

From torture comes healing. From pain comes mercy. From redemption, forgiveness. And from service, sacrifice.
—Prince Exton Estrise
Prince Exton Estrise, the firstborn son of Emperor Gazreth Estrise, was born into a life of privilege, but turned away from the gilded halls of Castle Moongarm when he could no longer bear the weight of his father’s tyranny. Haunted by the atrocities committed in the Emperor’s name, he became the leader of the "Prince Regent," a scattered rebellion of errant knights and lords dedicated to resisting corruption within the Arcadian Empire.
Exton’s defection from the Empire was not without its cost, however. When his rebellion ultimately failed, he was stripped of his titles and hunted as a traitor. He retreated to the Northern Wastes, where he rallied dissidents, exiles, and dreamers under the secretive banner of the Returners, who vowed to restore the Lords' Alliance to its former glory. From the frozen fortress of Fell Rock, which is hewn from the skull of a Colossus, he orchestrated some of the rebellion’s most daring campaigns. His strategies were as unorthodox as they were effective, earning him the admiration of his allies and the ire of his enemies.
Despite his noble heritage, Exton is known for his humility. He fights alongside his soldiers, shares in their hardships, and listens to their grievances. Yet, there is a melancholy about him—a sense that he carries the weight of a destiny he may never fulfill. His health began to fail in the final years of the Returner's resurgence in the world, and the strain of leadership in the cold of Fell Rock takes their toll on him. Even so, he continues to inspire hope, leaving behind a legacy of resilience in the hope that the Queen Who Lives will take up his cause.