Altan Khagan

Altan Khagan is the leader of the Horde of the Heavenly Sky. He is the son of Berke Khagan and his concubine Jochi, and tracks his lineage back to Mongke Khagan. He and his family control the political and economic affairs of the Horde.

## Biography

### Early Life

Altan was the first born son of Berke Khagan and his concubine Princess Jochi. His brothers Bolad and Temujin were born shortly after to the Empress Abishqa, who would favor them greatly. Altan grew up learning the art of statesmanship from his father and other officials, quickly developing a mind for the role of leadership.

Though they were younger, Bolad and Temujin would bully Altan when their father wasn't around, often endorsed the Empress. On a day of sword training, Berke needed to respond to a court emergency and was no longer watching them. Altan's brothers beat him with the wooden sabers, before Altan angrily fought them off, beating Bolad until he lost consciousness and breaking Temujin's arm. Several officials witnessed the event, and informed the Khagan, who began favoring Altan for his display of might when attacked. Abishqa had Altan's mother poisoned to punish him for hurting her children, but the plot, as well as the encouragement of the harassment, reached the ears of Berke, who had his wife jailed and beaten, then sent back to her original tribe.

Life would get no easier for Altan, as his father pushed him harder and harder in combat practice, and forcing Altan to order and carry out executions of criminals in Tsaizkher, to familiarize him with taking peoples' lives. Before being sent out as an officer, Berke told him that he'd have to fight for everything he's owed, and to show no mercy to those who would try and deny him his birthright as future Khagan.

### Service in the Mazyirs

As a test of resolve, Berke had Altan sent to the Mazyirs, where the Empress was exiled. Altan faced heavy discrimination, being put in charge of logistics and being set up to fail. Despite the tribe's attempt, Altan succeeded time and time again. Hoping to get rid of him, Barjik Khan, Abishqa's brother, ordered one of his sons to assassinate the Prince. The plot failed, Altan killing his assailant by bashing his head into the ground. Barjik, stunned, begged for forgiveness before Altan knew who was responsible. His son already dead, Altan pardoned the Khan for his honesty, but asked to be given a chance to prove himself in the field.

The Mazyirs set their sights on the army of Paladin Ryte from the Kingdom of the Savior, who was leading a force of troops to slaughter the tribe. Altan stayed back during migrations to watch the enemy formations, studying their approach structure and developing a strategy to catch them off-guard. He proposed his plan to Barjik, who agreed to listen.

#### Battle of the Mazan Lowlands

Altan suggested to Barjik that they pitch camp in an intentionally indefensible lowland position, and move the day before the enemy was to arrive. Noting that Paladin Ryte would enter the former campsites herself with her heavy cavalry, assuming there was no danger, they could draw her into a trap with hidden archers above them and horsemen attacking from the flanks.

A week later in autumn 196 3E, they lured the Paladin's forces into a gorge with steep, but shallow hills on either side. On the sound of a horn, a hail of arrows rained down onto the enemy cavalry, and a stream of lancers and horse archers slammed into the rear guard of the unit. Altan rode forth with his spear aimed at the Paladin and unhorsed her and knocked off her helmet. The two then engaged in a duel on foot that went on for at least fifteen bouts before Ryte was struck in the shoulder by a Mazyir marksman, allowing Altan to strike at her exposed neck, decapitating her. The Mazyir troops surrounded the defeated enemy, and enslaved them.

The slain enemies were stripped for valuables and left to be eaten by vultures. Ryte's headless body and badge were returned to the Kingdom of the Saviors as an insult, as Revetism requires holy officials be cremated whole. Her head was gilded and is displayed in Tsaizkher.

### Capital Guard

Altan was returned to the capital with a blessing from Barjik that he was ready to advance to the Capital Guard where he could display his statecraft abilities more frequently. He frequently rose through the ranks for his ability to deal with criminal suspects, and his skill in combat earning him many accolades and breaking several records in the Guard.

#### Siege of Tsaizkher

In 204 3E, Tsaizkher came under siege by the Celestial Empire under General Who Pacifies Bandits Hua Jinlong. Berke was out on a tour with the Kheshigs, leaving the relatively small Capital Guard to fend for themselves. The attacker's catapults wrecked the city's infrastructure, and had begun being dug to create openings in the walls. Though he was tasked with maintaining order among the residents, Altan had half of the troops under his command being countermining. They successfully flooded one mine, caused a collapse in three more, and killed the crews of five and taking their maps.

