Darius

**Darius**, the nation's most feared and battle-hardened leader, is the ultimate symbol of Nordic might. From humble beginnings, he rose to become the *Hand of Nordival*, cleaving through the empire's foes, many of whom are Nordics themselves.

Those who oppose the leader of the Trigorian Legion should expect no mercy, knowing that he never doubts his cause is just and never hesitates at all, once his axe is raised for the killing blow.

## Biography

### Background

Darius Claudius Brolin and his brother Draven grew up in the port city of Basilisch as orphans after his family exiled him for being too strong and "warmongering." Darius fought gangs of bigger urchins and anyone else who threatened his little brother to provide for them both... Even the city guard was impressed. Every day on the streets was a battle for survival, and by his eleventh summer, Darius had accumulated more scars than some soldiers do in a lifetime.

### Ascend to Power

After Basilisch was seized by the expanding Nordic empire, the victorious commander Zacharias saw the strength in these defiant brothers, and they found a home within the ranks of his command. Over the years, they fought in many gruelling campaigns of conquest from one end of the known world to the other, as well as crushing a number of rebellions against the throne.

Within the empire, anyone could rise to power, no matter their birth, culture, or background, and none embraced this ideal more fervently than Darius. From humble beginnings, he rose steadily through the ranks, always putting duty before all else, and garnering great respect for his aggression, discipline, and refusal to ever take a backward step. On the blood soaked fields of Alamo Plain, he even beheaded a Nordic general after the *coward* ordered a retreat. Roaring in defiance and hefting his bloodied axe overhead, Darius rallied the scattered war bands and won a great and unexpected victory against a far more numerous foe.

### The Hand of Nordival

Darius was rewarded with his own senior command, bringing thousands of eager recruits from all around the empire. Darius turned away the majority, accepting only the most powerful, disciplined, competent, and iron-willed. Even in the lands beyond Nordic, his fearsome reputation was such that entire cities would surrender at the sight of his banners.

After a grinding victory against the cloud-fortresses of the Narju, a proud warrior people who had resisted decades of Nordic aggression, Darius was named the *Hand of Nordival* by Emperor Abraham Dreadlord himself. Those who knew Darius best knew he craved neither power nor adulation—he wished merely to see Nordival triumph over all—so Dreadlord ordered him and his warriors far north into the Avarshi, to finally bring the barbarian tribes to heel.

The campaign dragged on for years, ending in a bitter, icy stalemate. Darius narrowly survived assassination attempts, ambushes, and even capture by the vicious Winter’s Claw. He was growing weary of endless wars of attrition, and returned to Nordival to demand a reconsolidating of the military. Notably, he sought refuge in Frostvile to stay alive and well. This also concludes that he knew of the Clemirosans' existence and has claimed to see their Warmother, Ashe.

He marched his veterans into the capital, only to find that the emperor was dead, killed in a coup led by Magnus von Chronos. The act had been supported by many allies, though his brother was viciously killed. This was a difficult position. As Hand, many of the noble houses would expect Darius to avenge Dreadlord, but he had known and greatly respected the disgraced general Magnus, and had spoken against his discharge after the botched offensive in Losteria some years earlier. The oaths of the Hand were to Nordival, not any particular ruler, and Magnus was a man who spoke honestly of his new vision for the empire. Darius realised this was a leader he was prepared to follow... but Magnus had other ideas.

With the establishment of the Trigorian, three individuals would rule Nordival together, each embodying one principle of strength: *Vision*, *Might*, and *Guile*. Darius gladly accepted his place on this council, and pledged to raise a new, elite force—the Trigorian Legion, the most loyal and prestigious warriors the empire could produce—and lead the armies of Nordival into a glorious new age of conquest.

## Personality

   A battle-hardened military leader, Darius is renowned as one of the most brutal and fearless warriors in all of Nordival. Completely devoted to the empire, Darius obeys his orders without question, even when they are morally-reprehensible, such as when he excused Singed's use of chemical warfare as a necessary evil for the Losterian war. Though he fell in love once, Darius was forced to separate himself from Zafina when she defected, and after her death, Darius once again completely dedicated himself to the empire.

Like most Nordics, Darius values strength above all else, and follows a "might makes right" ideology. As a result, Dreadlord was overthrown, Darius was more than willing to swear loyalty to Magnus, as the new Grand General had earned his respect for his many years in the battlefield. A warrior intent on fulfilling his empire's goals, Darius believes in victory by any means necessary, even if he must sacrifice his own honour to do so. While a war leader, Darius is not exactly a sadist and carries out his orders with cold-blooded efficiency, seeing the empire's goals as the most effective reason to use his might over personal goals or bloodlust.

Having been an orphan, Darius despises the monarchs and nobles across Nexonia Prime, as he sees them as weak and unfit to rule over their much more hard-working slaves and soldiers. As seen in the *Adventures of Ceyraholt*, Darius believes that fear is the single greatest weakness in nevanity, and seeks to eliminate all his own fears to become a great warrior. When others display fearlessness, such as the slave girl in "*Nordics Aren't Always Warmongers*", they can earn Darius' respect, allowing them to ascend the ranks of his own army. He even has a respect for Ashe, the Iceborn queen leading the Clemarosan clan who has a lot of responsibility.

## Abilities

Darius is recognised for his incredible strength and toughness combined with a cold-blooded killer mindset, moving through the battlefield with forceful, precise motions and hitting with lethal force where it counts the most. He takes great pride in combat, but there is no primal bloodlust to be sated. He even forcefully proved that unpredictable sadists aren't always the best commanders.

The "Goredrinker" is the name given to his fearsome axe. It is constructed of Blackroyne ore and is capable of cutting through the hardest stone and metal; in fact, due to its durability and heavy weight, it is capable of defeating charmed weapons, with some troops claiming that Darius' axe weighs over two hundred pounds.

### Combat Analysis

 Strength
 Durability
 Speed
 Agility
 Fighting Skills

### Skills

* **Master Leader**: As the General of the Nordival armed forces, Darius is an extremely gifted leader with impeccable levels of experience in leadership. Notably, his leadership skills are exemplified to the point of leading entire armies, all while he is present in the battlefield, not caring about the risk of being killed, as he has survived numerous assassination attempts.

* **Master Combatant**: Darius is a naturally skilled combatant. He can easily slay armies with nothing but his axe, and fight with great effect through the use of hand-to-hand combat.

* **Master Strategist**: Contrary to popular belief, Darius is not simply wreaking havoc on their adversaries. He is well-known for his ability as a strategist.

## Trivia

### General

* Darius is the General of Nordival Armed Forces.
* Since Quill's death, Darius forgot her and focused his life as a warrior and a General.
* His adoptive brother, Draven, was killed at some point in the Invasion of Losteria. It also played a part on their downfall on that certain conflict.
* His armour and axe are sourced for Blackroyne metal ore from Blackrock Mere.
* Darius have survived over 300 assassination attempts.
* His brute strength is remarkable. Darius apparently has more than enough superhuman strength to manhandle Mogul, a large beast lurking the forests of Losteria that hunts its prey purely for the thrill of the hunt.
* He notably showed that Nordics aren't always savages. This also proves that Valenthians, aren't all mighty and righteous.
* Responsible for putting Craig Taggart into military service. He is also vital to keeping him reasonably sane, giving him an entire small forest for the enraged colossus to live comfortably.