Maximian Gathian

Maximian Gathian was the third child of King Oriathon V of Haleglar. He was closest with his older sister Elizabeth but she left for sea when he was fifteen and he did not see her again for two years, until he was briefly sent to oversee a Halglaran garrison at Calzon City. There he learned that Elizabeth was not dead as his father had told him but that she had become a pirate and fallen out with Oriathon. Maximian was captured by Coderites after the Third Battle of Calzon but was rescued by Elizabeth and sent back to Haleglar. Unable to bear life in the royal palace, he took up full-time study at the University of Enaliera and later settled in a town he renamed Elizabethston, near Aerian. Elizabeth returned to Haleglar a few years later and involved Maximian in a conspiracy against their father but was betrayed and forced to flee. She and Maximian parted on bad terms and he was spirited away back to Elizabethston in time to escape his father's wrath. He spent the rest of his days as a bachelor there, training horses and writing.

Information:
Born: Sixthus 14, 1833; Aberdeen

Died: 1890; Aerian

Family: Oriathon V; father, Mistelle Abaranda; mother, Tarogon I; brother, Elizabeth Gathian; sister, Elise Gathian-Tavird; sister, Darian Gathian; brother.

Race: Halglaran

Hometown: Aberdeen, Elizabethston.

Early Life
Like his siblings, Maximian's childhood was dominated by studies, both typical academics and royal tutoring, that were expected of Oriathon's children. What free time Maximian got was often spent with Elizabeth, his older sister. That changed when Elizabeth turned sixteen and for her birthday was sent on an exploration voyage. Tragedy occurred and Elizabeth did not return home, leaving Maximian more or less alone. Months later, a royal guard named Beldarion Bardor showed up at court with news of Elizabeth, that she was still alive but held hostage by a power to the east. The Halglaran navy was assembled and sent to Calzon, where this had all occurred. Maximian's hopes did not stay up for long, however, as letters were sent from his father informing everyone that Elizabeth had been dead all along.

Going to War
In summer 1849, mere weeks after his sixteenth birthday, Maximian was tasked suddenly with going to Calzon City, to represent the crown in its war effort there. He had been planning to attend university and had been granted permission by his father after reaching the compromise that Maximian would study at the Monarch's University of Aberdeen, and not the one in Enaliera, but now was told that he must spend a year with the military first. With little other option, Maximian accepted and went east, arriving at Calzon City on Ninetho 9.

That evening Maximian received a shock when he was met by none other than his thought-to-be-dead sister Elizabeth, whom he hadn't seen in over two years. He learned that she had been shipwrecked in the area and ended up alone with a group of pirates that she eventually integrated with. She told Maximian how she had spoken with Oriathon, who renounced her as his daughter due to her lifestyle, and how he had said he would keep the family, and the nation, believing she was dead rather than face the scandal she caused.

Because of Elizabeth's hostility towards Oriathon, she was considered an enemy by the Halglaran garrison and thus was unable to speak to Maximian again before Calzon City was attacked by the Coderite Empire. Maximian was captured but was not taken east immediately, instead being cooped up on a prison ship for the time being. Maximian stayed there for a month before being rescued by Elizabeth and her friend, ex-Royal Guard, Beldarion Bardor. Maximian spent a little time with them before returning to Haleglar.

Leaving the Palace
Upon returning to Aberdeen, Maximian confronted Oriathon on the treatment of Elizabeth but got only threats as a response and was told, on pain of imprisonment, not to speak of the matter again. Maximian did manage to keep Imerond Freeor and other Royal Guards who also knew of the secret, out of prison and even retain their jobs. However, after the falling out with Oriathon, Maximian found he could not be happy in the palace anymore and left for Enaliera and attended several years of university there. He then moved to a seaside town near Aerian called Harvin, which he renamed Elizabethston, where he would live the rest of his life. During these years Maximian began collecting notes and information for his book, Brigands of Calzon Sea.

