Athalaric Heldefredus
The Viigoc
The Dignified First Foederati and Captain of His Excellency's Guard of the ViigocsKingdom Allegiance: The Most Excellent Domain of the Despotate of Syrome, Subject of the Most Serene Nation of Men and Women of the Kingdom of Baltia.
Tribe: Viigoc, or actually, the most Viigoc of the Viigocs; Syroviigoc.
Appearance: Athalaric is an aged man, having reached a most notable 47 years old throughout his service at the right-hand side of Despote Belisar of Syrome. His age is most obvious in his white hair, this is simply due to the scars confusing the shape and form of potential wrinkles and other symbols of aging. The privilege of his station, and the power of which he holds is made manifest in his most extravagant of attire, dark blue robes covered by golden ornamentary armour which serve both practical and ceremonial significance. Beneath his extravagant revivalist robes and ceremonial attire, is a body riddled with scars, from both practice and battle alike, reaching even his left eye, permanently blinding it. However, he does not hide his eye from the world, instead bearing in its place a ceramic replacement adorned with beautifully painted craftsmanship in some of the most exotic colours available to the Syroviigocs. On his shoulder, placed upon his shoulder plate, is the Heraldry of his people, the Viigoc Warrior (the naked man made of iron, stretched out in majestic form), pressed upon a plate of exquisitely crafted origins, making up the manifest design of the Viigoc peoples' united coat of arms.
When battle makes its natural way into an intersecting path with that of Athalaric, he forsakes the casual robes and instead wears a coat of plates further reinforced by occasional pieces of scale armour and lamellar. It is covered in the engravings of ancient words of wisdom, having been passed down through religious rites since the coming of the Viigocs upon the Baltia. To protect his head, he wears a great helm of sorts, not unlike those of the typical cataphracti of the Baltian culture, but also wields a war-mask of plate, capable of being lowered or opened to better increase protection in times of need, and visibility in times of strategy and maneuvering. The mask, itself, is styled similarly to that of the Owl, bearing great resemblance. In addition, he places the typical ceremonial armour upon his protective uniform, to symbolize rank and station, making it easier for allies to understand from where their orders are coming from during times of chaotic conflict, although naturally the same also applies for the enemy.
Background: Born to the humble Syroviigoc village of Vidimir, situated in the distance of the much greater Syrome City, and it's expansive Viigoc Quarter, Athalaric was brought up as a common man. Whilst Viigocs, especially Syroviigocs, are often thought of as higher in the natural hierarchy of humanity, the lifestyle of which Athalaric initially inherited from his parents was a simple one. Brought up as an apprentice to his father's ways of smithing, Athalaric grew up rapidly into the ways of true men and women, adopting the ways of the world at a very rapid rate.
By the age of 11, Athalaric was already practicing the arts of blacksmithing in support to his father, allowing the two to supply the local guards singlehandedly, where otherwise several workshops would have to cooperate in order to fill the requirements of the guardsmen stationed. Athalaric was left wanting, however, as he felt his life waste away by the mere age of 15, having already mastered enough of the ways of smithing to sustain himself for what would seem as an indefinite period of time. He became bored, and fast, soon venturing, with the understanding of his parents, towards the great city of Syrome, where he made an initial living crafting lockpicks, shields, and other cheap matters of equipment for an increasing bag of coin.
His efforts were recognized, and under the authority of the Foederati captain, he was brought into the Syroviigoc quarter as an official smith of the professional Viigoc military under the helm of the Despot. After five years of effort, his station would advance even further, however in a most unusual of directions, after he participated in a tournament festival, letting out his primal urges and long-before restrained bestial prowess. He won the tournament, at the surprise of all Viigocs of the Quarter, and became a warrior-smith, a therefore unseen rank within the army.
On his first actual battle, a raid on nothing more than local highwaymen and their camp, Athalaric managed to use his own personally crafted axe to great effect, having been forced to forsake his shield in close quarters combat by an especially skilled combatant. Athalaric was able to bring the warrior to heel through careful planning and execution via timed jabs and fake slashes, followed up by confusing jabs to the enemy's torso. His efforts were recognized immediately by his commanding officer, claiming they were "exceptional even amongst the entirety of the guard", which soon lead to a direct promotion into the ranks of senior officers.
This promotion was, however, made in a promise of ability. That is to say, he'd have to show his prowess as an officer in order to remain as one. As such, he was put into task to train a new regiment of recruits for the expanding army, who were under orders of the Despot to expand their capabilities. The regiment were, needless to say, brought up exceptionally well, to the surprise of everyone involved. Athalaric had always had a simple way of speaking and behaving, and when the surprise arose amidst the senior-most ranks of the military, Athalaric was the only man who seemed indifferent with the results. He saw his accomplishments in training, and leading his regiment in battle, as a natural result. No different than birds of prey feeding on prey.
The Captain of the Foederati, Fridigern the Old, in rise of this incredible discovery, catapulted Athalarics career into new heights, placing him at the most generous position of Army Commander. Now being one of five individuals allowed the authority to govern entire armies in battle, with only eachother and the Foederati Captain to answer to, as well as the Despot, an entirely new life emerged for Athalaric.
