Major General Cody Carpenter

## Cody Carpenter

Major-General **Cody** **Carpenter** was a Dominion Army officer who saw service during the Great War. He became prominent for becoming the youngest ever Major General in his role as commanding officer of the 1st (Princess Violet's Own) Airborne Division which fought with great distinction, although suffering severe casualties, in the Invasion of Lurberrany, the Frontier, the Sudorni Border Conflict and later Operation Martingale and the Dominion counter-attack.

### Early Life

Cody Martin Carpenter was born the son of his Kedavian mother, Fiona and Autumn father Andrew Carpenter, a woodwork teacher, in the city of Bustleton, Centralia. Cody spent most of his early years in his home town, attending Saint Thomas' school for his education.

Cody spent much time in the Young Rangers, rising to the highest 'rank' of Lead Senior Ranger by the time he graduated year 12.

After graduating Cody attended the world renowned Rievaulx University, studying construction engineering under a scholarship due to his parent's limited funds. Before his final year and subsequent work placement, Cody was offered a place in the Royal Colonial Engineers, the overseas branch of the military's Royal Engineering Corps. Accepting, Cody was stationed in a remote and undeveloped north-western district of theOctoberland colony of Dominion controlled Gonderhar.

### Military Career

#### Colonial Service

When arriving at his post, Carpenter was surprised to find himself immediately promoted due to his predecessor, who he had expected to be serving under having contracted a tropical disease. Finding himself the only other qualified engineers for hundreds of kilometres, Cody took charge with great initiative and the unofficial rank of lieutenant, Cody set to work on the building of a bridge over a major river in the area.

Working with imported Larmartian workers with whom the only thing he had in common was a lack of understanding of the other's language, Carpenter never-the-less showed himself to be an able organiser, regularly completing stages of construction early with high levels of efficiency. Several weeks into the project disaster almost struck as the bridge came under attack from a local warrior lodge that still refused to accept Dominion rule. Rallying the workers and what little arms they had available, Carpenter was able to organise a fierce defence which saw the bridge defended but the camp's food supplies stolen by the native warriors. Knowing that his only options were either to accept failure and return to Octoberport defeated, or to perform the impossible task of recapturing the supplies from trained warriors, Carpenter chose the latter. Forming a posse of Larmartian workers, Lieutenant Cody gave chase to the warriors, arriving at their warrior camp he waited until nightfall when they had drunk themselves to sleep before slipping into camp. Here he and his men raised havoc, setting fire to the warriors own supply tents, stealing back their supplies, poisoning the well with rotten meat and firing a rifle volley through the camp before retreating in to the night. One week later the bridge was finished without any more trouble from the warrior lodge.

#### Office of the Questor-Marshal

Upon returning to Octoberport, Cody was awarded the Royal Adventurer's Medal for his accomplishments and had his rank of lieutenant formalised. News of his adventure spread throughout the colony and appeared in newspapers and even dispatches back in Greater Autumland. Due to this attention and his exemplary competence, Carpenter was soon poached by the office of the Questor-Marshal, having personally been offered the role and promotion to Captain by Field Marshal Alan Walton himself. For the next two years Carpenter served with distinction, reinforcing his gift for organising, soon becoming a favourite of the Questor General, so much so he was promoted to major and given the task of reinforcing coastal fortifications in Djendjopet, Dominion Sashnikia. During this time Cody also commanded military units of the colonial divisions during exercises and several long range expeditions after practically begging Questor-Marshal Walton for some form of command.

#### 1st Airborne

When the Dominion Royal Army was completing the creation of the first two divisions of what would become its 1st Airborne Army, Questor-Marshal Walton immediately recommended Cody despite his low rank. After months of heated deliberation, King Rynston himself was asked to make a choice, favoured due to his young age, organisational skills and limited experience with guerrilla warfare, Carpenter was given the honour of leading the world's first dedicated airborne division, becoming the Dominion's youngest ever Major General, two weeks before his 27th birthday.