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Age: 29
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Appearance: Mordecai's skin is lightly tanned, though he's grown a bit pale in the places usually covered with armor or his dress uniform. IE, everywhere but his face. He stands at average height, about 5'9'', and is well muscled from intense training with heavy weaponry and armor at the hands of Warlord Kalt-Hammer of Ember. He has short, wiry black hair, and is clean-shaven, with dark green eyes that are alight with wisdom and spirit. His features are rigid and angular, but not exactly rugged.
History: Mordecai was born a slave in Sal Kadedin, working construction for a corrupt lord. His master moved to the vile den of sin and vice known as the City of Ember when Mordecai was a teenager, and gladly provided for its defense when the Elves of Lumloria attacked. Mordecai, among many of the other male slaves, were donated to Lord Everel for training and service in the legions of mercenaries that would become the Emberian Army.
Under the heavy hands of Grand Marshal Borkeau and General Kalt-Hammer, Mordecai learned to fall in line and be a good soldier. He trained hard and fought well, and was among those who helped Borkeau and Kalt-Hammer defend the breach in the wall during the short war with Lumloria. While he did little of true significance, Kalt-Hammer had recognized him when the young man came to him, requesting to be re-enlisted. After all, Kalt-Hammer had outlawed slavery, and Mordecai had no more reason to stay with his old master because of it.
While young, Mordecai aspired to become one of Kalt-Hammer's elite Brute Warriors, whom many renowned as being terror incarnate on the battlefield. He'd seen them and the mighty Warlord in action, and knew that they were indeed all they'd been made out to be. He was too young at the time, but Kalt-Hammer, being the not-so-cautious and generous man that he was, promised Mordecai a position if he served well and would submit himself to personal training and conditioning.
On the day Mordecai completed the transformation from a footman to a Brute Warrior, he was outfitted with heavy full-plate armor, and given a steel tower shield, along with a quality flanged mace. Kalt-Hammer also gave him the surname "Stal", from the word "Stahl" for steel in his native tongue.
Mordecai served with fervent devotion and resilience admired even among the Brute Squads. He quickly gained a reputation of being nigh unmovable once he had a position, and was assigned to the "Mauer", or "Wall" squad, which was specialized in holding strategic points without yield. Two years before Kalt-Hammer's death, Mordecai was named head of this squad after a valiant battle against an Orcish war-party that had been raiding caravans en route to Ember. Outnumbered many times, the Mauer squad had succeeded in holding their ground while the caravan escaped, and didn't leave until the orcs had lost all morale and fled the battlefield.
Mordecai had been Kalt-Hammer's pupil from the beginning, close friend after many years, and never stopped training with the aging warlord, even as he commanded the Mauer squad. Not even a month before Kalt's death, he sat Mordecai down after a training session and told him,
"Commander Stal... Mordecai... man who wishes to lead my army cannot fight like me. For any who fight like me and are not a barbarian, crazy, or both, will die before long. ...But for this reason, I want you to be leading the Brute Squads when I die; hopefully in battle."
Mordecai was a bit perplexed, and questioned him, "But my Lord... does that not mean I am NOT fit to lead them? I cannot possibly fight like you do... lead like you do..."
But Kalt-Hammer smiled through his thick, scraggly gray beard, and replied, "Wars for Ember are changing. You will not be fighting like me. You have entire squads to do that for you now. You lead by not dying, and making sure those around you do not either. You, Mordecai, and any men who follow your orders, are most likely to survive of all who fight for me. And in the end, it is those who survive that get to decide the winners, tell the stories, and pick up the pieces. I trust you to do that; Lead, survive, and protect Ember and its soldiers. Borkeau will succeed me, and he has already approved of having you lead the Brutes. If you'll agree to it, you may start the second I die."
Mordecai agreed, though reluctantly, and was forced to uphold his word when an Elven renegade group ambushed Kalt-Hammer and a small body of his guards. Kalt-Hammer rushed headlong into battle, hammer swinging, as he always had. Mordecai rallied the guards to try and force the Elves back and make Kalt-Hammer's job easier, but the barbarian only lasted a few moments before pikes and arrows were protruding from his body.
"Survive! Hold the line no longer... hold... the ... Hold the Squads!" were Kalt-Hammer's last words, spoken to Mordecai as he broke the line to try and aid his fallen leader. He immediately fell back in and the battle ended with the guards being the survivors; although, Mordecai still remembers it as a defeat, since Kalt-Hammer's ferocity and ambition were lost to them.
Mordecai now struggles to hold together a waning, unused Brute Squad legion as Ember's new government tries to dissolve them, struggling to live up to his mentor's dreams and expectations, and as always, fill out his orders to the end.
Personality: Mordecai was born a slave, and grew up a soldier. He is entirely servitile in nature, and leads only to fulfill the orders of those he sees as his commanders. He is eternally loyal to Kalt-Hammer and Borkeau, and thinks of little more than Ember and keeping it the way they wanted it. He is merciful, generous, and polite outside of battle, and in it he is stalwart, unshakably brave, and methodical, though perfectly capable of improvising. Depending on the situation, he will lead from either his home-squad, Mauer, or Zweihander, the spearhead squad that is designed to engage, distract, and deal heavy damage to the enemy while the main army moves in to deliver the true strike.
Note: The german names Kalt-Hammer gave to the Brute Squads are translated into various implements of war: EG, Faust, or Fist, is specialized for all combat situations, but is only so effective in any, and are better in support than on their own. Mauer, or Wall, is meant to be as unmovable as a castle wall, and Kriegshammer, or Warhammer, fights most like Kalt-Hammer, fearlessly charging in to shatter enemy lines and morale, acting very much like berserkers.
