tar-Harkgan, Duke of Issqar

Grand-Duke of Issqar Eregieth Harkgan-tar (a.k.a. Raventop)

So spake the professor-- of all morsels of wisdom and archaic nuggets of foreign lore. He spoke of yon slaves, and the societal dealings in the City, and Land-Empire. Standing behind his pulpet, the professor was utterly in love with the magnificience he had been bestowed, not the least did he stay, but announce his thoughts with words of 'naturally', 'obviously', 'clearly'. How slavery will bring about the end of the Land-Empire, and how all vital peoples are choken out by the dastardly Mihurite, with their accursed dismissal of the Arts, with whom they only seem to interest upon finding ways to either kill, or not die. On and on did the professor go, speaking of the Walls of Mihur and the Dogma of the Soil. The drudge inside the room one could well cut with a knife. There was an assistant, who had convinced the professor to let the library copy some of the statistics into visual form, and hang them upon the back room next to the blackboard on calligraphy sheets, as help to the prospective academics themselves-- Slides were being switched, when relevant. In this hall of some two dozen younguns were pulpets of wood, by which the students stood and took notes, and anything at all of note to discuss whilst they had been dealt their bread, broth and ale, with the wealthier ones having salt to add, others even pepper. Discuss, yes, for example: the assistant had his shoelaces open *again* on the right side. How come?! He has heft enough to serve a Mihurite in the mouth, yet can barely tie 'es pumps, crumbs that fellow, does he not look familiar--?

The other son of Harkgan is a solid fellow five years junior to Eyraü, and always does luncheon in solitude and silence. He has shoulders wide, but he is a tad on the stumpy side, which is reason enough to consider him of scant use a professor, and he has little authority over others, his voice is uncertain, he prefers to be reading and mayhaps cutting up samples of frog and a few times has he assisted in crossing plants, for he has a tendency towards Botany.
As of now, there is little to say of him, or to him. Just a stream of thought, which is yet to truly break boulders with momentum alone. He very much loves to play instruments, and study books. If challenged to a bout or brawl, he prefers to look to the side, and simply defuses the conflict, if struck, he absorbs the blow, and the one to strike jests him to fall into his wee hole and weep there for being the lesser bro'a. Goddamned kunker, brother's older and greater in all ways. So he picks up his books to have fallen, and feels the weight of Týoll and thanks Fathers and their fathers for he is not the older Harkgan.
But *this* Harkgan does appreciate history. An oak, a grand one, stands for Týoll. He is seen to press his hand unto the very specific spot in the tree, which has gained a rather large pressure for hands being pushed upon the bark for half-an-age. He ponders what future will bring. What will be the next age – the name of which, if the conventions in titling ages will last--. Týoll 629 could well be what this year, year of Dukes would be remembered as in the coming millennia. He feels utter relief that he may be *nobody*. That he would one day marry, and father children to never have to carry the burden common to his brother, the 'true' Harkgan blood. And he presses his hand upon the ancient tree, in this ancient place not hallowed, yet close. 'Fathers, let me be aware of it, spending here the beginning of a blessed life. Let this be a youth to cherish, and know I am living what can be called 'the good days'. And I am - despite them.' thinks he, and dines alone and goes on to the tabber - a small pub - to play the worn clavier, and few present know he is improvising, and cast coins into his cover and call for hands. It is spring, and one day any day will the Khórr turn either his thumb up or down - levy, or none. And the young man of bronze lets his fingers jump upon the worn ivory keys, and so ease the dread inside of him...

Divine Domains

War, Deception, Iron, Soldiers

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Mark of Axay.araz, the skull with holes for eyes, nose and mouth. Alternatively, the Mark of Khórr, or spear rising from raging waters.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Excellent balance, excellent strength, very agile and enduring. Scarred, battered and better for it. Harkgan was a picture of a Kiri soldier.

