CHARACTER DECLARATION! General Ashton Von Luttwitz!

[AnteaterAshley]

MC Username: AnteaterAshley
Pronouns: She/Her

Character Name: Ashton von Luttwitz
Character Pronouns: He/Him

Traits and Political Views:
- A man of focus, dedication, and sheer will.
- Heavily prioritizes and strives for unity as a nation. (interconnectedness between towns)
- Deliberates over decisions thoroughly, but once a course of action has been decided, he is extremely hard to shake off.
- Being a War Hero, he may be quick to resort to the armed forces, but always has the good of the nation in his heart. He is the Protector of the Republic, after all.

Some goals:
- Disarmament of and Detente with the Cossacks.
- Win the Presidency.
- Railroad connections between major (and hopefully one day all) towns.
- Finish gearing up the New Faruan Army so it is in proper fighting shape.
- Continue construction of Fort Solaris, the Castle at the heart of Syrinx.

Background:
Setting foot off the boats on an overcast day, Luttwitz's heart was filled with hope. Having traveled from distant lands for the opportunity to help build a great republic, Luttwitz came with just the gems in his pocket and a dream. However, as he wandered the streets of Urbis, still gathering his bearings, he heard a commotion at the edge of town. The commotion turned to alarms. The alarms turned to citywide panic.

He watched as the militia darted through the streets, gathering what little they had to mount a desperate defense of the city. Coming from military heritage, the man had little faith in the ragtag group before him, being armed with the most mediocre of gear. Thinking quickly, he forged armor from the few gems he had and prepared for battle. His nerves shot, and his heartbeat pounding in his neck, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When they opened, he saw a man riding into town on a horse. Armed to the teeth, the mounted archer approached the nervous defenders.

Drawing his bow, he unleashed a volley of arrows upon the Urbisian militia. Taking cover from the initial fire, Luttwitz persevered through the first wave of projectiles as he saw the rider move in to flank them. Taking position on the corner of a house, Luttwitz ambushed the rider as he rounded the corner. Planting one hit upon the archers horse, the attacker retreated. Chasing out after him, Ashton bellowed "FIGHT ME!". Watching the cavalryman disappear over the horizon, the Urbisians counted their wounded and dead.

It was here in Urbis that he met his greatest friend and his most bitter enemy. Renarchat, the first Protector of the Republic, helped tend to his wounds as the two exchanged names. After being told the direction of the mines, Luttwitz worked long and hard to arm himself more properly, in case of any future Cossack attacks.

Many days passed. As he properly armed himself with mystical armor and swords of considerable sharpness, he met a man by the name of Mr. "B" Gearing. The two worked together in tandem, matching each others pace and sparring frequently. With hard work, dedication, and an impressive display of skill, he swiftly rose the ranks to become the Commander of the National Army. It was on one of Luttwitz's many expeditions into the mines, however, when disaster struck.

As he returned to town, something felt off. The usually bustling streets of Urbis were void. The air had a metallic tang to it. The air rang eerily silent. After depositing his loot, he went to the war room to look for the rest of the army. There he found Gearing and a fellow soldier, Nikola Vulovic, in a heated argument. Demanding to know what had happened, Gearing placed a hand upon Luttwitz's shoulder as he informed him of the horrible tragedy that had befallen their people.

"The Cossacks launched a raid into Urbis, supported by a fifth column of spies in the city. The Protector of the Republic is Dead."

Gearing rambled on about his disagreements with Vulovic on the topic of strategy, but to Luttwitz the world fell silent to the deafening ring that had crept into his ears. The man who had tended to his wounds in the first battle, who welcomed him to this city, who gave him the life he knew today, was gone. In total silence, he grabbed what little personal items he had and set off. Gearing chased after him, and the two set off for distant lands.

After weeks of travelling through harsh terrain, through mountains, jungles, and deserts, the pair set their eyes upon their new home. Luttwitz asked of the locals the name of this land. The locals responded "Syrinx", and the two began construction of a grand Castle, known today as Fort Solaris. Cooperating with the local villagers, the two transformed Syrinx from a small encampment on the shores of the great desert into an industrial powerhouse, rivaling the settlements of the south. The two worked tirelessly, but for what?

After a great deal of time, the two were ready. Embarking southward the two set out to their destination. Their destination was, of course, the hive of the Cossack riders, the Plateau of the Nomad... Fort Sack. As the two approached, The Hetman emerged from his lair.

"Who dares approach Fort Sack?!" The Hetman demanded
"We are the last vestige of the Faruan Model Army. We are those who seek to Avenge Renarchat. You have taken much from us, and now you shall pay the ultimate price!" Luttwitz responded.

Before taking position for battle, The Hetman sent away a falcon carrying a message. Unbeknownst to the Syrinxian fighters, the call for reinforcements has been sent. As the battle began, the Cossack forces used their superior cavalry to keep as much distance as possible between themselves and the Syrinxian fighters. The Syrinxian fighters were growing fatigued as the battle raged on, when out of the woods rode an additional two Cossack fighters. Being outnumbered by twice the amount of soldiers, the two fought on vigorously, forcing a near death experience for multiple fighters, but the two were not prepared for a prolonged fight when they were outnumbered, and eventually had to flee.

