Hirudo Hijam-faj niv Talvos

Hirudo Talvos (or simply Hiru) was a former Emir of the Emirate of Najer. He was the second Governor of the Central Najer territory and the leader of Nahrayn.

## Biography

### Early Life

Hirudo was born in 21 AB to a Najer father, Hijam Parel-faj niv Raida, and a foreign mother in Najera'jad, around the time of the Steel Compact, just before the dissolution of the Sterling Crownlands. His mother disappeared shortly after his birth, leaving him to be raised by his father. His father was a minor Seyoh before the discovery of the Buried Bells, and so Hiru learned from him the traditional Najer customs and religion. He spent his childhood in Najera'jad, until around the age of eight. After the dissolution of the Crownlands, instability and economic problems prompted his father to become a caravan guard, where he would be slain, effectively leaving Hirudo an orphan.

Luckily, he was adopted by a local tribe of nomads, where he continued his education and further embraced the traditional ways of the Najer. He wandered with them for years until he reached the age of sixteen. At this point, he began to travel independently and find his own path. He traveled all across Najer, sometimes venturing into neighboring countries like Alamayn and Plagatéa.

During this time, he despaired to discover the fragmented nature of the north. Although he had been raised on tales of a grand and cultured north, the reality he found was something quite different, where people fought and hated each other. People rarely knew any of the Silver Histories, nor did they follow any of the old gods. If they knew of the Crownlands, they were uncaring at best or disdainful at worst.

### Discovery

Hiru wandered this way for about two years, until the year 39 AB. He was traveling across a particularly desolate portion of the desert when he was caught in a sandstorm. With no way to turn back and running out of supplies, he was forced to seek shelter in an outcropping of rock. Upon reaching the outcropping, he realized it was not a simple piece of stone, but rather an intricately carved statue.

He was intrigued by this, and decided to weather the storm by it. Once the storm had abated, he began the process of excavating the statue, in the process discovering a whole courtyard. Thrilled by his discovery, Hiru began gathering people to help- friends, family, scholars, workers, archaeologists, stonemasons, and traders all came to participate in the discovery.

Over the next three years, Hiru took the lead in excavating and restoring the city. A massive city-complex was discovered and restored, going from a pile of rubble to an up-and-coming city in Najer. Although growth was stifled by it's relative isolation from other settlements and the Sterling Road system, it continued to flourish, and people flocked to it.

Ancient texts underneath the city led to several discoveries, mainly ancient masonry and architectural techniques, as well as the name of the city: Nahrayn, a word in an ancient Najer dialect that means "Two Rivers," befitting the two rivers the city was built around. The biggest revelation, however, was the discovery of a new Lost God. Mysterious at first, this discovery drew many groups of religious zealots to the city from abroad. It was eventually revealed that Nahrayn was a city dedicated to Ajvudah, the god of heat and vitality.

Hiru assumed the lead of managing the city, becoming established with his neighbors in other cities. The governor of the province Nahrayn was located in, Ironjaw, took an immediate interest in the burgeoning city, and befriended Hirudo, teaching him many things, and introducing him to other important figures. Nahrayn's growing role in the region cemented their relationship, leading them to work together on many things. Hirudo entered politics on the local level, receiving some training from Ironjaw. He did his best to improve Najer, working on several cleaning projects and diplomatic relations with other cities, politicking and growing more experienced working with other people.

In the year 42 AB, a call came of an invasion to the west, and Hirudo quickly led a small complement of soldiers to investigate. He met up with a scouting party led by another Najer, Shivareh Basha, and together they established relationships with the invaders, who called themselves "Salem." They were quickly spurned, their attempts at diplomacy shut down but the impudent squatters.

Hiru and Shivareh called in reinforcements from the Najer Civil coast guard, and soon after a force led by their war councilor, Irabella, joined them. Together, they marched on the insurgents fortress and stomped the opposition. This victory gained much popular support for Hiru and Shivareh, as well as for increased military action in Najer, due to the clean victory and swift response of the forces. Hiru was invited to join the Coast Guard by Shivareh, the spark of a great friendship between the two.

### Governorship

Only a short while later, Hiru would receive word from Ironjaw of pressing personal concerns, ones that would necessitate the governor stepping down from his position. Hiru's prominence had not gone unnoticed, and Ironjaw wanted him to become the next governor. Although sad to lose the mentor and friend that Ironjaw was, he was eager to move up in the ranks of his country. He began the transfer of power, receiving several items, mainly documents, as well as further political tutelage.

