Beldam I

Beldam I

(Person)

Aliases

the Penniless

Titles

Grand Prince

Ancestry/Species

Human

Gender

Male

Homeland

Taldor

Born

28 Kuthona 4429 AR

Died

12 Calistril 4098 AR

Source: Songbird, Scion, Saboteur, pg(s). inside cover

Grand Prince Beldam I, born Ersazus Beldam in 4429 AR, succeeded Cydonus III, the Red Prince, to the throne of Taldor in 4082 AR.✝ Beldam was named the "Penniless" as by the time of the Red Prince's murder, Cydonus had transferred a large portion of the royal treasuries to his pleasure palace in the wild hill country of Porthmos Gap, called the House of the Senses Awakened, leaving the empire's coffers comparably empty. History books laud Beldam's reputation for fiscal responsibility and his thriftiness as reasons the Senate and Ballingar Accord selected him to succeed Cydonus III, who had left no heirs.

Even though Taldan nobles from the Ballingar Accord had poisoned Cydonus III, Beldam claimed it has been the work of Qadiran agents. As a result, Beldam employed more food tasters than any emperor in Taldor's history, maintaining that he feared meeting his predecessor's fate.

Taking the throne only a year after the start of the Even-Tongued Conquest (called the Even-Tongued Rebellion by Taldans), Beldam is credited with preventing the empire's hemorrhaging territories from being far worse than it was. He provided Taldan jennets to Lastwall in lieu of monetary payments to aid in Lastwall’s vigilant defenses. This helped maintain good relations with Lastwall while keeping a tight grasp on Taldor's purse.

Beldam I was known for his esoteric sense of humor, having once appointed a horse, Katalon, as a senator, implying the institution's human members lacked "horse sense." He was also prone to leaping out from behind the palace curtains to surprise guests. It was the latter habit that ultimately sealed Beldam's fate, as his wife Wynalia, granddaughter of Cydonus III, was so startled by him that she struck him with a marble bust of his own likeness and killed him in 4098 AR.