Maxmillian

"*Never has there been a Knight more despised, loved, handsome, envied and arrogant than Sir Maxwell.* "
—Maxwell's reputation.

## Statistics

### Affiliation

Arven Monarch* Earl
* Knights of Arven

Eternal Companions

## Attributes

### Height

6'2"

Sir **Maxwell**, commonly called **Max**, **11th Earl of Cliffshire** was a highly successful tournament contender and courtier. Max garnished a reputation as a popular Knight by winning numerous competitions and representing the King of Arven in an ambassadorial capacity during wartime. Legendary among the common folk, Max became the face of Knighthood within the nation of Arven.

Max participated in the Tarlock Rebellion during his youth as a page and later squired within a castle for Sir Reginald Dontos. Under Reginald's training, Max became a stalwart soldier. Max formed a close friendship with Lady Melara Redpool. Among his greatest accomplishments, Max spearheaded a campaign alongside Melara to vanquish organized crime in Arven.

Max played a critical role in the Skycutter Conflict, a war that created a chain of events that inadvertently lead him to be arrested for treason by the monarch. He was released to be allowed to participate in a second conflict, To Unseat A Conqueror, in an attempt to redeem himself, but failed by violating peace with the Askari. Max returned to Arven and, to appease the Askari, was arrested and executed in 1278.

## History

### ***Building Bridges***

Maxwell is the second born child and first son of Markus, the Arven First Emissary and Ambassador of King Charles. During his upbringing Max received an education in the capital and proper training with a sword from the master-at-arms. Max was obsessed with tournament fighting and glory earned by winning, offering his services as a squire. Overtime, Max began participating in melee and jousting and focused less on education.

Despite his father's lowborn status, Markus was given the opportunity of obtaining knighthood for his service as First Emissary during the initial stages of the Tarlock Rebellion. Instead, Markus requested the rank be given to his son Max. After having been newly knighted by King Charles, Max fought for the crown near the end of the Tarlock Rebellion under Lord Lawrence Redpool. Though he did not participate in any major battles, Max earned victories in skirmishes by fighting alongside notable warriors like Lieutenant Stefan 'Hoof' Huster.

At the end of the Tarlock Rebellion, Max acted as a regulator for several towns near the last phase of the war by working alongside Ulrich and his Fighter Guild mercenaries. His role as regulator proved instrumental in earning the respect of commoners when he and his companions would deal with drunken brawls or petty thievery. Max also took the liberty of participating in tournaments during his travels, a means of providing entertainment to the lingering civil unrest; his victories at tournaments were greatly highlighted when fighting remnant warriors of Tarlock by dueling or jousting.

### ***The Underworld Liquidation of Arven***

Circa 1266, Sir Max became one of the leading officials in spearheading the campaign to liquidate the organized crime within Arven. At his side was Lady Melara Redpool, a close friend, who was appointed to lead the Queen's Guard and a battalion of soldiers of the Royal Army. Together, with Max's command over the city guards, they began the systematic apprehension of criminals and known crime syndicates. Local resistance became increasingly overwhelming in the days that followed, and by August 2nd, two weeks after the liquidation began, Arven forces faced large scale riots within the city streets.

The first major action of the campaign happened on August 4th between Max's forces and the Quickfinger Clan within the sewers. The skirmish broke out onto the streets and Max's forces were overwhelmed and forced to retreat. The next day, Melara's forces rendezvoused with remnant forces under Max; strict orders where given by Max to minimize negative impact on the civilian population of the city. The eastern division of Arven continued to harbor members of the remaining crime syndicates while Max and Melara established control over the western division.

   By August 6th, forces under Max and Melara managed to apprehend nearly half the known criminals in Arven, roughly three-hundred. They launched an offensive on the eastern division of Arven to capture or kill all those who still opposed the Arven Monarch. Among those who joined the campaign were Stefan Huster, Luitetant of the Royal Army, who's leadership proved resilient during the conflict. A small scale battle took place within the sewers, and some areas of the streets, that resulted in Arven victory. Within a fortnight, the entirety of crime syndicates had perished or dis banded under the Arven Monarch. Max's efforts to abolish crime were witnessed by his peers and the common folk, and thus he became viewed as a champion of Arven alongside Lady Melara.