Shortly before Hirudo's official instatement as governor, he was afflicted with a terrible dream, wherein he saw Najer laid to waste and his culture erased from history. Aware that he had been affected by his time traveling as a nomad, he was unsure if this was merely his nerves and fears showing through, or a true premonition. Nevertheless, he swore then to prevent that future from coming to pass.

The time of the national convention came, and Ironjaw stepped down, putting the spotlight on Hiru as the newest governor by the year 43 AB. Although he had experience dealing with some provincial issues already, he felt very green in his new role, especially among the other members of the federal government, who were all accustomed to each other already.

Hiru began to grow into his governor role, while continuing to develop his city, Nahrayn. It continued to grow in prominence, gaining many developments beyond what anything its original builders could have envisioned, and attracting many new people. The city saw a rush of foreigners and opportunistic criminals. This influx would undermine the largely trust-based system in place at the time, forcing Hiru to write and enforce more stringent laws to protect his citizens. This further damaged his opinion of opportunistic foreigners, jading him.

Nahrayn would also be made the provincial capital by Hirudo at this time, as the largest and most successful city in the area. Hiru oversaw the construction of a massive palatial complex that would begin to serve as the provincial capitol building, as well as the city hall.

In the very next year, 44 AB, word came to him that Ironjaw had died defending a small village from a bandit attack. Devastated by this, he entered a period of mourning, distraught and disheartened. At some point, he would visit the ruins of Murmudas, a ghost town in his province. Frustrated and sad, he unwittingly summoned the power of an unknown deity, and laid waste to the crumbling settlement. After Murmudas had been flattened, he dragged himself back to Nahrayn, exhausted, and blacked out. He would have no recollection of what he had done.

Despite this, he continued his duties as a ruler of a city and a governor of a province. He dealt with the other governors, as well as many foreign diplomats who came seeking his land. He would also be responsible for the first Central Najer provincial meeting, the first such gathering in any province. He continued to welcome many new citizens to the city, and would lead several campaigns with the Najer Armed Services. His friendship with Shooter continued to develop. By this time, Shivareh had risen to become part of Najer's government, leading its military forces.

### War of Solitudinem

By 48 AB, the Dixie squatter group would declare a hostile takeover of Najer's neighbor Solitudinem, kicking off the War of Solitudinem. Hiru and Shivareh helped to organize and recruit hundreds of soldiers to expel the invaders, gathering not only people from their own nation, but organizing a massive coalition of northern nations, including Simulami, Baronov, and many others. The coalition army would set up camp at the city of Purgatio, before marching across Solitudinem to defeat the squatters.

They marched to the Hills of Bhaldor, quickly setting up fortifications, siege engines, and bivouacked across the river from the squatter base. The Dixie savages came out, fighting briefly before being driven back. They soon fled to a different fort, named Castillo de Arena. The coalition army marched after them, beginning a long and bloody siege against the invaders.

Hiru marched with Shivareh at the head of the Najer forces, leading the charge against Dixie. Although reluctant to come out of their fort, constant bombardment forced the Dixies to come out of their fortress and engage the coalition armies. Better equipment and more experience meant that the coalition routed the squatter army. A pile of bodies taller than a man lay at the base of the Dixie fortress, and yet, they refused to give up. There had not been a single casualty among the coalition forces, although there were many injuries.

Forced into a war of attrition against an enemy who wouldn't submit, the coalition forces began indiscriminately slaughtering the Dixies, unable to take prisoners due to many attempts to trick and backstab them. Hour after after, the battle dragged on, until the sun began to rise.

The coalition forces, bloody and battered, stood atop a mountain of Dixie corpses, victorious. Their fort stood abandoned, all its defenders dead. The coalition forces entered the fort, placing their own banners on its gates, and renamed it "Fort Union" in honor of their victory over the Dixies and the unity it had brought to the north.

Although not one for fighting, Hirudo reflected on violence and conflict as a valid solution to some problems. Despite this, the suicide of many of the Dixie members troubled him. Even outmatched, in a hopeless scenario, they refused to surrender. These people were the lowest of the low, barbarians, invaders, robbers, and yet, was their defiance admirable, honorable even? It didn't make sense to Hirudo.

Regardless, he continued with his life. He further cemented his reputation among the soldiers and citizenry of Najer, as well as his friendship with Shivareh.

