Sr. Afonso Roche was instrumental in the foundation of the kingdom of Andaluz, and served as the last living member of the Ordem Etérea. He died at the age of 424, and a monument was constructed in Castellón de la Ayodar in which his remains are to be interred if his body should ever be found.

Early Life

Born at the end of The Common Light, Afonso was the son of a Tuatha woman named Saechal and a human named Alendor Roche that fought alongside Oisín Desterro in the Emancipation of Humanity. Due to the circumstances of the era, and that Saechal is listed as a servant of the Roche estate, it is likely that this wasn't a consensual union. Even though he was born of unpleasant circumstances, Afonso was given a noble upbringing and earned the respect of his father, who never fathered another offspring.

Afonso trained extensively with tutors who taught him geography, strategy, history and swordsmanship, the latter of which he excelled at. Those in his retinue praised his eloquence, his steadfast disposition and his strength; traits which made him an excellent candidate for knighthood.

His father, Alendor, encouraged him to seek a position with the Knights Desterro, to which he belonged, but Afonso chose, instead, to join the Ordem Etérea, a once noble order that had fallen into disrepair after the expulsion of the Elder Races from Amalthea. Wishing to help restore the reputation of this historic organization, Afonso applied and was eagerly accepted by the council.

Within a decade, after working tirelessly to safeguard the fledgling villages of Eastern Amalthea, he joined the council and, in due time, was elected as the Praetor of the Etéreans. Many credit his dedication in pulling the order out of its decline.

Foundation of Andaluz

As humanity struggled to forge borders and balkanize kingdoms, Rei Axleiro I was attempting to establish his territory. Already commanding the Castanha Prairie, he wished to push the borders further afield, with his sights set on the Cinturão Divino. With Castellón de la Ayodar, headquarters of the order, situated in this region, he made an accord with Afonso to ally with him against Malik Amira An-Amir to the south.

Through his extensive network in the Order, he was able to successfully defend the southern frontier, and, through a diplomatic alliance with the orcs of the Cinturão, secured - not only the mountains - but the land between the range and the Bocaterra, promising this land to the foundation of the orcish capital of Lutadora.

For his instrumental role in the foundation of the kindgom, Afonso was awarded the title of Duque Afonso Roche I, protectorate of Southern Andaluz.

Decline of the Ordem Etérea

During the war to establish Andaluz, many of the more capable and prestigious members of the Order fell in battle, leaving Etérea in total disorder. Many members renounced their status during this time, claiming that Afonso was using the Order's blade to claim political favor. Those who remained were mostly young men eager to attain a title and status.

As Duque, he was able to draft people into the Order without royal approval, but this measure proved incredibly unpopular and nearly pushed his duchy into a state of revolt. Repealing his draft, Afonso announced that he would be disbanding the order.

Hunting The Necromancer

A court wizard in the employ of Rei Axleiro was discovered to be studying profane and forbidden magic in a tower outside the border fortress Chaves. Answering a royal decree, Afonso attempted to put together a capable team to pursuit the sinister wizard north into Gallacão.

None of the members of this expedition ever returned from the Lordless Lands, and with his death, the Ordem Etérea was declared officially closed.

Legacy

Afonso inspired many noble heroes of Amalthea throughout the Third Age.

Perhaps his greatest contribution to the modern world, was in serving as an model for the Ordem de Reparação, which based its charter on his Ordem Etérea. The inspiration can be seen both in their creed and in their headquarters, which they built in Afonso's former home, Ayodar.