My full name is Damion Marcus Ullien Dymasi. Marcus is my father, Ullien is the title of my landhold, and Dymasi is my ancestry. It marks me as a direct descendant of Dymas, who first brought the Ilarians to the steppes. I am nineteen years old, and the emperor's cousin. I fought my first battle at sixteen, when Lorien took Ettonia. I am an officer of the cavalry now, and aim to become a captain in Kenar, though my father might try to block my promotion. He is the general's second-in-command. My uncle is Lorien's general. I will be general after him. It is my destiny, given me by the goddess Usia, and it is the only fate I ever wanted. I am, and will be, the emperor's most loyal companion. I will not fail him.

Where is home to you - what is it like? It sounds like you spend much of your time on the road. Do you return home often?

What about your mother - are you close to her? Do you have any sisters, brothers, other close relatives (besides the emperor, of course)?

What is the relationship between your father and uncle like? Can you tell if it is different when you are around?

Do you have any close friends? Professional peers, with or without rivalries?

How many men report to you? Is it usually the same men, or do they shift around to other commands? Do you have officers you can depend on working directly under you? Can you inspire loyalty in your troops? What do you expect of your men?

Are you married, or expected to marry soon? Do you get to choose your wife? What is your attitude toward women?

Can you read? Draw maps? Speak other languages?

Do you understand logistics, supply lines, basic medical triage, or other combat sub-specialties?

Marcas is a fool. He was once the favored brother of the regent, Adreas, Lorien's father. But he made a terrible mistake, once. No one will speak of it, but he nearly lost all the men in his command, and the battle. Adreas has forgiven him, but he has never recovered his honor, or Adreas's former trust. Now, he is jealous of the favor the emperor bestows on me. He wants me to fail, to embarrass myself, but it will not happen.

Where is home to you - what is it like? It sounds like you spend much of your time on the road. Do you return home often?

I have been on two campaigns. Ilaria is my home. It was built by the Dymas's people, a fortress of stone hauled from Goas, the seat of the Oracle. We do not spend as much time here as we did when we were children. Lorien prefers Tarasein, the city which rests on the mouth of the Yxer. It is pleasant there, not hot and cold as Ilaria is; still, I miss the steppes. There is nowhere for horses to run free in Tarasein.

What about your mother - are you close to her? Do you have any sisters, brothers, other close relatives (besides the emperor, of course)?

I have no siblings. I have met my mother twice since I entered formal tutelage with Lorien in Ilaria, and then in Tarasein. She remains in Ullien, maintaining my families governorship there in the name of the empire.

You sound proud. Do you have any secret shame or insecurities? Have you ever been defeated?

Why should I not be proud? I have worked hard to gain distinction. I am not the favored companion of the emperor simply becaues I am his cousin. He has many cousins; he chose me. Of course I've been defeated. How could I strive to be better if I haven't experienced failure? Still, I doubt anyone could beat me now. At least, not without paying a high cost. As for shame... I am not pious enough. I... My destiny has always been clear to me, I have no need to pray to Usia. Still, each of us have our sins. Pray for your own, as I pray to be delivered from mine.

What is the relationship between your father and uncle like? Can you tell if it is different when you are around?

Marcas, my father, and Demetras are as brother should be. Demetras is the older, and the general. He guides Marcas, as he should. How do I know if they are different when I am around? I do not spy on them.

Do you have any close friends? Professional peers, with or without rivalries?

I am loyal to Lorien. In the mind of a soldier, there is room only for love of the emperor. Demetras is my mentor. He, too, expects I will become general, and he will make sure I am prepared for it. I do not speak much with the other soldiers. I am not one of them. I am friendly with some of the other captains and officers, but they all know their place.

How many men report to you? Is it usually the same men, or do they shift around to other commands? Do you have officers you can depend on working directly under you? Can you inspire loyalty in your troops? What do you expect of your men?

As an officer, I am responsible for 50 cavalry men. I will have the same men for each campaign, but from campaign to campaign, it is different. I have five lesser officers. They perform their duties well enough. One of them is a second cousin, Caeris, whose father has asked me to introduce to the emperor, in the hope that he will advance. Favoritism is distasteful, and Caeris is an eager bootlicker. Still, I gave him my word and will introduce him. Lorien will see him for what he is.

You'd best ask my troops if I inspire loyalty or not. But loyalty to the emperor is expected of them. I should not have to inspire it. I expect that they only do their duty, that they live their lives piously, and they fulfill their destiny in the name of the empire. Is that so much? I am ready to do as much; so should they.

Are you married, or expected to marry soon? Do you get to choose your wife? What is your attitude toward women?

When the time comes, I will marry whomever the emperor chooses for me. He has made it clear he will respect my wishes in the matter, only I do not want to be bothered with it. Marriage is a duty, nothing more. I have women enough. It is easy to get a palace girl for a night's dalliance, or even a lady of the court. They act demure, but any one of them would leap at a chance to bed a Dymasi. I know how to get my pleasure; I want nothing more. My heart must remain unclouded and pious, and love for anything other than the empire is a weakness.

