Leroy Rowland
Admiral Leroy Rowland
Leroy Rowland was born to a family of merchants in the city of Whitemarsh. His family had ample wealth and had made most of their gold in the course of overseas trade and commerce, predominantly with the Free Cities and Jakonia. As a child, he was educated in the practice of nautical terms and techniques, and spent some time on board his family's merchant ship. Tragedy struck when his ship was attacked by Bahami corsairs, and the entire vessel taken and scuttled. He was captured as a slave by the Bahamis to be sacrificed to their djinn. He lost several family members in the attack and to the brutality of the corsairs, but he was saved from a life of enslavement by a routine Recfreran naval patrol.
The Bahamis were defeated and Leroy, despite his young age, led an uprising of the captured crew against the Bahamis, allowing them to seize the ship and aid the attacking Recfreran marines. He was brought aboard the naval vessel and his heroism won him the respect of the hardened marines of the fleet. He was tapped to join the College of the Seas back in Whitemarsh, put into a fast track for naval warfare education and knowledge. He graduated as an adult, and was commissioned as an officer into the Navy of Recfrere. He was even granted a command nearly immediately due to his high marks and accomplishments during education.
His first vessel was an exploratory and scouting ship, dealing with patrols deep into the Endless Ocean and occasionally even into the Bahami Federation. The RNS Navarro earned ample distinction for its missions throughout Bahami territory, bringing home comprehensive maps of the Bahami territories and even some of their defenses. The ship dealt with numerous corsairs, both violently and peacefully, and Rowland gained a reputation for tactical genius in the battlefield. In 1003, he was recalled as war erupted between Recfrere and Populres, with the navy required to protect the coast from orc raids. Rowland was given a full ship of the line as he found himself on the front lines of the war at sea.
At the Battle of Pleasant Bay in 1007, Rowland was badly injured during a stalling action while his ship enabled the rest of the fleet to get into position. Although nearly half of his crew was killed and he was grievously injured, Rowland was lauded as a hero, and the strength of the Populresi fleet was broken. He spent nearly a year in recovery, learning to live without an arm. A donation from a relative of one of the men saved by Rowland donated gold to pay for a regeneration of his arm in 1009. Rowland immediately volunteered to return to service, and was promoted to Admiral and given a small offensive fleet to raid villages along the Populresi coast. These were loudly proclaimed as victories as the stalemate continued, and Rowland accumulated even more glory.
Upon his return to Whitemarsh, he began to settle down, marrying one of the sailors from his flagship crew. He chose to retire from active military service after nearly forty years in the navy. In 1034 he regained the title of Admiral after being appointed to be the new head of the Whitemarsh College of the Seas. He has performed this role admirably, and some claim he may be well suited for the next King of Recfrere, but he has so far refused to engage in the wider politics of the kingdom.
Current Location
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Honorary & Occupational Titles
Admiral of the College of the Seas
Date of Birth
Sunpeak 3, 971
Year of Birth
971 AF
70 Years old
Children
Gender
male
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