Falk Krech

***“**A Republican Kirchenstau reduced to rubble is a preferable alternative to a Monarchist Kirchenstau in pristine condition.**”***
— Falk Krech

**Falk Krech**, commonly known as **The Hound**, is a Fühlgartian Senator and the general of the Fühlgartian First Army. He previously served as the dictator of the Stratocracy of Kirchenstau. A native of Kirchenstau, he became a major figure during the Fühlgartian Civil War, scoring many victories against Monarchist remnants in Kirchenstau and Weckstein and later becoming the right-hand man of Ulfric Luftschwert, who currently acts as the second Head of the Republic of Fühlgart.

Falk Krech is an infamous and controversial figure. He notably always keeps a pack of war hounds nearby which he loves unleashing on the battlefield. He is known for feeding prisoners to his hounds, widely using torture methods, and for his general ruthlessness and cruelty.

## Biography

Falk Krech, by all accounts, was a nobody in his early life. The descendant of a minor and obscure noble house on the brink of extinction, he enrolled in the Military Academy of Freistadt and became a lieutenant in the Fühlgartian military.

In time, he became obsessed with the writings of Heinrich Lennart Bruhnman, also known as the Father of Republicanism. He was one of the earliest supporters of Jan Luftschwert, then the Duke of Freistadt, and received a secondary military education in the use of so-called Dishonourable Weapons, particularly firearms and artillery.

During the early stages of the Fühlgartian Civil War, Falk Krech openly defected to the Republicans. He was appointed as a captain and deployed to Kirchenstau. Scoring some victories, particularly via ambush tactics, he was noticed by Ulfric Luftschwert, who had him promoted to an independent commander. Falk Krech served the entire civil war in Kirchenstau and Weckstein, pacifying the area and ruthlessly sweeping aside any Monarchist remnants and sympathisers. Briefly before the end of the civil war, he was promoted to a proper general.

After the Fühlgartian Civil War ended in a Republican victory, Falk Krech was appointed second-in-command of the First Army of the newfound Republic of Fühlgart, directly under Ulfric Luftschwert. He remained in this position during the Gemstone Wars (though did not see combat during it) and the early stages of the Great War. He fought in the Republican-Wyrsian War and later assisted Ulfric and Albert Schmied in putting an end to the Kirchenstauer Civil War. Kirchenstau itself was a ruin by the end of the conflict, though remained independent under a new government: the Stratocracy of Kirchenstau.

With Falk Krech being a native and having a rather fearsome reputation in the area thanks to his service during the civil war, he was appointed as military dictator of Kirchenstau in 1214 AW in a bid to keep the peace through fear alone. This policy worked, as any resistance to the Republicans in Kirchenstau died down under Krech. The city itself was partially rebuilt, though much of it remained in ruins, as Kirchenstau had lost its prominence as a major port city.

After the death of Jan Luftschwert and the rise of Ulfric Luftschwert to the position of Head of the Republic, Falk Krech was recalled from Kirchenstau and replaced by Volkert Dachler. In Fühlgart, Krech was appointed General of the First Army briefly before the outbreak of the Second Fühlgartian Civil War. He had also been appointed as a Fühlgartian Senator in the wake of Ulfric's purge of the senate for their attempt at grabbing power briefly after Jan Luftschwert's death.

In time, Volkert Dachler betrayed the Republicans, trying to form an independent city-state in Kirchenstau away from Fühlgart, which ultimately sparked the Second Kirchenstauer Civil War in 1228 AW. Krech requested to deal with it, yet was ordered to remain in Freistadt by Ulfric Luftschwert. This ultimately proved to be a good decision, as Krech was instrumental in repelling the failed Monarchist naval invasion of the city in the same year.

With the Second Fühlgartian Civil War breaking down into chaos, with dozens of paramilitary groups fighting each other for control over Fühlgart, Ulfric Luftschwert has tasked Falk Krech with putting down some of these groups close to the capital. These are the Grey Temple of Risslau, the Popular Militia of Fühlgart and the Order of the Unyielding, though Krech's military capabilities has been limited as a result of low supplies, unmotivated troops, and the general rapidly declining military strength of the Republic of Fühlgart as a whole. All he has managed is stalemate, and limiting these groups' expansion, yet has been unable to outright defeat them. It seems that, even with his infamous reputation as the Hound, Falk Krech is unable to truly inspire fear in his enemies, as the government he represents has been declawed and muzzled.

## Military Career

* Fühlgartian Civil War
	+ Battle of Kirchenstau - Victory
	+ Siege of Appesberg - Victory
* Great War
	+ Republican-Wyrsian War
		- Battle of Stavia - Victory
		- Battle of Matthysia - Victory
		- Siege of Woodhall - Victory
	+ Kirchenstauer Civil War
		- Battle of Westerdorn - Victory
		- Battle of Kirchenstau - Victory
* Epilogue Wars
	+ Second Fühlgartian Civil War
		- Battle of Freistadt - Victory
		- Battle of Risslau - Stalemate

## Personality

Falk Krech does not believe in the value of mortal life. He is a ruthless man who will do anything to further his own goal, or that of his master, Ulfric Luftschwert. With no deed being too evil for him, he has rightfully earned his infamy. It seems that Ulfric Luftschwert seems to be the only person he owes loyalty to, as Falk's relationship with his own sons seems distant at best. As a result of this, some have come to call the Kirchenstauer "Ulfric's Lapdog" as an alternative nickname to the Hound.

## Relationships

* **Family**
	+ Tom Krech - Son
	+ Markus Krech - Son
* **Allies**
	+ Ulfric Luftschwert