(Archived) Lev Cassel

## Lev Cassel

General Cassel takes cover during an assassination attempt on his life.

Rebel Alliance

Levantian Morgan Cassel II of House Cassel was a human male who served under the Galactic Empire. During the Galactic Civil War, Cassel served as an Imperial General in the 107th Stormtrooper Corps. As Interim Leader of the 107th, Cassel's strict regimen and attentive leadership made the 107th one of the most successful units in the war, putting down slave revolts and neutralizing key Rebel assets across the front. This made him a high-profile target of Rebel intelligence as well as a target of competition for competing Imperial officers. The latter would eventually be one of the reasons that compelled Cassel and his close supporters to defect to the remnants of the Rebel Alliance.

Earlier in his life, Cassel was brought up and raised in the Arkon Royal Academy for Noble Youth, studying the theory and practices of war-making and diplomacy, as it was projected for him to become a politician and speaker for House Cassel in his later years. These plans quickly changed with the onset of the Galactic Civil War, as House Cassel, one of the main supporters and contributors to the Imperial war effort, began to tailor Cassel's training to that of an officer. As a gesture of good will, House Cassel would be sending one of their sons to leader soldiers of the Empire. The decision was not made on a whim. Eventually, it was decided that Lev would be the one that the house would send off, being the most ready for such a position at the time.

## Biography

### Childhood

Lev Cassel was born on the planet Alderaan into the wealthy House Cassel. He lived with his family in the lavish Cassel Compound, where the family had lived for over a millennium. Lev's father and mother taught him the royal etiquette and groomed him as the direct heir to the head of the house, where it was planned for him to take control of the various political machinations that House Cassel held dominion over in Alderaanian nobility.

Once Cassel was at the age of 9, he was sent to the Royal Academy, a prestigious establishment of training and learning for the noble youth. Cassel could not live in the family compound any more, as the academy required full attention and utmost dedication, requiring him to live on the academy grounds.

Cassel trained at the academy for 10 years before his mentors decided he was ready for military service. Lev was to be a diplomatic envoy from House Cassel that served as an officer in the Empire. This gesture was a symbol of unity between House Cassel and the Empire.

### Early Military Career

At the age of the 20, Cassel was shipped off from Alderaan on a royal transport headed straight to the confines of the 107th Stormtrooper Corps to serve as a Lieutenant. Upon arrival, many peers under him were skeptical of his leadership abilities. As a noble, the troopers of Cassel's platoon supposed he was overly spoiled and groomed, merely here as a diplomatic icon rather than a truly capable officer. These suspicions were soon cleared once Cassel gathered his platoon together immediately, setting the tone with his smooth yet authoritative voice that beckoned out to the servicemen. Furthermore, Cassel's platoon was quick to form a personal bond with him, much to the surprise of Imperial High Command.

Cassel's first deployments came against minor cells before the advent of the main conflict. As a charismatic speaker, it was common for many skirmishes to be stopped before they even happen. Leaders of the cells were eager to lay down their arms after hearing the honeyed words of Cassel. The proper people took notice of this, content with advancing Cassel higher in rank and giving him more of a command role.

### Career Advancement and "Cassel's Riders"

*"Peace through blood." - Mantra of Cassel's Riders.*

Imperial High Command became impressed by Cassel's ability to find the dedication within the troops he commanded. Many accounts by non-commissioned officers and regular enlisted spoke volumes of Cassel and his administration, which properly carried out the main principles of dedication, loyalty and discipline. Before long, Cassel became a Captain. Many more engagements with the rebels only saw more success for Cassel. Those that didn't lay down their arms were quickly destroyed by "Cassel's Riders" as the company was then nicknamed. The company was began to gain fame and prominence among other units of the 107th as the premiere unit, casting Cassel and his administration into the spotlight.

Becoming a topic of propaganda, candidates for Cassel's Riders became vetted, requiring more signatures and approvals to gain entry into the unit. Upon candidacy for General, Cassel requested that his company be attached to himself as the honor guard. At the peak of the civil war, Cassel was often referred to as a master tactician and orator, spurring his peers to action and exposing the rebels' lack of faith within themselves. With Cassel's administration, the 107th Stormtrooper Corps proved to become a key element in the path to Imperial Victory, methodically scouring and disassembling prominent Rebel cells.

### Imperial Victory, Defection and the "Casselian Traitors"

*"As I live in breathe, I will not stand by as the values we fought for are so perversely violated. This is not the galaxy we wanted." - Cassel's secret message to his inner circle.*

Directly after Imperial Victory, Cassel and his administration were tasked with directing the 107th towards putting down more remnant cells that lingered. Cassel's position became more prominent in diplomacy instead of warfare this time around, coordinating rebuilding efforts and relocated refugees. Many of the other officers in the other units did not like Cassel's pragmatic approach, bent on their anti-alien philosophy.

Corruption in the other administrations constantly applied pressure to Cassel and his trusted members, trying to disavow their fame and diminish their prestige. Behind closed doors, rivals plotted for the death of Cassel. He decided it wouldn't be good to stick around and only made mention of any treason to his most trusted peers. After sending out multiple secret messages, Cassel and those that followed him prepared for a defection. During downtime, the defectors took up arms and commandeered an Imperial transport under the guise of a diplomatic envoy. Some officers dressed as regular troopers to round out this mock-envoy, as Cassel and a few other men were escorted to a planned transport. This plan had to be carried out swiftly, as internal affairs agents were on their way to persecute Cassel for treason as they caught word of Cassel's plan.

Cassel's Riders were disbanded immediately with a new company and administration taking command of the 107th. Violence and blood followed in this new administration, lead by General Siveth Acharn, a Corellian with a history of brutal efficiency. Acharn was quick to disavow Cassel and the defectors, labeling them as "weak" and "feeble."

Once a prestigious league of minds, Cassel's Riders were branded "Casselian Traitors," a special term referring to members that supported the Cassel administration. The 107th was purged of suspected conspirators quite harshly through solitary confinement or mass execution. This effort was described as a "mass witch-hunt" by many, causing great internal strife and paranoia within the 107th.

As for Cassel and the men that escaped with him, they were no longer bound to service, but rather a life on the run. A few went into hiding, but many went along with Cassel, opting to stay by his side as they went to appeal to the Rebel cells.