Grisweld Mittelhoss

Grisweld Mittelhoss is the Tyran of the Phoenix Army, loyal to Brydannia. Grisweld is also a chronicler who wrote accounts of the Borian War from the Borian perspective. He is noted to be one of the most brilliant officers in the Royal Army, if not the successor of Samuel Berghof as the military mastermind of Edelmaa.
Grisweld was originally a peasant farmer in the Kingdom of Hefaia, but he was drafted in to the Hefaian Army in 293 to partake in the upcoming Invasion of Workhold. Throughout the war, Grisweld displayed exceptional courage, discipline and leadership and was promoted to the rank of Major. He was also briefly a member of the Royal Garrison serving King Charles Perickard personally. While in the Royal Keep, he married a noble woman, Monika Montalban and became a noble himself. Later, Grisweld formed his own noble house, the House of Mittelhoss.
Grisweld participated in the Final Campaign or better known as the Battle of Eion Valley, where Grisweld commanded the Blackguard Penal Battalion. Though mistrusted and looked down upon, the miserable blackguards that Grisweld's men were, managed to defend brilliantly against all odds. Grisweld survived the battle making him one of the very few Borian survivors of the battle and the war as a whole.
Following this, Grisweld lead the Borian Army in the chaotic Officers' Battle, when a league of Hawkist Officers in the Borian Army began a revolution and tried to keep the war going. Grisweld, together with the new King Konrad Perickard subdued the mutiniers. Succeeding the War, Grisweld joined the Royal Army in 298 and fought in the Battle of Nora and later joined the Oblikrom expedition and partook in the War of the Oblikrom.
==Draft==
Before being drafted into the Borian Army, Grisweld was a Waldisian peasant born in October 272 in the Kingdom of Hefaia. His parents were farmers and he followed suite, however, he managed to raise enough money to be educated. He was also very burly and sharp so much so that he could easily pass for a minor noble or a warrior. Grisweld was of Peasant Revolt origin as his ancestor had fought in the Edelmaa Great War in the Perickardian Army. He was a devout Octavionist and believed that Octavio Perickard was the true champion of Humanity. Octavio became Grisweld's role model.
In late 292, the Hefaian Army began its draft and Grisweld, wanting to volunteer anyway, began to prepare for war. He trained extensively and used all of his money on military equipment. His entire village was drafted and they were assigned into the 4th Hefaian Regiment. The Company Captain, Artmut, made Grisweld the commander of the A Platoon. Grisweld's platoon was quite small being only 6 men strong. There were his two friends Braum and Arash as well as three others acquaintances. 4th Hefaian Regiment was immediately deployed to go to the Midlands.
==Borian War==
===Road to Wolfsee===
The Regiment, after disembarking in Edelmaa, briefly halted in Hamn to stock up in supplies. First thing Grisweld and his platoon did was to go and buy boots. Grisweld's unit was a recon company, so they were very aware that they needed to march long distances fast, and without proper boots, their feet would break.
===Bridge, Maiz and Lohensloss===
Soon Grisweld's company was on the move towards the Midlands. The platoon of Grisweld was put in the vanguard and they marched restlessly to the city of Maiz. Grisweld's platoon bumped into a small Royal Army outpost at Olav bridge. Grisweld's first battle and Grisweld defeated the outpost by ambushing the soldiers. He killed all except two who were taken captive. At Maiz, Grisweld's platoon infiltrated the Royal Army. Under Grisweld's approval, his friend Braum and Arash soiled the city's well. This proved to be decisive as many men of the Royal Army then drank the soiled water and rumors of a deadly disease sprung up. During Grisweld's infiltration mission, his friend Arash got stabbed to the shoulder by an aggressive soldier. Grisweld along with the Royal Army physician tried to heal Arash. They managed to plug the wound, but the physician had also drank the soiled water. He became very ill and the army began to move out of the city. Grisweld and Braum used a bench to carry their wounded friend and quickly fled the city.