Body Features

Extremely stocky, and very muscular with great shoulders, wide hips and barrel chest. He was known to practice calisthrenics, and do a hundred push-ups every eve before bed. Skin tough, thick and covered in light, thin hair. He remained so even was Duke-- he felt waxing to be pointless, as he craved to be on the field either way. Colour of skin was a single shade darker than other Kiri: he seemed very Western, even Mölqaran with a tan, and never bothered to evade the sun in order to remain fair. Why would he? It can hardly be avoided.

Facial Features

Sharp facial features: he had a large nose, broad forehead and a slightly protruding jaw. Rather thick lips tended to thin when under stress, yet mainly retained an absolute poker-- One could always read his thoughts from his expressions, at the very least what thoughts he wished to convey.

Identifying Characteristics

A scar from a bread-basket on hairline, which he had brushed off, whilst it would have killed a lesser man. Generally, if he was to be found, he would be referred to as the 'short, stocky fellow who you wouldn't fight in the ring' or something such.

Physical quirks

Remarkably ambidextrous. Slightly hunched, as if having carried heavy burdens his entire life - he had.

Special abilities

Very, very tough and extremely resistant to pain. He was never knocked out by hand-to-hand combat during his Haraerlan, and only drew bouts, never to lose during the entire year and half. His fists were as wooden clubs. Harkgan was tough, sharp and virtually saintly whence it came to patience.

Apparel & Accessories

Preferred casual garb whilst not on duty a Duke, yet always had his gwla on. He made the faux-pas of placing it under his collar to hide it, if only to at times be taken a simple retainer, if a foreign dignitary would arrive at his estate. All gwla attach with a simple steel chain, which was the sole part to be seen. He rather enjoyed hearing guests' opinions on the palace without them realizing the obvious body guard was in fact the Duke himself.

Specialized Equipment

Carried a smiling saber of Qum-edge, a type of 'Qaran shamsir' which acted as his symbol of office. It was a Hargkan heirloom from hundreds of years ago, and amongst the most valuable single items east of Mihur. The blade was meant for combat, and Harkgan felt to be unworthy of the blade, and he seldom drew it - it remained on his hip, well insulated inside a specially made scabbard of immense beauty and value. During his time a 'smoke-clad' he had a pump-action crossbow, which was a masterwork weapon for the assassin or guerilla. Dozens of Taergaledian targets fell to the bolts form which.
Had a surgeon's belt and instruments up until the 1st War of Coalition. He generally kept them somewhere around his baggage, and was never truly comfortable without them.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Born into wealth and waning power, Eregieth was the second son to a Mihurite operatic singer, and the Lord of Harkgan who had since abandoned any hope or desire of seeing his House remain a power in Kiri politics, and had become an orchestral conductor, and favored of several nobles abroad and home-- also, alcoholic and an emotionally unstable, depressed, aging has-been. He had not performed before an audience since the birth of his eldest son, one who was neatly ignored by all but her nurse and eventual teacher. The family remained in-bread due to the father writing music for small orchestras, as well as single instruments to be performed home.
Eregieth was a quiet, somewhat plump and seldom bothered anyone. He made few friends, instead preferred to discuss with adults. He mainly remained in the estate, and treasured greatly the monthly trips he took with the family servants to the city of Slëmonoch to buy provisions, where he was quick to assume the local accent. This was done to introduce Harkgans to their subjects from early on, to get a good view of who they were governing. Harkgan loved the city as child, and eventually roamed the streets alone and unnoticed. He witnessed, aged five, a Western type of university class, in which students would sit outside in a park, and the professor act a mid-wife to thought-- The Harkgan private teacher explained the concept, and from that moment on young Harkgan wanted to be one of the students. His entire being screamed to be part of a in-group of like-minded, intelligent persons of his age.
Eventually he did reach the university, he insisted on being tested and not suffered in for his blood. He scored in the upper fifth, and got in the first try. Not many people knew it was *he* who was the Harkgan. Rather, they felt this particularly well-spoken and gentlemanly fellow was some thegn. Harkgan worked night and day for several years, and completed the local 'trivium' as well as the 'quadrivium' meaning the archaic school sucjects meant to form basic methods of thinking and create a basis for more advanced, specialized fields. History, geometry, philosophy, natural sciences (including what today is physics and chemistry) for the first four, as well as the more advanced 'theology' of Druidic arts, music (which dealt in poetry and rhetoric) as well as Tuarkiri, or the Kiri book-tongue.
Harkgan was a decent study, who never relied to others for help. Eventually, he chose to study medicine, and in one year gained a position of assistant to several professors, who had him do fairly menial work in creating diagrams to be used as visual help whilst teaching, and even act as 'TA' changing said diagrams whilst in class, and checking materials for errata-- Not many people knew Eregieth of Issqar was in fact a Harkgan. He was known to dissect bodies, and wrote articles regarding ligation of the veins during surgery, and archaic 'thought hoo-haa' methods which did, in fact work: leeches, extracts of plant and so on, hygiene and micro-organisms and diseases caused by these. He gained considerable expertise in medicine, as well as other fields. He was a gentleman first, and only then noble. He settled in the city by age 13 (17 in Terran years) and seldom visited home. Eregieth had aspirations to travel to Cal Mihur and become a 'fellow' in their academia, or at least a member.
He never had the chance to finish his 'doctorate' or rather gain independent office as librarian, for the tensions in Kiri-lands exploded with the House Khórr starting a war with Taergaled, against the approval of druids and even other nobles. Harkgan was quickly convinced, that his only choice was to be part of the war effort on the field, as his brother was of ailing health in the Woflpacks, and much beloved sister lived virtually in the war-zone. tar-Harkgan became infantryman Eregieth, and started down a path to become one of the famous soldiers in Qaran history.

