Sir Henry Marshall

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Sir Henry Marshall
Sir Henry Marshall.jpg
Knight of The Empire
Born: 7th of Owyn's Flame, 1700, Eastwatch, Aeldin
Died: 1st of Horen's Calling, 1804, Providence, Holy Orenian Empire
House: Marshall
Father: Joseph Marshall
Mother: Henrietta Marshall
Military service
Allegiance: OrenianFlag.png Holy Orenian Empire
Years of service: 1713-1801
Rank: Major
Battles/wars:
War of Two Emperors
Drumm Hall Coup
Ratman Scourge of Ves
Llyrian Commando Action
Rubern War
Battle of Boomhill
Sutican War
Inferi War

Sir Henry Marshall (7th of Owyn's Flame, 1700 - 1st of Horen's Calling 1804) was a knight of the Holy Orenian Empire and distinguished officer of the Imperial State Army. Sir Henry was knighted in 1715 by Joseph I, Holy Orenian Emperor as a token of thanks for saving him from a Reiver assassin in the employ of the Empire of Renatus, during the onset of the War of Two Emperors. Despite his young age Sir Henry was immediately thrust into the brutal struggle between the Empires that would decimate the realm for years to come.


Early life

Having been born in Aeldin in the year 1700, Henry was quickly grown accustomed to periods of conflict that the continent suffered through often. At the age of 13 at the behest of his father Joseph, Henry booked passage from Aeldin to Arcas where he could carry on his house name in service to humanity like his great-uncle Ser Walter Marshall who had fought in and died at the Siege of Johannesburg. Arriving in 1714 he found the realm in a poor way, tensions rising within Empire of Renatus had begun to lead to small scale skirmishes and raids in the lead up to the War of Two Emperors. In the spring of 1715 Henry bore witness to the coronation of Joseph I within the city of Reza, with little to lose Henry began to follow the camp of the Emperor as banners were called and men prepared for the coming battles of the year. Whilst patrolling the encampment one night outside of Haense, Henry saw a shadowy figure leap a gap in the palisade wall beginning to make its way to the Imperial tent. In hot pursuit Henry burst into the tent of the Emperor cutting down the Reiver assassin before it had time to strike and saving the life of the Emperor. It was for this act of loyalty that Joseph I knighted Sir Henry and soon the gathered army began to march toward Helena.

Sir Henry was absent from the Battle of Upper Rodenburg and the Battle of Lower Rodenburg before taking to the field for the first time in the Siege of Helena, It was during the battle that Sir Henry had grouped up several Owynist soldiers part of a group known as Owyn's Flame, who had been among the first over the wall. The group fought alongside the rest of the Orenian forces making it to the throne room where they were eventually repulsed from the city. Defeat shook Sir Henry as he watched for the first time how quickly things could fall in life. Continuing to follow the army in its numerous defeats Sir Henry left the makeshift encampment in Haense following the Treaty of Reza in 1721. His connections however to the men he fought alongside at the Siege of Helena proved fruitful, as together the men created in 1722 The Caer Bann Company, which would mark the first official station in a long career for Sir Henry.

Career

Now fully employed by The Caer Bann Company as a Lieutenant, Sir Henry began work with the rest of the officers under the diligent leadership of Richard of Reden to seek out new contracts from the safety of their fort in Roberston. In 1723 Sir Henry with the rest of the Caer Bann Company were called by Adrian I of Kaedrin, known at the time as Helton Hadrian Helvets, to defend Ves from the grasp of the Drumm Hall Coup. Sir Henry, alongside Arnold de Langford, Sir Jayce Lancefeld and the rest of the company followed the orders of Richard de Reden and carried out their contract to rid the city of the beet boys. After several hours of fierce struggle the corrupt guard force were driven back to Drumm hall where the coup was finally put down. Despite this hard work, remnants of the Beet Boys escaped the city and would begin an insurgency campaign that would last two years before finally being snuffed out.