During this time the line of succession was altered to omit Maximian, who had previously been second-in-line for the throne, after his older brother Tarogon.

Elizabeth's Return

On Tellird 27, 1855, Elizabeth showed up at Maximian's manor with their brother Darian and a full Halglaran retinue. Her partner had been killed and after encountering Darian at the Diamond Isles she had elected to return with him to Haleglar. Since the truth of events in Calzon Sea had been kept such a secret, Darian had no idea of her relationship with Oriathon, and none of the accompanying guards knew enough to speak up. Maximian was stunned that Elizabeth had the audacity to return and the two of them quickly filled Darian in on the truth. He had already sent word ahead to Aberdeen that Princess Elizabeth had returned and was expected to go there with her, but now it was obvious that they couldn't. They snuck out of Maximian's estate with his butler, Albus, and rose on horseback to his mother's family at Abaranda, where Elizabeth and Mistelle reunited. Darian parted ways with them there, choosing to avoid embroiling himself in the coming drama and instead fleeing to their rebel cousin in Aethordraa.

. Her partner had been killed, her ship sunk, and her pirate group nearly wiped out. She had also encountered their brother Milton in the Diamond Isles and had left on friendly terms with him, even sailing part of the way back to Haleglar with him. However, she and Maximian feared Oriathon might learn of her return to Haleglar, which would lead him straight to Elizabethston. The two agreed that they must get to Aberdeen before Milton did in order to perhaps salvage a good outcome. They rode on horseback from Aerian to Aberdeen in seven days, reaching the palace before Milton got there. Things went awry from there and Elizabeth confronted and tired to kill Oriathon before fleeing out into the streets of Aberdeen. Maximian was then ordered to return to Aerian and never leave that principality again. Elizabeth returned soon after, set on carrying out her revenge against Oriathon, despite Maximian's pleading and arguing against that course. Elizabeth soon left to go west and join the brewing civil war. Maximian never saw her again.

Elizabeth Gathian
As children, Maximian and Elizabeth were very close, spending much of their limited free time together and often commiserating the substantial amount of studies and classes they had. It was a major blow to Maximian when Elizabeth left and did not return, and Maximian never became nearly as close with any of his other siblings. When Elizabeth came back into his life, despite how much she had changed and despite the fact that they were both adults now, the two remained on excellent terms during the limited time they were together in Calzon Sea. When Elizabeth returned to Haleglar, she and Maximian got along and cooperated well at first, but when it became evident how driven by revenge Elizabeth was Maximian had to part ways with her. He did not see her again before her death.

Oriathon Gathian
Maximian got along well enough with his father during his childhood, though the two didn't interact much. However, after returning from Calzon, Maximian could not reconcile how Oriathon had handled Elizabeth and the two became tense if not hostile.

Tarogon Gathian
Maximian's relationship with Tarogon was similar to that with Oriathon. As a teenager, Maximian begrudged Tarogon for how superior he acted during the years he was an adult and Maximian was not. The two became cordial later in life though they didn't speak after Maximian left the palace.

Mistell Gathian
Maximian was always friendly to his mother, though he was not protective of her in the way Elizabeth, or even Tarogon, was and he did not often speak with her.

Elise Gathian-Tavird
Maximian barely interacted with Elise until after she married and moved away from her father. After that the two began writing frequently and Maximian even stayed with her family from time to time.

Milton Gathian
Maximian did not have much of a relationship with Milton, though they were on good terms with each other and able to cooperate during the fiasco that ensued when Elizabeth returned to the palace.

Imerond Freeor
As a young adult, Maximian gained a friendship with royal guard Imerond after the two experienced the Third Battle of Calzon together and all the events that came after it. It was Maximian who interceded for Imerond and kept him out of prison after they returned to Haleglar. Imerond later came to live with Maximian, broken by past experiences. His state eventually improved with Maximian's help and the two provided great comfort for each other in the long years alone.