Gender Identity

Harkgan did not even bother to consider gender identity, as 'poncers' as trans-gendered men were called in Kiria, never really crossed his path. He saw them with suspicion, but never judged: he considered them an oddity of biology, and eventually felt truly sorry for them, as nothing could be done, mind or body, to amend their obvious issues. As a man of medicine, Harkgan was to the end, highly concerned of ethics and causing good, or not causing ill, thus he felt these 'males of female soul' to hurt nobody, and ought not to be harmed, even if they were certainly irritating to many--

Sexuality

Straight. Almost hyper-sexual, with masculine energy rolling of him, for which he was ashamed, as Kiri tend to be less liberal with sex, than Mihurites, which he was partially by blood. He fathered six children total, of which three lived to adulthood. Eregieth was much interested in the emotional side of sex, and seldom slept with women out of lust. One might say his ferocity in battle, and drive whilst at peace, were in part testosterone looking for an outlet.

Education

Highly trained infantryman, as well the most senior of all Kiri commanders by 7-640. Harkgan was trained by Wolfpacks, Haraerlans, Vaerg.varan and Khórrian line infantry, school of surgeon in Slëmonoch, as well as having several years experience in field surgery as well as swords-training, private lessons from the best skilled swords-woman East of Cal Mihur, table talks with Khórr himself, as well as some decade or so experience in Kiri politics, as well as marriage to a princess by 7-640. Hargkan had a practical, intuitive education, as well as four years in his youth a university student in Slëmonoch.

