The Sleeping King

Note: Part of the Six Lands Set. Best read in full context with the linked submissions.

Appearance
Unlike Merideth, the Sleeping King had no need for large statuary to remind people of his power. Thus most of the description is pieced together from various accounts.

He was tall, thin, yet well muscled. His long wild hair was white, or perhaps so blonde as to seem white. He showed some signs of age, mostly in the form of scars. He too had piercing blue eyes, a point brought specifically home in a poem about Merideth's and Kings first and last conflict.

History/Background
His history before his coming to the Six Lands is vague. What is known:
* He was a great king of his peoples.
* He felt he had let them down in some way and that they no longer needed him.
* He came from a land to the far East over the expanding blue ocean.

He was first met on the shores of Norval, near Tidal Rock, by a band of rag tag rebels being chased by a pack of Merideth's Beastmen. He assisted them by quickly dispatching the pack. When asked his name, he simply gave the word 'King'.

After he saw what had become of The Lands under Merideth and that the peoples here were unable to unite and defeat him, he took it upon himself to rid The Six Lands of this scourge.

There are dozens of stories, poems, and songs based upon the adventures of the 'He who was called The Lost King' before the creation of The Six Armies Who Were One. There is the 'Saving of the Children' by Calvicia, about the rescuing of the Children from a forced labor and breeding camp. The dispatching of Quatrain and defeating of the First Dark Army has been the fodder for three notable plays. The song, 'King's Boon' detailed the freeing of all the Slaves under the Beastman's lash in Aery, including the Beastmen Slaves (who joined his forces). The Final Tale, The Calling, has been reworked numerous times.

In the time of The Calling, he travelled to each Land. In each land, he did great deeds, gave hope, and rallied the defeated spirits of the Peoples.

People came to him. He gathered a notable force that he held together with charismatic leadership and a tactical savvy that bordered on the supernatural. He managed to lead his rag tag rebels to stunning defeats of Merideth's forces. In each Land he set up a local army - one for Each land. All this while dancing around Merideht's hounding forces.

Soon the time came. He created The Six Armies Who Were One. He marched them along with the same cunning that had won him such stunning victories in the early years. The 6AWW1 managed to drive the Beastmen and mercenaries back to Badlands. Eventually the Mercenaries forces thrown against him broke (dead, surrendered, or deserted), leaving Merideth his loyal Beastmen.

Slowly, the 6AWW1 entered the Badlands. Outmanuvering and taking down the last Great Horde, the Lost King and his forces made for The Great Keep.

While Beastmen were vastly better warriors than the rag tag 6AWW1, those free folk fought for their freedom, for those that had been lost, and for the King who united them. Their passion let them beat back the powerful Beastmen. Eventually they breached the Keep. Merideth took the fight to the warriors of the 6AWW1. He was cutting down everyone who approached him. The free folk kept saying, 'You can take one of us, but it only takes one of us to stop you.' (A phrase of unknown origin. Some say it came from the Lost King, but others say it was an BirdMan Lt.) Merideth personally cut down 120 fighters of the 6AWW1 searching for this 'Lost King', this bane of his life.

Merideth was covered in gore as he approached. Fighting literally stopped as he finally saw The Lost King. He charged out of the keep, into the blood soaked open field towards him.

Words were exchanged. There are two dozen accountings of what was said, each claiming to be 'the one true one'. In the end, all agree, Merideth charged, great sword raised. The Lost King fired one potent arrow (which some say was golden and glowed)and fell the Great Merideth.

A great cry was raised by the free folk of the 6AWW1. A sound said to be so loud that it was heard in many places in the Six Lands.

In the resulting joy, the Beastmen slinked away into the Badlands and hidden places in the Keep.

Upon the victory, the peoples wished to make the Lost King their king. He declined, saying,'I am tired of leading people. I need to travel to my true rest, to slumber.' He took and broke the arrow that slayed Merideth into six pieces. Some accounts say they then flew off into the sky (others accounts mention six loyal followers who took them and hid them). 'If you need me, I will return to you. If your need is great enough, unite the pieces, and I will return from my slumber to lead you in your time of need.' With that, he rode off to the West.

Special Equipment
A Heart Bow: An artifact never before seen in the Six Lands. It is obvious that it was from the East.

Roleplaying Notes
Arthur and Merlin all rolled into one.

He is tired, careworn, and beaten down. He is not cynical or bitter. He is the kind of man who is doing what is right, rather than what is can be done.

Note: Arth Alert: This is standard fantasy faire, but it is also Arth Fodder. Each Land is a biome. I would call this EighthLand, even though it would be better as Sixthland.

He rode off until he was amassed in blue mist. He is now in a idylic island biome.