Sir Daniel Fortesque

"It has risen again! Sir Daniel Fortesque! See?" ― Information Gargoyle, MediEvil

Sir Daniel Wigginbottom Fortesque IV (1254 – 1286), commonly shortened to Sir Daniel Fortesque or Sir Dan, was a knight of the kingdom of Gallowmere. Due to his father's influence and a close personal relationship with the king, Sir Dan became the king's champion and Captain of the army. In 1286, he was charged with leading the militia into battle against the rebelling court magician Zarok in what would become known as the Battle of Gallowmere. Ignobly, Sir Dan was killed by the first volley of arrows. The king, unimpressed with Dan's performance, weaved a legend about the felled warrior, declaring him the Hero of Gallowmere.

History

Life

Sir Daniel Wigginbottom Fortesque IV was born in the kingdom of Gallowmere in 1254Template:Ref as the eldest son of Lord Cedric Fortesque – the wealthiest noble in the land. Fortesque pursued a career as a knight to impress the maidens. He was trained by the best weapons masters in the land, but never realised his full potential due to a lack of effort on his part.

Using his father's money and influence, Fortesque was able to rise through the ranks of the king's army. After the king's previous champion had an unfortunate accident while riding his horse, the king chose to appoint Fortesque as the replacement, listening solely to the words of his new court magician.

Death

In 1286, an army of the undead began marching towards Castle Peregrin. Unbeknownst to the king, it was led by his very own court magician Zarok. The king was in desperate need of a hero who could tackle the threat, and he knew exactly who he wanted.

Fortesque was chosen to lead the charge into battle. Unfortunately, he died instantly when he was shot through his left eye by the very first arrow fired. Despite this, the Gallowmere army went on to win the battle without him.

In order to save face, King Peregrin declared Zarok the Sorcerer dead and organised a hero's burial for Fortesque, including the construction of a custom crypt. From then on, Fortesque was revered as the Hero of Gallowmere.

Some sources offer a different account of Fortesque's death. They claim that Fortesque caught his foot on the grass and twisted his ankle before being shot, and ultimately attribute his death to Zarok's right-hand man, Lord Kardok. However, this version of events is unlikely to be true.

First resurrection

In 1386, Zarok resurfaced and cast a spell called Evernight, which turned the skies over Gallowmere black and robbed the innocent of their very souls in order to revive the dead. Fortesque was unexpectedly reanimated when magic from Evernight drifted into his crypt and settled upon his decomposing corpse. It is (perhaps intentionally) unclear whether this act was a side effect of the spell, or an unseen force willed Fortesque's revival on its own.

After getting his bearings, Sir Dan travelled throughout Gallowmere, dispelling the black mist and laying the corrupted dead to rest, battling Zarok's minions along his route. With each defeat of Zarok's armies, Dan earned the right to claim numerous weapons and resources from the Hall of Heroes, that he might once again confront Zarok and lay him low once and for all.

Although Dan inadvertently released Zarok's most ancient and powerful force in the Shadow Demons, he would defeat many of Zarok's most insidious traps, including an elaborate clockwork maze before finally reaching the core of the wizard's Lair. However, Zarok had at least one more trick up his sleeve--an indomitable elite army of Fazghuls ready to strike Sir Dan down. Using the freed souls he had gathered, Dan summoned his own spectral battalion and eventually slew the Fazghuls. There, he also met the zombified Lord Kardok and struck him down.

Frustrated, Zarok made a last-ditch decision to face the would-be hero one-on-one, transmogrifying into his ultimate draconic form. The battle was intense, but Fortesque made good on his mission and became the hero he was always meant to be. As Zarok destroyed his own fortress, a great bird swept Sir Dan in its talons and carried him back to his crypt, where he remained for 500 years.

Second resurrection

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Eventual fate

There are three conflicting reports about Fortesque's eventual fate:

Return to eternal rest

After defeating Lord Palethorn, Fortesque and his girlfriend returned to her reconstructed tomb in the Museum. Once they said their goodbyes to the professor, they entered Kiya's sacrophagus and resumed their eternal sleep together.

Time travel to an alternative timeline

Having successfully thwarted Lord Palethorn's plot to re-create Zarok's armies under his own command, Dan and Kiya boarded Professor Kift's time machine, travelling back in time. They wound up in Zarok's Lair, where they were immediately attacked by Palethorn's Beast Transformation.

In truth, the pair had not only travelled back in time, but also to an alternative timeline, where Palethorn had used the spell book to rewrite time and replaced Zarok with himself. Whether they survived or perished at the monstrous Palethorn's hand is unknown.

Time travel to 1286

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Characteristics

Appearance

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Personality

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Abilities

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Gameplay

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Behind the scenes

Sir Dan is the primary character and protagonist of the MediEvil franchise.

Development

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Portayal

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

In other media

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it.

Notes

Dan's year of birth is given as 1154 in MediEvil: The Game Prequel. However, this presents an inconsistency with MediEvil 2, where he is said to have been born around the year 1250. To reconcile this, a hundred years was added to 1154, resulting in 1254. See MediEvil Wiki:Canon for more information.