Employment

Participated in the Rape of the Fringe as a line-infantry - completed all trials, including a Freezing Vigil in the Wolfpacks. Was elected to be trained by a Land-Empire proxy as a professional Haraerlan captain, as well as later employed as 'smoke clad' guerilla to weaken Taergaledian forces for Khórr to retake Issqara via rebellion / mutiny. Opposed the mutiny, along with several hunrdred veteran soldiers of the earlier war. Khórr was unceremoniously killed, during.
After which, briefly imprisoned along with virtually all senior officers caught after the war. Escaped, and drafted a set of demands for the Governor General of Issqar, L'ostav, to which the Governor agreed-- Ran virtually protection rackets, blackmail and bedlam, such as arson and cattle theft during his tenure as an independent enforcer to L'ostav, who pacified soon the Issqaran main, yet was hated much by his methods, which lead to Harkgan stepping from the shadows, and with a classical orchestra, as which the Redmen, or the captured officers from the prison colony posed, gathered a sizeable army and took hostage all ferries in the Fringe. With the threat of the pox and plague likely to wipe out much of the garrisoned Southern forces, the King of Taergaled himself came to order the Harnothi to be appeased, as he was now convinced he would be unable to kill the entire corps of soldier present in that land, as they were increasing in number--
Eventually made Duke with questionable credentials (he was son to a noble virtually renounced of his title and authority--) the Duke of Harkgan went on to become one of the best known, most respected generals in history. He was rightly berated partly, and partly praised for his criminally competent tendency to use the underhanded (intelligence work, spying, assassination, forging, bluffing...) as well as himself be 'Clad-in-smoke' as a person, with only his very closest knowing well his thoughts, and personal aspirations.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Was extremely proud of himself being the top of class during his Haraerlan. He had fond memories of Kuqtharag, the Land-Empire captain to oversee the training of these 'Harnothi-erlans' and dueling Eregieth under star-light several times, as well as trade pipeweed with who was apparently the foreign captain's favored student.
Harkgan had personal fencing lessons from a woman referred to as Brickspire, a very remote and little known warrior of, who was known to meditate whilst moving, going through her moves-- The reasons she was not amongst the Tigers, or a body guard to Khórr was her gender. Many assumed she sought to marry an officer, and thus carry sons to make her noble. Truthfully, it was her desire to become noble herself via skill at arms. Harkgan and her were very close, with she having eventual fantasies of them doing battle together for a unified Harnoth. These hopes were smashed upon Harkgan choosing sides during Khórr's rebellion. and Brickspire was left quardiplegic upon trying to assassinate Harkgan. She eventually recovered, and was able to walk after a grueling set of surgeries and therapy, as funded by Harkgan. She never forgave her, yet was attracted to the Orthodox and Adherent faiths in seeking pardon from her self-centered and merciless war-time actions. This was both a triumph and tragedy for Harkgan: he realized he could inspire the most die-hard soldier to potentially die for him, breaking them should he reject...
Hargkan won well over 30 major battles during his time the Grand-Duke. He was never considered a buthcer, even if he drove soldiers to their limit. He contributed greatly to political science, as well as moral philosophy, as later historians noted '--threw the butchershop doors open wide, and let the prospective buyer of beef know precisely whence the flesh came from, and what the animal to have parted with its legs had suffered.' That is, Hargkan was transparent in his actions of war and power politics. He dared others to stop him, dared them to oppose him and fall. Eventually, very few did. He had several mutinies in has time a Duke, which he either crushed or negotiated with considerable skill. Lord Lamkonn took notes, and eventually was the one to handle internal investigation, as well as negotiations with Qaran elements, even major part in the diplomatic corps. Lamkonn, the future Emperor of the Kiri, was personally coached into military nobility by Harkgan.

Failures & Embarrassments

Early in life, Harkgan was a failure of a soldier. He knew fencing, shooting and marching, yet could barely make a camp fire, was poor at orienteering, and had no true sense of cover or fieldworks. This drove him to become a surgeon, as he was useless an NCO, and at first dangerously incompetent as a officer of the line. Soon enough, his observant nature had him assume much from his environ, and he learned-- however, his long years a soldier created a void of meaning and skills in peace. He felt hollow living in a city, and felt virtually always the desire to march. He remarked to his wife for less than a year, a woman called Yeherit Ayminka-tar (the one whom he had knighted to save her life) that the first thing he heard was the sound of a bugle. She knew she would lose him soon, as neither of them had truly survived the war. He had become an accustomed soldier, and felt no sexual desire towards the woman to have lost her leg at the knee.
Indeed, the greatest wound Harkgan had was his inability to remain married and able to care for his family or 'tend his garden' a man of peace.
As a military leader, he often utterly over-estimated the endurance of his men, and was grievously over-ambitious and willing to spend lives to drive in an advantage which was uncertain of success and value. He was deemed a man who went whole-hog always, and sometimes failed to see when the opponent was in the advantage. In the end, he found himself well in over his head and had to resort to biological weapons to get his army out of the bind--

Mental Trauma

Had very severe shell-shock, or 'chased in the night' and suffered from insomnia unless lulled by opitates and outright bub. He was somewhat hyper-sexual, and had severe issues from being in love with his adopted sister as a young man. Harkgan had a strong sense of self-sacrifice, yet he felt others ought to be touched by the flame as well, in order to see results e.g. in battle.

