Adémar III

Born as the younger child of King Roubaud, Prince Adémar spent the first dozen years of his life as a relatively minor member of the royal family- his elder brother Roubaud seemed to be fit, healthy, mentally keen, and a worthy successor to his royal father. Both princes received the finest classical educations, both in cultural and in martial affairs, but Adémar likely would have expected to, at best, serve his as his brother's lieutenant and most loyal servant. Still, it is unlikely he would have complained- even an extraneous prince of Mahran has a life of opulence beyond the wildest dreams of the average commoner.
  In 411, however, two things occurred in relation to the Prince-Royal Roubaud. Firstly, he came of age, celebrated with elaborate ceremony in the halls of the Auriate Palace. Secondly, and to the shock of the entire realm, the young heir to the throne announced his intention to renounce both title and privilege and, as a Child of Mercy, dedicate himself to the divine mission of tending to the sick and hurt in the name of Devahar. Despite the very public pleading of his parents, the former heir put on the white and yellow robe of a healer-brother and departed the Auriate Palace to begin his training. 
  This left King Roubaud, no longer young, and his remaining son, not yet old, in a confusing and potentially perilous position. Adémar's training went into overdrive as his father frantically began trying to train him in the arts of governance and statescraft that had taken the ex-Prince Roubaud his entire life to learn. Thankfully, although never intended as heir, the king's younger son proved an adequate student, and (despite his failing health) King Roubaud managed to live just long enough to ensure his new heir's coming of age and avoid the perils of a regency.
   Since his succession in 417, King Adémar has found himself precariously balancing two major court factions. One seeks to recommence the age of Mahrani expansion, potentially with war aginst the Elven Free States, or perhaps by annexing the eastern reaches of Tethas. The other, whether for genuine reasons of altruistic ideology or for more cynical motives, adocates for continued peace and consolidation, perhaps with a focus of the finaly annexation of Sanç. The king, for his part, has done a sufficient job of ensuring that both factions feel favoured without either actually gaining the upper hand. His Majesty's personal preferences, for now, remain unclear.