올레이의 사자

전에 폐하께서 사자는 테다스 동부에만 서식하는 짐승임에도 어째서 올레이의 상징으로 여겨지는지를 물으셨지요. 답은 매우 간단합니다. 사자가 승임의 시대 이후로 제국을 다스린 발몽 가문의 상징이기 때문입니다. 발몽 가문은 사실상 올레이를 대표하는 가문입니다. 그전에는 코딜러스 드레이콘의 혈통의 상징인 용이 올레이의 표상이었지요.

그렇다면 사자가 발몽 가문의 상징이 된 이유는 무엇일까요? 그 이유는 젊은 올레이 장군 랭베흐 발몽의 시대까지 거슬러 올라갑니다. 그는 네 번째 대재앙을 종식한 악명 높은 전투, 에이즐리 전투에서 두각을 나타낸 인물이었지요. 젊은 발몽은 한창 전투가 벌어지던 중, 포위당한 안티바인들을 구하기 위해 명령을 어기고 병력을 보내 그들이 전멸하기 전에 구해냈다고 합니다. 당시 상관들은 그가 그런 행동을 벌인 건 한 안티바인 종군 여성에게 빠져있었기 때문이라며(확인되지 않은 사실입니다) 분개했으나, 후에 그 안티바 병력을 이끈 것은 다름 아닌 아자르 아달베르토 캄파냐 왕 본인이었다는 사실이 밝혀졌습니다. 대재앙의 종결 이후 권력구조가 크게 변화했고, 안티바는 올레이의 중요한 동맹이 되었습니다. 그리고 랭배흐 발몽은 안티바의 영웅으로 추대받았습니다. 그는 아자르 왕의 딸 중 하나와 혼인하여 귀족의 작위를 받았으며, 용맹한 사자가 그의 새로운 가문 문장을 장식하게 되었습니다. 올레이 황제 역시 그에게 같은 대우를 해주어야 했기에, 발몽은 올레이에서도 후작의 작위와 영지를 하사받았습니다. 대재앙에서 승리하고, 왕족인 아내와 양 국가의 영광을 두 손에 안은 채 발 르와요로 귀환하는 영웅의 모습을 상상해 보십시오. 질투로 가득 찬 귀족들은 그를 으스대는 사자라 불렀지만, 정작 그는 그 별명을 마음에 들어 했다고 합니다.

랭베흐 발몽의 아들, 알퐁스는 훗날 찬탈자 자비에 드레이콘에 맞서 내전을 이끌게 됩니다. 그는 단 한 번의 전투로 자비에를 물리쳤고, 이는 유명한 올레이 전설, 용을 무찌른 사자 이야기를 만들어냈습니다. 그는 드레이콘 왕조의 끝을 알리며 왕좌에 올랐고, 올레이의 상징을 영원히 바꾸게 됩니다.

—용의 시대 9:20년에 제니티비 수사가 케일런 테이린 왕자에게 보낸 편지

 

As to your question regarding why a lion is considered the symbol of Orlais, particularly when the lion is a creature native only to eastern Thedas, the answer is quite simple. It adorns the crest of the Valmonts, the family that has ruled the empire since the end of the Exalted Age, and in truth it is the Valmonts which have come to represent Orlais. Before them, the Orlesian symbol was that of the descendants of Kordillus Drakon: a dragon.

 

As to why the lion adorns their crest? That dates back to the time of Lambert Valmont, a young captain of Orlais who distinguished himself at the Battle of Ayesleigh, that great and infamous battle that ended the Fourth Blight. It is said that young Valmont disregarded orders during the battle, taking his forces to relieve the beleaguered Antivans and saving them from absolute destruction. Though his superiors were at first chagrined, chalking up the captain's actions to an infatuation with a certain Antivan camp follower (this, incidentally, has never been confirmed), it later came to light that the Antivan force had been led by King Azar Adalberto Campana himself. In the political realignment following the Blight's end, Antiva was an important ally to Orlais—and Lambert Valmont was an Antivan hero. He was given the hand of one of King Azar's daughters in marriage and elevated to noble rank, with a valiant lion to adorn his newly created heraldry. The Orlesian emperor was forced to respond in kind, granting Valmont a marquisate. Imagine, if you will, the hero returning to Val Royeaux from the Blight, sporting a wife with royal blood and the honors of two nations. This is why jealous nobles called him the Swaggering Lion, a nickname he embraced.

 

It was Lambert Valmont's son, Alphonse, who later led the civil war against the usurper, Xavier Drakon. He killed Xavier in single combat, giving rise to the great Orlesian legend of the Lion Slaying the Dragon, putting an end to the Drakon dynasty as he assumed the throne... and changing the Orlesian symbol forever.

 

—From a letter by Brother Genitivi to Prince Cailan Theirin, 9:20 Dragon