Intellectual Characteristics

Wise and of vision, rather than genius or witty. Harkgan had an exceptional understanding of both himself, and others. He was an important precursor to the Qaran version of psychoanalysis, as his doctrine to lure the hidden killer out of any recruits was much studied by later naturalists, some of whom styled themselves as psychologists later.
Harkgan was very skilled in eye-balling numbers and figures, and coming up with extremely quick and fairly accurate estimates on e.g. whether a battery of artillery will be able to retain fire long enough for his other arms to break through. He could eye-ball a stack of cannon balls, and say 'There's about 550. With diminishing returns, two hours of fire for this battery. How's powder?' This was considered an asset by even the likes of L'ostav the Younger, who had to resort to longer calculations to be sure--

Morality & Philosophy

'Get it done. Perfect plan Wednesday will see you dead in Tuesday, if you did not *act* on Monday. Be aggressive and determined in everything you do. The sole true road home is ever behind the enemy's back, and not yours.'

Taboos

Very frugal and at times niggardly, Harkgan was immediatly turned hostile upon witnessing excess. He was utterly devoid of tolerance towards incompetence, and was known to have men whipped for failing to perform standard tasks in war, and at times in peace. Whilst drunk, he was known to place his servant corps into a line, and have them read aloud newspapers and listen to their accents, threatening to beat senseless those who had not yet mastered a flawless classical Issqaran intonation-- At times it was the Duchess who intervened, at times someone else. An incident in Spring 7-638 had Harkgan let loose a pair of dogs on a servant for apparently taking a nap whilst on the job as 'kipinh-zin' or 'man to cut firewood', which was already considered a simpleton's task.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

The Grand-Duke Harkgan seeks a unified Kiri nation, as well as destroy any enemies of theirs. He is the spiritual scion to Khórr, an ambitious machiavellian with little regard to common morality. Kiria *first* - not out of hatred, but pragmaticism. Deep down, he seeks this in order to live in peace, and devote his time to music.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Was good at most things he put his mind toward. He leaned toward the practical. Very poor sense of modern fashion. He preferred furs and chest plate for uniform, and eventually garb designed by his handyman at court, Girev the Kerki-aran. Something of a brute whence it came to table manners-- nearly caused a diplomatic incident upon breaking open an egg with a spoon meant for tea.

Likes & Dislikes

Preferred his vegatables as stew - years of eating greens raw, potatoes, carrots and types of root had left a strong desire to never see what his meals a noble were made of. Was known an utter ogre whence it came to dinner table - an utter hedonist. Loved freshly prepared turkey and game bird, with a voracious appetite for patés and fresh bread, with wine and ale. Countess Khaerlemmen referred to this as post-opiate hyperphagia. Harkgan laughed at this, and called it 'munchies'.

Virtues & Personality perks

Remarkably good body coordination, exceptional pain resistance, as well as ability to go on with little sleep. He had an excellent eye for those who were not telling the truth-- a detective type, who could observe a room and tell what had happened there from since he visited it the other day at a glance. Good sense of logic.

Vices & Personality flaws

Dependant, or even full blown drug addict, and a mid-tier alcoholic. Eventually grew a paunch due to no longer training daily, and led a noble's life near the end. He was known to be utterly drudged during peace-time or as a civilian, as well as tended toward working himself to exhauastion due to his insomnia and 'chased in the night'.