The first test of his metal, his will, and his prowess as a commander of soldiers, as a commander of the Viigocs, came during the Second Pirate Invasion of Sonimossos, a city of average size, otherwise unimportant aside from its exceptionally excellent grapes, leading the city to become a center of local trade. As it was on the same mainland as that of Syrome, there were no need to assemble any ships to cut off the Pirates, and instead the army was assembled and marched on foot to the place of battle. Under the banner of Methos, a Pirate Lord of exceptional wealth and power amidst the Sea of Tears, he had organized a raiding party to sack the city and steal it of its wealth.
Athalaric would serve as acting commander of the army, with General Huml and Senior-General Rekitach acting advisor. Initially the campaign to destroy the pirate fleet proceeded well, with the army itself assembling itself rapidly, and through the period of travel, nurturing itself well, and keeping up a truly exceptional speed. Whilst partly due to the experience of the Advisors under his command, certain aspects of the routine were organized by Athalaric's own hand, such as modifying the rationing system and organizing the men and their orders during times of putting up camp. Things would soon change, however, when battle struck. When the city of Sonimossos came into view, the smoking city, bombarded by ship-mounted catapults and assaulted by pirates on its harbour, things would come to take a turn for the worse.
Athalaric's army entered the city via its gates, who were opened as they had arrived. A command station was established in the city center, and the troops were relayed into their positions under Athalaric's command, through the aid and careful council of his advisors. It all made sense, the positions of his archers and spearmen, the flanking positions of the renowned Cataphracts. On paper, it was a perfect defense, however, when the harbour finally fell, and the enemy landed en-masse, disaster struck.
With one fell swoop of the catapult, his advisors were smashed into pulps, adorning the stone path next to him. Athalaric had missed death by a mere meters lenght away. With his senior advisors and staff obliterated by the path of the catapults payload, Athalaric felt a surge of emotions that he otherwise had never before experienced, save for when participating in the gladiatorial games.
A feral instinct embodied him, as he felt both joy, anger, and savagery overwhelm him. His commands and orders became erratic, and reactionary, as opposed to the natural planned pattern it had moments before been. He ordered his cavalry to breach the enemy's main ranks making their way from the harbour, and whilst it was accomplished, the Cataphracts had not expected the ships to have already landed, and unloading their corsairs upon the docks. The Cataphracts were stuck, and ultimately perished entirely, as their heavy armour could not burden all the punishment that came at them from all directions. Whilst this happened, Athalaric had sent his infantry and archers forward to assault the ranks of the enemy, who had now mostly turned their backs to his forces at the docks.
The Viigoc infantrymen, supported by their cavalry, would face the corsair hoards in a skirmish that would ultimately last for several days, leaving both sides tired and bearing losses entirely unacceptable for the occation. Athalaric's emotional rage would not seize until he was apprehended by his own Guards, and sent to the headquarters in Syrome after the battle had ended. The result of the incursion and the subsuming chaos that had afflicted Athalaric and his army would leave half the city in entire disrepair.
Athalaric was entombed, as punishment for his service, deep below the Viigoc Quarter's citadel, within the catacombs, where he would be left to rot for years to come.
Left with naught but bread and water for years on end, Athalaric would come to soon learn to confront his inner self, and take control of it. He would converse with the guards and servants who would meet him every day to give him the barest of nutrients. In his chains, he would grow wise with the world, learning, understanding, and solving the most basic and the most complex of issues which he were presented via his dialogue with the guards and servants during his inprisonment.
He had thought himself abandoned for long, after all, how many eternities had he not been chained to a tomb burried deep below Syrome? However no, his feats had not forgotten, for they were not overshadowed by his faults. The Commanders of the Viigoc Guard, and the Foederati Captain had not been ignorant in their reports of the battle, and had seen the diamond covered by dirt that had presented itself during the battle.
Fridigern had decided, to the discord and approval of numerous of his military council, that Athalaric would be forgiven for his failures, and groomed into his successor. His reasoning was clear, no one would disagree that Athalaric, when in control of his own self, was a natural learner, and skilled at adapting knowledge, and adjusting factors on the battlefield. He was a natural organizer of men, and with his simple, yet effective pressence he inspired many officers in his ranks. Whilst no ideal warrior-leader, his officers resolved that disconnect with their own presence on the battlefield, and their leadership.
He was born to become a victor, and so they thought. However, the decision had not been their's to begin with. Athalaric had been imprisoned by Despot Justinius of Syrome for his atrocity in handling the pirate incursion. He was said to rot in the tombs of the Old Age. However, with the death of Justinius and the crowning of Belisar, circumstances changed.
Belisar would see Athalaric freed, and this debt would have to be repaid in full. Athalaric, a man of simple morals; ideas of light and darkness, and no distance inbetween, saw the act of Belisar as needing obvious redemption. Athalaric would grow older yet since being released and immediately entering under the mentorship of Fridigern himself.
Athalaric would since leave on many a battles, on sea and on land, ultimately becoming a master organizer, skilled strategist, and overall military genius. Due to his personal connection to Belisar, and the card that he serves in the Despot's hand, he naturally became the man's right-hand man, supplying to Belisar what he himself cannot; simplicity, realism, and productiveness.
With the passing of Fridigern the Old, at a most saddening time, Athalaric inherited the position as Foederati Captain and acquired all the titles of his forebearer. Under his command, the Viigoc Guard and the Viigoc people would become further unified in creed and purpose thanks to the charismatic Despot and the ruthless efficiency of their commander. Productivity would surge, and the rebuilding efforts of the great city of Syrome reached new highs.
He became Athalaric the Viigoc.