Outside Maiz, Grisweld's platoon was ambushed by a mob of people. These people proved to favor the Borians and aided Grisweld. Grisweld's platoon had an infighting incident in which Braum got impaled by a spear. The incident also lead to the deaths of two of Grisweld's men. With the remaining 4 men, and the mob, Grisweld traveled south. There Grisweld's friends were sent to a hospital in Suomenlinna. Grisweld himself was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and he was assigned to the A Company of the 4th Regiment led by Captain Drekkar. Grisweld also got himself a retinue of 3 people; Sergeant Lettow, Doctor Fliora and Erich. Grisweld's two 'bodyguards' Fliora and Erich were overprotective of Grisweld to the point of being obnoxious. Grisweld tried to avoid communication with them and only really befriended Lettow from his entourage. Grisweld and his escort briefly participated in the Siege of Lohensloss, but quickly left for the city of Hammon as they were assigned to participate in the upcoming attack on Wolfsee.
===Battle of Wolfsee===
At the Battle of Wolfsee, Grisweld was assigned to help Prince Akhon Perickard in the left flank of the Borian Army. Grisweld finally participated in a big battle and he prepared himself well. He rested and ate heavily so when he reached the battlefield he was full of vigor. During the battle, Grisweld accompanied his friend Sgt. Lettow who had become the Company Champion. They decided to team up and slay the Royal Army commander, Sir Boloman Dufeed. Grisweld hesitated a little, because Boloman was massive and quite justifiably frightening. Nevertheless, Grisweld aided his brother-in-arms and attacked Boloman. Lettow had managed to cripple Boloman on top of him, however, Boloman was suffocating Lettow. Quickly Grisweld jumped on Boloman's back and began bashing Boloman with his mace. Boloman survived quite a while before finally dying. Much to Grisweld's dismay, his friend Lettow had already been smothered.
==Royal Keep==
To Grisweld's surprise, he was chosen by King Charles Perickard to become part of the small Royal Keep garrison. Grisweld was promoted to the rank of Major as a reward for his accomplishments from the previous battle. Grisweld was granted arms and armor of incredible quality and clothing he could never have dreamed of. However, there was very little to do inside the Royal Keep. All Grisweld and his men did, was study, exercise, train and flirt with noble women. Grisweld, unlike his companions, managed to seduce a noble girl by the name of Monika Montalban. Grisweld was made a honorary Baron by his father-in-law, and was later fully nominated as the Baron of Relstädt. In the Royal Keep, Grisweld uncovered a terrible truth about his paragon, Octavio. Grisweld had been previously worshiping and reinventing history for the sake of his idol, but he had learned that Octavio was in actuality a brainless git. Grisweld spent at least a week processing this discovery.
=== Book of the Borian War ===
Grisweld, after recovering from the terrible discovery, Grisweld began to scribe a book of the Borian War. At first, he decided to only chronicle his own experiences and his participation in the few campaigns, however, after interviewing many veterans of the Royal Keep garrison, he began to shift the focus of the book to tell the tale of the war as a whole. Throughout the war, Grisweld would interview soldiers in the military camps and barracks and ask their views and experiences. Being an officer, Grisweld was allowed to also interview other officers and even generals. He even became acquaintances with Soliar Varjangaria, who very willingly shared his experiences and the process of the War-planning.
== First Siege of High Castle ==
Grisweld and his units' participation in the First Siege of High Castle was minimal and they only acted as the attachés of King Charles. Grisweld would often speak with Soliar Varjangaria, the General of the Soliar Army and the commander of the Borian Army during the siege. Grisweld would spent his time in the camps writing his book and sometimes going to the officer's peak to view the castle with a spyglass. Grisweld also sparred with some of the men in the camps. He however bested all of them which led to no-one daring to challenged him. Grisweld in the end managed to duel Soliar's personal bodyguard, Hans Armitage, a KOMS knight. The duel ended in a draw which was very impressive.