Personality Quirks

Often forgot the carefully practiced accents he had, and used a soldiers tongue, sometimes for effect, often accidentally. Military slang before lily-livered nobility was his practical joke:
'Lovely day, yet the clouds-- Why they hang is if the position of Khaerlemmen in court with her silver run dry. Hah!'
'Well, sir, one can hardly predict the weather. I believe one has to suffer what those more powerful have ye suffer, and no man controls yon weather.'
'Wise word, your grace.'
'Yaha, then we gob the mud with ar mucklers, and hope ta find a pair o' frost-biters yif yon companion turns trenchey afore the next grand-duchess' ball.'
'Sir?!'
'I said, we need to use warm leg wear, despite our fashion sensibility.'
'Ignore my husband, he has a way of tooling with his guests.'
'A-ah, certainly your Maje-- Grace.'

Hygiene

Tended to use no perfumes, scented soaps or oils. One could smell other nobles, yet not Harkgan. He could well blend in with his appearance into the crowd in a city, town or a ball, and be seen as nobody but a typical colonel-thegn, or retinue to a Count or such. Remained clean at all times, and groomed very well.

Social

Contacts & Relations

L'ostav the Victor, Lamkonn the Old, as well as his youngest son, as well as Khórr Them'sk-tar whom he later saw defeated, Duke Harkgan had hundreds of contacts total, many of them not even politically related. He had few friends, especially in the very end. Girev the Kerki-aran; a man apparently from nowhere who became his personal servant and representative-- friend, for he was the first to know of the Duke's cancer.

Family Ties

His immediate family was wiped out during the Rape of the Fringe. His sister was killed during the raids, brother fell to Taergaledian man-hunters, and father succumbed to drink in exile.
Harkgan had truly only three women in his life of note. His adopted sister, Eltami, whom he loved as a man to love a woman. This was deemed very inappropriate, not only because of the legal family tie and thus incest, but because she was half-Sarlükkan, the people who were referred to simply as niggers, meaning part of a Qaran slave casté or dark brown skin, who were present to some degree in Kiria as well. Roughly 200 000 slaves existed in Kiri lands, and such unions which produced the girl, Eltami, were not uncommon. The girl was hastily married away, and later on killed whilst pregnant to young Harkgan's child. This was an extremely traumatic experience to Eregieth.
Later on, Harkgan was in complicated relationship with a fellow rifle, who was terribly wounded at Tvbéra. He made a hasty call to knight the girl, who turned out later to be illiterate, and thus unable to remain wife to a lord in practice. He did all he could to be husband to her, yet after some months together, they realized to be yet in love with who they had been. Harkgan having loved a common girl to be sole one to embrace him in a very bad place, someone to bind his wounds and assist in bindings others, and not a runner of numbers and a skilled investor who she had become. Yeherit had loved a wounded gentleman, whose wounds had long since hardened and scarred to become a professional soldier of hardened emotion and body. She carried him a child without him knowing, which made her remain in exile or risk a scandal in feudal politics.
The last relation for him was a Princess of the Royal House of the Lithen Pulpet, the youngest one, and disputed in legitimacy, yet the mother was certainly a royal person. Their courtship was much written of, as a man some fifteen years senior to the girl oddly enough won her over, despite her doing all she could to reject not the man himself, but the imposition of the King, whom she despised an utter despot and fool. They married, and laid together, and eventually had four children of which two lived. They cradled one another, and were of immense comfort. The Duchess later fell in love with Lamkonn the Young, as the busy schedule and passion for military life of the Duke saw him prefer the field to his wife, and this cost him dearly. However, he came to grips with being an older man, and likely to fall in battle or at the very least to time, and as neither of his sons was of material or age to lead, he 'blessed' the Lamkonn's love with a stern look and extremely grave words.

Lammy. Do not mate with her. She carries a known bastard or is seen with *you*, and we are both *done* as well as she. I love her, do you understand? For her sake, I hope you do as well.

