PCs:Thaylis Beign

Name: Thaylis Beign

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colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; line-height: 1.25em;"	Brigadier Sir Thaylis Beign, 12th Infantry Brigade (Blackhawk Brigade)
Allegiance	Nation of M'Chek
Service/branch	M'Chekian Army, Navy
Rank	Brigadier, Rear Admiral
Commands held	* Commander of Blackhawk Command Company. * Executive Officer - Blackhawk Battalion. * Chief of Staff - 3rd Infantry Brigade. * Commander of Blackhawk Brigade.
Awards	Numerous - See Below

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: Looks to be in his early 30's.

Deity: Pelar

Class: Ranger/Rogue/Weapon Master

Birthplace: Family farm, Nelthropian Lands (former, now belonging to Lord Chasworth), M'Chek

Residences: Drakehall Keep in western M'Chek and House Beign along the eastern M'Chekian coast, near the falls.

Affiliations and Titles:

• Sir Thaylis Beign of Drakehall Keep.

• Breath of Pelar, formerly the Blade of Pelar.

• Brigadier, M'Chekian Army. Served as the Commanding Officer of the Blackhawk Brigade - Retired.

• Rear Admiral, M'Chekian Naval Forces.

• Knight Companion of the Chivalric Order of Balance - KCCB.

• Hero of the M'Chekian Union.

• Member of the 4th Royal House of Nor'Seere - House Silverstrike.

The Early Years

Thaylis was the only child born to Cray and Thrella Beign, hard working farmers who labored on lands passed down for generations near the Order of the Way. When the young boy was only 7, his parents were killed by a roaming band undead who attacked the farm in the dead of night. He was taken in by his mother’s older brother, Garrick, a Pelarite Hunter who lived in a small cabin along the western Blandenberg border.

Learning the Hunter's Way

Garrick was a veteran of the War with T’Nanshi, serving with distinction as a scout in the M’Chekian army. The young boy learned much from his uncle over the years, training in a variety of things; how to handle an array of weapons, the basics of the Ways of the Hunt, and the Teachings of Pelar to name a few.

The Big City and Finding Purpose

His uncle passed in the night, heeding Pelar’s call to his side. The young man soon found his way to the rich farmlands surrounding the capitol, and for the next few years worked odd jobs on various farms in the region, honing his carpentry skills. He soon paid for a room at a local inn, and eventually began to develop friendships and traveled to distant lands, referring to the Gargoyle as home. All during this time, he constantly refined and perfected his hunting and tracking skills.

The Art of the Shadow

While living near the capitol, Thaylis met a master who knew the Art of the Shadow, a skill known as shadow dancing. He was able to strike a deal with that person, to take him on as an apprentice, and for the next several years worked hard and learned much under their tutelage and watchful eyes.

The young Hunter became a master himself in the Art, and passed along that knowledge to many others in the following years.

The Blackhawks

Battle Flag of the Blackhawk Brigade

Just shy of his 20th summer, panic swept the nation at a demon uprising that spread throughout south-west M’Chek. Wanting to help where he could, the young man spoke with Captain Swift of the Blackhawk Company, M’Chek’s special forces unit, and offered his services and Pelarite skills as a scout. He enlisted shortly thereafter, and became a member of that elite unit. The demon threat was neutralized by M’Chekian forces months later.

Shortly after these events, Drotid military forces invaded the eastern coast of M’Chek on several fronts, and gained a foothold on our soil. M’Chek was once more at War.

Rise Through the Ranks

Thaylis’ foundation of military training and experience was overseen under the watchful eyes of Major Fyne and Captain Weller, and the young man excelled in his new path. War was declared against Drotid, and soon after Colonel-Commissar Brittain offered him an officer’s commission which was readily accepted. He rose rapidly through the officer ranks, and later assumed command of the Blackhawk Command Company. Thaylis later served as the Battalion's Executive Officer (XO) under C. C. Brittain. During that time, the young officer oversaw several successful operations against the Drotid invaders.

As the war waged on, Thaylis was later reassigned by High Command to a Chief of Staff position of the 3rd Infantry Brigade under General Arthur Matherson. Promoted to Major, the officer supervised the needs of a much larger command element, consisting of 6 full Battalions.

Command of a Brigade

In an unprecedented move following the infamous raid upon Fort Kasslesstha, War Commissioner Lord Tobias Chasworth promoted Major Beign to the rank of Brigadier, and ordered him to assume command of the 12th Brigade under Lord Derrington’s banner. He was then tasked with forging the Brigade with the capability to commence field operations against the Drotid invaders in eastern M’Chek. Consisting of the veteran Blackhawk Battalion and the remnants of the 12th Brigade, this command element assumed the name Blackhawk Brigade.

