The Warrior

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Growing up in Pridd several hundred years ago, Cairn had a reasonably normal life. He lived simply with his doting mother and his loving but strict father. They didn't have much money, so at the age of 16, they gently encouraged him to think about leaving home and making his own way in life. Anxious to get out on his own and become a man, Cairn did what many young men did - he joined the King's army.

Life in the army was difficult, and full of strictly regimented daily routine that he had not had at home. However, far from struggling, he quickly fell into the lifestyle -- and he excelled. The young man could often be found in his tiny barracks tent reading through all of the strategy and tactical books he could get his hands on at any given moment, and he soon discovered he had a natural affinity for both. Because of this, he rose through the ranks quickly, advancing until he became one of the army's youngest generals.

Unlike many of the army's other high-ranking officials, Cairn would often go out drinking and carousing with his subordinates (as young men will often do), which helped him to form a closer relationship with them and to be a more effective leader. Eventually this camaraderie, together with Cairn's excellent leadership and clever insight in battle, led him to become a beacon to the men under him, despite his young age. Over many years, he carried his loyal soldiers through many successful campaigns, defending Pridd from her aggressive neighbor to the north, Ysdril, as well as aiding Pridd's ally country Deheuba in repelling advances by the distant southern regions. So great were Cairn's natural abilities that he lasted an exceptionally long time in his position, sustaining the inevitable injuries and fatalities (including a terrible incident in which he lost his right eye and much of his peripheral vision and depth perception) but retaining very high morale and very few overall losses.

One fateful campaign saw Cairn and his men leading the attacking front on a faction of the Ysdrillian army, which was trying to advance past the mountains that served as a protective barrier on Pridd's northern border.

tbc

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When we die
We will die with our arms unbound
And this is why
This is why we fight

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The General

mini

hagane

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Things I know:

- Cairn was a decorated general and brilliant tactician in his day, hundreds of years ago. However, after a failed military campaign nearly caused the death of all of the men under his command, Cairn made the decision to sacrifice himself to save the rest of his men. After his unit was safe, he was brought to Theede instead and made the Sage of War under Telamaine's command.

- He is a gruff man who doesn't appreciate backtalk and commands respect from those around him. His appearance shows that he's been through a lot in his life.

- As Pridd's Sage of War, Cairn does not actually participate actively in battles himself anymore. However, he does visit the battlefields themselves, posing as a soldier, to inspire the Priddish army and dispense good advice, among various other indirect means.

- He has a penchant for hard liquor and for bedroom partners -- though in Theede, his immortality doesn't provide the same results from the former and his rough personality doesn't get him much of the latter.