Religious Views

A devout Somnist, or non-believer (neither Adherent or Orthodox, or one of their heretics) Harkgan had a strong faith in the Sleep of end-times, and that the dead do not truly exit, but remain 'alive' in collective thought and may again wake as avatars in living men. Fathers he served to the end, and came to accept Týoll Orkhalan-tar Anmura as the source of his natural ability and his 'inspiration' or 'genius', that which caused his innermost to move.

Social Aptitude

Very good with people. He had the gruff charisma of an experienced sergeant, veteran of hundred battles. He tended to speak in a low voice, which resonated in his chest and pierced any veils of desire to resist his smaller requests, and even his larger-- to which one would likely agree either way, due to his connections and repuation. He could be intimidating, eloquent, academically or street-wise smart, he could lie to someone, lighten a mood with a joke - even having a reputation of having killed a man intentionally by having him laugh himself to death-- He could stop conversation with a single point, and make it absolutely clear that he will not accept a compromise, or compromise in a manner which left both parties with a feeling of having given up something. Harkgan was a natural beast of feudal politics.

Mannerisms

Tensed with anger quite easily, which he concerted and used a method of instilling hesitation with others. His wife, Vintare, always knew when he was honestly angered, as his fore-head scar would change colour.

Hobbies & Pets

An avid musician, as well as composer. He felt at ease behind a piano, and relaxed whilst writing music. Was a skilled hunter, and greatly enjoyed training gun dogs by himself.

Speech

Tended to bark out a pup, or let out a crude 'Hrch!' which was a typical Kiri mannerism to the common. If frustrated by something, he would mumble a swear-word á la 'Fuck me side-wick.' or growl 'That kunker bastard!' upon hearing unwanted news of someone. He tended to speak fairly little, yet was quite vocal whilst holding a dinner or swapping banter with his circle. His voice was a smooth chesty baritone, which varied greatly in volume and pitch according to his mood.

Wealth & Financial state

Modest man in appearance, Harkgan was never much interested in personal wealth. He saw power itself to be desired; if this brought wealth, good, if wealth brought power, certainly amass gold and companies, as long as these servants become not ones masters. Indeed, others have remarked him to be worthy of any warrior monk in seeing several times himself shedding of his loot and personal effects, if required: the greatest of these was the sack of Slëmonoch, which saw his wife at the time apparently killed, as well as their common home ransacked. He was left with nothing but his sword, and his wife's old, broken prosthetic leg, which he eventually discarded upon remarrying.
Harkgan was not the kind of man to attach himself to worldly things, or even people.
As a builder, a lord, Harkgan was efficient an an exceptional judge in matter economical, and finance. He was able to see with grim clarity justice done in assorted claims for inheritance, and land belongings of dubitable claim-- he was known to let the local peasants 'inherit' lands, as one of their sons as their thegn and keeper, under his House. He had *immense* land holdings in Issqar, with everything but L'ostav holds, Khórr remnants, the academy of Vaerg'vara and several Tvbéran posts, under his direct rule. Harkgan was known to apply coldly calculated statistic to his rule, as well as create an air of efficiency and loyalty to both state, and himself. Peasants were well off, yet their taxes grew with their relative wealth, which was used for roads, stores and depots, seeing to their quality of life as well as their eventual emancipation from being back-water people with little connection to the outside world-- especially Western Issqar was transformed.
Druidic faith remained, and paganism abounded, yet neither tradition nor land was redistributed heavily, and knowledge of taxes rising was met with a disappointed murmur, rather than an outright strike or rebellion. Who was there to rebel, either way? Harkgan had under him virtually all thegns, and many families had sons to have served with him, under him, or as his enemy, which created an air of respect, and at times anger. Yet few would meet his reforms in tax and land with open hostility, as the Duchy was turned into a modern, soon to be industrial state. The average peasant was soon superfluous, and was needed in a factory. These were paid monthly, and far, far more than the Khórr-era paltry pay in some silver coins and surplus grain with every levvy.
Harkgan had under him much power, and much wealth, even if he eventually trusted the finance to the Duchess. She was very young, yet able and quite machiavellian, which lead to respect for the family in general. War time saw Harkgan amass unprecedented land from the Qaran occupied Mihurite holds, which made him the most powerful single feudal person in the known world, even if he was quick to deal these lands and their wealth to other nobles, and at times promoted commoners or the 'jinkerey-estate' meaning the merchant class. These were mainly under L'ostavian command and control, and he was suffered to become extremely wealthy. Harkgan preferred to control those wealthy, and not amass himself. He was either related to, or had thegns related to virtually everybody in the Coalition, or could move spies or hired torches (hitmen to specialize in destruction of property such as arson--) to remove rebellious men hostile to his rule. He seldom had men outright killed, rather ex-communicated from his ring of elite, which likely meant financial ruin either way. All Coalition minted coins and most products made in Issqar carried Harkgan's seal, as well as often his name. He was present and powerful, without being incredibly wealthy.

