Saxi Hafnason

Saxi Hafnason, more commonly known by his nom de guerre, "The Evehian Butcher" or simply "The Butcher", was a prominent historical figure during the Fall of Meridia. Little is know of his early life, though it is known that he was not, in fact, Evehian, but rather a second son of a second son of Banilim from the House of Hafnason that acted as the right hand of the Evehian prince during the era. It is known that Saxi attended the premier military academy of Banilim, where he met the future prince of Evehia, then an unknown cadet, and became inseparable.   As the prince rose in power, Saxi quickly became known as his right hand, and was notable for his brutal pragmatism, both in moral and political matters. While rumors surrounded the prince's rise in power and what lengths Saxi had gone to promote this rise, as well as whether his interests truly lied with the House of Hafnason, it is known that it was a stable and peaceful time in Evehia, and the prince signed the first Treaty of Peace and Reconciliation between Evehia and Banilim, spearheading the strong alliance between the politically juxtaposed nations.   When news reached Evehia of the Fall of Meridia, Saxi begged both the prince and the Council of Banilim to be allowed to lead a joint force to join the Union, but was rebuffed, as neither nation could afford to open themselves up to attack. It is said that this shattered the relationship between Saxi and the prince, and Saxi instead appealed to the academics of Evehia that they may rescue the great works of Meridia.   Nearly two months past the start of the war, Saxi departed Evehia with a veritable army of academics and scholar, receiving news of the war's progress through travelers and refugees upon the road. When they arrived in then-Northern Meridia, his "reinforcements" were seen with disgust by the Union forces, seeing them as nothing more than war tourists. This impression did not last; while some academics were aghast, fleeing or refusing to engage with the undead, the remainder, nearly five thousand men strong, gained a reputation as a terrifyingly effective brigade, often reaching deep beyond the frontlines to retrieve entire libraries and galleries.   Saxi's Madmen, as they came to be called, were considered instrumental both in the retrieval and preservation of Meridia culture, and in numerous sieges, most famously at the Siege of Alraq, where a contingent of five hundred engaged in brutal street to street fighting beyond the Eastern Gate, buying time with lives for reinforcements to retake the gate. The brigade suffered near-total annihilation during the war, with less than a hundred of the original five thousand surviving the war.   Saxi, for his part, was renowned as one of the most skilled Force mages in modern history, and his presence was rumored to be the only thing that caused fear within the undead. However, despite his skill, Saxi fell during one of the last battles of the war, during a daring raid to decapitate undead leadership mere weeks before the halt of the undead advance. Due to the privacy of his life, it is common folk legend that Saxi did not fall, but instead succeeded in his quest due to the timing, or that Saxi had made a pact with a dark creature that had come to claim it's dues. It is also known that upon hearing that Saxi had fallen, the Evehian prince fell into a stupor, and resigned his title upon waking despite the protestations of his advisors and the Major Council.