The Custodian

The Custodian (c. 2022-2109), also known as the General or Pater Noster, was a Terran founding figure, statesman, general, philosopher and historian. He is responsible for Terran unification and the creation of the Terran state as it is today. A career officer, he first distinguished himself during the Maghreb Wars and later in the Georgian Campaign. In 2052 he launched a coup d'état in the European Federation and seized power. After consolidating his power he led European armies through Asia, Africa and South America and united Earth under his rule. He proclaimed himself Custodian of the newly-founded Commonwealth of All Peoples of Earth and started restructuring the state. He wrote a Constitution and later founded the Terran Federation. He is also known as a philosopher and historian.
Little is known about the Custodian before he joined the army in 2040. He was born somewhere in Eastern Europe in the early 2020s. Most historians agree he was born in 2022, but even this is contested by some. The place of his birth is also unknown, other than it was in the eastern half of the European Federation. It is also unclear what status was he born in, but most scholars tend to agree that he was born into extreme poverty. 
==Biography==
===Service in the European Army===
In 2040 he joined the army. He was assigned to southern Anatolia, where he would spend the next four years. By this time he has become a captain in the European Army.
====Maghreb Wars====
The European Federation went through the mid-21st century crisis relatively unscathed on a humanitarian and economic level, as throughout the 2020s and 2030s Europe entered complete autarky and became isolationist. However, Europe would face a multitude of political and diplomatic challenges. The first one of these came in the form of the Maghreb Wars, a conflict which began in 2044 and ended in 2048. The Custodian was assigned to Sicily, where he was one of the many charged with the defense of the island. By late 2044, it was clear that the Maghreb Union would be unable to stage an offensive against the European Federation. The Custodian was among the first European soldiers to land in Africa during Operation Lantern. He distinguished himself on multiple occasions, once taking a village whilst outnumbered 10:1 and running low on ammo. He rose through the ranks at extreme speeds, and by early 2046 he had become a Colonel. Later that same year, he was one of the commanding officers of the siege of Constantine. The operation was an utter disaster: the European plans were leaked by several spies within European high command, and the Custodian's forces were encircled. The Custodian organized his 3000 troops in the town of Ibn Ziad, and managed to hold for over 12 days against over 40000 Maghrebi troops. European high command, in disarray after the betrayal at Constantine withdrew back to Tunisia. The Custodian was captured by the Maghrebi forces on the 19th of October. 
After being captured, the Custodian was placed in house arrest in Algiers. He initially refused to give out any information, but by early December 2046 had started feeding Maghrebi intelligence false reports. During this house arrest, the Custodian started writing his book Under the Sun, his first memoir and philosophical work, recollecting his experiences since he had joined the Army, and especially during the Maghreb Wars. He wrote the first half of the book during house arrest, and finished it in 2049. 
European high command decided that the Custodian was essential to the war effort, being one of the most experienced and competent officers in the European Army, and decided that he had to be liberated. The European Federation started negotiations for a prisoner exchange. Initially it was planned one of the princes of Morocco, captured by European forces during the Capture of Tunis, would be exchanged with the Custodian. However, negotiations stalled and by February it was decided that the Custodian would be liberated by a commando operation. In the night of the 21st of February, a small contingent of European Special Forces liberated the Custodian, and escaped by boat. 
When the Custodian got back to his troops, he was hailed as a hero by many, the genius behind the last stand at Ibn Ziad had become somewhat of a living legend. He was promoted to the rank of General, and was made Supreme Commander of European Armies in the Maghreb. European forces, which had been pushed back to the city of Tunis, managed to stand their ground, and eventually by late August managed to break off the Maghrebi siege. By the end of September, European troops under the Custodian's leadership were reorganized and ready to mount a counter-offensive. In early October, operation Scipio was launched. The Custodian's leadership and tactical genius won the European Army numerous battles: at Sfax, Tebessa, Souk Akhras and El Mahmal. By mid-December, European forces were sieging down Constantine again. This time, thanks to the Custodian's knowledge of the terrain and of the enemy, the city was taken within 21 days. 