The Castle Castellan Quan, eventually chose to negotiate the castle's surrender with Soliar. Grisweld was invited to the negotiation, as he was not only a Major, but the ambassador of the King. The castle garrison surrendered with very favorable conditions and the Borian Army then began to sack the castle. Grisweld, not really caring about the riches of the castle, chose to explore the tiny castle library. There he found a chroniclers gold mine with many accounts and war-plans from the Royal Army's perspective. An old man of the Castle Garrison of unknown identity, asked Grisweld of his intentions with the library. Grisweld responded that he merely wanted to investigate the scrolls, not to loot them. The old man then gave Grisweld the diary of a deceased soldier. Grisweld was grateful of this, and began to include the Royal Army's perspective to his book.
== Layoff and 'Peace time' ==
Grisweld's unit was sent to the Royal Keep, where their Royal Ambassador equipment was handed back to the Royal Keep Garrison. Then Grisweld chose to visit his wife in Antikea, where his first child would be born. Grisweld named his first son Revoiles. Grisweld would briefly live in Antikea, hosted by a local count. After a while, Grisweld received note that he was Court Martialed by his previous subordinates, Fliora and Erich. Grisweld wasted no time and traveled to the Courthouse in Olav Castle.
===Court Martial===
The case was very weak for Grisweld's opponents. They had charged Grisweld with mistreatment, which Grisweld, with the aid of his eyewitnesses, managed to object. Eventually, the first case ended in a tie, as neither side could counter the other. However, the next day Fliora held his own personal case against Grisweld, in which Fliora charged Grisweld with censorship. During the Siege of High Castle, Fliora and Erich scribbled their opinions of their superior, Grisweld, upon Grisweld's own book. When Grisweld arrived, he subsequently tore the page off. Annoyed, he prohibited his underlings to participated in the capturing of the Castle. This case was even weaker than the first, as there were no policies prohibiting censorship especially on a personal book. Needless to say, Grisweld won the case and earned $50 in the process. Grisweld began to ready his journey home, but was stopped by a Messenger of the War Ministry, who told Grisweld, that all previously laid-off military personnel should report back to duty to the nearest War Office.
==Redraft==
Grisweld reported back to service at the Olav Castle War Office. He was sent to the Officer's Club room where all officers above Captain were present. Soliar Varjangaria, who knew Grisweld by this point, personally gave Grisweld a mission. Grisweld was to round up all men who fought in the Royal Army during the Attack Phase of of the War. Next Grisweld was to establish a prison camp near the Maakor Castle where he would serve as the camp warden. Soliar also gave Grisweld the freedom to treat the prisoners in any way necessary, however, Soliar ordered Grisweld to execute all prisoners in case of emergency.
==Mittelhoss Camp==
As his subordinates Grisweld chose; Cpt. Oliver Wesley, Ltn. Richard and Sgt. Munch. Together with his staff Grisweld managed to organize a very successful POW camp.
=== Waldisian Riot ===
In March, a riot occurred when over 60 Waldisian prisoners began to attack the prison guards. This riot was put down with non-lethal equipment. The skirmish was personally commanded by Grisweld, who by this point was a prominent officer in the Borian Army. He ordered his 20 or so guards to attack and disperse the prisoners using only batons. Grisweld charged the inmate force into the prison quarters where intense melee took place. The riot was quelled about 20 minutes after it began. One inmate died as a result of his wounds and the remaining living ones where sent to solitary confinement. Grisweld's casualties were but one superficially wounded guard. After this riot, no new riots took place in the prison camp.
During Grisweld's time as a Warden, he was in close touch with the Borian Army HQ at Maakor Castle. There he often met with Adam Silven and the old Reyland Silven and Maakor Silven II. Grisweld also partook in the Maakor Castle festivities celebrating the expected final victory of the war. There Grisweld once again united with the Officers Club and conversed strategy with notable commanders of the Perickard family such as Shankar Perickard.
