Soran Doyle

Title
 Gender
 Race
 Faction
 Status
 Location
 Power Rating

An admiral in the Blue Protectoran who was active at the time of the Blue Protectoran Mutiny.

## Events

1156PE: Doyle was entered by his noble family into the officer corps of the Blue Protectoran of the Aurian Empire.

1161PE: After successful tours in defending trade ships as well as the hunting and destruction of several pirate vessels, Soran was promoted to captain. He was then master of his own vessel the Whisper Slyph.

1167PE: With continuing service and moderate successes Doyle was able with the typical donations to encourage his superiors to promote him to ship's commander. Thanks to this he was finally able to command an actual war galley the Western Wind.

1169PE: The Western Wind fought in a series of minor battles in the Sentry Isles off the western coast of Auria. Doyle's tactics were praised and several of his crew receved promotions and commendations for valour.

1173PE: In line with his clean record, length of service, noble heritage and continued donations to highly placed officers, Doyle was promoted to Sea Mark over the 33rd Legion of the Blue Protectoran. Finally able to command a squadron of ships though he continued to use the Western Wind as his flagship.

1178PE: With the death of Admiral Tornkov, Soran saw his chance to become a full admiral early. Tornkov had died of a wasting disease and at the venerable age of 84. Doyle instead portrayed himself as the new style of younger commander who would be needed when others like Tornkov were no longer able to serve. It helped his case that the four most senior Admirals of the Blue at that time were all over 60 years of age and that some of them were not popular in Tor Kalash with the Marshal of the Empire or with the royal family. Indeed it seemed that it was more the personal recommendation of the Emperor and the Marshal of the Empire that allowed the young Doyle to secure the covetted position of Admiral. His was then given nominal control of the southern fleet.

1179-1183PE: Admiral Doyle moved his household and command staff to Gan Tatrak. From there he oversaw the 31st, 33rd, 34th and 36th Legions. These legions saw a lot of action due to Elygian pirates and raiding fleets.

1188PE: Blue Protectoran Mutiny took place in Tatrak. An internal coup took place over two days. The Blue Protectoran high command including several admirals and fleet admirals took control of the city. They murdered and imprisoned loyalist forces, including the Trademaster of the city and one of its senators who was in residence at home. It may also have included the Grand Admiral himself as he was not present when the city was later retaken and his name was not of the notification of independence.

They also kidnapped the heir to the throne, crown prince Marcus who was living in Tatrak at the time under the honourary title of 'First Royal Admiral'. The rebels threatened to murder the prince if the Empire did not leave them in control of Tatrak and its fleets. The city briefly seceded from the Empire with its new leaders signing a document called the notification of the indepence of the port city of Tatrak.

When the city rebelled, loyalist Blue units gathered to Gan Tatrak in opposition. Where Soran Doyle held his command of the southern fleets. Doyle was secretly contacted by the coup's leaders and asked to join them but he declined to answer. Promoted to Fleet Admiral by the Emperor, Doyle organised the Empire's bid to retake Tatrak with a pincer attack. He mobilised several blue legions to strike out over land and pressured the First Lance and Commander in Chief not to attack Tatrak until he had given the Blue their chance. Then he took to the sea and sailed north to Tatrak.

The fleet action went Doyle's way with his forces able to defeat the Tatrak fleet in open water with a combination of barrage-exchange tactics and several well exceuted bording actions. Doyle made it clear from the outset that surrendering mutineers were to be spared in contrast to some previous imperial responses to such action. This resulted towards the end of the fighting on the water to four-eight ships striking their colours and raising the Aurian red, gold and blue.

While the battle on the water took place the land forces were able to enter the city most believe due to the actions of a group known as the Nightstriders as they raised internal dissent then took and opened the posturn gate. They were also responsible for hunting down and killing Admiral Kossus who was left to rule Tatrak while other key leaders took to the waters to face Doyle's fleet. The fighting was bloody often from street to street and huge numbers of civilians were injured and/or killed in the storming of Tatrak.

Doyle and his loyalists won the day, but despite this one of the mutinous admirals Kossus gave the order to make good on their threat and Marcus the crown prince was killed. So despite Doyle's previous plans, when Tatrak was taken Emperor Carlson allowed the city to be sacked in retribution. This was notable as it stood in stark comparison with his very lenient approach later with Tor Zeric. As the leader of the loyalist forces, Soran Doyle was appointed as the new Grand Admiral in recognition of his efforts.

This spelled the end of Tatrak as the Empire's primary military port in the west in favour of Gan Tarak. Gan Tatrak was renamed Gan Tarak and Cthol Tatrak followed suit as Gan Tarak took preeminence over historic Tatrak. Blue Protectoran headquarters was officially moved from Tatrak to Gan Tarak after this event.

1190-1PE: Doyle supported the Yellow Protectoran in dealing with the Tor Zeric rebellion. not only were his Protectoran vital in supplying imperial forces but he personally left his command to work as an advisor to the Commander in Chief due to his experience in retaking Tatrak. It also showed that Doyle was one of the few military officers that the Emperor Carlson still trusted without reservation.

1189-1193PE: Doyle was known to come into direct conflict with civilian planners over the new improved road system which he saw as a rival to the civilian shipping which was the life blood of the Blue's importance in the Empire. Doyle was finally becoming seen as more old fashioned though he was still young for an admiral.

1193PE: Doyle's ally the Emperor Carlson died and was succeeded by his younger son Gerard the Waywalker. Gerard reduced spending on the Protectorans and redirected funds into infrastructure projects. Though not particularly popular with the most powerful leaders of the military like Doyle, he knew well enough not to oppose the Emperor's pet project. In his later years therefore Doyle turned the Blue Protectoran into primarily a merchant navy and an armed customs force. He also used the renevation money to utterly revolutionise Gan Tarak as a city. A huge imperial academy was founded there and as an employment scheme the sea works were extensively reworked.

2012PE: Doyle visited Tor Honarik for a private discussion with the Emperor it is believed that he pointed out that as Admiral and Grand Admiral he had always been in favour of promoting new blood and allowing skill and talent to win through. Now at over 70 he felt that he himself was standing in the way of that vision and asked to be honourably relaeased from his role as Grand Admiral and allowed to retire. This was granted on the proviso he retain a role teaching an advanced tactics class at the academy of Gan Tarak and he was gifted the Lower Quarter Estates that had been planned for the Grand Admirals personal quarters. Those estates in lower Gan Tarak became the extremely beautiful and profitable Doyle estate and were held in the family in perpetuity.

2023PE: Doyle died from fever after a period of sickness.