### Sapphire Commonwealth

The next year, Hiru received a dispatch from the Emir at that time, Dmitrio von Sturgeon, detailing plans for a new mega-alliance of the north. Having been raised on stories of the legendary Sterling Crownlands, he was thrilled to not only witness a potential successor, but be part of it too. He had often advocated and pushed for such an alliance wherever he could, and wholeheartedly supported the creation of this new one, the Sapphire Commonwealth.

Its creation would be officially announced later, with the Simulami Empire, the Plagatean Empire, and Najer becoming one grand alliance under a single flag. Hiru would throw himself into his new role as part of the Commonwealth, traveling between the three nations and gathering support for join projects. He was determined to make good on his the promise he had made as a youth to make a difference in the north. He took the lead in Najer affairs, as the Emir was growing old and was often bedridden. Around this time, Dmitrio contacted Hirudo and expressed his wishes that, when when he died, Hirudo would become the next Emir of Najer. Although hesitant, sad to contemplate the coming death of his friend the Emir, Hiru was eager to help his nation continue to grow and become strong, and accepted.

Come the year 52 AB, the aging Emir Sturgeon would call his friends and other members of the government to Wobambi-on-Sea. He told them his final thoughts and wishes, passing on the crown of Najer to Hirudo. Mournful, the Najer placed his body in a coffin, interring him after a low-spirited funeral. They shared stories of their best and earliest memories with Dmitrio. Hirudo was shaken by the loss of a constant he had known his whole life, but remained determined to do his best.

### A new leader

Only a few months into his role as the Emir, he received word of a hostile invasion of their neighbor and ally of Alamayn. A group called Halond had come with the intent to take over the country. Although he knew very little of Alamayn, and had never met any of their leadership, he immediately sent troops to help in the battle against the squatters. Halond was easily defeated, and his troops returned home victorious.

Shortly afterwards, the Hands swept in to Alamayn, out for revenge against the people of the city of Axum, who had committed a terrorist attack on their friends. They wreaked havoc across the nation, killing anyone they saw. Hirudo's own troops, marching back home after defeating the squatters, were targeted and many needlessly lost their lives. The heads of the nation hid themselves away while their nation burned, then destroyed their capital, Adwa, in a final act of defiance against the Hands.

Their leaders gone, Alamayn immediately crumbled into pieces. Their new leader was unpopular, sparking a half dozen rebellions in the first and only year of his rule. One such rebellion, led by the owner of The Silver Citadel, revealed their secret alliance with the Varandoy-Aestyrian Kingdom and his funding of the Halond squatters.

Hiru attempted to regulate the conflict and understand the situation, corresponding with several VAK diplomats, and eventually publishing a timeline of events that had led up to the situation in Alamayn. That situation continued to deteriorate, with provinces and towns declaring independence left and right. Hirudo talked with many of these people, as well as his fellow Commonwealth Monarchs, attempting to help where they could. Hiru's, and the rest of the Commonwealth's role remained mostly diplomatic as tensions rose with the Alamayni residents and the VAK over the dispute. Twice the Alamaynis sent assassins after him, though both attempts were foiled.

Hiru helped to arrange peace talks with the VAK, touring the land of Helmia, a place he had never been to. Eventually, the leaders of the Varandoy-Aestyria kingdom and the monarchs of the Sapphire Commonwealth agreed to band together to protect and bring order to Alamayn. Vultures had arisen in both Rathnir and Eldham, slavering over the corpse of the dying nation, hoping rip it apart bit by bit. They all agreed this was unacceptable, signing a mutual defense pact in the year 56 AB.

With things cooling off in Alamayn, Hiru was able to finally focus his attention back on his own nation. He worked with the other government members to produce a revitalized public road system, adding new infrastructure in places that had lacked it for decades. He also issued several other reforms, renaming two of the provinces to better reflect their role and heritage, as well as some small governmental and organizational reforms.

Although the Commonwealth became embroiled in several wars, Najer stayed uninvolved as possible, either due to a lack of motive or inability in the case of the almost world war in Eldham. Despite this, the effects of the battles and managing the Commonwealth took their toll, draining his strength and drawing his focus away from his city and country.

Around 57 AB, Hiru began to become cognizant about the reality of his old age. He had been so busy with politics that he had never settled down. To rectify this, he began a search for one he could call his wife. Eventually, in the city of Kijaro, he would meet a woman named Navani. They immediately connected over their opinions and life experiences, and it was she who would be invited to become Hiru's wife.