In 2048, the Custodian's skills would be proven yet again. He led his troops to numerous victories, the most notable of which was the Battle of Souk El Khemis, on the outskirts of Algiers, where European forces crushed the Maghrebi Army. The Maghrebi Army retreated following this loss, initially to Algiers, but by March the city was abandoned as it was judged impossible to defend. Maghrebi forces regrouped at Oran, in western Algeria. The Custodian organized an amphibious assault west of the city, which captured the airport and cut off the city from outside aid. The city fell in 9 days. The Custodian's forces stormed through Morocco from early March, and by late June had reached the outskirts of Fez, the economic and political center of the Maghreb Union and Morocco.
Seeing its most important city under siege, the Maghreb Union demanded a cease fire, and the capitulation of the Maghreb Union on the 4th of July 2048 was overseen and signed by the Custodian and his Maghrebi colleagues. This ended the Maghreb Wars, and made the Custodian extremely popular with the European public. Within the newly integrated Maghreb, the Custodian was surprisingly equally popular. Whilst a brilliant strategist and tactical genius, he was also most concerned with the well-being of the civilians on whose land he was fighting. He always tried to minimize civilian casualties, and made sure that all basic needs were met for civilians of the captured cities. He was also well respected by Maghrebi leadership due to his competence as a leader and commander. The Custodian remained in the Maghreb for another year, eliminating pockets of resistance and overseeing the reconstruction. During this time, he finished Under the Sun. It was published and ended up being a commercial success, selling over 30 million copies within a decade. It was especially popular in the Maghreb, for its fairly generous descriptions of the region and its people.
====Georgian Campaign====
Russia had been at peace with the European Federation since its inception in 2028. In 2026, a treaty was signed which stipulated that Belarus was to be integrated into Russia and Ukraine was to become a member-state of the European Union. It also contained a non-aggression pact and extensive trade agreements. From this point on, Europe and Russia would have warm relations. With the death of Vladimir Putin in 2043, Russia was left with a power vacuum. This was exploited by several high-ranking members of the military and of several corporations, which ruled through several puppet leaders. This proved extremely unpopular with the Russian public, and so as a distraction in 2049 war was declared on Georgia. This was unacceptable to the European Federation, which saw several treaties broken by Russia since 2043. However, Europe was unable to declare a full-out war to protect its ally as it was entangled in the Maghreb Wars. In 2049 the Maghreb had been successfully integrated and the last pockets of resistance were wiped out. 
The Custodian was sent to Georgia in late 2049, initially as a military advisor. Due to the Georgian mountainous geography, the war had so far been a stalemate. The Custodian understood that the most efficient way to put an end to the conflict was to complete the realignment of the Russian public against its government. He launched, with the assistance of the European Special Service, a large scale propaganda campaign against the Russian government on social media. Whilst it was having an effect, it would take time before concrete results appeared. He continued to organize and train Georgian troops, and even took unofficial command in several battles. The war continued to remain a stalemate until mid 2051, when the Russian homefront turned. In June, a massive corruption scandal appeared involving multiple members of the unofficial ruling council. This was the last straw, and began the New Russian Revolution. In the night of the 22nd to the 23rd of July, all government offices in every great Russian city were seized by the revolutionaries, who proclaimed the Russian Republic. The Russian Republic signed a peace treaty with Georgia, and re-negotiated treaties with Europe. However, many of the remaining troops in Georgia stayed loyal to their generals and continued a guerrilla campaign. The Custodian was assigned as commander of local European, Russian and Georgian troops with the aim of exterminating the guerrilas. By 2053, his objective was complete. Georgia became part of the European Federation the same year. 
The Custodian was now extremely popular within the European Federation, and the world at large. Whilst it became clear he was involved in the social media campaign, the Russian public was thankful for the fact he facilitated the revolution. Talks began for the Russian Republic to integrate with the European Federation. In 2055, the Russian Republic abandoned its sovereignty and entered the Federation. 
===Coup d'état and becoming the Custodian===
By 2055, the Custodian was immensely popular. He was renowned for his military genius, humanitarian approach to conflict and the philosophy found in his books. The Custodian, alongside a group of other conspirators, most of which were army staff and ministers of the Federation, decided to launch a world-wide unification campaign. The destruction of the last nuclear weapons in the 2030s meant that total annihilation was now nearly impossible.