As the two tended to their wounds, they heard murmurs from the townsfolk of a ceasefire with the Cossacks. Tearing off a bandage from the spool, Luttwitz muttered,
"I don't buy it. Those damned Cossacks had no reason to attack us to begin with. They have done nothing but win, either. Why stop now? What has changed?"
"Who knows, anyways. Politicians are unpredictable."
The two finished up in silence as they returned to their normal business.

One day, Luttwitz decided that he had had enough of Johnstantinople supplying the Cossack war machine. He approached, and demanded their divestment from the genocidal monsters. When they refused, Luttwitz opened fire with his crossbow. After a lengthy battle, Syylt and Ayla retreated into their bunker. Breaking through the entrance, Luttwitz chased in with a fury in his eyes. In his recklessness, however, the exit had collapsed, trapping him inside. After nearly a day of fighting with all the strength in his soul, Luttwitz, fatigued by his wounds, passed out from exhaustion.

When he awoke, he was chained up by the wrists, kneeling on the floor as he leaned forward. Blood dripping down from his forehead, his eyes stung with the mixture of that and his sweat. His breath fogged in front of him in the frigid dungeon. Hearing a scraping noise, he hung his head low.
"Well, look what the Cat dragged in", the Hetman muttered. "My greatest adversary, and the Universe has delivered you to me as an act of providence."
Not dignifying the Hetman with a look of acknowledgement, the General stayed silent.
"I could end you here and now, but it seems that those who captured you have a different plan in mind. It is only fair that they get to make this call, as they are the ones who subdued the General."
Finally looking up, he saw The Hetman, The Unshameless, in front of him, wielding an axe - the source of the scraping. In the back, there were five other figures. His vision was far too blurry to make out who exactly they were. One of them stepped forward, revealing herself as Ayla.
"We in Johnstantinople wish no more to fight. To this end, we have two paths. We could end you here and now. It would be a good, temporary solution, but eventually another protector would come along and take your place." She grimaced at the state of the General. "Such a mess", she muttered.
"Now about that other path," she continued. "We could alternatively get you to agree to our demands. Exclude us western Cossacks from the fighting. You are never to fight on Johnstantinople grounds ever again."
Fury in his heart, and thoughts surging through his head, the General pondered his options. He wanted nothing less than to dignify this genocidal scum with a treaty of immunity, but he was the new Protector of the Republic. He had to do whatever it takes to protect Faruans. His best shot at defending his countrymen, he determined, was staying alive to fight another day.
Distain in his eyes, he met the gaze of the Cossack lady before him.

"I yield. Let me sign this treaty."

Upon his release, he limped back to Syrinx. His wrists were raw from the shackles, and his head spun from dehydration. His face was dominated by a disheveled beard and unkempt, greasy hair. He entered through the Castle doors and collapsed, as Gearing rushed to his aid. Over the next few weeks, Gearing would slowly nurse the General back to health. Upon his rearmament, the General was once more able to fight.

The clashes with the Hetman continued, and with each skirmish, it was clear that Luttwitz was growing more skilled with Sword and Crossbow, and that the Hetman was becoming less able to repel his attacks. One fateful morning, after a great deal of clashes, the General awoke to Gearing frantically storming into Fort Solaris.
Glancing up, he said "What is it? What's wrong?"
With a look of dread on his face, Gearing explained, "The Cossacks launched a brutal raid into the south, nearly wiping the city of Markarth off the map!"
Standing up, with a look of fierce determination, Luttwitz set out to the Cossack heartland.

Arriving in the vast fields south of Fort Sack, the General stared down the Hetman.
"The people demand reparations for your atrocities in Markarth, Cossack Scum."
Shrugging off this challenge, The Hetman simply replied "When the Republic gets its act together, then we can negotiate", as he turned away.
Grabbing his shoulder, the General replied "I wasn't asking."

In response to this escalation to physical contact, the Hetman drew his bow and fired, ending the life of the General's camel. Enraged by this, the General charged forward ferociously, landing a great deal of blows on the outlaw. Moving with pace and rhythm unmatched, there was a total of six near death experiences in the span of a few minutes for the Hetman, saved only by magical idols of days gone by. As the Hetman fled, the General gave chase, breaking the fighter's helmet against his blade, The Will of Infaru. Coming under fire from the archers in the fort, Luttwitz was unable to deal a decisive blow as the Hetman ran inside.

Hearing the voice from the other side of the fortified door, the Hetman cried, "сука... You have got NO life, CHILL"
Standing up, adrenaline coursing through his veins, Luttwitz responded "I am leaving now."
As he crossed the bridge northwest of Fort Sack, he encountered Ayla, the Cossack fighter who had previously trapped him.
Giving a look of disdain, the General coldly acknowledged, "Ayla."
Shunning the General, the Cossack retorted, "It just seems like shame wanted to build"
Fed up with the constant revisionism, the General retaliated "You forfeit the option to live in peace when you genocide my people."
And with that, he returned to Syrinx.

