (Faction) |
| Health | Health |
| Level | ?? |
| Status | Status |
| Location | Qeynos, Antonica |
Overview[]
Antonius Bayle IV does not rule Antonica, he simply rules Qeynos, though the continent was named in his ancestor's honour.
Lore[]
Lineage[]
- Antonius Bayle I, the Great Unifier
- Antonius Bayle II, the Great Defender
- Antonius Bayle III, the Great Diplomat
- Brothers: Kyle Bayle (missing), Kane Bayle
Antonius Bayle IV's Story[]
Rule[]
Antonius IV took over the reins of power of Qeynos at age 24 and has turned out to be a sufficiently good leader thus far. Under his rule, Qeynos has prospered. He has dealt with the Bloodsabers in the best way he could, but Kane Bayle has made it unbearably difficult.
Antonius IV is a highly devout Paladin of Karana. Though still relatively young, he is about as righteous, lawful and goodly as they come. He rules the city of Qeynos and its territories with a firm, but just hand.
He is simply referred to as "ruler". Though some citizens call him Your Honor, Grace and even Your Majesty, he does not expect to be referred to as such. He prefers to be called "Lord" if any title must be used. He finds himself mildly embarrassed when referred to by any of the more lavish titles.
He considers himself a citizen in service to the city and views his role as the benevolent protector of Qeynos and the surrounding area. The government of Qeynos consists of the Circle of Ten, which is comprised of the heads of each of the guilds, including the Merchants of Qeynos, the Captain of the Guard (Kane Bayle) and a few of the more influential lords of the city.
Antonius Bayle holds veto power over the council and only Antonius may declare war or enter into treaties on behalf of Qeynos. The council may remove Antonius by unanimous vote, in which case a new ruler would be selected by popular election.
The Bayle line is by no means a hereditary monarchy. It is possible that someday a non-Bayle could rule Qeynos. In the simplest terms, the Bayles are very wealthy landowners who have a long history intimately attached to the city of Qeynos. Antonius IV is an incredibly popular, well-loved and respected ruler. This is due in part to his selfless personality, humility and devotion to his duties to the city and its people. It is also due to the trust the people have put in the Bayle lineage for producing skilled, trustworthy and reliable leaders.
After the fall of the Combine Empire, the majority of humankind spread out and occupied the center of what was then called Tunaria. These humans lived in small villages upon the fertile plains of Karana. Over time, the villages prospered and grew into small towns. Two of these towns were so successful as to grow into full-fledged cities. On the eastern coast, Freeport grew as a dangerous and bustling port of call frequented by those braving the journey across the Ocean of Tears. To the west, the city of Qeynos grew under the noble rule of law under a man named Antonius Bayle.
Humanity continued to prosper and grew strong. Much to the disdain of the elder races, the humans chose to rename the continent after one of their own, rather than a god.
Personal Life[]
All he knows of his older brother, Kyle, is what was learned through stories told by his elders. Though he does occasionally wonder about what happened to him, he is too focused and dedicated to his duties as ruler to consider spending the time and resources that would be needed to search for the answers. This is a purely personal concern, and he would not feel right about using city resources for such a selfish, wistful and sentimental reason. And thus, he seldom, if ever, discusses the matter.
Antonius is also an unparalleled swordsman. His closest rival in armed combat is his younger brother Kane Bayle, who himself has only been bested in combat by Antonius and Ebon Strongbear.
As a youth, Antonius IV spent much time escaping into the Jaggedpine Forest, where he befriended another youth called Frenway Marthank. He still maintains a strong bond with his childhood friend. It was during their days as youths that Antonius came to appreciate the wonders of the forest and eventually do more than any other ruler to protect the forest ecosystem.
Ebon Strongbear, with whom he has a strong relationship, trained Antonius IV as a youngster in the Hall of Steel. Bayle then went on to the Temple of Thunder, as most local aspiring paladins would.
While in the Hall of Steel, Antonius and Kane befriended Milea Clothspinner, of the Clothspinners of Qeynos, one of the wealthiest families in the realm of Qeynos. Milea is currently an adventurer, a fact of which her family disapproves.
Later, Antonius IV went on an epic quest with the Qeynos Claymore at his side. This was before he became ruler and after he was a full-fledged paladin. His father knew of the quest and its importance and allowed Antonius to wield the Qeynos Claymore for the purpose.
The Qeynos Claymore is the city's namesake, dating back to a time when the humans were living in small communities. Qeynos is an old slang Combine word roughly translating to "manifest destiny for humanity". The sword is magical and sentient.
The warrior, Milea Clothspinner, accompanied Antonius IV on this quest. The ranger, Frenway Marthank, and the bard, Vhalen Nostrolo, also began the quest with Antonius, but Vhalen left before its completion. Along the way, the high elf, Lady Shae of Felwithe, joined them. A halfling also assisted Antonius in this quest, and there are rumors that say that this was Mayor Gubbin of Rivervale. The purpose of the quest was mostly unknown, save that it was very important. The quest and its outcome are personal and private to Antonius.
Antonius IV became romantically involved with Lady Shae after the completion of his quest. However, the Circle of Ten and the Felwithe ruling houses eventually caused the relationship to be broken off. As of right now, Antonius is not married or romantically involved in a public manner with anyone and as yet has no heir.
Another of Antonius' close and trusted friends is Vegalys Keldrane. Vegalys is a paladin of Rodcet Nife and is a few years younger than Antonius. Vegalys acts as advisor and confidant to Antonius Bayle and is also a public servant acting as Lord Magistrate for Qeynos. Vegalys generally concerns himself with investigations into such things as organized crime, though he is not directly involved with law enforcement, which is a duty that falls to the Qeynos City Guard.