Kymbern Londbert

Kymbern Londbert or Kymbern of Myrrbaria was the Count of Myrrbaria and Head of House Londbert from 697 (the death of his father) to 721 (his abdication) and the father of King Bryant I of Etrand.

Birth and early education
Kymbern was born on 684.88738814517 as the third-born son of Wyrron Londbert. Wyrron's first-born son Aemár died early - taking Wyrron's first wife Aeléva Grettirling with him -, while his second-born son Aldric was an illegitimate bastard, making the prospect of him inheriting out of the question. Not long after the birth of Aldric, Wyrron remarried, choosing Aedethilda Wadardling as his new wife. It is said that during the wedding night, Wyrron successfully impregnated Aedethilda - Kymbern was conceived and would be born nine months later, on 684.88738814517.

Early on, when Kymbern was too young to be tutored, the family had to go through financial troubles. Wyrron took loans from the Wadardlings, as well as merchants from Copperport. He was mocked that the journey from Copperport to his estate was costly enough to cost the money he borrowed. From that money, Wyrron have built a minor dock of sort on the river his estate was adjacent to, so he could tax whoever took rest at it. He also expanded the vineyard and winery to produce more wine, but abstained from drinking in order to save money. By the time he paid back the loans, Kymbern was old enough to have his education begin.

Young Kymbern was tutored by a retired mercenary leader named Thoren Sturla, who passed down his expertise in arms and minor knowledge of economics to Kymbern, as well as telling him tales of the north, such as the legendary Osrikings. The aforementioned retired mercenary was also a skilful singer and lute-player, who has taught these skills as well to Kymbern, despite disapproval from Wyrron, who believed that playing music is the job of bards, not noblemen. One of young Kymbern's pastimes was playing near the wine press with his bastard older brother Aldric, who was raised by his mother to become a winemaker.

At the age of 14, Kymbern was deemed old enough to fight, so he travelled south to partake in the border defence and occasional raids against the orcs who happened to be passing by, mainly to gain military experience and increase his impoverished family's prestige. It was there where he met a commander of the border guard who happened to of Osriking descent. Impressed by Kymbern's skill with the sword and the lute, his singing skills and knowledge of the north and his house's history, the commander recommended to Kymbern's father Wyrron that Kymbern be bethroded to an Osriking lady, who agreed to the proposition - Rióna Osrikiana and Kymbern Londbert would have their wedding ceremony in 701.84018771715. Being barely 16 years old at the time of marriage, the Londbert family was offered by the Osrikings to have Kymbern's education finalized in the north, to groom the not yet fully grown Kymbern into a "real warrior" and a future ruler who can make the best of even the worst conditions. Wyrron agreed to this, Kymbern spent the next five years of his life in the north, being tutored by Osrikings and their skilled men in both the art of swordsmanship and statecraft, sparring with Osriking warriors.

Education in the north
In 681, Kymbern's education in the north begun. He was taught how to fight with the mace and the axe, how to fight with the sword in the northern style, and how to "analyse the elements". During his five-year stay in the north, his economical skills have also improved, as the northerners taught him how to make the most effective use of the resources he had at hand, how to spare resources and avoid needless spending, how to ration and minimize spending properly. Though, needless to say, he was primarily educated in warfare.

Kymbern was also given "lessons" in northern - or more precisely, Osriking - culture, so that he would grow to understand his wife Rióna rather than finding the customs she will bring with herself to the south alien. He also got acquainted with some of the non-human cultures of the north as well, such as the Dwarves and the Gnomes. One of the more ironic twists of fate is it that it was the honourable and warrior-spirited Osrikings who taught Kymbern how to barter and haggle properly - as in, barter and haggle with the Dwarves, which is often considered a unique skill set for humans. Kymbern even became a semi-fluent speaker of the Dwarven language during some of his visits to the far north.

It is said that five years of being groomed by the cold and harsh north has completely changed Kymbern. He came home as a completely different man: he came home with long hair and a full beard. He lost his native southern accent and acquired a northern one in its stead. He came home loving the snowy winters of the North and detesting the dry hot summers and rainy winters of the South that he came home to.

De facto count
After five years of being groomed by the grim and cold north, Kymbern returned - together with his wife Rióna - to his father's estate, Rióna already being pregnant with Kymbern's would-be firstborn son, future Ladislaus. Much to Kymbern's surprise, the estate has once again fallen on hard times. Kymbern's father Wyrron has grown to be an alcoholic drunkard who was slowly and surely losing his mind. Just mere months after Kymbern returned, his mother Aedethilda Wadardling died in alcohol poisoning. Afterwards, Wyrron - rather than giving up on the booze to learn from his wife's lessons - became even more of an alcoholic, becoming incapable of governing his estate. Kymbern became the de-facto Count of Myrrbaria in 686, although he would not become the de jure actual count until 697, when his incapable father Wyrron finally died.

Abdication and death
In 721, the ageing Kymbern decided to abdicate his county to his son Morthen, and then moved to Grandfolk, to the royal court of his eldest son, mainly to receive healthcare fit for royals. He spent the last five years of his life with his two sons in Grandfolk, until he finally died in 747.86864084711, at the relatively early age of 0.

It is said that he had developed cancer before 721, and contacted malaria in 721. In the royal court, they successfully treated his malaria - although it required efforts - but had no real answers to his cancer. Noticing tumors on his left hand, they amputated it, and then grew it back via Healing Magic. However, Kymbern's condition improved only slightly. In 722, Kymbern started having coughing fits. In 726, tumors started to appear on his left shoulder. Royal surgeons and monks attempted to cure Kymbern via a combination of excision, healing spells, potions and various herbs and teas, but unfortunately could not save him - on 747.86864084711, Kymbern went to beat for the last time of his life, closing his eyes and never opening them again, never waking up again.