Divine Classification

Many claimed to be Living Father or Avatar to the Kiri God of War. Harkgan himself never denied these claims.

Current Location

Slëmonoch, the ancient seat of Issqara

Conditions

• Chased in the night, or shell shock

Ethnicity

Kiri of the Orient

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Duke of Harkan, Eregeith-tar the Raventop

Life

608 659

Circumstances of Birth

Born into the yet wealthy House Harkgan, the infant Eregieth was deemed one for greatness for his eyes, which barely ever blinked, even newly born. This was seen *the* Hargkan trait to look for physically.

Circumstances of Death

Upon leaving the Coalition, the ill-health stricken Duke wandered for several years as a nomad, before reaching the remote land of Rämenara, where he finally gave up the ghost-- little more is known of the circumstances of his death.

Birthplace

Issqar, Harkgan Estate

Current Residence

In 7-640, Harkgan is preparing to march West, into Mihurite lands.

Gender

Male

Eyes

Hard, Sea-grey. Seldom blinked. His gaze was unnvervingly firm, which was further hardened by shell-shock.

Hair

Called Raventop, the Grand-Duke was in truth closer to a Mihurite auburn, with a natural shine.

Height

Short for Kiri. 175 cm.

Weight

Very stocky, sturdy. 105 kg during his Haraerlan.

Quotes & Catchphrases

'Sit on a prick, ya goat fucker.' upon being offered a bribe to throw a fight during his Haraerlan.
'Thegn, as of now.' upon knighting tar-Yeherit in the dust of Tvbéra, with bread-baskets raining down around them.
'That is our cross in the sky, gentlemen. Dance to Death and leave her with yon partner upon the tune being cut.' upon being told the City of Cal Mihur had fallen whilst they marched, and the Qaran army was exhausted.
'Matrimony, is it. Pick a fierce looking one. They tend to be cleaner, you see. I don't like her mouth. Her lips. They're too... Experienced. See, a woman, son - you'll want one you throw at a wall, and she sticks at it with her teeth and nails. That one'll work for three people. Good looking women are just trouble.'
'Shite-talk. The man who never votes according to his conscience I call a poltroon.' upon being told loyalty in politics as the gretest virtue.

Aligned Organization

Coalition Horde of 7-640

Known Languages

Tuarkiri and Harnothi, with a little Tuartergi. Harkgan never truly studied tongues, and even his Tuarkiri was a tad shoddy-- he did not write well in the Mihurite script, and tended to dictate. His accents were virtually perfected. He could pull of several regional accents of even Raq'huemean dialects, as well as convince others he was from Rämenara, which was a true challenge for Issqarans. Whilst new tongues were not his passion, he tended to practice accents almost to his death, a type of hobby of great utility.

Ruled Locations

• Slëmonoch, the ancient seat of Issqara

Character Prototype

General Longstreet, the historical figure, is a decent analogy. Generally, commanders of the Confederate 'lost cause' during war-time, and somewhat after as well. Painfully human man, who 'kind of sucked' at times, was prone to addiction, rage and frustration. Method actor would likely be required to pull off Harkgan. Thinking of Robert Deniro in the Raging Bull.