It was during this time that The Caer Bann Company was given a full-time contract to act as the guard force of the city of Ves, Sir Henry set to work with his fellow soldiers defending the city over the next several years, In 1726 the Republic of Ves was formed into The Commonwealth of Kaedrin. It was then that The Company of Caer Bann was rebranded into The Army of Kaedrin, fully embedded into the Commonwealth Sir Henry now a high ranking officer in the Army of Kaedrin set to work on a logistical overhaul of the armed forces in order to improve success on the battlefield, such inventions like the Kaedreni Incendiary Device, shield wall rotation tactics and close support artillery became commonplace as a result of Sir Henry's work, proving doubly effective during the Ratman Scourge which plagued the city and surrounding countryside from 1724 to 1730. Serving dutifully throughout the year's Sir Henry was present for a majority of the Commonwealths history, seeing the return of the Holy Orenian Empire under Peter III, Holy Orenian Emperor, remaining in active service as the Army of Kaedrin was once again rebranded and incorporated into the newly formed Imperial State Army as the 2nd Regiment of Grenadiers. It was at this time Sir Henry departed the Holy Orenian Empire for his homeland of Aeldin to tend to his recently deceased fathers affairs.

Career in The Imperial State Army

Sir Henry returned to the Empire in the year 1760, at sixty years old he had petitioned his longtime friend Frederick Armas to fund his recommission into the Imperial State Army. Beginning as a Cadet Sir Henry set to work once again, despite his age he continued to strive for martial prowess. In 1762 The entire might of the Imperial war machine was brought to bear on a bandit fortress in the Imperial heartland known as Boomhill, leading an infantry squad at the rank of Ensign, Sir Henry displayed fine acts of valour in personally leading his squadron into the breach to seize the open pit mine, line after line of bandit militia fell before the mine was secured for the Empire. Over the next few years Sir Henry continued his work overhauling Imperial State Army logistics whilst also serving as a combat academy commandant in the 2nd Brigade. In 1770 General Alren DeNurem saw fit to promote Sir Henry to Captain of the 2nd Brigade, working hand in hand with Lieutenant Erik Othaman the pair created a staunch recruitment and training campaign to improve the quality of the soldiers in the Imperial State Army.

In the year 1780 Sir Henry was once again promoted, this time to the rank of Major. Being moved to the position of a staff officer in the Imperial Headquarters Sir Henry once again found himself with time on his hands, taking up his own business he finally created a storefront for Imperial Crown Jewels, bringing jewels and fine goods to the city of Helena that he now called his home. In the year 1784 sadness once again returned to the life of Sir Henry, Peter III, emperor and longtime friend of Sir Henry died in his sleep, serving as a pallbearer at the Emperors Funeral Sir Henry finally laid his friend to rest. In 1785 The Imperial State Army, after years of planning began a coordinated offensive with the rest of the coalition against the growing Inferi threat. Five years of bloody campaigning followed as Sir Henry continued his service to the Empire taking part in numerous raids against Inferi held Korvassa and Al-Faiz before finally taking part in the final battle of the Inferi war in 1792. Commanding the left-wing of the Imperial State Army's formation, Sir Henry had nearly 10,000 men under his command for the final confrontation, marching next to The Empress across the dark skied Korvassa towards the remnants of the Inferi in attempt to cut off the retreating Inferi with a flank. It was then that a volley of malflame erupted from behind enemy lines hurtling towards the advancing troops, In quick fashion Sir Henry turned tackling The Empress to the ground and shielding her unprotected body with his own. Although clad in fireproof uniform Sir Henry suffered a large burn along his unprotected neck passing out from the pain and shock of the magical fire.

A New Land

Sir Henry awoke three days later in a makeshift field hospital pleased to learn The Empress was safe. He continued his service to the Army for the next several years assisting in the evacuation of Arcas for the new land of Almaris, A new land brought new struggles and Sir Henry worked tirelessly in his position of Major to attempt to curb the bandit threat which had begun to spring up across the new continent. Despite this new threat, disagreements began to emerge between Sir Henry and his friend General Peter, on the state of the ISA, this disagreement began to grow and eventually led to Sir Henry officially retiring from the Imperial State army on the 7th of Harren's Folly, 1801, after nearly 90 years of military service.

