Grand Duke Armas IV
Grand Duke Armas Torajoki
Born into a cadet branch of the most influential family in the Dorian region, Armas would inherit the
Surcount of Randleton at a young age and proved to be both a fine steward and competent commander. Through a troubled succession to the Grand Dukedom upon the death of Grand Duke Arttu, a moot of noblemen decided that Armas, a second cousin to the deceased Grand Duke, would be the most suitable ruler.
Born in Randleton, Armas would grow up estranged from his place of birth. His father Matias Torajoki, was lord of Randleton, which at the time was still a significant fief in the south of Redoria. However, many tensions came between the traditionally Doric family of Torajoki and their domain within Redorian land. The locals did not appreciate the aloof nature of their overlords, and Matias himself had many quarrels with Redoria's king regarding what he believed to be excessive taxes and regulations placed upon him. This led Matias to petition for help from the Grand Duke of Canyndor, Tapani VII, to settle the dispute. The Grand Duke obliged, declaring war upon Redoria and seizing the southern borderlands of the Randles. Known as the War of the Randles, the conflict lasted nearly a year and Armas was sent to live with his father's cousin, Pentti Torajoki, Lord of Paybridge and brother-in-law of the Grand Duke.
Paybridge was an ideal setting for Armas to hone his skills as an efficient and studious noble, being an important crossing over the Yarrow river with the addition of a harbour from which much of the river travelling vessels in Doria would moor. Armas was granted what may have been considered a rather small role as a lieutenant within the Lord's Marines, a company of fighting sailors who were largely responsible for patrolling the Yarrow and collecting bridge tolls during peacetime. This experience would not only see Armas gain an appreciation for the many ways in which a lord may exude influence over a region and exploit it financially but also gained significant military training, Lord Pentti adamant that his Marines must be of the utmost quality.
Armas would continue his apprenticeship under his cousin Lord Pentti for a while after the conflict in the Randles had been resolved, his father Matias now a Surcount under the Grand Duke. This would be until local revolts began to occur with the region, local militias, as well as a more mysterious hostile organisation, began to cause significant problems for Armas' father. It would only be as Armas convinced his guardian to allow him to return home to assist his father in crushing local rebellions that he would learn of his father's death at the Skirmish of Kinrook, wherein a number of local townsfolk would attack Surcount Matias and his marshal who had arrived in the early afternoon to press the local sheriff into collecting overdue taxes. Ser Mattu of Lalland, a young knight who had been in the household of Surcount Matias, would say of Armas when he came into his new overlord's service that the young Surcount was rather cold and removed, that he went about asserting his new title as if it was a simple task that only irritated him, a considerably different description than that of the young man who had lived in Paybridge.
Armas was not overtly cruel in his crushing of the local revolt, however, he was very decisive and punitive in his actions against those who he could hold to account. Many of the leaders of the uprising in Kinrook were imprisoned and met a slow and lonely death in the dungeons of Randleton, those who instigated a further rebellion in major settlements such as Redgate and Timbly were likewise quickly ascended upon and the less influential members often quickly executed while the leaders and rabble-rousers simply vanished into the dungeons never to be heard from again. Apart from these decisive actions, Armas did not punish the general populations of rebellious settlements and did not attempt to quell the Redorian culture that was common in the region and quite distinct from his own.
From this point on, Armas would primarily make his fame on the battlefield. Offering his services to the King of Torania in the War of the Aldergaard Peninsula, all the while defending against the incursion of lesser Redorian lords who sought to win back the Randles one acre at a time. It would seem for the next few decades, Armas spent very little not at odds with Redoria and its ambitious nobleman.
He would become largely at odds with the general life of a noble, while strangely succeeding to an impressive degree in the duties entailed to such a man. He became quite the famous noble in Dorian courts and indeed a foreign one, perhaps infamous in those of Redoria. Known as a brave warrior, unwavering in combat and strident in his right to rule. Though quite a sought after house guest, Armas either spent his time in solitude or in the midst of battle. However, the Surcount did have the lusts of a man, and with rumours of his gallant achievements also spread rumours of his frequenting of the bathhouses where whores were as common as dirt. Though he may have been one of the most desired bachelors in all of Doria, wealthy and famous, he went unmarried well into his middle age.
Species
Ethnicity
Currently Held Titles
Year of Birth
7620 PA
59 Years old
Birthplace
Children
Gender
male
Eyes
large, dark blue
Hair
long, straight, blonde
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
pale, clear
Height
6'1"
Ruled Locations
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