Machetos & Marilenev: Heirs & Heiresses
and other thoughts about the "Hidden Years"by AllanP from Threshold Magazine issue 21
Author’s note:
Having re-read the article “Karameikos: The Hidden Years” by Demetrios J. Sahlas from Threshold Magazine issue #1, I decided to chart the chronology by putting together a timeline for the various events described to get a few things straight in my mind.
In the latter part of the 9th century AC, around 865 AC, the Duke of Machetos (a member of the Karameikos family) had two sons. The younger son, Stefan (I), knew he was unlikely to inherit the ducal title. In 886 AC he married into the Marilenev clan, a prominent Traladaran family. The following year, a son (Boris) was born.
In 897 AC, on the death of his father, the Dukedom of Machetos passed to Stefan I’s older brother. Four years later, following the death of his father-in-law (the then Duke of Marilenev), Stefan I also rose to the rank of Duke. Stefan I was invested as the ruler of the Marilenev duchy in 901 AC on the occasion of the Thyatian emperor’s first official visit to Specularum in the year following the acquisition of Traladara by Thyatis. There was speculation that Stefan I’s connections via the Marilenev clan, that he had married into, had in some way assisted in the Thyatian invasion, and the Thyatian recognition of the ancient Marilenev Dukedom was repayment.
Stefan I’s older brother (the Duke of Machetos) died in 907 AC and the duchy passed to his only child, a daughter. The daughter soon married into the Korrigan family. Boris Karameikos married Amelia von Hendriks in 910 AC. The following year their first son, Stefan II, was born, followed by a second son, Victor, four years later.
In 931 AC Stefan I abdicated his position as Duke of Marilenev and retired to a monastery earning himself the soubriquet of “Stefan the Hermit”. Stefan I’s son, Boris Karameikos, assumed the vacated ducal position. Boris died in 938 AC and the position of Duke of Marilenev passed to his eldest son, Stefan II. Victor Karameikos married Amanda Korrigan, heiress to the Machetos estate, in 940 AC.
It appears from “The Hidden Years” that Victor became Duke of Machetos through his marriage. But the article also indicates that the daughter of Stefan I’s older brother inherited the claim to the Machetos estate and married into the Korrigan family. She appears to be of the same generation as Gustav Korrigan (father of Victor's wife Amanda), judging from the family tree in “Karameikos: Kingdom of Adventure”. So how did the title to the Machetos estate pass from Stefan I’s niece to Amanda? Gustav is shown married to Celia Kerendas in the family tree in K:KoA.
Is Celia actually Gustav's second wife? If Gustav’s first marriage was to Stefan I's niece, he would have gained access to the Machetos title by this route. Was Amanda Korrigan thus the daughter of Gustav and Stefan I's niece and Gustav passed the Machetos estate to her? Are Gustav's other children (Octavius and Bretonia) the progeny of his second marriage to Celia Kerendas?
In 943 AC Stefan II is appointed Governor-General of the Thyatian province of Traladara (This is from Giampaolo Agosta’s partial listing of the Rulers of Specularum1). Stefan II’s tenure as the Governor-General in Specularum ends in 948 AC, and he takes up a position in Thyatis City. In the same year Stefan Karameikos III is born to Victor and Amanda in Machetos. While in 952 AC, Ludwig von Hendriks is born to Andreas von Hendriks and Bertonia Korrigan. “The Hidden Years” records that Bretomia introduced Ludwig and Stefan II at age 14. However canon text (in GAZ1 and K:KoA) indicate that Ludwig is younger. In GAZ1 page 42, Stefan III’s birth year is stated as 948 AC, making him 52 in 1000 AC. Ludwig’s description on page 58 of the same supplement states he is “nearly 50”.
Victor Karameikos’ wife, Amanda, dies in 957 AC. Stefan II visits his younger brother in Machetos to pay his condolences and meets his nephew. The young Stefan learns of the land of Traladara from his uncle who regales him with stories of the wild lands. Stefan II was summoned back to Traladara to assist in the defence of Specularum from impending humanoid raids. With depleted military resources due to the concurrent Alphatian invasion of the Isle of Dawn, bloody battles ensue around Krakatos in Traladara during which Stefan II is slain (959 AC).
In the ensuing turmoil of Stefan II’s death, Valor Marilenev (an uncle of Stefan II according to “The Hidden Years”) claims the position of Duke Marilenev. Andreas Von Hendriks, the Baron of Halag, attacks the Duchy of Marilenev. Von Hendriks was killed; his wife and son (Bertonia and Ludwig) escape to Thayatis. Around 964 AC Bertonia introduces Stefan III and Ludwig in Machetos.
The question here is: is Valor really an uncle of Stefan II? To be an uncle, Valor should be a sibling of Stefan II’s father or mother. Stefan II’s father, Boris, is of the Karameikos line, while his mother, Amanda, is of the Korrigan line. The Marilenev line connection to Stefan II goes back to his grandmother, “Lady Marilenev”, who married Stefan I. So it seems Valor is descended from a sibling of Stefan I’s wife. Thus Valor is more likely a cousin, but perhaps an “honorary uncle”? (This Valor Marilenev should not be confused with the leader of the Rebellion against Stefan III in 970 AC who was also named Valor Marilenev.)
Victor dies in 968 AC and young Stefan III inherits the Duchy of Machetos. Two years later (970 AC) Stefan III trades Machetos for the Traladara lands…
1 “List of Rulers of Specularum” by Giampaolo Agosta, and see expanded article elsewhere in this issue of Threshold Magazine.