Belisarius

This article is 100% rumour, 80% true, 60% relevant, 40% accurate, 20% dependable and 0% guaranteed.

General Maximus Belisarius, 'Lord Ironfirst'

Physical Description

A tall 6'10" human bearing many scars gained during the last 20 years fighting wars and battles across Alusia. Some speculate on the background to his birth and family but few do so to his face and survive. He has a warriors build with a face that has seen many battles and fists showing a life of hardship and pain.

History

Maximus Belisarius is a general of Aquilan descent, born in 770 in the town of Novalar. As a child Maximus was captured in 780 by slavers when he and his family were travelling along the river. His parents were Lucius Belisarius, a merchant from Ostow and Serena Belisarius (nee Evangelus), the daughter of the captain Syrus Evangelus.

Maximus was taken to the Ellenic States where he was sold to until 788 when he earned his freedom as he defended his master's life in an incident where thieves attacked and killed the guards but failed to kill him due to Maximus's actions.

His master gave him his freedom and citizenship in the Ellenic state of . He also paid for his 2 years training in the army in which he rapidly rose in rank and capability from trooper to captain by the age of 25 in 795. He left the army when it was reduced in the state of peace that reigned in that time.

He took his experience and skills and became a mercenary general fighting in foreign lands for the next 10 years until 805 when he retired from active service and settled in Northern Eltrandor on a mountain estate paid for by some of his earnings over the past 10 years.

Skills

He is a Military Scientist Specialising in Skirmish, Strategy and Aerial Warfare as well as Battlefield. He has achieved Rank 9 in this skill and is looking for a way to complete a Master work in this challenging field.

He fully utilises Small unit tactics to gain strategic or tactical advantage and his plans tend to be controversial and confrontational until the underlying brilliance can be seen and the effect taken advantage of.

Public Knowledge

He has an estate in Northern Eltrandor and another in Southern Eastern Aladar as his main residences as well as a number of investments across the western kingdom.

He is also known as the Stone Captain and in his younger days the Blood Sergeant.

He specializes in strategic warfare and has a commanding presence.

The loyalty he inspires is so great that no one who has served under him will impart any information about him, even to the degree that they will deny having met him. This makes one wonder how any information could become public knowledge....

Ethics

Belisarius is known as a good man in a fight and he is never known to have violated the warriors code.

Belisarius is known for his hard discipline and ruthless training regimes which contribute to a high rate of training incidents but create better troops who are more able, versatile and capable than others of similar years. His Cavalry is renowned for their daring night raids and close-quarter assaults.

"Training accidents happen and better to have a number of such 'accidents' occur when the situation suits than taking untried, and untested troops into battle which could result in the loss of the entire body of troops" - Belisarius (Autumn 807)

"What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger" - Belisarius (Autumn 807)

Those who have fought with him speak of his tactical insight with admiration and near-disbelief at the ploys he has successfully pulled off over the years.

Personal Guard

He has a personal guard numbering 40 men who are called the 'Black Guards' or the 'Ironmen'. Most of these are human but one quarter are other races, with 2 each of Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Halflings and Giants.

The captain of the Black Guards is Capt Cyrus Beltarcon, a very capable fighter (and a namer) who has been with Belisarius for the last 10 years as his loyal soldier, guard and confidant.

Each of the Black Guard has been with Belisarius for no less than 6 years and 10 of them accompany him everywhere unless ordered to stay in a location.