Wallace MapleHeart
Hero of the long dark
Wallace Mapleheart has been the sovereign ruler of The Maplehearts kingdom ever since he freed the north eastern lands of the valley from Emberborn rule. Over the past few centuries he made the Mapleheart kingdom into one of the most prosperous and well off places in the Valley. His rule has been characterized as being strict, but just. He is almost universally is loved by his people, and has also succeeded at maintaining a good reputation with the other lords of the valley. Particularly his friendship with Vaïnaemon has grown deeper over the years. Wallace has always lead by example: he was there repairing the fortifications of The Rock, provided a helping hand bringing in the harvest in years of early frost, and fought on the front line in times on conflict.
Ever since the Maladred Calamity however Wallace has gradually assigned more and more responsibility to his oldest living son (Rodon Mapleheart). It is rumored that he never really recovered from his clash with Maladred The Mad. He now spend most of his time in his keep in Castanea.
Wallace was born to middle class farmer family, the MapleHearts, in the town of Oakville in the years 502 RT. Unlike the rest of his family Wallace had black hair. His father taught him how to read at a very young age. Because even though they were farmers and not of noble blood, he believed that: "a life spend learning, was a life well spend".
Life was tough back then. They weren't poor by any measure, but every pair of hands was put to work to make sure it stayed that way. Wallace spend most of his youth on the farm. But he always made sure that he took the tasks like tending to the cattle, that netted him the most opportunity to read in peace. After dark, he would often slip away from the farm to go and listen to the village elders about stories of times long passed.
During the 17th month of the First Invasion Wallace volunteered to help defend his homeland against the undead. He had never received any official military training, nor did he know how to fight. But when could see the thick layer of darkness growing ever closer in the distance, he wanted to do what he could. He was assigned to the 7th infantry division, a so called "meat shield" division, that the Rubelite generals used as a buffer for their own forces.
The accounts of the following months vary, but the common tread is that Wallace evolved into a devote strategist and passionate soldier. He had become accustomed to using a dual bladed war axe in combat and quickly rose through the ranks of the division, slightly helped by its high mortality rate. Wallace led by example, he was well aware of how low the Rubelites thought of him and his people. But he was always the first one into the breach, storming the enemy ranks with a hardheaded determination that inspired all soldiers.
29 months after the first sightings, the forces of the underworld had overrun all lands east of the Malu River. Cornus and Hemlock still stood, but the the Emberborn army lead by had decided to forfeit the bridge near Hemlock and retreat all forces back to Cornus. From there they could cross the river and strike right at the heart of the enemy forces.
By that time Wallace was commander of the 7th infantry division and he flat out refused to give up his station at the bridge south of Hemlock. The generals had little regard for the people still living in Hemlock and claimed that they should have fled west a long time ago anyway. Yet, Wallace stood his ground. He and around a 800 soldiers of the 7th dug in for the long haul.
The Rubelite elite couldn't agree on who would lead the strike into the enemy lines and so what should have been 2 days, turned into a 5, turned into 24. Cornus was well defended and it gave the armies of the Valley the time to resupply and regroup. But all the attention of the enemy was pointed towards the Wallace and his 7th.
Wallace rarely talks about that time, but accounts from army commissioners say that the fighting went on 24/7, every day, every night. Wallace and his division had taken up position right after the bridge, ensuring that the enemy could only funnel in a couple dozen creatures at a time. They say that he himself fought there for hours on end, sometimes all through the night. But they endured, Hemlock endured.
After the army of the dead was defeated only a couple of dozen men and women of the 7th remained. But Wallace emerged stronger than ever before...
Ever since the Maladred Calamity however Wallace has gradually assigned more and more responsibility to his oldest living son (Rodon Mapleheart). It is rumored that he never really recovered from his clash with Maladred The Mad. He now spend most of his time in his keep in Castanea.
Origin Story
Wallace was born to middle class farmer family, the MapleHearts, in the town of Oakville in the years 502 RT. Unlike the rest of his family Wallace had black hair. His father taught him how to read at a very young age. Because even though they were farmers and not of noble blood, he believed that: "a life spend learning, was a life well spend".
Life was tough back then. They weren't poor by any measure, but every pair of hands was put to work to make sure it stayed that way. Wallace spend most of his youth on the farm. But he always made sure that he took the tasks like tending to the cattle, that netted him the most opportunity to read in peace. After dark, he would often slip away from the farm to go and listen to the village elders about stories of times long passed.
The Long Dark
During the 17th month of the First Invasion Wallace volunteered to help defend his homeland against the undead. He had never received any official military training, nor did he know how to fight. But when could see the thick layer of darkness growing ever closer in the distance, he wanted to do what he could. He was assigned to the 7th infantry division, a so called "meat shield" division, that the Rubelite generals used as a buffer for their own forces.
The accounts of the following months vary, but the common tread is that Wallace evolved into a devote strategist and passionate soldier. He had become accustomed to using a dual bladed war axe in combat and quickly rose through the ranks of the division, slightly helped by its high mortality rate. Wallace led by example, he was well aware of how low the Rubelites thought of him and his people. But he was always the first one into the breach, storming the enemy ranks with a hardheaded determination that inspired all soldiers.
The battle for Hemlock
29 months after the first sightings, the forces of the underworld had overrun all lands east of the Malu River. Cornus and Hemlock still stood, but the the Emberborn army lead by had decided to forfeit the bridge near Hemlock and retreat all forces back to Cornus. From there they could cross the river and strike right at the heart of the enemy forces.
By that time Wallace was commander of the 7th infantry division and he flat out refused to give up his station at the bridge south of Hemlock. The generals had little regard for the people still living in Hemlock and claimed that they should have fled west a long time ago anyway. Yet, Wallace stood his ground. He and around a 800 soldiers of the 7th dug in for the long haul.
The Rubelite elite couldn't agree on who would lead the strike into the enemy lines and so what should have been 2 days, turned into a 5, turned into 24. Cornus was well defended and it gave the armies of the Valley the time to resupply and regroup. But all the attention of the enemy was pointed towards the Wallace and his 7th.
Wallace rarely talks about that time, but accounts from army commissioners say that the fighting went on 24/7, every day, every night. Wallace and his division had taken up position right after the bridge, ensuring that the enemy could only funnel in a couple dozen creatures at a time. They say that he himself fought there for hours on end, sometimes all through the night. But they endured, Hemlock endured.
After the army of the dead was defeated only a couple of dozen men and women of the 7th remained. But Wallace emerged stronger than ever before...
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Wallace has always been a big guy, a real farmer's son. Arms and thighs as thick as logs, and the stamina of a Draught Horse.
Species
Year of Birth
502
265 Years old
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dark brown
Hair
Black long
Height
1.95m
Weight
110
