Character Profile: Edric

Edric Landrus has been a feature of this series since the beginning. Though he never got his own point of view- something I occasionally regret- he’s always been a key figure and one of the instigators of all the trouble. He’s also Martin Luther‘s fictional counterpart.

Born to a rural Terragand family, Edric decided early on he wasn’t meant for farm life. Fortunately for him, his local priest noticed early on that the boy was academically gifted. He made sure that Edric received extra tutoring and sent books home with him. His parents were proud of their smart child and let Edric read while his siblings worked the fields. This led to considerable resentment on their part, so as a young teenager, Edric was happy to go with the priest when he traveled to Forli, the spiritual capital of the continent.

In Forli the precocious youngster caught the eye of a high-ranking clergyman, who insisted Edric stay and train to become a temple scholar. This was a dream come true for Edric, who found the ancient city of Forli fascinating and who also loved studying more than anything. He got to do a lot of that over the next ten years and became so knowledgeable he received special permission to study the Holy Scrolls in their original language.

This turned out to be a miscalculation on the par of the temple hierarchy. In time, Edric discovered that a great many truths were being concealed from clergy and their congregants alike. He brought his concerns to temple higher-ups who warned him to keep quiet. But Edric soon got to know other scholars who’d learned the same things he had, and they formed a pact, swearing to make the truth known. One after another, these scholars applied for positions in temples all over the empire and began to teach the things they had discovered.

But Imperata Vittoriana, ruling over all the temples, cracked down hard. One by one, the rebel priests and priestesses disappeared, or were publicly executed for heresy. In spite of the risks, Edric was determined to bring the truth to the northern part of the empire and his homeland. When a position at a small temple in the kingdom of Terragand opened up, he took it. Shortly after that, he met its ruler, Prince Kendryk.

Unusually for the rulers of his time, Kendryk was truly devout and interested in spiritual affairs. Taking Edric’s claims seriously, he challenged the establishment by requesting a public trial where they could be discussed openly. This didn’t go particularly well, and the rest is history. Or at least, fictional history. If you haven’t already, read all about it in Rise of the Storm!

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