====State of the world after the 2040s Crisis====
Almost every great power outside of Europe was severely hit by the 2040s crisis. The Arab League entered a period of internal conflict and stagnation. The United States, the world's leading power in the 2020s, collapsed in the aftermath of the 2032 elections. The Great Plains were plunged into a series of conflicts, whilst the southern states declared independence in the newly formed Association of Free American States. Meanwhile, most of the West Coast and the entire north-east, including the Great Lakes region, remained a part of the United States. These were however plagued by internal instability, due to food shortages and political conflict. The African Union was hit the hardest by the Great Famine of the 2040s. It population fell from 3 billion in 2039 to around 700 million in 2048. However, due to the Arab League's and European Federation's isolationist stance, the large masses of people displaced by famine were unable to move, and as such most of them died. The East African Federation, formed in 2024, was one of the only nations in the world other than the European Federation that was nearly unscathed by the famine. It became the wealthiest region of Africa. Whilst not hit as bad as Africa, Asia was also severely affected by the Famine. Alongside the Famine, an antibiotic resistant plague erupted in Myanmar in 2043, which decimated the South Asian population. Meanwhile, in China, the housing crisis of 2028 generated a flow of refugees of titanic proportions: nearly 400 million people were displaced from 2029 to 2032. 
====Coup d'état====
On the 5th of October 2055, the coup was launched. From 5AM to 8AM most high-ranking European officials were arrested at their homes for an alleged corruption scandal. The President and Chancellor having been arrested, the European Parliament gathered in an emergency session to elect a replacement Chancellor at 9:30AM. The Custodian encircled the Parliament building with his troops, and forced the Parliament to make him Chancellor-President of the European Federation. This effectively granted him full-powers. By 11AM the news had been broadcast across the Federation and the world. Whilst condemned by a great number of nations outside of Europe, the European public had a generally positive response, with the important exception of the newly-integrated Russia. Many were already dissatisfied with the state of European politics previously, as the minority government had spent the past four years doing little to nothing. By 9PM of the same day, the Custodian adopted a new title of Custodian of the Federation and dissolved the Parliament indefinitely. 
Terran historians tend to agree that the support of the European military and both the French and Belgian police forces secured a swift coup. The support of large corporations, such as Maersk and what was to become Neue-King ensured long term financial stability of the new government, which promised them political favours down the line. 
===Beginning of the Unification Wars===
====Russian campaign====
Whilst most European states were accepting of the change in government, this was not the case of the Russian Federation and Siberian Republic. The Russian people had finally been able to acquire democracy after the Georgian Campaign and wasn't ready to give it up for yet another dictatorship. On the day of the coup the Russian Federation and Siberian Republic both condemned the act in a joint statement, and declared a state of emergency and began conscription. The Custodian immediately responded to this by amassing European troops on the Russian border to ensure internal cohesion. The Custodian was however too busy with internal politics to personally lead the invasion. He delegated the command to Royce von Rijsewijk, a colonel who served under the Custodian during the Maghreb Wars and was promoted to the grade of general since. On the 9th of October the Russian Federation, Siberian Republic and Chinese Republic, the largest of the successor states to the People's Republic of China, declared war on the European Federation. Initially, European troops were successful, pushing to to Voronezh and encircling Vostok-on-Don. Minsk and Kaliningrad, effectively surrounded by European forces were swiftly occupied. However, the northern front in Finland and Estonia was unable to push and was even pushed back in several areas, fighting even reaching Helsinki. By winter, the offensives had stalled on both sides, and Chinese troops had arrived. This is one of the rare occasions where it is known the Custodian was reported to lose his cool, declaring "I will not be defeated as Napoleon and Hitler were". However, it quickly became clear by spring that most Chinese troops had massed in the south, preparing an offensive on Georgia and Turkey. 