Can you read? Draw maps? Speak other languages?

I can read what is required of me. I have been trained in cartography, and can speak Taraseini, if need be. Lorien is the scholar. He speaks seven languages and has memorized the chronicles of Dymas.

Do you understand logistics, supply lines, basic medical triage, or other combat sub-specialties?

As for the excitement, well, what country did you say you were from? You must have heard--the ascension has begun. The Ilarian empire will finally meet its destiny. We will begin traveling north, up the Yxer river, into the mountain regions of Kenar. We need the iron of the mines there, and the wood for our ships. Ilaria is a steppes, beautiful, but treeless, and the western regions have trees that are small and gnarled, not the straight, tall trunks of the blue cedars which, I hear, do not rot so easily. Then by boat and land we will start our conquest of the eastern coast, and inland, to reclaim Ilaria's old lands. Lorien, too, plans to conquer the Outer Isles. He is eager to see what lies beyond them. But first, we will have to contend with the Cortanin, who even now, according to our spies, are planning their move.

You sound like Marcas. I know my duty, when it comes to the men under my command. I will not expend their lives frivolously. But it is their destiny to live serving their empire. If they die doing so, then Usia has blessed them. There is no greater glory. Most of the men are chosen by the monks, who have the ability to read a man's destiny. Each of them strive to incur the emperor's favor.

As for the secrets of my heart, well, stranger, you are bold. I admire that. If your ability in battle matches your boldness here I will respect you. I dislike the monks. They have too much power and aim too much to rule what we do. A soldier's business is his own. My mind is clear in what I must do, and my heart true to the emperor. Why should I prove it to them? What business do they have inquiring how pious I am? I do not need to pray in the temples. I do not need to attend their ceremonies or see the Oracle. My destiny has always been clear to me, from the day I was born. I need no mortal to tell me what it is. Lorien is the only one whom I will obey. Nor do I like the empress-to-be, though I would not dare tell Lorien. He is blind when it comes to her. He loses his reason.

May Usia guide you to your true path.

I have no reason for broken words. Lies are for fools. I only noticed your blind loyalty to your master. Your master is mortal, though. From a distance, all mortals look equal on the game board. What has this emporer of yours done to deserve such passion? Does this man have god-like abilities? Can this man heal the sick or raise the dead? Or is he just a wise man? And flawed like us all? Why have you thrown so much of yourself and your respect into his armory?

You freely offered your advice to me, now, allow me to return the favor. You say your mind is clear and your heart is true to the emporere. I say no mind can be true to anything if it is not true to itself, first. The holy-men you speak of, they are in the employ of your master? How driven by your presumed destiny you must be, to be able to mute the other servants of your master, and go on so fervantly.

Your advice means nothing to me. You will not cloud my judgment or cause me to doubt myself. But you sound like my father. Perhaps I am mistaken about you after all, and you are one of his spies. He says I am nothing more than a shadow of a man. So be it; I care nothing of what you, or he, thinks.

A shame, though, that he could not put aside his differences. It is always a marvel to watch him tourney, and I imagine your man Reagan to be well-matched, as you say.

Go well, stranger.

--Lorien

In my home land, the government always gave its citizens the option of enlisting in the military. This is also the way of the government I serve now. I prefer this method. Its very function weeds out those who do not have the heart or the stomach for battle. There can be no hesitation or compassion or regret on the field of battle. Unwilling soldiers bring all of these things, and more. I would like to know whether your military is populated with volunteers, or through some form of recruitment.

I am also intersted in learning about your physical conditioning. In addition to our standard hand-to-hand combat drills and light weapons training, we also put ourselves through weight lifting training and various exercises that increases our endurance and our lung capacity. Some of this training is supplemented by substances created by our greatists chemists.

Do not feel the need to respond promptly. Service to your emperor comes first. As a warrior myself, I will appreciate any time you can donate to my cause of learning. And, perhaps, I can return the favor.

Nevvias

Since I was eight I’ve trained in the arts of war, in what you might call hand-to-hand combat, as well as training with swords. And then there are drills on horseback, required of every cavalry member: learning how to ride, how to wield a lance with accuracy, how to maneuver the horse. We practice formation, the charge, various tactics. Some train in using a bow while on horseback--I have, for the sake of hunting, but not in war. We run, to keep our conditioning, perform with weights, and practice the older arts of war, such as wrestling and javelin throwing. My father taught me much of what I know. The standard training was never enough for him. He demanded more, and so I trained with him, sometimes, when most were asleep. Since I was eleven I took it upon myself to seek out training beyond what is required of officers, and look for martial masters wherever I go. I learned not to overlook anyone in this capacity. The best horseman I ever met was an ancient blind man I would have otherwise dismissed, but it was a humbling moment when he could outride me.

I do not know what alchemists might prescribe for enhanced abilities. We take herbs here as medicine, but only when we are sick. We have goldfire, too, but that hardly promotes our abilities--rather, it makes clumsy fools of us, but is good to drink, none-the-less.