Eremir the Great

Eremir Cisval was described as being pretty tall, strong and handsome, with a charismatic demeanor that made him popular with the people. He had pale skin, dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes, which changed to a reddish ruby colour in his 20s.

For most of his life, Eremir was simply a Birdfolk Shapeshifter, with the ability to transform into a crow. This was an ability he inherited from his mom, and one that was shared with his sister, Liliana. This changed after his 17th birthday, as he went through a near-death experience during a guild mission, and awakened his pyromantic abilities, making him an Elemental Mage as well as a Soulbound Mage. Thus, he became only the 13th known Archmage to ever exist.

Childhood

Eremir was born in the city of Laenos on the 11th of October, 22bc from rumalian parents working as mercenaries for The Copper Cloaks, a mercenary guild at the service of The Esnian Empire.. He was a younger brother of his sister Liliana by 2 years. Already at the age of 4, he began training his Shapeshifting abilities, which his had inherited from his mother.

Tragedy and Growth

The siblings would tragicaly loose both of their parents at the age of 12. They had been sent on a mission against Rekyans in Kherokomia abord a winged ship, but the vehicle was caught in a storm in the Kheros mountains and crashed, killing everyone on board. The Copper Cloak's leader, a man named Davos, took Eremir into his home in the City of Partosa and raised him like his own child, while his sister was sent back to extended family in Rumalia. This would be the last time both siblings would see each other, until almost 15 years later. Meanwhile, Davos continued training Eremir so that he would be able to join the guild in the future, which he did at 15 years old, becoming an official member of the guild. Over the next two years he would gradualy rise through the ranks of the guild, becoming leader of his own squad at 16. He and his squad were based in the city of Partosa.

A Revelatory Mission

The eve of his 17th birthday, Eremir's squad were sent to the nearby city of Talaran on a rescue mission, as the city was being attacked by a horde of Rekyans . During the mission, they unfortunatly became stuck in a tricky situation, with dozens of the monsters closing in on them. In that critical moment, he became an Archmage, as his latent fire magic ignited, and he was able to burn the monsters away, saving himself and his squad, and evacuate the city, which would resist the invasion and be saved 2 days later.

Archmage Leader

In late february of 4bc, a few months after Eremir's faithful mission in Taralan, Davos, the man who had become his adoptive father, died in front of him during a mission near Larasor against an advancing horde of Rekyans . In a fit of rage, he shifted into a very large crow, and used his firemage abilities he had been been deligently practicing since their discovery, to carve a fiery path through the horde, killing dozens of monsters on his way to the one that had killed Davos. Despite being at least trice as large as the others, Eremir took it down single-handedly. This action greatly contributed to the human victory in that battle, and Eremir was hailed as a hero by not only his squad, but the entire army. Even the emperor himself personaly invited and welcomed him to his palace in Tareghasi the following month. A few weeks later, the Copper Cloak guild held a vote to elect who would officialy replace Davos as leader, and Eremir, who had been made the interim leader, very easily won the vote. Reportedly, he didn't want the position, according to memoirs of squad mate, and one of his closest friend, Tonan of Casqal. He wrote that Eremir doubted his leadership skills. Despite this, he became the leader of the guild in April of the year 4bc, at the age of 17. Despite his young age, he would go on to become the single best millitay general of the upcoming Rekyan wars.

The Rekyan wars

Over the next decade, Eremir would lead the Copper Cloaks as they entered the war against the resurgent rekyan hordes, which terrorised large parts of central and southern Arros. Eventualy, he became the main millitary leader of the human side of the war, leading multiple armies of mages and humans to victory in numerous battles against the monsters. Unfortunatly, some battles ended with hard loses, most notably in the infamous seige and subsequent sack of Partosa in december of 2bc. Tonen's memoirs describe the immense toll that specific loss took on Eremir. However, despite this and other set-backs, he would not falter in his mission and for that, he quickly became a folk hero throughout much of the continent, celebrated wherever he would be seen. When he had time, he would make sure to listen to the people and try to help their situation as best he could, and would often guide his guild to do the same.

