Imperial Prince Deslov

Prince Deslov in 146 AW

***“**If we defeat them here today, the war will be over. Charge!**”***
— Prince Deslov at the Siege of Vozhirishia

**Imperial Prince Deslov** or **Prince Deslov of Toscov**, born **Deslov iz Toscov**, somestimes nicknamed **Deslov the Brave**, was a Toscovish prince who served as the 10th Duke of Kovka from 160 AW until his death in 192 AW.

Prince Deslov was one of the fifteen princes that fought in the War of the Fifteen Princes, where he sided with the Imperial Princes. He won numerous key victories against both the Rebel and the Free Princes. He also defeated the Krighal Vitna under Zsemyon Surikolsky at the Battle of Stevedar, pacifying the area and later taking Kovka without resistance, which earned him the position of Duke of Kovka as a reward.

## Biography

### Early Life

The fourth son of Crown Prince Budimiv, Deslov received militaristic training under his father, becoming his father's squire before being knighted in 135 AW. When Budimiv became Emperor in 136 AW, Deslov became a member of the Imperial Guard, where he reportedly had a great bond with his father.

When the Sixth Plague of Ihyll broke out across the Empire in 140 AW, Deslov was controversially put in charge of the Army of the Duchy of Ozach and tasked with protecting the city itself from the Krighal Taresh. Due to Ozach's close proximity to Toscov itself, Deslov could ensure that trade and supplies between the two cities remained protected from Krighal guerillas.

When Mikhail Ivolanov discovered that the Krighal Taresh could have their Humanity restored, becoming Krighal Vitna, Budimiv I ignored the findings and even implemented a bounty system on the Krighal Vitna. Prince Deslov took a softer approach towards the Krighal Vitna, exiling them from Ozach but still keeping them protected from the Krighal Taresh that roamed the wilderness.

When two of Deslov's siblings – Woldar and Zivura – became Krighal Vitna, Budimiv I had them banished from the realm and hunted down. While Zivura fled far away, Woldar remained near Toscov and Ozach, launching a guerilla conflict against the Empire. Ultimately, Woldar would ambush and kill Budimiv in 145 AW.

### War of the Fifteen Princes

After the death of Budimiv, his eldest son, Ludimik II took the throne. While the succession was initially undisputed, Ludimik II soon proved to be corrupt and uncaring about the fate of the Empire. In early 146 AW, the second and third sons of Budimiv – Durkrin and Zhincis – launched a failed coup attempt in Toscov, ultimately being driven out of the city and forced to lay siege, starting the War of the Fifteen Princes.

Prince Deslov swore loyalty to the Emperor and marched on Toscov with Ozach's forces, lifting the siege soon after. He was ultimately tasked by the Emperor with simply ending the war, ignorant of the chaos unfolding across the Empire. As all fifteen of Budimiv's children joined a side in the conflict, only Deslov and his younger sister Zviglena remained loyal to Ludimik.

Heavily outnumbered by Rebels, Deslov began an offensive in 147 AW, being outnumbered and defeated by Durkrin and Zhincis at the Battle of Zheledar and later being captured and imprisoned. After Zviglena, who was captured earlier, was executed, a similar fate awaited Deslov. However, the prince managed to escape imprisonment later the same year and snuck back to Imperial territory under disguise.

From 148 AW onwards, Deslov's Warband became the most elite of all due to constant training and drilling. Paired with Ozach's forces, Deslov went on another offensive, capturing Iazran in a short siege which led to the death of the Rebel Prince Zelumir. Iazran was secured late in the winter and became something of a regional stronghold for Deslov, who used it to continue his conquests.

After spending the next year skirmishing and raiding, Deslov gathered most of his forces to reinforce Machayya shortly before the outbreak of the Fourth Battle of Machayya. This battle was an extreme bloodbath for both sides, with two princes dying. Deslov was also heavily injured in the fight but managed to survive.

In the aftermath of Machayya, Deslov became the de-facto head of the Imperial campaign, as he commanded the most in-tact force. He saw further victories at Neksary and Buzugansk before finally besieging Free Prince Borklaw at Vozhirishia. After a year-long siege, the city fell and all remaining forces loyal to the Free Princes were annihilated. From 153 AW, only Zhincis remained as the last Rebel Prince.

However, Zhincis proved to be slippery. Despite Deslov defeating him at Pyadazhan, Zhincis simply moved to the other side of the Kinzovan Mountains, capturing Arkhalesk. Finally, at Novolabik, Deslov had his first defeat in years, being forced to flee back to Kinzova and then abandon the mountains altogether due to desertion. The conflict ultimately died down, with Deslov and Ludimik II preparing a new offensive.