After nearly a year of constant battle, the situation had come to a head. The people of Faru had grown exhausted of war, as had the Cossacks and the General. The two parties came together and decided an end to the conflict.
One battle. Luttwitz against the Hetman. No running, no hiding, and no outside aid.

The two met on the battlefield. Luttwitz called out to the Hetman,
"Come out here! I am ready to end this, Hetman!"
The Hetman shouted to his Cossack archers "Fire at will!"
Ducking and diving from Cossack fire, it was clear that the Hetman had no intention of honoring the terms of the duel. Luttwitz closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared for the battle of his lifetime.

When his eyes opened, he saw the Hetman emerging from his lair with a wicked grin on his face. He charged at the General, and the two began trading blows. With unparalleled rhythm and determination, he clashed ferociously with the Hetman. Behind him, he heard a thud, and learned that Ivan, a skilled Cossack fighter, had joined the fray. Quickly turning to parry the fighters slashes, he left himself vulnerable to attack from the Hetman. Forced to dive away, he now had his two enemies in one spot. Charging into battle once more, he had the Cossack henchman within an inch of his life before the Hetman stepped in and provided cover for Ivan's escape. As the Hetman fled down the stairs, Luttwitz gave chase, when all of a sudden, the Hetman drew from his pouch Obsidian and --

The explosion was deafening. Time seemed to screech to a halt as the General's head spun. Slowly, the serene suppression of noise faded to an unrelenting ring as he opened his eyes. Flying through the air, he tried desperately to grasp what had just happened. He saw the Army, shocked at what had just happened. He saw the Hetman, covered in soot and debris from the explosion. He saw the sky, rotating about him. He was flying. 'Am I dead?' He wondered. He was somewhere between life and death. Too injured to live. Too angry to die. As the passage of time slowly returned, he breathed in that sweet breath of life once more. Sparks of yellow and green flew off his body, still careening through the air. He landed. Hard. Every bone in his body ached from the blast and the landing. Looking up, he saw the Hetman approaching, and he knew he had no choice but to stand and fight. Drawing his sword, he got up and charged at his enemy with reinvigorated strength.

The high pitched clash of swords filled the air. The two appeared to be evenly matched, until suddenly, Luttwitz got the upper hand and parried away the Hetman's sword, dealing a devastating blow to the Cossack's chest. Before he could deal the deciding blow, however, the Hetman fled and hid inside the Fort.
"COME OUT HERE AND FIGHT ME!" The General bellowed, swinging his axe at the door to the fort. Eventually, the door gave way, and the fighting continued on. This close quarters fighting was far more intense, and it appeared that the Hetman was doomed. However, Ivan and Luscious, two Cossack fighters, joined the fight at a critical moment, taking the brunt of the General's fury for a few critical minutes as the Hetman hastily tended to his wounds.

When the Hetman re-emerged, all three of them swung at the General. Barely escaping with his life, the General was forced to leave the interior and regroup outside the fort, where the battle originally started. As the three fighters emerged, the General landed devastating blows on Luscious and Ivan, forcing their retreat. It was him and the Hetman. The fight had raged on for days at this point, and both sides were exhausted. Letting out a battle cry, the General charged at the Hetman for the final spar. The two exchanged blows, but it was clear that the General had seized control of the battle. In a desperate attempt to escape, the Hetman let down his guard and allowed for Luttwitz to land a critical blow to his stomach. Clutching his entrails, he stumbled back as Ivan charged out of the fort to save his Hetman.

The next few moments were a blur. He saw the Hetman limp away from the battlefield. He frantically parried the furious attacks of the Cossack warrior. A swing connected to his head, shattering The General's helmet and severely dazing him. A hot pain seared through his chest as Ivan's sword tore through his flesh. Stumbling back, Luttwitz collapsed as the Army raced in, saving his life from the broken terms of the duel. The world spun around him as he saw Normande furiously firing her crossbow at the fort. He saw Gearing shield his body with his own as arrows pierced the ground around him. He saw Renarchat gaze upon him with a proud look, as Luttwitz had done everything in his power to protect Faru and its people. The dark circles at the edge of his vision grew and grew, until the whole world was consumed by darkness.

Five months had passed, and the General had been nurtured back to health. He still had a considerable limp from the explosion, his face was riddled with scars, and his breaths were far more shallow than they should be, but he was alive. Nobody truly knows what happened to the Hetman. The thought that he may still be out there haunts Luttwitz at night sometimes, but he rests easy knowing that should another threat ever come to the great land of Faru, he and his army will be ready to defend their people. With a look of determination and content, he watched the sunrise from Fort Solaris, and knew that Faru would live to see another day.

[Renarchat]

Not Joe Farmer