Rhyne I Mac Daergg

Rhyne I Mac Daergg, also known as Rhyne the Red, was the first High King of Beyrd, having united the Nine Clans of the Vannersmark through harsh diplomacy and war. He was the founder of the ruling Mac Daergg dynasty of The North.

Appearance and Character
Rhyne was tall, slim, but powerful in his appearance, with bright green eyes and long-flowing auburn hair. He wore a thick, fiery red beard. Rhyne was considered very charismatic and charming, an oddity for the usually boisterous Mac Daergg leaders. Typically he wore a chainmail shirt of red steel to battle and wielded his Clan's family sword, Llyn, with such ferocity that many enemies surrendered rather than face him in personal combat.

Rhyne was seen as a legendary character even during his own era, revered by many of the other Clan leaders as a great warrior and leader, worthy of the mantle of High King.

His crown was simple, a circlet of red steel set with a single square-cut emerald.

Early Life
Rhyne was born in Duffcarryg, then the seat of Clan Mac Daergg, during the rule of his grandfather, the second son of Cado Mac Daergg, heir to Clan Mac Daergg, by his second wife. His father was making war against Clan Dhunaid at the time of his birth, but held lavish celebrations at his forward camp near Dyr Afryn. These celebrations, however, were cut short but a week later, when Rhyne's half-brother, Rheamon, eighteen years his senior, was cut down in battle against Clan Dhunaid.

The death of his oldest son drove Rhyne's father into a deep depression, and began behaving recklessly in his command in an attempt to avenge his fallen son. After a crushing defeat at the hands of Luthais Mac Dhunaid in 438, his father withdrew from the south to Duffcarryg to regather his strength; this was the first time Rhyne and his father had ever met.

Cado remained at Duffcarryg for nearly a year, long enough to see the birth of Rhyne's younger twin siblings, Rhodri and Rhynwen, before departing for the south once more, this time accompanied by his own father, Iorwyn. It was during this time that Rhyne was passed into the care of his father's cousin, Finnegas. A few days following Rhyne's second birthday, news arrived at Duffcarryg of Mac Deargg victory at Aerlum, the seat of Clan Dhunaid; while the victory saw an end to the Clan War, both Cado and Iorwyn fell in battle, leaving the succession of Clan Mac Deargg in crisis.

While the clear line of succession would name Rhyne the King, many were worried that naming a child as their king would be seen as a weakness by the other clans; thus a Kingsmoot was called, one of the first in over nine generations. Despite the fear of weakness, Rhyne had many supporters for succession among the Clan, most notably his guardian Finnegas, and Gareth au'Gwaer, the leader of a branch of Mac Deargg; the main opponents of Rhyne's in the Kingsmoot were Usna Ironside, his great-uncle, and Loghain Mac Deargg, his third cousin. The Kingsmoot lasted two weeks before lots were finally cast, and ultimately Rhyne came out victorious, with many reasoning that a child king could be raised to command easily. Usna Ironside, slighted, rode from Duffcarryg to gather his own soldiers, believing a child ill-fitting for his Clan's crown.

Milo's young childhood was centred mainly around the rapid and chaotic upheaval of order across the Kingdom, and by the age of seven most of his family, including uncles and cousins, had died or fought in Propitus' civil war. It was at this age that Milo entered the tutelage of his guardian, Philones, who was also educating Aulus Cornelius, a young boy whom Milo befriended; a friendship that would last until the former's death in 1504.

It was noted by Philones at this time that Milo showed particular aptitude in academia, even when in military training. His skills lay in strategy, rather than fighting; much the opposite of his friend, Aulus. It was through his love of history that Milo gained his tactical knowledge, studying the military campaigns and strategies of generals like Talleo the Brute and Julius the Conqueror.

Though Propitus' reign following his seizure of power was rife with political instability and war, Philones' position at Myropolis ensured an unchanging environment in Milo's formative years, and it was not until 1553, when Milo was 16, that he left the tutelage of Philones.

Early Military Career
At 16, as was custom for an equites, and as his friend Aulus had done the year before, Milo joined the army, receiving a posting in the Legio X Salorica, one of the legions under Milo's cousin, Lucius Fortis, at the height of the war with Gudaria. Fortis had won victory after victory in the north, unlike some of the other generals fighting in the war, and Milo saw his position as a great honour.