After a successful recruiting campaign, the Blackhawk Brigade continued to spearhead a number of aggressive tactical operations against the Drotid. Elite members of the Brigade were responsible for denying the invaders use of the iron mines located east of Derrington Castle and disrupting the alliance forged with the Bugbears in the region.

In an act of unity and defiance, the naval fleets of M’Chek and T’Nanshi joined forces. Supported by the select members of the Blackhawks and T’Nanshi’s 6th Division, the allied forces conducted a series of coordinated attacks along the eastern coast, targeting Drotid naval forces and land-based targets. This operation resulted in the Drotid no longer having a viable presence in the Eastern Seas, as several warships were captured or sunk, and numerous land installations were destroyed.

In the final stages of the War, Fort Msaelifriss was besieged by M’Chekian forces. A small group of members of the Blackhawk Battalion, commanded by Lt. Colonel Fox, successfully breached the fortress’s gate. Weeks later in a climactic battle Fort Kasslesstha fell, their Warlord slain in the shadow of Chasworth Keep.

M'Chekian Victory and Accolades

An oil painting on canvas of Brigadier Sir Thaylis Beign in his Blackhawk dress uniform, shortly after M'Chek's victory over the Drotid. The Star of the Order of Balance hangs from his neck.

With the defeat of Warlords Msaelifriss and Kasslesstha, and the Drotid forces broken and scattered, victory over the invaders was declared. A large celebration was held in Mikona to honor the brave men and women who gave their best in defense of our great nation. To my surprise, I was one of 5 officers named Hero of M’Chek and knighted into the Chivalric Order of the Balance.

I take pride in the men and women under my command and feel honored to have led these capable and competent soldiers against the Hissers who invaded M'Chek.

Struggle Against the Drotid Outside the M'Chekian Borders

An exquisite oil painting entitled "The Last Battle". This artwork depicts the final battle of Voivode Kasseshisrath against Warmaster Kiff and Brigadier Beign.

Shortly after M’Chek’s victory over the Drotid, I lead an elite force of approximately 200 Blackhawks to aid the Elysian Resistance in their efforts to reclaim their city from the Drotid oppressors. Joining forces with the T’Nanshi military and Le’Megen, the joint forces were successful in eradicating the Drotid from the city.

Soon after this victory was won, High Command presented me with orders to assemble the Blackhawk Brigade and combine it with General Matherson’s 3rd Brigade, with overall command of this amalgamated unit falling upon my shoulders. Numbering just over 6,000 men and with Brigadier Lambert’s 5,000 soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, we rendezvoused in Port Nireth and joined forces with the T’Nanshi and the Le’Megen. With this allied army assembled we sailed north to Grantir, with the intentions of striking at the heart of the Drotid forces. Intel reports had indicated that Voivode Kasseshisrath had taken the field with a large army with plans on retaking Elysia.

Intercepting the Drotid Army in Grantir, a large and costly battle was fought. A small, elite strike force was formed and flanked the Drotid's Army left side, fighting its way to a ruined fortress in which the Voivode used as his command post. During the height of the battle, the last desperate prayer to Pelar by His Chosen, Kahas, was answered by the God of the Hunt and brought Warmaster Kiff and I within the Voivode’s inner defenses. Together, we ended the reign of Kasseshisrath in a brutal fight in which quarter was neither asked for nor received.

It was for this battle against the Voivode that I was named "Blade of Pelar" by Kahas.

Hel'Byssia

With the growing threat of an ancient evil within the Gates of Hel'Byssia I received permission from High Command to march two heavy infantry company's of Blackhawks, numbering just over 250 officers and soldiers, to that peninsula and joined forces gathering under Warmaster Kiff's banner.

Spirit Kin Threat

During the height of Spirit Kin activity throughout southern Negaria, the Blackhawks mobilized on numerous occasions to protect her citizens from various threats from that quarter. The first such incident was when the Kin Burn wrecked havoc across the countryside, leaving large portions of grassland and farmland in ash and ruins. Key elements of the Brigade moved to protect M'Chekian citizens. Secondly, the streets and alleyways of Mikona herself became the place of a large-scale battle when the Kin Raven unleashed hideous and grotesque creations from within the city. The entire Brigade moved in place to defend and protect the city from this threat. Lastly, the Brigade once again mobilized and joined an allied force against numerous Kin who were held in check behind the magical wards of the Hel'byssian peninsula.

End of an Era

After serving M'Chek with the Blackhawks both during the Drotid War and peacetime service, I came to the decision to relinquish my command of the Brigade and resign my commission as an officer of the M'Chekian Union. The time had come to pursue other interests outside of the M'Chekian boarders, namely a greater focus and more spiritual pursuit of the Hunt.

Shaelth

I participated in what can only be called the greatest Hunt I could ever hope be part of. A Hunt which truly Honor’s Pelar.

