Vicede II Karthmere (239 - 291 AC) of House Karthmere was a Thyllanorian noble and the 13th Highlord of Thyllanor, reigning from July 1st, 272 AC to his death. He was born on August 5th, 239 AC, in the royal castle at Faercrest, as many Karthmeres were wont to be. His father was Malveus II Karthmere, famous for his political reforms within the Paramouncy and the organization of the Thyllanorian government. On Malveus's death, his last will and testament brought forth the reformed government, which acted as a bureaucracy of sorts under the Paramount's ultimate word and authority. Vicede promised his father to uphold these new laws, and ever since there has been a remarkable amount of civil liberty within Thyllanor.
As Paramount, Vicede was not as talented an administrator or diplomat as his father, but received martial education at the Academia Dragonspire and was considered an effective commander; a talent that unfortunately did not see much use in his lifetime, as Vicede was born in the heat of the Daerod di Piazz, a period of peace in the Kingdom of Andoras that brought about stability and a lack of tension among rival paramounts or resentment for the crown. Vicede himself was a strong proponent of Drakonian rule, and saw the Dragomyrs as the greatest kings to ever take a crown on Andoras; to that end, he also learned much of his military training from studying the campaign of Draegon Dragomyr as he invaded Andoras, a fact that is sorely talked about amongst the Karthmeres living today due to their strong advocacy for the exact opposite -- Dalan I and Dalan II Karthmere are well known for their resistance against the Dragomyr crown, in the 326 AC rebellion and 346 AC rebellion, respectively.
Despite his choice of education being seldom-used in an era of peace, Vicede did find an opportunity to fight in a war late in his life; attending the Dealing of 285 AC as Thyllanor's primary representative under the Kingdom of Andoras, Vicede saw the foundation of what would become a war between the Kingdom and the City-State of Meyron known as the Mournare Nights; Sulyefel Dzaeyron, the 2nd Premier of Meyron (the one typically appointed to handle the Dealing moderation), was found incompetent to hold his position and overall the Dealing was seen as inconclusive and weak by almost all attending. Believing himself to be offended by the others' lack of enthusiasm, Sulyefel had what some would attribute to a mental breakdown and launched an invasion of Andoras, attacking the city of Mournare, besieging it by land and blockading the King's Bay with fervor unlike that of an Edrossian nation. Vicede's military prowess was finally recognized in this war, and he was one of Aeramor Dragomyr (who was not yet king, but acting ruler and regent in the name of his grandfather Aegor III)'s chosen commanders for the attack on Meyron's own soil, which was short-lived but earned him prestige all the same.
Being very physically healthy and temperate, many found it odd when Vicede suddenly died at the age of 52 in the November of 291 AC. His death was ruled inconclusive, as there was no sign of him being unhealthy prior to his death, but it was declared to be some phantom illness that plagued him. Some still theorize, however, that Vicede did not die of natural causes, but was in fact poisoned by a rival, or perhaps even assassinated by his own son Malveus. Many dispute this, however, as Malveus's personality did not fit the description of someone who would kill their own father to vie for the throne. Whatever the case, he was succeeded by his son on Vicede's demise, and Malveus was officially coronated just some days after his death. He is interred in the Karthmere Family Crypt.
Modern view of Vicede[]
Vicede is seen as a neutral paramount, unique among Karthmeres (until his grandson Dalan I Karthmere and his great-grandson Dalan II Karthmere, both apt military commanders) for taking up a military vocation, as many before him were strictly classed in the arts of stewardship, diplomacy, or scholarship. His rule was not particularly notable for any large changes unlike his father's, but it was preferred to his son's. Despite this relative moderateness, Vicede is still rated as one of the top paramounts in Thyllanorian history simply because of his rule during the Daerod di Piazz, when quality of life seemed to improve for everyone in Andoras. Whether or not this can be attributed to Vicede is debatable at best, as he had his newly-found Upper Chamber of Lords handle most of the paramouncy's day-to-day activities.