In the course of the festivities, the Silven family inquired Grisweld of his marital status, as Grisweld became a very prominent match for noble women. This was because of Grisweld's status as an officer in the Borian Army and for Grisweld's immense wealth having over $1000, which was almost on par with the Silven family itself. Though Grisweld's method of gaining this wealth was quite silly, as Octavio Perickard merely granted Grisweld a huge allowance from his massive deposits.
Early summer 294, all castles and cities of Boria began to take preventive measures against possible sieges, by sending all their prisoners into external prison camps. One of these camps was the Mittelhoss camp. During Grisweld's second participation in the officers club at Maakor Castle, he was told to organize the prisoners into an penal battalion and prepare for an upcoming huge campaign. Grisweld wasted no time, and ordered his staff to organize the men.
=== Preparations for upcoming campaign ===
Grisweld held a speech, in which he pleaded that he had treated the prisoners fairly, so he expected them to behave well during the upcoming campaign. This made the prisoners respect Grisweld even more, including the previous rioters. Grisweld's unit however, was fitted with poor and leftover equipment as the Army didn't want to equip penal soldiers with their finest equipment. Grisweld was assigned to the very frontline of the Borian Army centre force. The deadliest position in any battle. This was done in order to prevent the penal soldiers from routing in the midst of battle. Grisweld traveled to the town of Keriff, where the Borian Army merged and geared up for the upcoming campaign. Grisweld dined and conversed with the greatest and most renown members of the Borian federation. It was a great honour especially for a peasant born man.
== Battle of Eion Valley ==
Grisweld's influence in the final battle of the war, the Battle of Eion Valley was significant. His battalion of about 400 was deployed to the centre front and had to withstand the first few waves of enemy troops. They had to fight the weak levy troops and they were not really a big problem for Grisweld and his unit. When the enemy charged with proper troops, Grisweld decided to perform a risky manouever. He commanded Munch to attack the enemy from the sides with Munch's skirmishers and then Grisweld commanded his centre unit to fall back, whilst his flanks held strong. Thus he encircled and destroyed the enemy unit. Grisweld's unit was then fully charged by the enemy, but luckily Grisweld received reinforcements from the Archer unit and later the proper infantry. Grisweld then ordered his unit to face towards the right flank, as it had completely collapsed and the enemy took it over.
Grisweld had many problems with his colleague commanders, who either refused or ignored to cooperate with Grisweld. The only commander who cooperate with Grisweld died during battle leaving Grisweld almost secluded from the rest of the army. When King Akhon Perickard, the commander of the centre forces began to prepare a counter charge, Grisweld was promoted to the temporary rank of General, due to heavy losses even in officers. Akhon's charge was cancelled and Grisweld was ordered to withdraw to the top of Knoll hill, where Akhon withdrew to. There they built a wagenburg out of their supply wagons and rested. Grisweld, Akhon and the temporary Colonel Arash convened in intense plotting. Akhon told Grisweld, that he believed that Soliar had withdrawn to Silverion and that Soliar had his army intact. Akhon told Grisweld, that they should retreat there. However, Grisweld and Arash proposed Akhon to surrender, which was rejected by Akhon.
Sir Lothbrok Voorst, the regent of Workhold approached the wagenburg. Grisweld, being the highest ranking officer met up with him. Lothbrok suggested surrender terms with Grisweld, but Grisweld couldn't accept without the approval of Akhon. Akhon then told Grisweld to take some men and ride to Silverion and meet with Soliar. Akhon then told Grisweld, that the war was probably lost, but that they should try to topple King Jiri's regime at any cost post war. Akhon then took Grisweld's penal soldiers and charged the enemy delaying them. Grisweld, Arash, Mann Wildigan and Oliver Wesley rode towards Silverion in hopes of meeting the Army of Soliar.