Retirement & Political Ambitions

Following retirement from the Imperial State Army Sir Henry began a campaign of cartography, hoping to map the entire empire he spent the next two years traveling the nation and with great detail creating a vast comprehensive map of The Holy Orenian Empire. Released to the general public in 1804 the map is the most up-to-date Imperial Map available. This journey across the Empire gave Sir Henry crucial foresight on the problems it faced and the day-to-day struggle of every day Imperial Citizens, from the monsters that would cross the mountains of New Esbec in the west, to the bandits which would assault the outpost of Southbridge. Despite being in the forefront of the world the Empires edges were becoming tattered.

Map of The Holy Orenian Empire circa 1805.
During his time of travel across the Empire, Sir Henry bore witness to several crucial problems that highlighted the failings of the Imperial government. In Providence hundreds of medically discharged and retired soldiers went hungry upon the streets, unable to gain employment during a time of economic upheaval and with no pension to speak of many of these men would die in the streets of the richest Imperial city to date, despite their service to the Empire in time of war, serving soldiers and their families were packed into one room apartments despite twenty years of service to the Imperial State Army. This failure of the Imperial government to recognize and support the veterans who had given so much for the Empire, drove Sir Henry to begin his political run for office determined to improve the quality of life for retired soldiers and serving soldiers alike to make sure that never again would an Imperial soldier who had given limb on the battlefield, would give his life in his capital city for hunger.

After a period of long thought and debate, Sir Henry was approached by the Vice Chancellor Ledicort d'Azor to accept a National Party Endorsement and Sir Henry was officially added to the ballot for the 22nd Imperial Diet elections in 1804. A fierce political campaign followed and by the end Sir Henry and his efforts with the rest of the National party proved fruitful, winning his seat in Providence Sir Henry dedicated his service to supporting the veterans of the ISA and those who still served. Sir Henry originally envisioned a comprehensive pension program paid yearly to soldiers who had served for twenty years, as well as the offering of farmland to Imperial soldiers that still served in the army. This 'farmstead' plan had worked numerous times before in the past and appeared brightly able to once again improve the lives of Imperial Soldiers and veterans.

It was however not to be, despite his desire for service once more and dedication to the citizens of the Empire, Sir Henry would never see the inside of the House of Commons, dying one month before the first sitting of the Diet, still looking forward to his final years of service.


Death

On the 1st of Horen's Calling 1805 Sir Henry was tending to several customers in his storefront when he heard commotion and the sound of scuffle from a home across the street, ever vigilant in retirement Sir Henry held dearly to the old ways of Imperial Chivalry and upholding of the law that he was Knighted upon. Drawing his blade he rushed across the street where he saw the assassination attempt of the Solicitor General Ophelia van Wick, in Quick fashion he detained the aggressor and made sure the solicitor was safely tended to by doctors. As he dragged the failed assassin to the Imperial prison he was given warning by General Peter that several suspects still remained at large. Sir Henry decided to return to the scene of the attack in the hope of finding any information that might prove useful.

Entering the building Sir Henry witnessed another attack taking place as the second assassin tried to murder a child witness, intervening Immediately a fight ensued in the stairwell of the building where Sir Henry suffered numerous stab wounds whilst attempting to detain the assassin and stop the assault. Heavily wounded, Sir Henry dragged the assassin to the ground floor where several soldiers of the Imperial State Army waited, with this Sir Henry collapsed to the floor from his wounds, despite lifesaving attempts with various medical and magical procedures, Sir Henry died of his wounds several hours later in hospital.

Dying at the age of 104, Sir Henry was widely believed to be the oldest man in the Empire having lived through an entire century and seeing the fall of Renatus and rise of The Holy Orenian Empire into another golden age. Despite his years, Sir Henry maintained his fierce loyalty and service to the Empire up until his last few hours, ending his many years of service with the stopping of an assassination, the same circumstances in which he began his years.