In 155 AW, Deslov launched his last-ditch offensive to dislodge Zhincis from Kinzova alongside Ludimik II. Despite victories at Mizhachevsk, Chipalevsk, and Prokhov Pass, Deslov and Ludimik were soundly defeated at Sosotau in a battle that matched the bloodiness of the Fourth Battle of Machayya. Ultimately, Deslov was recalled from the front and sent to the southwest of the Empire to deal with the large Krighal guerilla presence there, as the War of the Fifteen Princes bogged down into a stalemate between Ludimik and Zhincis. Ultimately, the war ended in 156 AW with a ceasefire and with Zhincis being formally pardoned. However, Deslov's war continued in the southwest.

### After the War of the Fifteen Princes

Despite an official end coming to the War of the Fifteen Princes in 156 AW, resistance continued in many places from local guerillas. Prince Deslov was put in charge of putting an end to Krighal resistance in modern-day Lesterwood, mostly based in and around Kovka. Deslov began skirmishing with Zsemyon Surikolsky for two years, with the Krighal leader constantly evading capture.

Ultimately, Surikolsky was trapped in the town of Stevedar, and forced into a straight fight. The resulting Battle of Stevedar ended in the death of Surikolsky and most of his Krighal forces. Deslov recaptured Kovka in 158 AW with little to no resistance in the city. Finally, Deslov returned to Toscov in a time of (relative) peace. He became a courtier before being made the new Duke of Kovka in 160 AW, returning to the city.

Deslov spent the remainder of his life rebuilding Kovka and its surrounding area. Despite further guerilla resistance from isolated Krighal cells, Deslov pardoned all Krighal despite Ludimik II's wishes. Kovka became an important hub for Krighal, as Deslov personally saw to the safety of Krighal refugees fleeing on boats. Subsequently, the city became an important harbor for the Krighal Vitna, who mostly fled to the South or all the way to Nuj Tarrok. However, overall, his reign as the Duke of Kovka was rather mediocre, with Deslov lacking the qualities of peacetime rulership, as the man was better suited for war.

Deslov died in 192 AW to natural causes, leaving the Duchy of Kovka in the hands of his son, Kolonov.

## Career

* Golden Empire of Toscov
	+ Prince (119-192 AW)
	+ Squire (131-135 AW)
	+ Knight (135-192 AW)
	+ Imperial Guard (136-140 AW)
	+ General of the Army of the Duchy of Ozach (140-158 AW)
	+ Imperial Prince (146-156 AW)
	+ Courtier (158-160 AW)
	+ Duke of Kovka (160-192 AW)

## Military Career

* War of the Fifteen Princes
	+ Siege of Toscov - Victory
	+ Battle of Zheledar - Defeat
	+ Siege of Iazran - Victory
	+ Fourth Battle of Machayya - Victory
	+ Battle of Kinekin - Victory
	+ Battle of Neksary - Victory
	+ Battle of Buzugansk - Victory
	+ Siege of Vozhirishia - Victory
	+ Battle of Pyadazhan - Victory
	+ Battle of Novolabik - Defeat
	+ Battle of Mizhachevsk - Victory
	+ Battle of Chipalevsk - Victory
	+ Battle of Prokhov Pass - Victory
	+ Battle of Sosotau - Defeat
* Unrest around Kovka
	+ Battle of Stevedar - Victory

## Awards

*Main Article: List of Awards*

* Service Medal - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Knighthood Medal - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Imperial Defender Medal - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Loyalist Medal - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Order of Ludimik II - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Hero of Toscov Medal - Golden Empire of Toscov
* Non-Krighal Ally Medal - City-State of Point Mikhail (posthumous)

## Personality

Prince Deslov, at first glance, was a man who took most things at face value. The death and destruction of the War of the Fifteen Princes seemed to hardly affect him, even as his own siblings began to die like flies. Throughout the war, the man took a sober stance on events outside his control, ultimately coming out of the conflict in a better mental state than most.

However, beneath this layer, Deslov's personal journals reveal that the man despised Ludimik II and his treatment of the Krighal Vitna to his very core. This would explain Deslov's actions after the War of the Fifteen Princes, as he helped thousands of Krighal Vitna escape from the Eastland, directly defying the orders coming from Toscov.

However, as the Empire settled into peace, it became apparent that Deslov was better suited for war than peace. He was a mediocre Duke at best, and ultimately delegated many of his duties to more qualified people.

## Relationships

* Kolonov iz Toscov - In the absence of good allies, family is your only ally. My son, Kolonov, is perhaps the only person in the whole Empire I can truly rely on without fear of being stabbed in the back.
* Bokhail I of Toscov - Ludimik II's son seems infinitely more competent than his father. While I wouldn't consider us friends, at least he won't ruin the Empire even more.

* Ludimik II - Ludimik, while long dead, was a fool. Corrupt to the core, he let me save the Empire from the brink of destruction. Yet, he learned absolutely nothing, and simply whored and drank and partied away after the end of the War. May he rot in the darkest corner of Ficlia.
* Prince Zhincis - My older brother spat on the Empire and rebelled for over a decade... and he was rewarded for it. While I suppose he has redeemed himself – to some extent – it still doesn't feel right to call him an ally.