Andesen of Flatstone
King Bjarn Von Stone | |
|---|---|
 Illustration of Bjarn Von Stone supposedly in the Szlād Imperial Palace. | |
| Native name | Şotī Bjājn |
| Birth name | Bjarn Von Stone |
| Born | 16th June 1194 Suntugā, Flatstone |
| Died | 23rd August 1237 Vedotī, Flatstone |
| Buried | Suntugā, Flatstone |
| Allegiance |  Northern Ivili Clan Flatstone |
| Rank | Commander in Chief |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Spouse(s) | Edna Von Stone |
| Children | Eirik Von Stone |
| Relations | Northern Ivili Clan |
Bjarn Von Stone was born just one year before the ceasefire. He had been born into an isolated farmhouse somewhere in Suntugā, supposedly growing up with his mother and potentially his father, although it should be noted that his mother was believed to have been widowed. Not a lot is known about Bjarn's childhood and his progression into adulthood, but what is certain is that Von Stone was a name that he gave to himself, and his original last name is unknown. It is likely that Bjarn taught himself archery and swordsmanship at a young age, as by the time the First Stonish War of Unification broke out in 1211 his performance in battle and leadership was reportedly "excellent". Bjarn left for the capital of Vedotī at age fourteen in order to find work and make money, however rather then starting a farm of his own or participating as an architect, Bjarn would be quick to find his way into the politics of Northern Ivili, establishing himself as the self-proclaimed successor of Erik Slaten at the age of 17 and taking after his beliefs and accomplishments, using religion as a tool to seize and maintain power through authoritarian means. By the time he was 18, the civil war was in full swing and Bjarn had couped the remnants of Northern Ivili in the same fashion as Erik Slaten had a century prior.
Early Life
The circumstances in which Bjarn Von Stone were born into were not exactly ideal. He had been brought into a world during a period in which the very land that he resided in was in a constant state of war with all of it's neighbors, a time when the nation had only recently begun it's transition from theocratic governance being the standard to several culturally divided kingdoms that divided up the archipelago through conquest and division, ultimately resulting in the deaths of thousands. Bjarn Von Stone was well aware of these atrocities, and it is only natural that early in his life he developed a want to put an end to the chaos. A desire to bring peace and national unity to the peoples of the archipelago.
Parents and Childhood
It is very unlikely that Bjarn Von Stones parents were anybody of note; having been born and raised in the capital of the Taverkny Clan, Bjarn Von Stone was the first and last king of Taverkny ethnicity. However, Bjarn Von Stone did not embrace his Taverkny identity during his lifetime, and instead gradually developing a liking for the Northern Ivili clan after having lived in the Northern Ivili capital of Vedotī for extended periods of time. There is little of note that is known about Bjarn Von Stones parents, all that can be said for sure is that they were not particularly wealthy and were unusually fair for the time when it came to the treatment of their children, of which they had three. The whereabouts of Bjarn Von Stones siblings are unknown, as Bjarn Von Stone would erase his Taverkny identity, and with it his past, in favor of the name "Bjarn Von Stone," a name that he would give himself after his journey to Vedotī at the age of seventeen.
Early Interest in Military Strategy and Politics
Much like his predecessor, Erik Slaten, Bjarn Von Stone had a particular liking for military strategy and politics. Ultimately, he aspired to acquire a position of power, whether this was peacefully or by force did not matter to him. Bjarn thought highly of himself, he wholeheartedly believed that he out of all people had what it took to lead the nation to a better era. However, unlike Erik Slaten, Bjarn Von Stone did not devote a large amount of his time to his studies. He went into the world with far less experience and not much of a plan. The one thing that Bjarn Von Stone had was ambition, and ambition was the fuel that propelled him into the future. He was naturally charismatic, and was very lenient when it came to positions of power. He was willing to listen, and he never underestimated the advice of his peers. These traits gave him a natural advantage over his competitors, and by the time that he was twenty he had already amassed a large following capable of undermining those already in power through a brutal coup d'état that would cost the lives of dozens. It would go to show just how far Bjarn Von Stone was willing to go to achieve his ambitions.
Political Career
Rise to Power
Bjarn Von Stone would arrive in the city of Vedotī at the age of seventeen after having fled from his parents land in order to pursue an ambition to participate in the ongoing conflict between the Northern Ivili clan in the north and the less influential Taverkny clan to the south. Bjarn did not trust the abilities of the Taverkny clan, nor did he believe that he would be able to obtain a position in any of it's armies. The Taverkny clan was largely hereditary, meaning that most of it's authority was controlled by those who were born into positions of power. Bjarn Von Stone was not, and so it was unlikely that he would make any progress towards his goal, having virtually no claim to anything of significance throughout the Taverkny clan. Instead, he opted to travel to the Northern Ivili clan, where, coincidentally, a shortage of officers had begun to plague the Northern Ivili army and it's competency. Bjarn Von Stones natural skillset and leadership made him a prime candidate for a position as an officer, which he would assume and use to his advantage.
House of Von Stone
In order to strengthen his legitimacy, Bjarn Von Stone would finalize the decision to change his name to Von Stone shortly before joining the Northern Ivili army with the intention that he'd use the name (which was derived from Geology) to begin his own dynasty, which would then rule his future kingdom. This, and the fact that Von Stone was a more suitable name for an officer in the Northern Ivili army at the time. The House of Von Stone would not be officially created until 1231, after Bjarn's victory in Suntugā bay against the fleet of the Taverkny clan, when he married his wife, Edna, who would later become the first queen of Flatstone after the nations unification in 1232. Today, the House of Von Stone continues to rule the Kingdom of Flatstone, having returned after the removal of the republican government in 2008. However, this would only be after a period of roughly fifty years, when the nation was ruled democratically under the previously mentioned republican government that seized power in the 1960's after a brutal revolution against corrupt officials that had ties to the House of Von Stone.