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Appearance: Mordecai's skin is lightly tanned, though he's grown a bit pale in the places usually covered with armor or his dress uniform. IE, everywhere but his face. He stands at average height, about 5'9'', and is well muscled from intense training with heavy weaponry and armor at the hands of Warlord Kalt-Hammer of Ember. He has short, wiry black hair, and is clean-shaven, with dark green eyes that are alight with wisdom and spirit. His features are rigid and angular, but not exactly rugged.
History: Mordecai was born a slave in Sal Kadedin, working construction for a corrupt lord. His master moved to the vile den of sin and vice known as the City of Ember when Mordecai was a teenager, and gladly provided for its defense when the Elves of Lumloria attacked. Mordecai, among many of the other male slaves, were donated to Lord Everel for training and service in the legions of mercenaries that would become the Emberian Army.
Under the heavy hands of Grand Marshal Borkeau and General Kalt-Hammer, Mordecai learned to fall in line and be a good soldier. He trained hard and fought well, and was among those who helped Borkeau and Kalt-Hammer defend the breach in the wall during the short war with Lumloria. While he did little of true significance, Kalt-Hammer had recognized him when the young man came to him, requesting to be re-enlisted. After all, Kalt-Hammer had outlawed slavery, and Mordecai had no more reason to stay with his old master because of it.
While young, Mordecai aspired to become one of Kalt-Hammer's elite Brute Warriors, whom many renowned as being terror incarnate on the battlefield. He'd seen them and the mighty Warlord in action, and knew that they were indeed all they'd been made out to be. He was too young at the time, but Kalt-Hammer, being the not-so-cautious and generous man that he was, promised Mordecai a position if he served well and would submit himself to personal training and conditioning.
On the day Mordecai completed the transformation from a footman to a Brute Warrior, he was outfitted with heavy full-plate armor, and given a steel tower shield, along with a quality flanged mace. Kalt-Hammer also gave him the surname "Stal", from the word "Stahl" for steel in his native tongue.
Mordecai served with fervent devotion and resilience admired even among the Brute Squads. He quickly gained a reputation of being nigh unmovable once he had a position, and was assigned to the "Mauer", or "Wall" squad, which was specialized in holding strategic points without yield. Two years before Kalt-Hammer's death, Mordecai was named head of this squad after a valiant battle against an Orcish war-party that had been raiding caravans en route to Ember. Outnumbered many times, the Mauer squad had succeeded in holding their ground while the caravan escaped, and didn't leave until the orcs had lost all morale and fled the battlefield.
Mordecai had been Kalt-Hammer's pupil from the beginning, close friend after many years, and never stopped training with the aging warlord, even as he commanded the Mauer squad. Not even a month before Kalt's death, he sat Mordecai down after a training session and told him,
"Commander Stal... Mordecai... man who wishes to lead my army cannot fight like me. For any who fight like me and are not a barbarian, crazy, or both, will die before long. ...But for this reason, I want you to be leading the Brute Squads when I die; hopefully in battle."
Mordecai was a bit perplexed, and questioned him, "But my Lord... does that not mean I am NOT fit to lead them? I cannot possibly fight like you do... lead like you do..."
But Kalt-Hammer smiled through his thick, scraggly gray beard, and replied, "Wars for Ember are changing. You will not be fighting like me. You have entire squads to do that for you now. You lead by not dying, and making sure those around you do not either. You, Mordecai, and any men who follow your orders, are most likely to survive of all who fight for me. And in the end, it is those who survive that get to decide the winners, tell the stories, and pick up the pieces. I trust you to do that; Lead, survive, and protect Ember and its soldiers. Borkeau will succeed me, and he has already approved of having you lead the Brutes. If you'll agree to it, you may start the second I die."
Mordecai agreed, though reluctantly, and was forced to uphold his word when an Elven renegade group ambushed Kalt-Hammer and a small body of his guards. Kalt-Hammer rushed headlong into battle, hammer swinging, as he always had. Mordecai rallied the guards to try and force the Elves back and make Kalt-Hammer's job easier, but the barbarian only lasted a few moments before pikes and arrows were protruding from his body.
"Survive! Hold the line no longer... hold... the ... Hold the Squads!" were Kalt-Hammer's last words, spoken to Mordecai as he broke the line to try and aid his fallen leader. He immediately fell back in and the battle ended with the guards being the survivors; although, Mordecai still remembers it as a defeat, since Kalt-Hammer's ferocity and ambition were lost to them.
Mordecai now struggles to hold together a waning, unused Brute Squad legion as Ember's new government tries to dissolve them, struggling to live up to his mentor's dreams and expectations, and as always, fill out his orders to the end.
Personality: Mordecai was born a slave, and grew up a soldier. He is entirely servitile in nature, and leads only to fulfill the orders of those he sees as his commanders. He is eternally loyal to Kalt-Hammer and Borkeau, and thinks of little more than Ember and keeping it the way they wanted it. He is merciful, generous, and polite outside of battle, and in it he is stalwart, unshakably brave, and methodical, though perfectly capable of improvising. Depending on the situation, he will lead from either his home-squad, Mauer, or Zweihander, the spearhead squad that is designed to engage, distract, and deal heavy damage to the enemy while the main army moves in to deliver the true strike.
Note: The german names Kalt-Hammer gave to the Brute Squads are translated into various implements of war: EG, Faust, or Fist, is specialized for all combat situations, but is only so effective in any, and are better in support than on their own. Mauer, or Wall, is meant to be as unmovable as a castle wall, and Kriegshammer, or Warhammer, fights most like Kalt-Hammer, fearlessly charging in to shatter enemy lines and morale, acting very much like berserkers.