Altan placed his deputy in charge of keeping order, and led a contingent of troops through the mines. They determined the locations of enemy trenches and detonated the mines underneath them, killing hundreds of soldiers. They continued until they found the entrance to the mines, slaying all those they came into contact with. Altan and his troops emerged behind enemy lines and created a panic, routing the enemy siege engineers and allowing them to torch the siege equipment and food stores before stealing enemy horses and riding back into Tsaizkher.

Berke arrived two days later cutting off Hua Jinlong's retreat, and Altan rode out to pincer the enemy. In a bloody fight, Berke was unhorsed and trampled in the cavalry skirmish. Jinlong retreated with only thirty men, his captured officers executed and men forced into slavery. Berke's body was recovered, and was entombed within Tsaizkher alongside the other Khagans.

### Becoming Khagan

To determine which of the three brothers would become Khagan, the many Khans were called back from their campaigns for Kurultai. Altan received the greatest support, with Barjik personally recounting his victory over Paladin Ryte and the officers of the Capital Guard revealing his heroics in the defense of the city. Still, Bolad had strong support as the first-born of then Empress Abishqa, who personally led his campaign. With the makings of a civil war looming, Altan confronted Abishqa publicly, accusing her of sowing discontent among the Khans through bribes, and listed the many Khans who'd taken favors and money from her. He reminded the court of her murderous plot that resulted in the death of his mother, and said that Bolad was a fraction the ruler he could be for her doting on him. Despite the vicious denouncing of her, he offered a compromise, that Bolad and Temujin would take on court responsibilities and rule alongside him, with Bolad as his heir regardless of what children are born. The faction that supported Bolad immediately switched over to Altan, and Altan was named Khagan unanimously in early 206 3E at the age of 31.

Abishqa was returned to the Mazyirs and her brother, though the damage to her pride sent her into illness, and she died only two months later.

### Current Rule

Altan has led the Horde in cultural development, as well as military reform. He has moved away from over-reliance on mounted archers, and employs Taw infantry and crossbowmen more often and effectively. Smaller tribes and hordes have been reorganized into a more uniform structure, allowing them to react to a wide variety of threats.

Altan has taken many Princesses concubines, the usual offering after becoming Khagan. He named the 20 year old Hakaida, daughter of Aidym Khan, as his Empress, as the two developed a deep and loving bond. Her older brother Ach became Altan's personal Shaman. Hakaida has had five pregnancies, the first of which was stillbirth. She is the mother of Khunbish, Subutai, Khaidu, Temur, and Altani, the last two being twins. Chingim and Cirina's mothers are Erhi and Khulan.

## Personality and Traits

Altan is part Tal Kheer and Taw, giving him a somewhat fair complexion and gray eyes that his mother had. He is 1.88 meters tall, which puts a strain on the smaller horses typically in the ranks of the Horde. In his youth, women fawned over him, and was often found with a different woman in his bed each morning while in the Capital Guard. His looks, station, and heroics give him an air of charisma, while his build and height can intimidate in negotiations. He is practical and pious, and relies heavily on his shaman Ach to give him insight. His shows of mercy have inspired loyalty to his rule. He is deeply hated by his enemies, but revered as a second Mongke by his allies.

## Equipment

### Weapons

As are most warriors in the Horde, Altan is an excellent mounted archer, using a traditional recurved composite bow, but also shows proficiency as a lancer and swordsman. His saber has been passed down from Khagan to Khagan, and is said to never lose its edge or shape. Its pommel is made of gold, and has a gold crane, the symbol of the Horde, etched into the spine of blade. The same gold symbol adorns his black lacquered composite cavalry shield.

### Armor

Altan wears gilded lamellar armor that covers his torso, shoulders, arms, and legs, with gold plated boots, with bear fur trim and black leather underneath. His helmet is composite lacquered black with gold trim and a lamellar aventail. On the top of the helmet is a purple plume. All seven of his horses have the same golden lamellar, with feathers died purple on the top of their faceplate.