Chapter 1
Creon
One Year Earlier
This was King Creon's second chance. He had utterly failed the first one.
When Oedipus stepped down as King of Thebes, he gave the kingdom to his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, who both agreed to alternate the throne every year. However, they showed no concern for their father, who cursed them for their negligence. After the first year, Eteocles refused to step down and Polynices attacked Thebes with his supporters.
Both brothers died in the battle, each slain by the other's hand. Creon, who ascended to the throne of Thebes, decreed that Polynices was not to be buried: "touching this man, it hath been proclaimed to our people that none shall grace him with sepulture or lament, but leave him unburied, a corpse for birds and dogs to eat, a ghastly sight of shame."
His sister, Antigone, had other plans. She defied Creon's order and went to bury Polynices. Creon had ordered her to be buried alive for this, despite the fact that she was to marry his son, Haimon.
Creon later relented and buried Polynices himself. It was too late; Antigone had already hung herself in the cave. This started a chain reaction of woe and misery. Haimon killed himself, and in response to that, Creon's wife did the same.
And so Creon had sailed away from his home in search of a new life. He had taken his best ships and his finest men with him on search for an uncharted island that he could rule. Perhaps this could be his chance for redemption?
A month passed on the open seas, until they passed onto an island. It was lush with vegetation and fruit, and seemed to harbor no intelligent life save for the animals that populated it.
Creon stepped out of his ship and stepped forward and into the water. He waded for about three feet and stepped onto the sand.
In the distance, he heard a shrill cry. It was probably a bird, but there was something about it that seemed…human. Like it was a little boy or something.
Creon shook his head. With a broad grin on his face, he turned towards his men.
"I shall name this land…Spauldingopolis!" He had named it after Spaulding, a clown that had delighted Creon in several plays. He was one of the few things that made Creon smile after Antigone's suicide.
And so, under Creon's rule, Spauldingopolis had flourished. It was not long before he managed to make it available to other travelers and wanderers.
That being said, Creon did not have time to officially develop the island's government or order. This would prove to be his downfall.
On the sixth month there, on the sixth day, with six ships came the man known as Beowulf, King of the Geats.