Shaelth, an Ancient Lycanthrope of immeasurable strength, power and agility terrorized the mountains in Deglos, she herself Hunting someone or something. If left unchecked the fear was that she would continue to move south, eventually entering T’Nanshi lands and would continue to terrorize the citizens of that nation.

Alain, a Tydeun ranger had hunted her for some time, and together with Kice Ansu, coordinated the efforts of concerned citizens of many nations to draw her into a steep and narrow valley high in the Delglosian Mountains and ambush her there. Specialized ballistic bolts were crafted of silver and mithril, and the volunteers manned the siege weapons in order to bring Shaelth down.

When all was in place, I was able to draw Shaelth to the valley by creating a scent trail from the bloody hide of her most recent kill; that of a fellow Ancient Lycanthrope named Chlyros. I was successful in drawing the Ancient One into the valley, though to my dismay, Tem, the sand dragon at my side, was slain at Shaelth’s initial onslaught.

The battle was long and bloody, though neither side seemed to be able to gain an advantage. In the end, it was Shaelth’s own offspring, Xira, which brought her down, a Lycanthrope who followed Pelar’s Old Ways of the Hunt. Their battle was fierce, yet in the end Xira prevailed.

As a side-note, I first met Xira in the months leading up to the final confrontation with Shaelth. A Lycanthrope of considerable power, she takes the form of a White Tigress. When I first encountered her, she opened my eyes to many things; that not all in Life is written in black and white, and that of the turmoil and division in existence amongst the Lycan kind. As a follower of Pelar, she also first taught me the importance of the Old Ways of the Hunt, and through her teachings, reinforced the responsibilities and choices a Hunter must make while participating in a Hunt.

Presence of Marko and his Undead Minions

((Work in Progress))

The Elysian Dragon Wing

During the time the Spirit Kin conflicts surfaced throughout southern Negaria, I was approached by Finn Kiff and Cole Dayhawke about joining the newly formed Dragon riders that protected Elysia. I jumped at this wonderful opportunity to learn aerial combat and maneuvers, and quickly mastered the necessary techniques needed to be successful in the air. I was paired with Skyla Silverstrike, an Avarial Pelarite who could change into the form of a Silver dragon at will. Together, we became a cohesive team in the air, and I soon took command of the dual-role skirmisher group of the Wing.

The Dragon Wing successfully fought against Truth's siege of Elysia, defending against a horde of stone dragons thrown against the city. The value of air support proved invaluable and I would like to see M'Chek one day invest in such an endeavor.

The original number of dragon riders paired with Avariel-Dragons numbered just over two score pairings. The constant battles against Truth's stone dragons slowly dwindled this number. During the final conflict on the peninsula of Hel'Byssia, 14 of the Avariels were transformed into dark and evil creatures, Skyla being one of these. I continue to Hunt for a solution to their transformation, in the hopes of one day reversing the dark magic which took them from us. Of the original members of the Wing when it was first formed, only a small handful now remain.

Drakehall

Shortly after I resigned from the M’Chekian army, I was approached by War Commissioner Lord Tobias Chasworth in the wake of the numerous serious charges leveled against Lord Constantine Drake of Westshore. In reparation for the injuries inflicted on his heirs while held captive by Lord Drake’s conspirators, Lord Chasworth was gifted several select pieces of ancestral Drake lands by the Noble House, specifically Drakehall and Drakeshore. Searching for honest and capable men to hold these new lands, the War Commissioner asked me if I was willing to entertain the thought of serving House Chasworth.

I agreed to serve his House in this manner, and I swore an oath of loyalty to House Chasworth. I was then granted the ancestral castle of the Drake’s, Drakehall, as well as the lands surrounding the stronghold. Now a vassal of the Chasworth’s, I have been entrusted to oversee the prosperity and welfare of Drakehall and the loyal M’Chekian citizens who live in the surrounding lands and holdings. I have been named Sir Thaylis Beign of Drakehall.

Titles and Awards

• Hero of the M'Chekian Union

• Knight Companion of the Chivalric Order of Balance

• Service of Plate presented for actions during the War against the Drotid

• Gold Lion Medal

• M'Chekian Army Medal of Distinguished Service

• Silver Unicorn Medal

• Copper Eagle Medal (with one gold star)

• Medal of Valor

• M'Chekian Army Good Conduct Medal (with one gold star)

• Victory Medallion

• Eastern Seas Medal

• Derrington's Medal

• Serpents Tail Medal

• Medal of Mikona's Valor

• Hel’Byssia Campaign Medal

Community Voted Award

Irreverence Awards 2011: The Big, Shiny Prize

Additional Miscellaneous Information

M'Chekian Medals

Officer and Enlisted Ranks