Seriddan

Seriddan Nabbanai Metessan

Note: Spoilers ahead!

Baron of Metessa. By the Nabbanai native tongue also known as "Seriddan Metessis." Older brother of Brindalles and uncle of Pasevalles.

A man presumably in his mid to late forties, as he remembers having been a young boy when Sir Camaris-sá-Vinitta vanished. Besides his native language of Nabban he is fluent in Westerling.

His barony Metessa is the easternmost of Nabban's outer states, situated north of Lake Clodu and bordering the Lake Thrithings. It is a prosperous and wide country, with hills and meadows that are crossed by one of the branches of the river Stefflod. The baronial keep "Chasu Metessa" had been built in the time of the later Nabbanai Imperium and was erected atop one of the valley's highest hills.

The heraldic bird of the Metessans is a blue heron.

He has a roguishly dangerous look about himself with shrewd eyes and a seamed, sun-browned and bearded "peasant face". His self-mocking attitude and overall appearance has little in common with the usual Nabbanai noblefolk.

When Prince Josua and his makeshift army virtually land on his doorstep on their way to Nabban, Seriddan is pushed into a precarious situation: His liege-lord Benigaris has sided with High King Elias, which would render Josua an enemy of Nabban and therefore of Metessa. Seriddan could not allow the Prince's army pass nor Josua walk free without being branded a traitor. However, he shows reluctance to attack the foreign forces and imprison the prince.

Instead, he invites Josua and his inner circle to have dinner with him in his great hall - an act unfriendly voices would call treason just the same because of Seriddan as much as talking to his supposed enemies. In front of his own courtiers, the baron confronts Josua about his plans, trying to prompt the Prince into admitting to his treason witnessed by everyone."'I will not have it said that I misunderstood you, whether I let you pass through my lands or hold you here for Benigaris. Speak, and my people here will be my witnesses.' (TGAT, ch. 32)"Very much to his dismay he quickly realizes that he out-gambitted himself, because Josua is planning to win Seriddan’s support for his own cause and the evidence the Prince is presenting to sustain his claims (Benigaris murdering Leobardis and not being the rightful heir to the Nabbanai Dukedom) can not be put away with easily.

Eventually Seriddan joins Josua’s cause and after he has sent away his courtiers, is furthermore informed by Duke Isgrimnur and the Prince about the secret of the Great Swords and Elias’ alliance with Ineluki.

Quickly the other outer baronies join in as well, and thus Josua’s army - lead into battle by Sir Camaris - stands its ground and ultimately beats down the defenses of Benigaris’ troops (commanded by Varellan). Seriddan is sent to meet with Benigaris’ and forward the Duke’s terms of surrender.

After Camaris is established as Duke of Nabban, the Prince’s army crosses over to Erchester by way of the Nabbanai fleet, accompanied by Seriddan and his brother Brindalles.

When at the start of the siege of the Hayholt Josua goes missing, Brindalles volunteers to act as a stand-in for the prince, to boost the morale of their troops and fool the enemy — much to the distress of Seriddan. Eventually — yet only found out later — Brindalles is among the men killed by the Norns and Pryrates in Green Angel Tower together with Isgrimnur’s son Isorn.

In the absence of the Prince, Seriddan helps Isgrimnur with commanding the siege, taking his men to attack the western wall of the castle."'I think it is time we gave them another spot to worry about.' (TGAT, ch. 55)"Ultimately — but only mentioned in the sequel book "The Witchwood Crown" — Serridan is severely injured and succumbs to his wounds some days after the battle. His body and that of his brother are brought back to Chasu Metessa. Their deaths, however, mark the downfall of their house. Seriddan’s wife soon marries one of the neighboring barons, then both her and Brindalles’ wife (Pasevalles’ mother) die of fever, and Pasevalles — the only offspring — is sent away from his home to live with poor relatives.