== End War ==
During their trip south, they tried to recruit as many men as possible from the surrounding small towns, but this proved to be futile as the towns were plagued by the Fon's Plague and famine. Grisweld's retinue continued to ride to Silverion, where they didn't find Soliar, but the General of the collapsed right flank, Gotthard Lichtenawer. Gotthard thought that the war was still winnable and began to organize a defence. He told Grisweld, that Soliar was probably at Keriff and that Grisweld had to contact Soliar. Gotthard also forbid Griswled from informing Konrad Perickard, that Konrad was to be crowned new king of Boria as Akhon was presumed dead.
Grisweld rode to Keriff, where Soliar indeed was. Soliar was gravely wounded and the "army" of about 200 men was battered and in very poor condition. Grisweld immediately continued the march to Olav Castle, where he decided to tell Konrad the truth. Grisweld didn't want the war to continue and thought that Konrad would end it. Konrad did indeed begin to draft an armistice, however, this began the Officers' Battle, when Konrad's subordinates drew swords and prohibited Konrad from signing the armistice. Konrad signed it anyway, and Grisweld defended Konrad from the officers. Then Konrad commanded Grisweld to take the command of the loyalist Borian Army and to go and subdue the mutiniers. Grisweld sanctioned this and took the 70 men of Olav guard and immediately began to ride to Silverion in order to stop Gotthard from expanding hostilities with the Royal Army. Grisweld sent Arash to inform Soliar of the surrender. During his trip, Grisweld stopped by at Maakor Castle and took about 50 men from the castle. The 50 men were oblivious to what was going on and thought that Grisweld was recruiting them to fight in the upcoming Battle of Eion Valley, which they didn't know that was already fought.
At Silverion, Gotthard refused to step down peacefully and drew arms against Grisweld's retinue. Grisweld wanted to apprehend Gotthard, but Grisweld's guard of 10 knights of Maakor Castle were confused. They were abashed as they were expecting to join the war, not going to restrain a general of their army. Gotthard told Grisweld, that if Soliar was willing to keep the war going, Gotthard was going to detain Grisweld instead. Arash had actually obtained the command of Soliar's men, as Soliar accepted the surrender terms, but was too wounded to march to Silverion. When Arash arrived at Silverion, Gotthard couldn't believe that Soliar had surrendered. Gotthard attacked and killed one of Arash's men which caused Arash's men to attack and kill Gotthard. Following this, Grisweld and Arash had to capture Silverion palace, as the guards guarding it thought that Grisweld had assassinated Gotthard and was a traitor. Thus the Battle of Silverion Palace ensued. Grisweld charged alongside his men even dueling a Knight of the Highest Tower and killing him. This solidified Grisweld's swordsmanship skills. All the officers of the castle had committed suicide which effectively ended the battle.
Few days later, the Royal Army reached Silverion and demanded a surrender. Once again Sir Lothbrok Voorst met with Grisweld, but this time Grisweld had the authority to surrender. Grisweld was placed under arrest at Silverion city dungeon. As Grisweld was the Head of the Borian Army, he was invited to the Muede Peace Conference. There Borians didn't have a say in anything, so the presense of Grisweld was purely ceremonial. Following this, Grisweld was acquitted from all charges during the Silverion War Trials and Grisweld, after few weeks of captivity was finally a free man. He was also honourably discharged from the Borian Army before it was dissolved.
=== Post War, Antebellum ===
Grisweld decided to move to Antikea to live with his family, but held Akhon's plans of rebellion in his mind. He didn't forget it and planned on joining the Royal Army in order to eventually destroy it from within. Grisweld's friends Oliver Wesley and Arash had joined the Royal Army and together with Grisweld, they plotted their revolution.
== Nordic War and the Royal Army ==
In 298, news of the Vangad-Shei blood clans and their bloody blood marches reached Antikea and Grisweld. Grisweld didn't harbor any supportive thoughts towards King Jiri or his henchmen, but couldn't let himself stand idly by while innocent civilians were being killed in the Cold North. Grisweld enlisted in Royal Army, and surprisingly was allowed to join as a Major. During the half-year training process before venturing into the Cold North, the Royal Army tried to replace their officer shortages with promoting new and even slightly promising soldiers into the higher ranks. Grisweld was also promoted from Major into a Brigadier, after a mock wargame against a competitor. Grisweld was assigned a brigade of Antikean troops that were to become the Phoenix Brigade.