### ***The Grand Tournament***

Max was among the many contenders to participate in the Grand Tournament of Arven on June 24th, 1269. He jousted for seven days during the tournament, and unmounted numerous Knights around the nation that gathered to compete. Among the well known contenders he jousted and won against were Sir Stefan "Hoof" Huster, a decorative veteran jouster, and Sir Eric Van Der Loo, favored by the King of Ensteig. Max remained a favorite to the crowd for a majority of the tournament, alongside Lady Melara Redpool, her birthday celebration brought food and luxury to the spectators, until she was unmounted by Sir Mauldron the Jouster. Max ended up winning the tournament after defeating all jousters.

On the final day of the tournament, Max defeated Jorn of Dunholm and awaited for Mauldron and Edgeron to complete their joust so that he may face off against the winner. However, as the two men completed their joust, Edgeron, having lost, traded insults with Mauldron's squire. In retaliation Mauldron and his squire executed the defeated knight. The entire audience, including the King and Queen, took great offense to unexpected death of Edgeron. Shortly after the execution Max entered the arena and announced that he would fight to the death against Mauldron. The King, seeking justice, announced Max as his new favored knight and commanded him to publicly slay Mauldron. The two knights dueled for extended duration as the audience cheered for Max. Max eventually won, and before slaying him, Max looked toward the King for approval. There after defeating Mauldron and thus winning the tournament Max took a knee toward the King and Queen beside the bodies of his fallen opponents.

Max's fame rose to a nigh-legendary status after the tournament, for he was titled as Champion of the Grand Tournament; as entitled by the winner of the tournament, Max bestowed upon Lady Aeralie the title of queen of love and beauty by giving her a red rose. Max also gifted his friend Melara a round of drinks for her and the local patrons in a nearby tavern as a birthday gift. His slaying of Sir Mauldron was lauded by the common folk and his peers, for he was now looked upon a hero and the face of Knighthood. Sir Eric Van Der Loo however, upset that Max was now the most well known competitor in Arven, grew jealous of his fame.

Weeks after the tournament had concluded, Max was approached by numerous organizations, clans, beggers and houses as potential allies. Among those who sought his service was Dame Lydia, Goddaughter and former protegee of Lady Melara Redpool; she requested an audience with Max on behalf of her benefactor Alec Kylar who in turn worked for the Eternal Companions. Max and Alec became acquainted some months later, and the two became friends and worked closely a year later during the Oricon Crisis.

### ***Harbinger of Concord***

In the summer of 1271, Max trekked from Arven through Torrance to compete in a series of small tournaments. After having won several of the tournaments and celebrating for many days, Max was visited by his friend and former associate Alec Kylar. Late one night after many drinks, Alec requested Max's expertise in a delicate political matter, and upon elaboration Max learned of a cold war between the noble houses of Alderwood over dominance of Skycutter's Plateau. After much deliberation, Max eventually agreed after Alec revealed Skycutter's backstory and his intentions of returning it to the Skovos Isles where the priestesses would reward treasures; Max ensured that the only 'treasure' he wished to have was a beautiful Askari wife. Alec, in return, promised him treasures, but did not guarantee his wish for betrothal.

During the month of June, Max and his household guard held dominance over Skycutter's Plateau and hosted council meetings with several of the clans from the nearby city of Alderwood. The three major clans of Alderwood, controlled by House Dunn, House Corbray, and House Lothston sent out their Aldermen to converse with Max about his neutral stance over the territory. In a rare move, all three of the major clans worked together for the first time and hired a group of wildling mercenaries to attack Max and his household guard; a skirmish ensued at Skycutter's Plateau, with losses on both sides.

On June 27th, Max accompanied Alec and his party in their journey to Skovos, where they spent their first day in the company of the Oracle Caste, who welcomed Alec and promised him riches if he were to bring the Skycutter to them.

## Character and Appearance

Max is rash, arrogant and headstrong. Max is a brilliant swordsman and an even better jouster.