Tralbahr Olfenden
Marshal Tralbahr Olfenden
I'm nowhere near the hero you believe me to be. I have made mistakes, some of which I still cannot bring myself to speak of. But I try, and that is all I expect of my men and women.Tralbahr Olfenden is a famed Vessene mercenary, war hero and the Marshal of the Masscht River Brotherhood mercenary company. He operates in the Masscht Valley region of the southern Heartlands.
-Tralbahr Olfenden in discussion with a Vessene noble
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Tralbahr is in decent physical condition, particularly for a man approaching his fifties. He has remained fit, and is powerfully muscled and broad-shouldered. A lifetime of combat has begun to take its toll on Tralbahr's body, and he seems to have developed arthritis. So far this doesn't seem to have affected his ability as a fighter, but he does seem to suffer considerably after a battle, and he is slowly beginning to withdraw from active duty.
Apparel & Accessories
In battle, Tralbahr wears a navy blue padded tunic and canvas trousers, over which he wears a coat of bronze scales. He also wears a leather helmet studded with boar's tusks.
Specialized Equipment
In battle Tralbahr wields a heavy bronze mace and a light wooden buckler.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Tralbahr came from humble beginnings, born to peasant farmers on the outskirts of the City-State of Vessen in the southern Heartlands. Like many peasants at the time, his family were very poor and struggled to make ends meet, and a tragic plague in Tralbahr's teenage years struck down his parents, leaving the young man to fend for himself.
Out of desperation, Tralbahr fell into a life of crime to keep himself alive, raiding wealthy settlements and robbing nobles and merchants for their goods. While not as vicious as some bandits, he did have to injure and intimidate targets who chose to resist, and often had no choice but to follow the lead of more ruthless bandits who had reputations as thugs rather than simple criminals trying to survive. He was also forced to engage mercenaries and guards in combat, killing them if left no other option.
Tralbahr's time as a bandit came to an end when a group he was working with attacked a wagon containing a noble family. Even after the family had given their goods up, the leader of the group killed the father of the family outright, and intended to subdue the mother and her family to sell as slaves. This crossed a line in Tralbahr's mind, and he voiced his protest at the matter. The group responded by attacking him and grievously wounding him, allowing time for the family to escape. The enraged group sought to torture Tralbahr before killing him, but a patrol belonging to the Masscht River Brotherhood, who happened to be in the area, were flagged down by the family and defeated the thugs.
Originally, the Brotherhood considered executing or imprisoning Tralbahr, however the noble family testified in his favour, and the decision was made to treat Tralbahr. Both his betrayal and the depths to which he had almost sunk caused Tralbahr to rethink his career as a bandit, and during his convalescence he observed the Brotherhood in action and offered them service in exchange for saving his life. They agreed, first allowing him to work as a porter and labourer to assist them at their headquarters at Mandar Fortress, then once he demonstrated prowess as a fighter, they allowed him to join the Brotherhood as a junior soldier.
Tralbahr serving with the Masscht River Brotherhood
After a few years, Tralbahr proved his worth and showed potential as a leader, seeing him raised to an officer and making a name for himself fighting the very bandits that he had originally fought alongside. In 456 TE, the Brotherhood were contracted by the Ellori clan to fight alongside the Royal Army of Mayoka in their fight to reclaim the city-state in the Mayokan Civil War. Tralbahr distinguished himself during the war as a senior officer, fighting alongside prominent Royal Army officers such as Marius and Antor Veluinnis, and was awarded honours for bravery and distinction, saving many soldiers and civilians in a number of operations, and ultimately helping the Ellori take back the Kingdom.
After the conclusion of the Mayokan Civil War, Tralbahr assisted with the reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts in the kingdom for a year, before returning to the Masscht Valley. The previous Marshal of the Brotherhood passed away in 461 TE, and in light of his service, Tralbahr was promoted to the position, becoming the youngest Marshal in the Brotherhood's history.
The Brotherhood under Tralbahr's leadership have wound back on engaging in local wars, instead working as peacekeepers and law enforcement. With the Heartlander city-states squabbling every so often, and with the Kalriv Empire looking to the Heartlands, Tralbahr has also focused on bolstering the Brotherhood, understanding peace will not last forever.Sexuality
Heterosexual
Education
As a peasant, Tralbahr did not get much in the way of formal education, and the training he received as a raider basically came down to street smarts more than anything else. When he joined the Brotherhood, he was taught to read and write, and voluntarily sought out further education from local priests. Upon demonstrating aptitude for leadership, he was given more formal officer training.
Mental Trauma
Like many career soldiers, Tralbahr has seen the ugly side of war, with soldiers dying under his command and being forced to kill in self defence. His time as a bandit also haunts him; while he understands he had to survive, he still feels guilt for preying off others and for injuring and intimidating others.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Tralbahr is motivated by a feeling of obligation towards the Brotherhood for saving his life; over time, this has merged into a genuine sense of duty and desire to make a difference, but at its core, he feels that his duty is to serve the organisation that gave him a second chance.
He is also motivated by an intense desire to make amends for his previous bandity; both his overt actions of intimidation, violence and theft, and his role as an indirect accessory to more villainous actions by his fellow bandits. He believes that the more he does in the service of others, the more he will hopefully wash that stain off his honour and his soul.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Tralbahr is particuarly well liked by the Veluinni clan of the Kingdom of Mayoka, having fought alongside now-Imperator Marius Veluinnis and now-tribune Antor Veluinnis. He is also in the good graces of the Ellori, having contributed to the force allowing Isola Ellori to reclaim the throne of Mayoka.
Family Ties
Tralbahr has a wife, Bilva, who is the same age. She keeps a home at Mandar Fortress and assists with the logistical operations of the Brotherhood. Tralbahr's son, Hurst Olfenden, serves under him in the Brotherhood as a soldier.
Religious Views
Like many in the southern Heartlands, Tralbahr is an Elementalist. He is somewhat religious, well-read in the articles of the faith, and shows deference and respect to priests.
Wealth & Financial state
Despite his position as the leader of one of the prominent mercenary groups of Arikanda, Tralbahr lives a frugal lifestyle, focusing most of his earnings into developing the Brotherhood. He lives comfortably and isn't going to starve any time soon, but he appears to have much less personal wealth than a man in his position should have.
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Marshal of the Masscht River Brotherhood
Age
49
Date of Birth
Winterdeep 20, 420 TE
Birthplace
Masscht Valley, The Heartlands
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark brown
Hair
Black, greying, close-cropped
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Dark
Height
6'3"
Weight
100 kgs
Other Affiliations
Comments