Jocus

Jocus was the legendary founder and first Prince of ancient Jucundia. The founding of the ancient state marks the start of the so-called Jucundian Dating (JD) system, which was employed in the principality for the duration of its existence. As such, the Jocus's founding of Jucundia is alternately labeled as 1 JD (following their own histories) or 474 ASD (using current chronologies).

Mythic Origins

According to the tradition that evolved in Jucundian lore, Jocus had no earthly parents, but was the offspring of a cloud-god and a nymph of the marsh. Given the great deal of time that has elapsed and the paucity of records, attempts to discover Jocus's true ethnic origin or parentage are nearly impossible.

Foundation of Laetitia

Whatever his parentage, at roughly the age of 20 (so alleges the lore), Jocus walked across the Alban Sea from the north and founded the city of Laetitia on its southern shore, and thereby created the state of Jucundia. Thus starts the Jucundian Dating. As ancient Laetitia was situated in an excellent natural harbor, modern historians have stated that the foundation of a city in that location was inevitable once it was discovered by civilized peoples. The generally accepted explanation for the foundation story is that pre-civilized natives living in the area were encountered by explorers/traders of a sea-faring people, whose leader - likely the historic template for Jocus - attempted to meld the two peoples into one city. By way of confirmation, archaeological studies show evidence of some urban culture from the 5th century ASD onward.

The Lawgiver and the Sage

According to the lore, Jocus introduced laws and religion to his new settlement, becoming both Prince and Archprelate. The laws were those customary of ancient agrarian societies: prohibiting violations against other members of the community, while looking askance to violations against those outside its protection. Likewise, the first religious observances as directed by Jocus implored deities of the field and sea for bountiful harvests. Jucundian religion had yet to take on its peculiar sacramental character.

Disappearance

After ruling for 40 years to the day, Jocus is said to have vanished mysteriously during a sandstorm. Thankfully, Jocus had foreseen this very outcome and, on the day before, selected the 50 men who would form the first Setuqes, or Assembly of the Lords. In addition, he had instructed them to divide his powers upon his death: his princely powers would go to Brocus, while the rank of Archprelate would pass to Ribok. However, some see the "sandstorm" story as a convenient fiction to explain Jocus's murder at the hands of the first nobles of the city. Furthermore, this train of thought holds that the division of religious and political power was the choice of a group of elders who had grown tired of Jocus's one-man rule. Be that as it may, this arrangement of divided princely and prelaturic power would persist for the next seven centuries, until the advent of the Tiger Prince.

Notable Sayings

As Jocus was the first Jucundian, many of his mythic sayings became proverbs in the language of ancient Jucundia, often called Jucundal A. Some noteworthy examples follow: