Kraul Maremir "Strazny"
Kraul of Orozred and Voivode of Vranea, Hegemon of Radokva, Bojtár, Kizwalka, Siliza and Naemlyia Maremir Maksymilian-Maciej Janek (a.k.a. Strazny (The Fearsome)
Maremir Janek, the crowned king of Orozred, an ambitious conqueror of numerous states as well as a savvy statesman, a shrewd politician with a viper tongue and keen mind.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Never the strongest or fastest, Maremir still had the making of a proper soldier if that was the furthest his ambition took him. No longer the same in terms of athleticism, Maremir's mind has grown sharper and sharper as he has aged, and now replacing the soldier, the chessmaster wears the famed Laurel crown of Orozred.
Facial Features
In his youth, Maremir was known as a handsome man with long flowing locks of hair that made him seem regal despite his poor and lowly status. Over time his flowing hair darkened to match the grim and stern face of the ruler of the ascendant state.
Identifying Characteristics
The stern gaze of Strazny is a sign to any unfamiliar with him of exactly who he is and what he is capable of
Apparel & Accessories
Maremir famously dropped the wearing of a proper crown like that of his predecessor instead, he adopted the use of a laurel wreath much in the manner of the early Emperors of the Rasenna. This, along with his increasing centralization of power makes his ruling style more in line with these emperors of the ancient empire.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Living a tumultuous life as the secret son of a revered marshal of Orozred and the daughter of an innkeeper, a young Maremir Maksymilian-Maciej Janek was always stern and serious as a boy growing up in the slums of Orozred to a father he had never met and a mother who was much closer in age to him than to her former lover. Maremir would be nearly 15 when he first met his father when he finally stopped by to visit him and his mother while he was away from the field. Immediately, Maremir and his father did not get along as Maremir did not mince words on what he thought about his absentee father and the two screamed at one another before Kazimierz stormed off in a huff and an adolescent Maremir stood outside the doorway of their inn and verbally berated his father as he rode off, bringing to attention that such an esteemed marshal of the city was in the dirty slums visiting his bastard son and his mistress.
This event seems to have lit a fire under Maremir and he pursued a military career as a lowly foot soldier with ambitions to rise to the rank of his hated father and surpass him. Maremir's career began in the service and quickly, his talents were acknowledged and he rose fast due to his daring, ferocious, and courageous leadership in engagements during the rebellion against the Ciezkin despot Valentyn the Cruel. The Sokoly War of Freedom, as it would be known, produced an opportunity for Maremir, and soon he was made an infantry commander at just the age of 24 where he continued to perform brilliantly. Soon, a confrontation between the Ciezkins and the rebel Sokoly materialized near a hilly pass, a Battle that came to be known as the Battle of Ovarcha Pass, or sometimes The Battle of the Pikes.
Here, the final battle of the war would be fought and where Maremir would make a name for himself as the man who slew Despot Valentyn. Ovarcha Pass was a brutal affair with the Ciezkins initially making great headway, slaughtering the initial Sokoly line of sword and axemen from Struz. It is when the advancing Ciezkin wall met the pikes of the allied Kovna, led by Voidvode Yakiv Dudka that the advance was halted and the majority of the first wave of Ciezkin fighters fell. The next wave crashed into Dudka's line with a vengeance and the pikes began to ail when Voidvode Dudka fell and his body captured by the enemy.
The Kovna pikes were ailing and nearing retreat when cries came out from the right wing, it was here that commander Maremir led his men in a bold charge that utterly routed the ill-prepared Ciezkin skirmishers and a 2nd suicidal charge was made on the 2nd wave of the Ciezkin force by the bloodthirsty Orozred infantrymen. This 2nd charge caught the Ciezkins from the side and with the first few ranks annihilated and being overrun the army began to withdraw to the safety of a nearby hill. During their withdrawal, the cavalry on the left, ironically led by Maremir's father, chose not to pursue their opposing cavalry and instead wheel around and encircle the retreating Ciezkins. Now surrounding the Ciezkins and engaged in a ferocious melee, Maremir fought his way to the retinue of Despot Valentyn where he threw him from his horse and stabbed him through the eye with a dagger. With Valentyn's death, the Ciezkin cause was lost and the battle and the war were won.
Maremir's bold twin charges and his killing of Despot Valentyn instantly made his name famous in all of Soklya and beyond. This propelled him to be promoted to marshal where he would be awarded with lands and titles in the name of the new noble house of Janek. It was on the back of his military career that when the old Kraul Lech Orbanik died, the legislative Sjem narrowly elected the war hero as the new Kraul much to the outrage of the old nobility who ironically backed his elderly father Kazimierz. At the age of only 30, the new Kraul set about filling the ranks of the Sjem and the military hierarchy with competent and effective supporters of his, namely promoting the young commander Piotyr Jarząbek to Grand Marshal and marrying him to Maremir's own younger sister Kalina.
Due to his shaky standing among the aristocracy of the Sjem, Maremir looked for an opportunity to win legitimacy for himself and saw such an opportunity in the West against the Salic Kingdom of Menscha. Menscha, while a wide-spanning kingdom, was not what it once was as it was wracked with internal strife and disunity under the rule of King Reiner. As such, Menscha was the perfect target for a young ruler to win a great victory in the field and gain the loyalty of the unloyal factions of his subjects in the Sjem. Soon it came time for a fight, and the Kraul mustered his spymasters to do their work in the eastern marches of Menscha and so rumor began spreading of the Reiks of those lands calling the Kraul's election illegitimate and began speaking of a great holy expedition east to rid those lands of the nonbelievers and forge a new kingdom under the authority of the Ecclesia. In just a few short months, Maremir's spymasters conjured up an idea so real, that the Salians began believing it themselves, they called it "the Great Idea" and it was this call that led to the mustering of the banners which concluded in the disastrous defeat at Vyutas.
The Orozred victory at Vyutas was a source of resounding acclaim for the new Kraul, coins in the following years would commemorate it via a depiction of the laurel-wreathed monarch standing triumphant beside crushed Salic knights and nobles on the battlefield. It is from the victory at Vyutas that Maremir is first called "Maremir the Terrible" by Salic sources, this, in turn, led to Sokoly subjects referring to their "terrible" leader in such a way with the moniker of Strazny, a name closer to Dreadful or Fierce and it soon became a term of endearment to the Kraul.
Maremir proved himself to be just as capable a politician as he was a soldier and soon the Sjem supported his revival of wars against the Ciezkins and eventually against the splintering Kovna states. With victories in the field against both his enemies abroad, good news came politically as the allied Voidvode of Vranea died and Maremir was elected to replace him, diplomatically bringing the economically thriving city of Vranea peacefully into the fold.
Now, Kraul Maremir Strazny looks both east and west for new territory, his forces invincible in the field and his spymasters and diplomats conjuring causes from thin air, the mighty Orozred eagle gazes from the tree tops looking for new prey and the mastermind plans his next chess move.
This event seems to have lit a fire under Maremir and he pursued a military career as a lowly foot soldier with ambitions to rise to the rank of his hated father and surpass him. Maremir's career began in the service and quickly, his talents were acknowledged and he rose fast due to his daring, ferocious, and courageous leadership in engagements during the rebellion against the Ciezkin despot Valentyn the Cruel. The Sokoly War of Freedom, as it would be known, produced an opportunity for Maremir, and soon he was made an infantry commander at just the age of 24 where he continued to perform brilliantly. Soon, a confrontation between the Ciezkins and the rebel Sokoly materialized near a hilly pass, a Battle that came to be known as the Battle of Ovarcha Pass, or sometimes The Battle of the Pikes.
Here, the final battle of the war would be fought and where Maremir would make a name for himself as the man who slew Despot Valentyn. Ovarcha Pass was a brutal affair with the Ciezkins initially making great headway, slaughtering the initial Sokoly line of sword and axemen from Struz. It is when the advancing Ciezkin wall met the pikes of the allied Kovna, led by Voidvode Yakiv Dudka that the advance was halted and the majority of the first wave of Ciezkin fighters fell. The next wave crashed into Dudka's line with a vengeance and the pikes began to ail when Voidvode Dudka fell and his body captured by the enemy.
The Kovna pikes were ailing and nearing retreat when cries came out from the right wing, it was here that commander Maremir led his men in a bold charge that utterly routed the ill-prepared Ciezkin skirmishers and a 2nd suicidal charge was made on the 2nd wave of the Ciezkin force by the bloodthirsty Orozred infantrymen. This 2nd charge caught the Ciezkins from the side and with the first few ranks annihilated and being overrun the army began to withdraw to the safety of a nearby hill. During their withdrawal, the cavalry on the left, ironically led by Maremir's father, chose not to pursue their opposing cavalry and instead wheel around and encircle the retreating Ciezkins. Now surrounding the Ciezkins and engaged in a ferocious melee, Maremir fought his way to the retinue of Despot Valentyn where he threw him from his horse and stabbed him through the eye with a dagger. With Valentyn's death, the Ciezkin cause was lost and the battle and the war were won.
Maremir's bold twin charges and his killing of Despot Valentyn instantly made his name famous in all of Soklya and beyond. This propelled him to be promoted to marshal where he would be awarded with lands and titles in the name of the new noble house of Janek. It was on the back of his military career that when the old Kraul Lech Orbanik died, the legislative Sjem narrowly elected the war hero as the new Kraul much to the outrage of the old nobility who ironically backed his elderly father Kazimierz. At the age of only 30, the new Kraul set about filling the ranks of the Sjem and the military hierarchy with competent and effective supporters of his, namely promoting the young commander Piotyr Jarząbek to Grand Marshal and marrying him to Maremir's own younger sister Kalina.
Due to his shaky standing among the aristocracy of the Sjem, Maremir looked for an opportunity to win legitimacy for himself and saw such an opportunity in the West against the Salic Kingdom of Menscha. Menscha, while a wide-spanning kingdom, was not what it once was as it was wracked with internal strife and disunity under the rule of King Reiner. As such, Menscha was the perfect target for a young ruler to win a great victory in the field and gain the loyalty of the unloyal factions of his subjects in the Sjem. Soon it came time for a fight, and the Kraul mustered his spymasters to do their work in the eastern marches of Menscha and so rumor began spreading of the Reiks of those lands calling the Kraul's election illegitimate and began speaking of a great holy expedition east to rid those lands of the nonbelievers and forge a new kingdom under the authority of the Ecclesia. In just a few short months, Maremir's spymasters conjured up an idea so real, that the Salians began believing it themselves, they called it "the Great Idea" and it was this call that led to the mustering of the banners which concluded in the disastrous defeat at Vyutas.
The Orozred victory at Vyutas was a source of resounding acclaim for the new Kraul, coins in the following years would commemorate it via a depiction of the laurel-wreathed monarch standing triumphant beside crushed Salic knights and nobles on the battlefield. It is from the victory at Vyutas that Maremir is first called "Maremir the Terrible" by Salic sources, this, in turn, led to Sokoly subjects referring to their "terrible" leader in such a way with the moniker of Strazny, a name closer to Dreadful or Fierce and it soon became a term of endearment to the Kraul.
Maremir proved himself to be just as capable a politician as he was a soldier and soon the Sjem supported his revival of wars against the Ciezkins and eventually against the splintering Kovna states. With victories in the field against both his enemies abroad, good news came politically as the allied Voidvode of Vranea died and Maremir was elected to replace him, diplomatically bringing the economically thriving city of Vranea peacefully into the fold.
Now, Kraul Maremir Strazny looks both east and west for new territory, his forces invincible in the field and his spymasters and diplomats conjuring causes from thin air, the mighty Orozred eagle gazes from the tree tops looking for new prey and the mastermind plans his next chess move.
Education
Received no formal education until he was nearly 20 years old
Upon becoming an infantry commander, Maremir quickly learned proper reading and writing in addition to a thorough military education.
Upon becoming an infantry commander, Maremir quickly learned proper reading and writing in addition to a thorough military education.
Employment
Orozred infantryman
Infantry captain
Infantry commander
Orozred Grand Marshal
Elected Kraul of Orozred
Infantry captain
Infantry commander
Orozred Grand Marshal
Elected Kraul of Orozred
Accomplishments & Achievements
Rose out of poverty into the armed service
Quickly rose through the ranks of the Orozred army
Daring charges at the Battle of the Pikes and personally slew Valentyn the Cruel
Promoted to Grand Marshal and shortly after, elected Kraul
Victories against the Ciezkins at Zolec
Victory against the Kovnan states of Kizwalka and Siliza at Svevarosk
Elected Voivode of Vranea
Quickly rose through the ranks of the Orozred army
Daring charges at the Battle of the Pikes and personally slew Valentyn the Cruel
Promoted to Grand Marshal and shortly after, elected Kraul
Victories against the Ciezkins at Zolec
Victory against the Kovnan states of Kizwalka and Siliza at Svevarosk
Elected Voivode of Vranea
Mental Trauma
Paternal abandonment
Harsh childhood
Harsh childhood
Intellectual Characteristics
Deeply Bellicose and Determined
Morality & Philosophy
Weakness can be exploited, to show weakness is to show failure and failure is always the end of a man
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
A great expansion of his and his people's power on the world stage
Reinstitution of law and order in the fashion of the old Empire of the Rasenna
Reinstitution of law and order in the fashion of the old Empire of the Rasenna
Virtues & Personality perks
Ambitious
Determined
Patient
Rational
Reasonable
Determined
Patient
Rational
Reasonable
Vices & Personality flaws
Draconian
Power hungry
Aggressive
Unflinching
Power hungry
Aggressive
Unflinching
Social
Contacts & Relations
Monarch of Durad Tovkar, Tytuz Swatek, Lev Dyachuk and Jonas Nemanja
Family Ties
Son of Kazimeir Maurek and Zofia Janek
Older Brother of Kalina Janek
Brother in law of Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek
Older Brother of Kalina Janek
Brother in law of Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek
Religious Views
If Marshal Jarząbek is a cynic, Kraul Maremir might as well be a nonbeliever as it seems he holds no piety to the gods of the Prus in any way farther than ceremony. It seems he explains his disbelief in the gods as them having no sway over him overcoming the circumstances of his own upbringing and becoming the man he is today, a feat he attributes only to himself.
Social Aptitude
Stern is a word many would use to describe the Kraul of Orozred, terrifying can be another word used by less than able courtesans that have the misfortune to get on the King's bad side. It seems Maremir was able to get ahead in life due to his sharp mind and his extraordinary way with words as only a man as quick with wit and with as sharp a tongue could convince the typically orthodox Sjem to elect a seemingly simple infantryman to the role of Kraul.
Mannerisms
No signs of the Kraul's brewing wrath can be heard in the tone of his voice or his mannerisms as he always ensures he remains cool, calm, and in control of every interaction he engages in.
Speech
Refined and dignified in his speech, Maremir has a way with words few can match. His verbal sparring matches with any up jump nobles, commanders, or brave courtiers is something to marvel at, as only through displeasing Kraul Maremir can someone see a hardened war veteran fall to his knees beginning for forgiveness after failing or speaking back to the fearsome Kraul.
Relationships
Kraul Maremir "Strazny"
King and Brother in law (Vital)Towards Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek
-2
4
Dishonest
Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek
Grand Marshal and Brother in law (Vital)Towards Kraul Maremir "Strazny"
3
3
Honest
History
The first meeting between father and son was anything but ideal, Maurek seems to have wanted to treat his son Maremir with warmth but the boy had already made up his mind on what he'd tell his absentee father when he met him. Their encounter ended with Maurek storming off and Maremir berating him as he did so. Later, when Maurek learned his son had become an infantry commander, he sent him a formal letter of congratulations to which he received nothing but an even more formal letter of thanks towards "Marshal Maurek". During and after the Battle of Ovarcha Pass, some soldiers reported that Maurek asked around if any had word on his son's condition to which he received word that his son had led the charges that had broken the lines of the Ciezkins and won them the day. It was after that day that the two men finally shared a cordial conversation with one another with Maurek confessing he had not been the best or even a real father to him. Later, when Kraul Orbanik passed away, the Sjem convened to elect a new Kraul. As he had been a decorated war hero and an influential noble at court for decades, Maurek was chosen by many wealthy men as their candidate for the position. Maurek himself supported his son and convinced many more conservative members of the Sjem that Maremir would prove a much better leader than him. After Maremir was elected, Kazimier retired from public life and promptly died later, seemingly reconciling with his son before he went.
History
Growing up in the slums of Orozred, the familial bond formed between Maremir and Kalina towards their mother Zofia was based on survival. Growing up in that dangerous place, Maremir adopted a deep sense of responsibility for the wellbeing of his younger sister who was adored by him. Over time, as her brother became less and less an angry little boy and more and more into the steel-eyed ruler of Orozred, Kalina saw herself understanding less and less with an ounce of fear of him building in her. Thankfully, the match Maremir made between herself and the new Grand Marshal turned into one that she was very thankful for.
(Kraul Maremir before an assembly of the Black Army)
Ethnicity
Other Ethnicities/Cultures
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Kraul of Orozred
Voivode of Vranea
Hegemon of Radokva
Bojtár
Kizwalka
Siliza
Voivode of Vranea
Hegemon of Radokva
Bojtár
Kizwalka
Siliza
Date of Birth
30th of Amiel
Year of Birth
651 A.E
51 Years old
Circumstances of Birth
Born to Marshal Kazimier Maurek and his mistress Zofia Janek
Birthplace
The slums of northern Orozred
Spouses
Siblings
Kalina Janek
(Younger Sister)
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Long, Brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Fair
Height
6'3
Weight
200 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
"If I have given command to a fool, do tell for I will promote you again to service as my jester."
Belief/Deity
Paren and the Prus pantheon
Aligned Organization
Kovnan
Vranese
Character Prototype
Emhyr var Emreis and Matthias Corvinus
Comments