A little Respite

By the end of the year 5ac, things in Arros had calmed down, as the massive rekyan hordes which used to pose an existantial threat against all life on the continent, had been significantly reduced. Eremir, after fighting nearly non-stop for 11 years, decided to take a small retirement in the city of Tilesi, in what was now the Kavasian Empire. He relinquished his role as leader, insisting that a vote be held to choose a new one, which was done in early 6 bc, with Dovan, one of Eremir's squad mate, becoming the guild's new leader. Nonetheless, Eremir remained in a leadership position as the vice-captain, offering his support and advice to his friend. During this time, he visited his sister Liliana in the city of Varso, in eastern Rumalia, and they rekindled their relationship.

The Last Battle

In june of the year 6ac, an urgent call came to Dovan from the city of Hersa, stating that a gigantic Rekyan, the largest ever found on Arros, was spotted east of the city and was headed there. Three squads were dispatched to kill the monster, but failed, and half of their members were kiled. Eremir heard of this, and against the orders of Dovan, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He transformed and flew towards the north-west, reaching the city of Hersa on the evening of the 15th of june. A scout that happened to be hiding near the position of the monsters described a large black bird, covered in blue flames suddently descending directly onto the monster's back like a fiery comet, knocking it down onto the ground, starting the battle. However, said battle would last only a few minutes, not long enough for the mages in the city to come out in Eremir's aid.

Ultimate Sacrifice

In the end, Eremir and the giant Rekyan were evenly matched. Eremir's firepower was strong and destructive, but the Monster's regenerative abilities kept pace, and the monster was still approching the city. As the battle came to a climax, a large fireball rose from the battlefield, illuminating and then flattened the surrounding pine forests. When the smoke cleared, both eremir and the rekyans were gone, and a large craters, roughly 2km in diametre and filled with charred remains of pine trees, snapped in half like mere twigs by the force of the explosion. A year later, that very spot would become the location for a Monument dedicated to his memory.

Eremir was a prominent member of The Copper Cloaks guild. He was brought in officlaly at 15 years old, joined 4 other guild members of his squad on missions across Western and central Arros. At 17 years old, after demonstrating good leadership skills and potent magic abilities, he became the Copper Cloak's guild master, yet continued to regulalry go on missions and lead his guild to numerous victories on the battlefield. After the war against the Rekyans had seemingly calmed down, he took a break from millitary service at 27 years old. He would take up a final battle at the age of 28 against the last rekian monster, which costs his life.

Eremir rose to be master of a large mercenary guild, known as the Copper Cloaks, which he then successfuly lead into war against the blight and its rekyan monsters. Eventualy he would become one of, if not the main leader of the entire human forces on the continent. His prowest even got the attention of the last Esnian Empire himself, who gave him gold and other treasure for his good work. Most notably, he made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect the city of Hersa, in present day Kingdom of Alvaros, from the largest rekyan monster yet seen in Arros. That Rekyan was also the last of its kind on the continent, and by killing it, Eremir basicaly ended the war, and gave the living their victory.

Eremir rarely talked about his parents, according to Tonen, his long time friend and brother-at-arm, who adds in his memoirs that when he did, it clearly weighted heavely on his mind, even a decade later, and he suspects that he used his numerous fights against the Rekyans to expend his rage and anger.   In light of this, many scholars and historians have since speculated that the trauma caused by the suddent death of his parents, as well as the trauma from the loss of Davos and the decade-long war that came afterwards may have been the reason he decided to kill the Rekyan monster via suicide.   Some, while also acknowledging the heavy trauma he probably had, do push back against this, saying that what he did was not out of grief or despair, but because he recongnised that it was the only way to save the city.

Eremir was born druing the late Second Age, a time marked by wars between various states and of course, the war against The Rekyans , monsters born of The Blight's corruptions. Because of this, his goal was to use his great and unique abilities to help unite the people of the Continent of Arros, defeating those monsters, so that they may live in peace.

A Monument was raised exactly one year after his death, in 7ac. It is located about 3 kilometres to the north-east of the city, in the foothills of the Alvars Mountains. It is nested in a ring of young trees surrounded by much older ones; the result of the massive fireball he produced to kill the Rekyan. A festival, called the hero's Day, is held every year on the 16th of june throughout most of Arros and parts of Enaskia to celebrate his sacrifice and his acheivements. In Hersa, the festival lasts a whole week. Finaly, throughout Arros, many hyms, poems and songs were written in many different languages, which are most popular with Soulbound Mage children, who dream of being a hero just like him.