Lorcan the 2nd, of the Sarsella family: (58y old) The Emperor of the Empire. He was the seventh son of the previous emperor, and as such had very little chance to get on the throne. However, his brothers and sisters almost brought the Empire to civil war, with assassinations happening left and right and plots happening one after the other. As focused on their plots as they were, they didn’t see the harm they brought to the country. But Lorcan did. He saw the vassal’s greedy eyes as they watched the Empire tear itself apart. He saw the elven diplomats who sent letter after letter to their homeland, no doubt informing their leaders of the weakening nation, which would soon be ripe for the taking. He saw the bandits devastating the villages left undefended by the soldiers who were gathering for the soon-to-happen civil war. (Have to think up on how he got the crown after that). He reluctantly became the Emperor to prevent the Empire from collapsing.

The seventh child of ten in a family of industrial workers from the city of Karath.

Lower end education, just enough to perhaps go on into the management/foreman equivliant of his father's position hence the need to read and write.

Selected for service in baron's component of the Provoci's military obligation, accels in small unit leadership and is promoted to a corporal equivlant after a skirmish with intruding bandits.

Distiguishes himself again in an action against an established group of raiders and air pirates in his Lord's province, is promoted to sergeant equivilant and given a boon/bonus by his Baron for his conduct (saving a blood relative of perhaps? and or gaining a life long friend).