This change would eventually spur Hirudo to choose a new surname, something he had never felt the need to have before. Although he struggled to find a name that was both meaningful and good-sounding, he would eventually settle on the name **Talvos**, meaning "proud song," a representation of his love and passion for his country. Shortly afterwards, Navani bore him a son, whom he named Alsham.

In 62 AB, war broke out in Mithra again. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. Determined to stop further conflict, Hirudo was invited to Alamayn to help resolve the conflict. After convincing Dusk Synderys to relinquish the crown of Mithra, Ianak the Bardonian came into power, which event would trigger the Mithran-Dandelion War and the Alamayni Independence War. Hirudo attempted to keep Najer out of these conflicts as much as his obligations would allow, and argued for supporting Alamayn's independence with his fellow SC monarchs, to no avail.

However, the monarchs began to yearn for separation, fed up with stupid wars and pointless feuds. Hirudo penned a new alliance, the Northern Operating Rathnir Territorial Harmony (or NORTH) agreement, and together the monarchs ended the SC. Although bitter and sad to leave this part of history behind, Hirudo was relieved to have Najer become more fully isolationist once more.

He began focusing his energy internally, completely reforming the Najer messaging system, standardizing government procedures, and issuing a number of acts to regulate the country. In addition, using his new diplomatic experience gained from his time with the SC, he renewed and signed many new pacts, notably the treaty of Vul-Najer and the Basha Pact. He strove to spend time raising and tutoring his now six year old son, who would eventually become his successor.

Around this time, his friends Hitomi Numachi and Leonardo "Leo" Grey both stepped down from their governor positions. Although sad to see them go, he wished them well in their futures and only became more determined.

He reigned over Najer in peace until the year 75 AB. Najer's western shores were once again beset by invaders. A friend of a disaffected former Seyoh, who together ran the nation of Belmore in Eldham, began squatting on Dualfin Isle, and began assembling an army of mercenaries and foreign nations to enforce his claim. High officials in both Bardonia and the Soleannan Imperium, upset by Najer's alliances with Ryzan and Uldarash, traditional enemies of theirs, both offered aid. The Najer government took immediate action, entering into talks with a variety of parties. Through sheer force of diplomacy, the squatter's allies fell away one by one.

Although the invasion was successfully quelled, the event made the Emir realize that he was becoming too old. Wishing to avoid falling into the steps of his predecessor and becoming withdrawn from daily affairs due to old age, Hirudo decided to step down from politics, and began making preparations. He appointed Hitomi Numachi as the Calipha, or successor, to manage affairs during this period.

Following this, he departed Rathnir to go on a journey with his adopted brother Shivareh Basha. He entrusted management of his affairs and Nahrayn to his now adult son, Alsham.

## Traits and abilities

Hirudo is a quiet individual, having both been hardened by the loss of his parents and many friends over the years, and a youth spent largely as a lone nomad. He is considered blunt for a Najer, but retains the trademark hospitable nature and honesty of his culture. He has a strong sense of national pride, and has long been motivated by a desire to see his nation improve. He is offended when people look down on him or his country.

He also detests violence and war, a remnant of his troubled childhood, but has come to recognize its usefulness in some situations. A true child of the Sterling Crownlands, he has a strong sense of honor and duty, and respects his nations legacy highly.

Hiru is, at heart a scholar and artisan. Much of his career was spent either compiling highly accurate historical records for Najer or designing buildings and art pieces to place across Najer, especially Nahrayn. He is one of the most prominent modern scholars of Silver Coalition and Sterling Crownlands history. Hiru can often be found at his study, occupied with writing and research for hours at a time.

Despite this, he has an extensive career as a politician. Years as a Seyoh, a governor, and an Emir in Najer, as well as time spent as a monarch within the Sapphire Commonwealth, has granted him considerable experience in statesmanship and diplomacy. He is calm, and cautious to a fault when dealing with others. Aware of the reputation of the leaders of the Najer as charismatic and skilled diplomats, he often feels pressure to live up to those standards.

## Trivia

* Hirudo is a distant cousin of the previous Emir of Najer, Dmitrio von Sturgeon.
* His mother's ethnicity is unknown. It is possible that she hailed from Plagos, or somewhere in Eldham.