Rijsewijk organised and led an offensive passing through Volgograd and cutting off the entirety of the Russian southern front. In a 2 week offensive half of the Sino-Russian forces had been cut off. Several counterattacks were launched attempting to recapture Volgograd, but each one failed and ended with massive Sino-Russian casualties. By April, the southern front was exhausted from repeated unsuccessful offensives. On April 6th the southern front collapsed on several spots and within days was forced to surrender. Over a million Chinese and Russian soldiers were captured as prisoners of war. Many troops from the north having been diverted to the south by the Russians, the European army was able to push them back and St. Petersburg found itself surrounded by May 1st. The European southern front was redirected to an offensive on Saratov and eventually aiming for Moscow. However, Russian defences around Moscow were too tough for a speedy breakthrough, and the European Army aimed to encircle it instead. By May 5th, both Moscow and St. Petersburg found themselves under siege. Trying to avoid a humanitarian disaster, Rijsewijk offered a cease-fire which was accepted by the Russian and Siberian forces. However, the Chinese Republic refused. The 2 million strong Chinese army which remained in Russian lands was captured, surrendering without resistance on multiple occasions. 
The Treaty of Tallinn set out the peace terms. Russia and Siberia would be integrated into the European Federation, but not as autonomous states but as administrative regions known as districts. They would both unite to become a single district, which would also incorporate the State of Ukraine, part of the Federation. Ukrainian leadership not having been informed of this, the Custodian sent for the Ukrainian leadership to be arrested a few hours after the treaty was signed. This was the first of the districts, which would become the standard sub-Commonwealth administrative unit of the Terran Federation. This East Slavic District was much less autonomous than other European States. Its police force was merely an extension of Europol, and was unable to pass its own laws. This set a precedent for other member states. Most districts on Earth were created after TAU integration. 
===Last years and death===
Following his withdrawal from political life in 2097, the Custodian retired. From 2097 to 2102, he comitted himself to a worldwide Grand Tour. At the time, this was kept secret on his own wishes. He visited the territory of all ex-nations at least once. During this time, he began his work on the Historia Humana's first volume. His son Sagallo accompanied him for much of his travels, but left him in 2100 to study in Oxford. Upon finishing his travels, he first moved to an estate near Edinburgh. He remained there only for a few months, after which he moved to Samarkand, where he would live out the last years of his life. 
In Samarkand he had a palace and a ranch built for himself. He spent his last years writing the remainder of the Historia Humana. The Stoic Works were published posthumously by his daughter Alaia. He died in 2109 of natural causes in his palace. His funeral was a small event, being attended by no more than a dozen people, including his two children, three grandchildren and his closest advisors. In 2110 the construction of a large memorial began in the center of Samarkand. Construction was completed in 2130 and his ashes were moved in a state ceremony. 
==Personal life, personality and traits==
===Personal life===
The Custodian never married or fathered any biological children. However, he adopted two children in 2088; Sagallo Abara, a two year-old orphan boy from the East African Federation, and Alaia Cobb, a six year old orphan girl from the Canadian District. It is known that he dedicated a significant portion of his time to the both of them despite his state duties. The direct descendants of these two individuals form what is now known as the Cosmopolitans. 
===Personality===
The Custodian was considered to be a genius in more than one area. His sense of tactics and strategy secured him many victories, and his capacity to secure the loyalty of those surrounding him allowed him to reorganize Human society in his image. He was also well-known for being able to recognise talent where he saw it, and promote his subordinates as he saw fit. This was already noted in multiple psychological profiles during his military service and it became obvious when he proclaimed himself Custodian. The Custodian is also considered by some to be a polymath, as after his retirement from political life he wrote several mathematical texts, some of which were the precursors to future Terran FTL and gravity technology. His historical work, the Historia Humana is also one of immense importance. Considered the first of what are now many books, which take a standardised approach to history throughout the world, it is one of the basis for the history education of the Federation
The Custodian was known to be stoic and reserved in most situations. He was exceptionally calm and controlled in most situations. He rarely showed emotions, especially anger. Rarely saying more than the strict minimum, he would often leave speeches and communication to members of his close circle, most notably Arthur Castlereagh. One of the rare situations in which the Custodian would show joy was in the presence of his children and later grandchildren. Many have supposed that the Custodian was autistic to a certain degree, although no psychological report from his time at the military confirms this. 
His leadership skills were also known to be exceptional. He commanded the respect of his men, and the opposite was true as well. He was known to often personally inspect the conditions and reported issues of his soldiers, even during his time as marshal. This extremely hands-on approach persisted when he became Custodian, but over time he delegated more and more to his closest advisors. 
