Barghouti Family/Marouane

Marouane Barghouti

Age: 26 (official age: 28)
Realm: Eston
Status: Hero
Rank: Duke

By far the most promising of the five brothers, Marouane learned quickly, and he was a skilled warrior at the age of 15. He lied about his age, adding two years to his actual age, enlisted in the Royal Army of Eston, and quickly gained much respect amongst his fellow Nobles. Marouane showed great courage and honour on the battlefield, and peasants and royals alike would hang on his every word as he told great tales of his adventures. He had a deep hatred for Vikings, and was one of the voices asking for the destruction of Brackhead and Icegate. In return, most Vikings hated his guts, something Marouane applauded.

Stubborn as he was, Marouane never failed to miss an opportunity to fight, whether it was alongside his fellow soldiers in battle, or just picking fights with enemy Nobles. He was cocky and brutal, and his tongue was as sharp as his sword. It was not surprising that he proclaimed himself a Hero of Eston shortly after his 18th birthday. Soon after, tales of his warrior ways spread throughout the realm, and those tales did not fall on deaf ears in the High Council.

At the age of 20, Marouane received the title of Count of Malor, and he became one of the youngest landed nobles on the continent. A few days after his 21st birthday, he was given command of the the Army of Massillion. In his first battle as Marshal, he faced overwhelming odds, yet refused to retreat. Many of his subordinates were trapped and could not escape in time, and rather than leaving them, he chose to stand by them, even though it meant disobeying a direct order from his General. Marouane was wounded, but not before wounding the enemy General himself.

High Marshal Andrew McKay himself had assumed the role of Marouane's mentor. The two warriors became good friends over time, and it was the High Marshal himself who nominated Marouane for the vacant position of Marshal of Massillion. It is said that High Marshal McKay was training Marouane to become his future successor.

During the brief war with Minas Ithil, Marouane was cowardly attacked in his sleep by an Ithilian infiltrator. He survived the assassination attempt, but was struck twice with a poisoned dagger while fighting off his attacker. Thanks to his excellent physique and the skilled hands of his personal healer, Marouane was up and running in no time, and rejoined the ranks of the military.

During one of his trips to Malor, Marouane saw his baby sister Kyra signing up for the military, a choice has has always disagreed with. Nevertheless, he supported Kyra and became proud of her fighting spirit. But tragedy struck quickly, and the youngest of the Barghouti's was slain in combat after a heroic fight. Marouane became humble after her death, and the stubborn, zealous warrior became a rational, noble hero. His sharp tongue was dulled, his fiery ambition to destroy his enemies was tempered. But when one of Kyra's killers became to obnoxious for Marouane's liking, he challenged him to a duel to the death. Marouane was able to wound his enemy, but failed to keep his calm and finish off his opponent. Instead, he lunged forward, driven by sheer wrath, and was caught on the tip of a sword. The blade drove itself through Marouane's abdomen, missing his spine by less than an inch. Marouane's sargeant was able to deflect the coup de gras and carry the badly injured hero to safety. The defeat plunged Marouane in a state of depression. Furious with himself, he vowed never to pick up a sword again.

But soon after, Marouane's lust for battle was brought back, after his liege Kahooli, the Duke of Massillion, cowardly seceded his duchy in the pursuit of personal status and declared himself Chancellor of the Massillion Democratic Republic. Marouane did not acknowledge Kahooli's actions, especially after he had offered sanctuary to willy, former Queen and Arch Priestess of Eston, and former Duchess of Massillion, after she plotted the assassination of King Andrew McKay and Arch Priest Christofer, merely to assume the throne herself. Marouane swore to bring back Massillion under the Banner of Eston, and laid claim on the title of Duke of Massillion. After a bloody civil war, resulting in the death of almost 10,000 civilians and soldiers, Massillion was recaptured, and the now Republic of Massillion surrendered, ending the conflict. Marouane's wish was granted by King Andrew McKay, and he was inaugurated as Duke of Massillion one day after Massillion's declaration of surrender.

After learning of the propaganda of Eston's old rulers, Marouane let go of his hatred towards Vikings. He accepted them as allies, realising that Vikings can be a formidable friend in battle. He built a good rapport with Krypton the Bold, the man Marouane once swore to destroy.

"Al-Majid, the Noble"

• Eston
  • Former Count of Malor.
  • Former Marshal of the Army of Massillion.
  • Duke of Massillion.
  • Founder and editor of the Eston Tribune.
  • Elder in the Order of the Citadel.
  • Member of the Warrior Brotherhood of Atamara