In August 299, the Nordic War officially began when the Worvians began to march into the Cold North. During the march, Grisweld got acquainted with his colleague, Brigadier-General Henrivier Nizenkampf, the daughter of Heuteclere Nilsson and the great-granddaughter of King Levi Niskain. The two became a duo of brilliant tacticians that was to be proven in the upcoming battle. The overall commander of the Royal Army forces, Lannes Hay, also got familiarized with Grisweld. This was probably Grisweld's plan as he wanted to be trusted in the forthcoming battle. 
=== Battle of Nora ===
Grisweld's first battle under the Royal Army banners was the Battle of Nora. During the battle, Grisweld, though he didn't possess the management talent of Oliver Wesley, who wasn't here with him, Grisweld still tried to pull a risky fainting attack and defense against the Glissarians. Grisweld's brigade was deployed to attack the Glissarians at the city of Nora, where the Glissarians were the most numerous. Grisweld studied his opponent, Guthmundur Ethfried, by probing Ethfried's battle line with small skirmishes. Grisweld judged Ethfried to be a impetuous and thought he didn't even require Wesley in order to pull of a fainting manouever. This was correct and the fainting manouever worked perfectly, trapping and destroying Ethfried's forces easily. This allowed Grisweld to capture the city of Nora, where he was hailed as a liberator. Yet, Grisweld didn't have time to rest. Grisweld merged his brigades with Nizenkampf and attacked the flank of Jubal Hakur's forces. This attack was a devastating strike for Hakur, whose men withered away at the might of Grisweld's and Nizenkampf's men. The battle was won shortly after, but Grisweld, like the other Worvians, had lost many men for the cold temperatures and attrition.
Grisweld's brigades were allowed to rest at Sansoussi, where Grisweld consolidated and organized his men and prepared them for the capture of the city of Nida west of Sansoussi, where the Glissarians under Azrael fled to. This was however unnecessary as Nida was captured shortly after anyways. The Royal Army decided to pack up and leave, thinking that the Glissarians were utterly defeated. Grisweld and Nizenkampf didn't share this line of thought and urged Lannes Hay to remain to finish the Glissarians, which was rejected. Grisweld left back home and continued his casual life.
== War of the Oblikrom ==
In 305, Azrael returned with a new army to harass the northern cities of Workhold. Grisweld, who had predicted this, immediately rejoined the Royal Army. He was ready to go north and merge with his previous friend Henrivier Nizenkampf who had been promoted into the General of the Northern Army. Much to Grisweld's disquietude, he was instead sent to the Oblikrom expedition army and promoted into Brigadier-General at the recommendation of Lothbrok Voorst, Diarmud Baathúr, Lannes Hay and Conraquis Baathúr. Grisweld spent three years in the Royal Army training his Phoenix Brigade, the veterans who had served him at the Battle of Nora. In 308, Grisweld and his son Revoiles Mittelhoss who had become a squire in the Phoenix Brigade, voyaged into Oblikrom.
Grisweld led the Phoenix Brigade in Oblikrom with caution and held his units mainly in reserve. Grisweld only really contributed to the war with the breach of the Third Wall. With the assistance of Kurt Sementas, the two army commanders brilliantly breached and captured the Third Wall, even though the Wall was protected by men of higher quality than their own. After the Third Wall, the Phoenix Brigade was ordered to withdraw to Franzland south of Caenor, as they received news of the surprise attack by Jamur Emetur's forces in the rear. Grisweld led his unit to Franzland hoping to make it back alive to Edelmaa.
== Realm Divide ==
Category:Characters
Category:Borian War
Category:Living
Category:Mittelhoss