Crovis I

**King Crovis Liv**

Crest of King Crovis Liv

**The Liv-Hendwil War**

* Battle of Seygrid

**King Crovis Liv I** (Born Crovis Donawin Liv née Sinclair; 14 January 1954 - 17 September 2002) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Liv from its founding in 1979, to his death in 2002 . He was the main founder and architect of Priom'h City, and helped develop it into a powerful city-state. His subsequent expansion of the state led to a rise in strength and wealth, and a firm place in the region as a rising power. His campaigns led to the annexation of the nearby lands, and he founded the Kingdom of Liv in 1979, uniting his territories under one banner.

His death in his final campaign, and subsequent official founding of The Empire by his second in command, General Somo, and his staff of founding officers, firmly established him as a legend in Imperial culture. He would be remembered as a crucial leader of the capital and an important factor in the later founding of the Livic Empire, which would be named after him, following a unanimous vote by the founding officers.

## Early Life

Crovis Liv was born the village of Old Priom'h, to a wealthy family descended from the Scottish Clan Sinclair. His father, Donawin Liv, was a village alderman, and his mother, Mirieth Liv, was a clothier. He was the only child in the family. He trained to become an architect and, at the age of just 14, began helping in expanding the village. By the time he was 18, the progress he had helped achieve for the village was immense, and it became a large city. He was subsequently elected by its citizens to be its governor.

He later married Tiana Lucey, a close friend of Liv's since a young age. Together they had a daughter, Tatiana Crovis Liv, on November 1, 1974.

## Creation of the military

As a leader, Liv was known to be extremely ambitious and had a great interest in military. He knew that his large city now required a standing army to protect it from bandits and raids, and most importantly, to establish it as a power of the region. He later stated that it was his ambition to conquer all of the powers of the region, and unite it under an empire.

Thus, Liv began to raise an army, recruiting citizens, men and women alike, to be trained and become part of the newly founded Priomic army, which would be the predecessor of the current Imperial army. Liv actively recruited and trained his troops, while hiring workers to harvest wood, iron and coal to help forge muskets, black powder, and swords. Horses were raised, giving rise to a regiment of cavalry. Iron was also used to forge artillery batteries. In just under a year, Liv had amassed a division of 1,400 men, with around 500 of them being cavalrymen, and 100 of them belonging to the artillery regiment which had around 80 cannon.

He followed the Napoleonic Staff System, and laid the rank structure as such, and was thus made General of the Division. A meritocratic structure of promotion was laid out, which led to competent officers and NCO's being in command of the soldiers, and the best officers became part of General Liv's staff. Among those officers was Liv's right hand man, General of the Brigade Somo, whom Liv would say was his best general, and that they were equal in terms of tactical knowledge.

The Hendwil Realm reacted to the creation of the army with disdain, and tensions rose between both states. General Liv knew that the Realm was much larger than them, and that expansion of the state's territories would be crucial to establish the state as a regional power. Hence, General Liv proclaimed that a conquest of the Macleodlands would be conducted.

## War of the Macleodlands

Main Article: War of the Macleodlands

He began his campaign by requesting all of the villages and leaders of the Macleodlands to join him in his effort to expand his state. Though some joined him, the many opposing leaders under the banner of King Patrick Macleod of Heeclob'h declared that the leaders who joined General Liv were traitors, and subsequently declared war on the City-State of Priom'h.

The Army of Heeclob'h sized at around 1,500 men, while General Liv had 1,400 men. The two armies met in the Battle of Acacians, where General Liv routed Macleod's army. The army retreated back to Heeclob'h, and General Liv laid siege to the city. After a month, Heeclob'h fell, and the Macleodlands were conquered by General Liv. After the victory, General Liv proclaimed a new kingdom would be founded to unite all of his conquered lands.

## Coronation as King

In an elaborate ceremony in the City Hall of Priom'h, General Liv was crowned King Crovis Liv I of the Kingdom of Liv. The creation of the new kingdom led to increased tensions with the Hendwil Realm. At this point, these were the only two powers left in the region. However, diplomatic senates between both the countries would lead to a more amiable relationship.

## Reign

Following the coronation, the region experienced an era of peace. The kingdom grew prosperous, and the economy was further developed. The king was very keen on the mining industry, as the region is rich in ores and minerals. The growth led to high rates of prosperity and wealth in the kingdom.

In 1996, King Liv proclaimed his daughter Tatiana as the successor of the throne, and she was made Crown Princess Tatiana of the Kingdom of Liv.

## The Liv-Hendwil War

In 2002, tensions rose between the Realm and Kingdom when both began accusations of territory encroachments and agreement violations. The unwillingness of either side to come to terms led to Dictator Groch Hendwil to declare war on the kingdom on September 14, 2002. The distance between Priom'h and the Realm's capital, Seygrid, was not too far apart. It was clear that both armies would meet at the middle, and a decisive battle would decide which state would remain in power. That battle would happen 2 days later, on the 16th of September at the pivotal Battle of Seygrid.

### Battle of Seygrid

Main Article: The Battle of Seygrid

The battle began in the morning, with artillery fire from Hendwil's regiments. Liv pulled back, and lured Hendwil's infantry and cavalry forward, which were isolated and destroyed. He later ordered a counterattack, during which he was severely wounded during a sword fight with a Realmic offcer. He killed the officer, but he was severely wounded with deep cuts, causing him to lose large amounts of blood. He was quickly carried back to Priom'h, where he was treated. He also received news of his daughter's fatal wounds, which left him distraught, as his condition worsened.

## Death

At around 8 PM, General Somo returned to the city, and immediately went to the Ceannard Tower, where Liv was being treated. He gave the king the news of the final victory, but Liv was too distressed of his daughter's condition to care about the victory. The doctors were uncertain of Liv's chance of survival, but nevertheless tried their best to save him.

A few hours later, news arrived of Princess Tatiana's death. The news left Liv devastated, and he spent his last hours in tears, expressing regret for allowing her to be a soldier. The doctors urged him to remain calm, and that the stress was making him more ill. He stated that he saw no reason to keep living, and subsequently named General Somo as his successor. The wounds, alongside the bleeding and stress, caused Liv to fall into a comatose state.

He later died, at 1:34 AM of the next day, surrounded by his staff officers, and his wife. General Somo, who stayed with him till the end, wept when the doctors checked Liv's pulse and declared him dead.

## Legacy

His death after the Battle of Seygrid and subsequent founding of the Empire, and it being named after him, led to a legendary legacy. Imperial citizens saw him as one of the most decisive men in the Empire's history, without whom the Empire would've never been established.

In his will, he requested to be buried alongside his fallen soldiers. As such, he was buried in the newly built Priom'h cemetery, in a grandiose ceremony, where General Somo declared that "King Crovis Liv will forever symbolize the Empire's heart, full of strength and relentless ambition and determination, the qualities all citizens and soldiers shall henceforth adhere by".