Nurix, eldest son of King Zaxus III and heir apparent, is restless where his father is rooted. At one hundred and seventy-seven years of age, he is already known as one of the few among the Vhalandir who craves more than the comforts of home. To the dismay of the Elder Council—and often his father—Nurix spends much of his time astride his beloved Fyr, riding the untrodden paths of Thalorien and beyond. He disappears for days into forgotten ruins and overgrown glades, returning with artefacts and tales of ages past.

Though born to rule, Nurix’s heart lies in the unknown. He speaks often of a different reign than his father’s: one that would stir the Vhalandir from their long-held peace and send them once more into the wider world. He dreams of encouraging his people to venture out, to uncover the wonders still hidden beneath moss, stone, and starlight. The elders bristle at such words, fearing in his yearning an echo of the Vhalandir’s harsher past, when exploration and ambition too easily gave way to strife.

Yet even his critics cannot deny his gifts. Nurix is sharp of mind and deep in memory, his studies of lore and history always feeding the fire of his next journey. He pores over ancient scrolls as eagerly as he does a new trail through the wilds. His siblings know him not only as heir but as brother: every return from his wanderings brings them some token, an artefact or curiosity, gifted with a smile that softens his reputation as a reckless adventurer.

For all his wanderlust, Nurix loves his people fiercely. Whether he will channel that love into a reign of discovery or into the steady guardianship of tradition remains uncertain. The Vhalandir wait, watching the horizon with him, to see which path he will choose when the crown at last rests upon his brow.