Dale Mattock
Captain-Organiser in the Imperial Army of Evadrin
Smart, capable, and not even too bad on the eyes, captain Mattock would make a great officer within our Imperial Army. Alas, he is a foolishly honourable man, ignorant of politics in a nation where everything, especially the army, is heavily politicized. Luckily for him, he proves to be a valuable asset to me, and in return I’m sure I can aid him overcoming his little obstacles…
- Baroness Hillia Clacey over Dale Mattock
Introduction
A captain within the Imperial Army, Dale Mattock is considered to be an intelligent and able logistical expert. Many expected him to rise through the ranks with the potential of eventually becoming a general. Unfortunately, during his stay in Waerham Citadel where he would be promoted to Captain, Dale made a bad impression on the senior officers. Instead of becoming the organiser of the highly prestigious Northern Sentinel Battalion, he would instead be assigned to the Northern Seventh Brigade with a complement of 1 soldier: Dale Mattock himself. Never one to sit around and skulk though, the newly appointed captain would do his very best to perform his duties. Travelling north, he would employ mercenaries to help the local rulers deal with the threats they face. While hardly the prestigious position many would hope for, Dale simply wants to serve the Empire as best as he can, and in the process hopes that he can earn the respect of his superiors once more.
Background
Youth
Born in the small northern village of Somery, with a father who was a soldier in the Imperial Army and a mother that was a seamstress, Dale would know a simple and normal but happy childhood. He would follow normal education until he was 16 years of age, after which Dale would immediately and willingly join the Imperial Academy in the northernmost city of Dennview to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Joining the Army
While the empire enforces a conscription procedure that forces every one of its citizens to join the army for a variable period of time (ranging from 2 years to a decade depending on the the circumstances and the race of the individual in question), there are many that willingly join the army and aim to stay in it for the rest of their lives. Dale Mattock is one of those kinds of people. In the Imperial Academy it quickly became clear that Dale was a dedicated and loyal soldier, capable in combat, but most notably with an exceedingly keen mind. He would very early on be selected for junior officer’s training, gaining special education with regards to leadership and logistics. At 18 years of age, Dale made corporal and had a bright future ahead of him.
Dismal March
The year 469 of the Fifth Age would know the start of the horrible event that eventually became known as “The Dismal March”, a war for survival against an invasion of terrible monstrosities that seemed to have spawned on the Peninsula of Rifts and travelled all the way over the Wailing Wastes to the different nations on the southern side of the continent. Stationed in one of the northernmost cities of the Empire at the time, Dale would experience first hand the initial waves the monstrous creatures. While these were relatively small compared to what was to come, these first battles were described to be terrifying for the soldiers, as they had to deal with a completely unknown kind of enemy. What’s worse is that then Emperor Rohan Lancaster refused to take any action, and that many northern leaders severely underestimated the threat, resulting in the north being overrun incredibly quickly.
As the northern battalions were very quickly pushed on the defensive, the army leaders decided to pull back to a far more defensible position. Most notably the enormous stronghold known as Waerham Citadel. Dale was part of a squad of soldiers that was responsible for the evacuation. Their sole purpose was to slow down the enemy as much as they could to give citizens and the bulk of the army as much time as possible to retreat. It was an incredibly dangerous duty, but one Dale and his fellow soldiers carried heroically. It is during this period that Dale’s incredible skill of logistics would become apparent, and he was in no small part responsible for his squad’s success evacuating the civilians. Unfortunately, many would lose their lives, and the squad would often leave a trail of destruction in their path that was supposed to slow the enemy down, though they all did it so as many people could be brought to safety as possible.
After mere months Dale and his squad would be pushed back all the way to Waerham Citadel, where the first true stand of the Empire was made. After a few victories, however, the entire northern army group would find themselves surrounded in the enormous citadel, and Dale would spend the majority of the Dismal March in Waerham, fighting off as many of the monstrous spawns as he could. During this 6 years old period he would also be promoted to sergeant.
When the Dismal March was pushed back with the help of the Legacy Shield, Dale would follow the then Emperor’s son Arryn Lancaster and a young generation of generals in a combined push with other nations to destroy the creatures once and for all, against the command of Emperor Rohan Lancaster himself. Dale, a veteran of 6 years of war at that point, only found it his duty to aid with this final push, even though it was technically against the chain of command. However, as Rohan would die months after the end of the Dismal March, there never was any form of punishment for those that followed the Emperor’s son.
Officer after the war
The years following the Dismal March would know a period of great reconstruction. Emperor Arryn Lancaster proved himself an extraordinarily capable leader, and he was popular by many, though there were some old senior officers within the army that disliked how the new Emperor went against the orders of the old one during the Dismal March. This eventually caused great strife within the army, and Emperor Arryn Lancaster would be forced to remove many of them from their position to prevent a split of the senior commanders. While Dale always found Emperor Arryn a great ruler, he did think that the situation within the army could have been handled better, especially since there were still many senior officers of the old guard remaining in Waerham citadel. Nevertheless Dale simply performed his duties as best he could. In this period, the army would aid in the massive reconstruction efforts as well as securing the nation, as many soldiers had died in the war. Dale would be promoted to Lieutenant not shortly after the end of the war as a form of recognition for his exploits and bravery during the Dismal March.
In the year 486 of the Fifth Age Dale would be summoned to Waerham Citadel for additional training and a promotion to Captain. He was to become the organiser of the prestigious Northern Sentinel Battalion, the main northern army, and one of its senior officers. However, during his training Dale began asking questions about the uprisings that were rumoured to be happening all over the Empire, as well as the involvement of former and disgruntled officers of the Imperial Army. Apparently Dale brushed his superiors the wrong way somehow, as after his training and his promotion he was assigned to the Northern Seventh Brigade, instead of which he was the only member. It was obvious that there was something strange going on and that there were those trying to silence and punish the captain. Dale would continue to perform his duties as best he could in his now very weak position, often working out deals with mercenaries to help the northern rulers deal with dangerous threats. However, he would also be looking into the situation of the uprisings that they were trying to keep him away from, as he was convinced that there was more to the story, and that it could pose a great danger for the Empire.
Personality
Dale is known to be a calm and intelligent person that keeps to himself most of the time. He thinks before speaking, and always carefully considers the possible effects of everything he says and does, though he will always be honest as he considers himself a very honourable man. Dale has a great sense of responsibility for the men he serves with, and cares deeply for them. He will treat soldiers and citizens alike with a great deal of respect. Additionally, he has incredible skill in overseeing the grand scheme of things, which is how he became an organiser within the Imperial Army.
Dale is an imperial loyalist through and through. He believes strongly in the Empire, its citizens, and its values, and will do anything in his power to protect these. However, his tendency to strongly express his opinion about the Empire and its situation, as well as his lack of understanding of the complex nuances of Evadrin’s political dynamics, has caused him numerous difficulties as an officer in the highly politicised Imperial Army.
Combative Skills
While Dale’s area of focus in the army is actually more concerned with logistics than actual combat, he is, like any soldier within the Imperial Army, well trained and more than capable with sword and shield. Any officer is supposed to showcase the best of the best of Evadrin, and Dale is no different, making him a deadly foe on the battlefield.
Faith
Like many within the Empire of Evadrin, Dale worships Lox, the God of Order, as his main Deity above all others.
Year of Birth
451 5A
36 Years old
Birthplace
Somery
Children
Current Residence
Dennview
Gender
Male
Eyes
Gray-Blue
Hair
Short, Light Brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale
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