Hard-eyed, heavy-handed, and supremely confident; Dolremm is one of the most ruthless of a long line of ambitious Patricians that Lodel has had for the past century. Taking power by force nearly a decade ago when he was merely the Preceptor of Shaladazar, many of the people saw Dolremm as a liberator, as his predecessor was a draconian ruler, but Dolremm did little to reform Lodel. Still, the nation remains strong, stable and safe, and if the people chafe under the heavy yolk of the patrician's regime they tolerate it for the security and prosperity Dolremm's rule brings.
Description
Dolremm is tall and narrow of shoulder, but his speed and skill with a weapon make him more than a match for much larger warriors. Graceful in an unpredictable sort of way, Dolremm has trained in such a way that his foes never see his flows coming amongst a flurry of feints and parries. Dolremm is in his middle years, but his hair and neat beard are already entirely grey, leaving only his eyebrows black. His skin is tanned, but has grown softer during his years at court, and the lines around his eyes and mouth are hard and determined. Eyes of pale brown, almost gold, have a wide, unblinking stare, capable of conveying great menace. Dolremm is conscious that he must dress to his station, wearing garments of fine silk and velvet, but he wears heavily embossed and gold-leafed boiled leathers and a finely crafted sword and mace at his hips, both to remain ready for any threat, and remind people how it is he came to power, and how he plans to keep it. A narrow circlet and heavy chain are his badges of office, and he ensures that these things are on his person and visible whenever he receives guests or leaves his own suite of chambers.
Personality
Dolremm is a soldier. He is a strategic man, who prefers to take what he wants, and understands how to use force, not only to take what he wants, but to shock and intimidate those around him. Still, most agree that he has led Lodel to strength it has never before know. His sharp, tactical mind is constantly in motion, constantly seeking a way to outmanoeuvre and flank his foe, be it rhetorically, diplomatically or, if necessary, physically, as many diplomats have found when they have overstepped their station and found a sword buried in their sides. Dolremm is not afraid to turn to violence, and prefers to mete it out himself. However as a military man the patrician of Dosa also understands being devoted to a cause, and has made personal sacrifices to make Lodel stronger. His probing attacks against his neighbours might seem like a man keen to cement his legacy by building a small empire, but Dolremm has made it demonstrably clear that his successes are Lodel's successes, by sharing the spoils of successful war with the noblemen and merchants of his cities.
History
A good soldier, from a fine landholding house, Dolremm's family descend from Ordinator Manolos en-Dol, the famed general who drove the draks from the Crooked Plains. Dolremm was destined to be an officer in Lodel's army, and none were surprised when he was taken on in the Preceptor of Shaladazar's personal entourage, and eventually named his successor to the lofty post. When Dolremm became Preceptor he was most vocal at court in demanding that his predecessor Entreri en-Sarda, allow him to invade Camar and seize Dosa and the Camari Pass, but the cautious patrician refused to even consider such action, and Dolremm was confined to hunting down petty bandit companies in the Bosots. Disgusted with what he saw as disrespectful use of a seasoned and trained general, Dolremm surrounded himself with the other preceptors of Lodel, and hatched a conspiracy that turned into a fully fledged military coup, with the promise that his Lodel would not be afraid to flex its muscle. In a single night, with admirable precision, he arranged the murder of every major supporter of the old regime, marrying ranking soldiers to their widows and killing their heirs, and personally found and slew Entreri and his entire family in single combat (or in their sleep, depending on the rumour heard). Succession in Lodel had largely been passed between five major families, and before sunrise the next day Dolremm controlled them all. He was named patrician of Lodel, leaving his old post vacant should he ever require it again, and began systematically pumping Lodel's treasury into better training and equipping Lodel's standing army, as well as giving them practical experience by 'training' them on the borders of his two immediate neighbours. Now that he has flexed his muscles, Camar and Taal wait anxiously to see where the hammer will fall when Dolremm is ready to progress further with his plans.
Associations
Dolremm himself has no children - his military career, and his rule of Lodel have left him, to date, with little time to marry and little to gain by a political union. Whether he has no interest in taking a wife or he is saving a union until it is most diplomatically expedient is unclear. Dolremm's parents are long dead, but his ancient grandfather Jervas still lives on in Shaladazar, though the elder's wits are near shattered, Dolremm still holds his wisdom in high regard when he is coherent. Aside from this his major supporters are the three other Preceptors of Lodel. Alestor, Preceptor of Darafar; Arion, Preceptor of Kelter; and Alsander, Preceptor of Ramhedan. However his enemies are just as numerous, and Sinan Nahsunn, Remhi and Hamat, the patricians of Camar, have declared that his penetration of their borders will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, in the east, Tashaban Varut, the Mollah of Sarsis has made no such formal declaration, but is ready to send his Satraps west should the final march be against Taal.
Statistics
| Race | Male Tribeless | Skills | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | category (n) | Skill Points: spent/total | ||||||
| Profession | profession (n) | skill | value | rationale | ||||
| Faith | faith (n) | |||||||
| Class | description (n/n) | |||||||
| Talents | Inventory | |||||||
| Fast | n | weapon | cap | threshold | reach | |||
| Graceful | n | |||||||
| Hale | n | |||||||
| Strong | n | |||||||
| Tough | n | armour | hard | tiers | enc/limit | |||
| Clever | n | tool | cap | test | ||||
| Insightful | n | |||||||
| Knowledgeable | n | attire | environment | |||||
| Perceptive | n | |||||||
| Wilful | n | |||||||
| Brave | n | |||||||
| Persuasive | n | |||||||
| Forceful | n | |||||||
| Lucky | n | |||||||
Character Traits
Mercy of a Stone (2)
Dolremm has never been squeamish about using violence to achieve his goals, and maintain his rule, and he does not brook continued failure. This has made him both strong and unpopular.
Usurper (2)
No matter how efficient or long-lasting his reign, the people of Lodel, and his neighbours in Camar and Taal, can never seem to forget that he took his position by force, not right, and in a land where most rely on a combination of right and strength to take a throne, his method seems uncouth and heavy handed.