Mauridius the nineteenth is the current ruling monarch of House Rodengoth and the direct descendant of Mauridius I, founder of House Rodengoth.

Mauridius the First was not born royalty, A humble victim of the plague and outcasted from his town, he gathered all the lepers, plague victims, and the unwell and set upon creating an autonomous colony where all were welcome.

He, many generations ago, laid the groundwork for his kingdom upon a parcel of land adjacent to the great Lake Rodensee.

Rodengoth's strange traditions originate far back to its founding. Traditions of plague worship and religious self-flogging can trace their roots to its days as a leper colony.

The humble rat became a mascot of House Rodengoth and many within its walls hold the simple rodent in high regard. They see illness and death as a great equalizer, not caring whether one is a mere peasant or royalty. and see the many plagues and diseases as an entryway into a better life in the next one.

The court alchemist of Mauridius II, Silus, wrote a list of several commandments that were to be followed religiously and were the only way into the promised realm in the afterlife. The writings went on to become Rodengoth's own holy texts.

By the time of Mauridius XIX these texts had become so engrained into rodengoth's culture that every household in their kingdom had a copy of it.

Mauridius XIX suffers from congenital and chronic illness inherited from his forefathers and he is seen as quite a holy ruler because of it.

The position of monarch has become more of a religous duty than that of a simple administrative role. The kings are personally responsible for looking over their people in both life and in the afterlife.

Backstory for this piece:

Inspired by a portrait of Henry VIII and the concept art for the cancelled Dune movie from the 70s. I even gave him Dali's mustache as a reference to it.