Rygar Alesard was an Eldaran noble lord who began a successful rebellion against the Kingdom of Eldara. Afterward, he founded the new kingdom of Orel and became its first monarch
Rygar, and the other leading Dukes of Ordana, had long resented the royal court of Eldara for unfair trade policies and high taxes. The Orellian Grand Dukes, known as the Oramar, especially resented the Eldaran court, due to the fact that it had allowed the city of Ordana to be destroyed during the First Eldaran Civil War forty years earlier. Becoming fed up, Rygar and his loyal nobles soon began seeking an opportunity for open revolt.
The opportunity came in the year 1246/4, When King Agathar Del Vecchio III died from a stroke and was succeeded by his young son Hagar. Within weeks of Agathar's death, Rygar and his followers broke into outright rebellion. During the rebellion, Rygar soon earned a reputation as an invincible battle commander. He won a series of four battles against loyalist forces in three months; each time with a much smaller army than his opponents. Rygar brought the war to its successful conclusion at the Battle of Stonehedge, which was widely seen as his greatest military victory to that time.
During the battle, the loyalist army was routed and King Hagar Del Vecchio II was captured by the rebels. Rygar could have had King Hagar executed, but he was wise and gracious in victory. He allowed the young king to be freed only after signing a royal decree announcing a newly formed kingdom of Orel, and took steps to minimize bitter feelings with his former enemies after the war. The Battle of Stonehedge led directly to the creation of the new kingdom of Orel. Rygar founded the Alesard Dynasty and assumed the Gilded Throne in the year 1248/4.
Only eight years later in 1256/4, Eldara was invaded by the Vilzari during the Incursion Wars. King Rygar and his fledgling kingdom of Orel came to her aid against their hated common foe. Rygar led Orellian forces during this long and bloody conflict on and off for 23 years.
Further, while leading troops and aiding Eldara against the Vilzari, Orel itself was attacked by Thûle in 1263/4, in the so-called Rygar’s War Rygar was such a brilliant military leader, he was able to simultaneously fight the Vilzari in the south and the Thûlians invading his own country. His greatest victory against the Thûlians was the battle of Naskan Bay in 1264/4. His victory there was so overwhelming, Thûle soon sued for peace and that war came to an end.
The wars against the Vilzari were not so easy. For 15 more years after his victory at Naskan Bay, King Rygar was repeatedly drawn south into Eldara battling ever-increasing Vilzari armies sent by Alzakar K'Noth.
Finally, In 1279/4, Rygar led his army at the climactic Battle of Relanoth. He was mortally wounded during the battle, but lingered long enough to hear that the Vilzari armies had been defeated and Alzakar K’Noth slain. His final words were "Now that my kingdom is safe, I can finally rest with my forefathers."
As the first monarch of the Alesard Dynasty, Rygar is considered one of the greatest of Orellian heroes.