Whilst he was often incapable of showing it, he had a deep sense of empathy, especially for the "common folk" - a term he often used to describe the majority of the lower and middle-class citizens. He had a strong dislike for civilian casualties, and worked to limit them at all costs. This was especially obvious during the Maghreb Wars. During this conflict he would ensure that during urban battles the civilians would still have access to basic necessities, most importantly water. Nevertheless in later years he began to advocate for the elimination of political opponents despite his beliefs. During his reign, the General Bureau of State Security killed over 80 000 members of anti-Custodian parties and organisations.
The Custodian was also known for being a polyglot. By the end of his life, he spoke 12 languages fluently. He spoke English, Latin, Esperanto, the main languages of the Federation at the time, but also French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Turkish and Arabic. When he integrated the European Army he already spoke Polish, English, French and German. This has led many to believe that he was born in Poland, but much evidence suggests he could've been born in Slovakia or Hungary as well and moved to Poland early in his childhood. He learned Latin during his first year in military service, and subsequently learnt Turkish when stationed in southern Turkey. He also learned bits of Arabic at this time. When he was stationed in Sicily, he began learning Italian but had difficulties with it. He finished learning Arabic and Italian during the Maghreb Wars, especially during his captivity. He learned Russian in preparation for the Georgian Campaign, and attempted to learn Georgian but was unable to. He learned Spanish, Portuguese and Esperanto between the time the end of the Georgian Campaign and his coup-d'état. 
===Art and hobbies===
Fine arts were one the Custodian's great centers of interest. Over the course of his 109 year long life, he accumulated an immense art collection, most notably sculptures which were his favourite art form. These are now located in the Custodian's Museum of Samarkand. He also appreciated classical music and opera. After the end of the Maghreb Wars, when he could finally afford it, the Custodian would often go and see operas first in the Maghreb and later in Europe when he returned. He had a special preference for romantic-era music, leading him to learn to play the piano. Later in his life he would sponsor many aspiring artists, most of which were cinema directors. 
He was also an avid reader, claiming to have read over 3000 books over the course of his lifetime. He enjoyed most literary genres, buty had a particular interest for historical works and novels. He also had an extensive library, containing over 8000 books. He was a major critic of electronic and audiobooks, considering them to be an inferior version of paper books. It is even said he wished to outlaw audiobooks but was dissuaded from doing so by his advisors. 
Aside from fine arts, the Custodian had several other centers of interest. He was notably fond of video games, which he pushed to be recognised as a form of art in their own right. He also practiced various sports, such as swimming and horse riding, until the very end of his life. He owned a large ranch near Samarkand, which he would visit on a weekly basis. He was also known to go hiking in his younger years, but he was forced stopped due to security concerns.
===Political and religious views===
The Custodian was known for his strongly anti-theist views. He believed that science and reason alone were able to explain the universe, and that religion was merely an outdated system of superstitious beliefs which allowed for an organisation other than the state to control the people. He passed a series of laws limiting the freedom of religious expression when the First Commonwealth was formed. These laws promoted atheism, and have often been compared to Soviet or Communist-China laws of the same nature. These laws most notably limited religious education and expression. Most symbols of faith were outlawed outside of religious buildings and holy sites. Whilst most of these laws were repelled over time, the Terran Constitution still stipulates that the Federation is an atheistic state, even though it now functions as a de facto secular state. The Custodian's anti-theist views softened over time, and he expressed that his anti-religious laws were some of his greatest regrets. 
The Custodian was fairly authoritarian, believing democracy was unable to function properly if the electorate wasn't properly educated in matters of democracy, civil duty and history. He famously said that "Democracy cannot function as long as the average elector is unable to distinguish the legislative and executive branches and does not understand where his taxed money goes to". However, he did not condemn democracy altogether, believing that it was the system of rule which should ultimately be striven for. He often said that his Custodianship was a dictatorship, but a benevolent one which he would renounce once he felt the society he built was ready. 
A hard-line believer in science throughout his life, the Custodian is the main reason the Terran Government is split in two to this day. The introduction of the Senate was of his doing, as most of his outer advisors were scientists and scholars of all sorts. Once he proclaimed the Terran Federation, he decided that the upper chamber of parliament would be entirely made up of scientists. He was also the one to decree the creation of the Supreme Council, which was meant to be a check on the Chancellor's powers. However, after the first three Chancellors the Council became more powerful than the Chancellor, and the de facto leader of the Federation.