Ui Briuin Family/Eoghan Ui Briuin

Eoghan Ui Briuin

A Carefree Life

Eoghan was born the second son of a minor noble family whose plot of lands rested in the wooded hinterlands that bordered the provenances of Xavax and Enubec. Though technically of noble blood the Ui Briuin family had far more in common with the peasant class than those of higher society. The Ui Briuin did not attend any high functions, nor were they present beyond an official swearing of loyalty when the Imperium was founded. As such the youth of Eoghan and his brothers had little to do with what most noble children might have been accustomed to. As a child he was more often found with the local boys roaming the forests of his family land, or messing around with his bow than actual studies. Only on the occasion of a guest gracing the presence of Adare Hall did he even dress as befitting his station. In time this would change, as the boy grew older his interests began to shift more towards becoming the hero his grandparents were. His father also managed to hire a tutor to come when he was around the age of ten to try and educate his otherwise wild children. As such he proceeded into puberty with a little learning and lofty goals for his future. Day in and day out he would find himself either in his books or in the practice field honing his skills with his older brother. He discovered that he made for a remarkably average swordsman, but given the bow and there was not a hunter in the village that could best him. So it was that this was how the days of his youth passed, were it only to remain so. But time and fate move on grander scales and destiny would call Eoghan beyond the small world that he knew.

A Knight of the Black Swan

With the War of the Phoenix taking a turn against the Imperium the Xerarch sent out a call far and wide through her realms to bring forth the forces needed to combat the rising tide against Greater Xavax. As true patriots the Ui Briuin could not ignore the call of the Xerarch and so the current family head called his immediate family to meet. In the end it was Eoghan whose passion won out and he was sent forth with a portion of the family's guard and childhood friends to form the first iteration of his Sparrows to answer the Xerarch's call. Eoghan at the time was twenty and the fresh faced youth had been longing to step out of the shadow of his elder brother Caoimhín. So he served with great vigor in the first few engagements that the newly made Order of the Black Swan was called to. In the beginning the battles they fought were everything a young noble and warrior could have dreamed. To match under the Imperial standard, to take up his bow in defense of his land, and to show the world that a minor house from the hinterlands of Xavax would fight for their home. In the end those first few battles passed with only a few losses to Eoghan's own Sparrows, and yet each loss weighed heavily upon his heart as these were companions he had known most of his life. This also marked the first time in which Eoghan would take the arrows of his slain comrades to carve their names upon the shafts and retire the arrow. This tradition he would carry on throughout his entire military career, keeping with him the Quiver of the Fallen to carry his former soldiers with him always and to act as a memento mori.

After his second battle Eoghan had need to refill his ranks and for the first time true soldiers would march under his standards. This was also the first time in which Eoghan would come to meet his trusted Captain Roderic, although the gruff veteran had his misgivings about the young knight to begin with. Still they worked well together and with the fresh refit the army of the Phoenix of Xavax was ordered to march on Aeng to battle a bandit invasion pushing in towards the Imperium. This battle alone marked a major turning point in the life of the young noble for it was the battle of Aeng that taught him the true horrors of war. In the eve before the armies met messengers went out through the ranks of the army to deliver the arrangements for the army. While a few, including Eoghan, adjusted accordingly to the new battle formations many of the newer knights did not. What resulted from this was chaos on the field where a vast majority of the archer units were slaughtered to a man by the enemy cavalry. Eoghan watched in horror as people he had known his entire life were either struck down by arrows or decimated in the cavalry charge. Still he and his Captain tried to fight, to rally his Sparrows to his call so that the infantry might arrive. Alas both Roderic and Eoghan were struck down by arrows and had to be dragged off the field, they had been the only survivors of Eoghan's unit. What followed was a crushing defeat that left the Phoenix scattered to the winds, among them was the wounded Eoghan and his grievously wounded Captain. The young knight called upon all his knowledge from his youth to take the hidden paths among the woods and evade detection by the bandit forces. For two days he traveled while carrying his barely conscious Captain from Aeng, to Enubec, and finally to their home realm of Xavax. There Eoghan stayed for a night at the hall of his father while his Captain was tended to for his wounds. The Grizzled commander's life would be spared and as the dawn rose they made their way back to the Capital to refit and resurrect his Sparrows once more.

