Rhobar I was the first king of Myrtana and lived long before the events of the Gothic series.
Rhobar was a chosen of Innos.
Life in Nordmar
Rhobar was a Barbarian of Nordmar and part of the Clan of Fire, pious worshippers of Innos.[2]
The beast
Someday Rhobar wandered through icy Nordmar unarmed and encountered a Beast which started to hunt him. He fled and hid inside a cave, a dead end, and the Beast found him. He reached behind his back and found a sword there, surrounded by magical flames. With a single strike he slew the Beast. The sword was a gift of Innos and the god spoke to Rhobar; 'Descend from the mountains, and defeat my enemies.' Rhobar obeyed and went to the land south of Nordmar and conquered the orcs that ruled it.[3] Some say he defeated them all by himself. Only with the power of Innos within him.[4] When he won the war Innos said to him: 'This is where you shall establish your kingdom' and Rhobar became the first king of Myrtana.[2]
Coat of Arms
Rhobar's coat of arms portrays a shadowbeast.[5] It was painted on his shield.
Rhobar II also used the shadowbeast on some of his banners and shields of his soldiers.
Legacy
- King Rhobar II wields the sword and shield of Rhobar I.
- The Sacred Hammer stored as a relic in the monastery on Khorinis was once used by him to slay an invulnerable stone sentinel.[6]
Retconned story
In the German manual for Gothic Rhobar I is called Rhotbar and his reign is described as idyllic: there was an abundance of food and resources, nobody was in poverty and the scholars and mages studied science and magic.
Varant wanted to claim the riches of Myrtana for itself and attacked. For many months Varant waged a brutal war on Myrtana, which cost thousands of people their lives. Rhotbar went on the counteroffensive and with his men went deep into the enemy territory and reduced villages and cities to rubble. Four years into the war he made it to Varant's capital and gained their surrender.
Rhotbar rode into the city, had the rulers of Varant hanged and installed a new government, but neither plundered the city nor imprisoned its citizens. The war weakened both Rhotbar and his kingdom. He returned to Myrtana but died the next winter. His son Rhotbar the Second then took over as the new king shortly before the war with the orcs began.
The English manual also mentions a King Rhotbar, but the whole story about Varant and his death is cut.
In general it is difficult to tell which mentions of King Rhobar in Gothic refer to Rhobar I and which refer to Rhobar II as besides the intro the name is always just King Rhobar without a number.
This story is not compatible with the later games, in which Rhobar I lived a long time ago[7], and the conquest of Varant was done by Rhobar II. The Gothic manual as a whole was also declared unofficial by a developer statement.[8]
Trivia
References
- ↑ Statement by Sowilo after a meeting with Mike Hoge: When I met Mike Hoge he told me that Rhobar I was a chosen of Innos and these paladin statues, which are in churches and shrines, depict him.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gothic 3, Frithjof: The first king of the plains was one of us
- ↑ Book of Rhobar, in Gothic 3
- ↑ Frithjof: 'Innos gave him strength and power. Enough to conquer the plains all by himself', in Gothic 3
- ↑ 'The Art of Gothic 3' Book
- ↑ Gothic II, dia_garwig_hammer: This is the sacred Hammer of Innos. With this hammer, Saint Rhobar slew the Stone Sentinel. The Holy Scriptures say that the Stone Sentinel was invulnerable. He stood in battle like a tower, and the weapons of his enemies were smashed on his skin of stone.
Though no number is given to Rhobar in this case, the title Saint and the reference to Holy Scriptures mean that it likely refers to a dead person. - ↑ Gothic II, DIA_NOV_8_LOCATION: Tell me about this monastery. - It is ancient. It comes from the time before Rhobar the First.
- ↑ World of Gothic interview with Mike Hoge: Where does it say that? I hope not in the Gothic 1 manual. There is a lot of nonsense in there. All Gothic fans, who are interested in the background of the world, should not touch the Gothic 1 manual, because the content (unfortunately) was not officially approved by PB.
- ↑ Statement by Mike Hoge
.png)
