Black deer
The black deer is an animal associated with the fatal hunt of Theodore II. While hunting, he knocked the young emperor off his horse and severely wounded him in the stomach. According to the healers, a deadly infection from the stag's horn got into the wound, which caused blood poisoning. Theodore died two days later, opening the way to the regency of Oled I, a usurpation and one of the Youlenders' darkest dynastic crises.
The hunt that changed a dynasty
Theodore II he was known for his love of nature and hunting. However, one of these hunts turned fatal when the emperor tried to hunt a large black deer. During the hunters' attack, the animal knocked him off his horse and seriously wounded him on the stomach. The injury was serious in itself, but the real threat was the infection that the healers said had gotten into the blood from the stag's antler.
Death of the Emperor
Healers and mages tried to save Theodore, but the infection progressed too quickly. The emperor died two days later of blood poisoning. On his deathbed, he entrusted his brother Oled with the regency for his young son Magnus. By doing so, he inadvertently opened the way for the events that ended with the murder of the rightful heir.
Animal as a symbol
The black deer became more than just an animal in later narratives. For some chroniclers, it represented a coincidence that changed history. For others, he was a symbol of a hidden conspiracy, as evidence later emerged that Oledo could have influenced the course of the hunt. Whether the deer was simply a wild beast or part of a larger plot, its attack triggered one of the Youlender House's most fundamental crises.