Finally returned to fighting form the armies of the Phoenix were called to action to assist their only ally in the war, Fallangard, in retaking territory lost to them by the forces of Vix Tiramora. So it was that the allies marched northward and had a minor string of victories over their gathered foes. The combined might of the Imperium of Greater Xavax and the Kingdom of Fallangard were able to defeat the forces at Abadan, and following the advantage the Phoenix marched on Moyale to guard their allies in their take over attempt. Alas the defense would not be able to hold as the forces of the Phoenix were running low on provisions and their equipment was damaged, and the armies of Fallangard were slow in their takeover of Abadan. Meanwhile the armies of the Vix were fresh and refit from their defeats and came at the Xavax forces with all they had. The battle of Moyale was one for the history books and both sides suffered heavily, but the Vix forces won the day and the defeated Xavax army retreated to Abadan where their allies waited. Weakened from their loss the combined armies met the Vix once more but in spite of their valiant defense, including a strong showing by Eoghan and his Sparrows, they were once again defeated. The Sparrows were one of the last units to keep fighting in spite of the retreating forces. Reliving their stalwart defense of the wounded and retreating from Moyale not three days before in Abadan now. Of the near fifty to march north only four would leave on their feet, and twelve in total survived the doomed campaign.

The Rise of the Flames

The defeat of their northern campaign acted as a sign of the rising tide against the Imperium during Eoghan's time of service. Already they had some major setbacks and tensions were rising beyond the eye of anyone in the Imperium. So it came to a surprise to everyone when Fallangard denounced Greater Xavax as warmongers and abandoned them to face the armies of the Vix, Perlone, and the two bandit armies alone. Within hours it was made clear what had happened when the Vix released documents showing that the King of Fallangard made a deal with their enemies to betray Greater Xavax for the land they couldn't claim for themselves. Eoghan and most of the Imperium felt the betrayal hard and the young knight swore vengeance for all the lives of his friends that were lost in Moyale and Abadan. It finally seemed like all the world was going against the Imperium when the announcement of a wedding with the Xerarch Selenia and the newly elected King of Perdan Caspian the "Far-Sighted" was announced. It seemed as if finally there was a moment of good news and with Perdan withdrawing from the conflict and a potential alliance in the works the Imperium unleashed their fury upon their former allies of Fallangard. Eoghan and the army took one of Fallangard's territory and the Vix had captured another one to leave them with one last territory to call home. Fallangard was on the ropes and it seemed finally that Perdan would side with the Imperium until fate turned once more and King Caspian the "Far-Sighted" disappeared from the East Continent and the potential alliance was left in tatters.

It was at this point that Perdan held a quick election and a new King would ascend the throne. This King was none other than the former traitor of Greater Xavax, Kellen Dodger, whom incited a civil war within the Imperium and fled upon losing. With his ascension to the kingship it was all but certain that Perdan would reenter the war once more. So it came to pass and five armies arrayed themselves against the Imperium once more. Eoghan took the news especially hard as he had spent the better part of a year fighting in the War of the Phoenix, and just as it seemed they would get a reprieve it was snatched away. He racked his brain trying to find a way out of the situation they had been brought to, and when he finally had one he sent a message to the Xerarch at once. It was not to be though as his proposal was rejected outright, and likely for the best. Instead he was tasked to use his position as a minor noble of the hinterlands to gather up friends and warriors to fight for the Imperium as he had done. Without hesitation Eoghan began put out his own call to any former friend who might answer. In time a few trickled in, then a few more, and before the First Great Battle of Leibo he had gathered five to his cause and formed a small cadre of knights known as Eoghan's Own a day before the battle. When the forces of the allied nations against the Imperium met with the army of the Phoenix the clash was devastating to both sides. With greater numbers the Imperium won the day, and even managed to wound both the Lord Vixer Jeames and the Bandit King Robb. But the loss of the heroic Phoenix Lord Uthred Mormont was an equally crushing blow to the whole of Greater Xavax. Eoghan had been there in his final moments, and he bore witness to the birth of the legend of Uthred the Unstoppable with his own eyes. Driven to a fury at the death of the great hero Eoghan and all those who remained on the field fought with renewed vigor. Their tactics ultimately allowed them to out maneuver the Vix and Bandit armies, and Eoghan and his Sparrows rained hell upon them with every arrow the could manage until the enemy lines broke. When the battle was over Eoghan volunteered as a pall barer to take Uthred's body back to their camp. He even gave a brief speech at the hero's body before turning his anguish upon the lingering enemies within the realm. Ultimately though this would all be for naught as the peasants spurred on by a priest of Vix Tiramora ousted the Imperium from the realm. A result that none within Greater Xavax could abide by. So the forces broke and moved to refit and recruit their armies once again. All the while more answered Eoghan's call until finally he hit the desired ten that he swore to Selenia he would bring. With his end upheld the Xerarch herself sponsored the formation of the second army within the Imperium's history, the Flames of Xavax, and named Eoghan its Marshal as reward for his service.

A Marshal, A Lord, A Hero

((More to come))