Whatever happened to General Darian?

Thirty years ago, General Marcus Darian vanished into the forests of the New Land. To some, he remains the greatest traitor in the history of the Kingdom. To others, he was the last honest man.

What follows are several surviving accounts.

I. Extract from The Crown Record of Frontier Affairs 

(Year 6 of Expansion)

Let it be known that General Marcus Darian has been stripped of all military honors and condemned in absentia, having been found guilty of treason by a court of inquiry. A panel of his peers found the evidence conclusive that he did willingly abandon his sworn duty to serve the Crown by colluding with the hostile insurgent tribes known commonly as Noids and taking up arms against His Majesty's forces.

Said individual is therefore declared an outlaw and traitor to the Crown. Any person found offering aid, shelter, provisions or failing to report information regarding his whereabouts shall be subject to prosecution.

A bounty of two thousand gold crowns is hereby offered for his capture, dead or alive.

II. Letter from retired Sergeant William Harker to his son

In reply to your comments about General Darian. As you well know, I served under him for six years and never knew a fairer officer.

He could have moved higher up the ranks if he wanted, could have been a Colonel, but I think he preferred the company of soldiers and even the natives. The Noids trusted him because he kept his word, and many disputes were settled by his hand before it reached bloodshed.

They call him a traitor now. Perhaps. But I have learned that the men who write history and the men who witness it are rarely the same people.

III. Recorded at The Broken Wheel Tavern, Sabbanath

I heard a man say that Darian wears a crown of feathers now and rules a hidden city somewhere in the forests.

Another said that his cousin swears he met a trader who saw him. Said he had four sons, all taller than ordinary men, and that one day they would lead the Noids back across the plains.

Of course, the same fellow also claimed to have wrestled a river serpent, so believe what you will.

IV. From the Journal of Clerk Edwin Marr

General Darian is an interesting figure who despite being charged with treason for the ultimate betrayal of his country, is still spoken of favorably by many who fought alongside him. They do so quietly, of course, as it could lead to a court martial.

The official records state very clearly that rebel Noid tribes massacred the Crown delegation at Templeton and that Darian fought alongside the natives. Many senior Generals and even the King’s own cousin were among the dead. The inhumane way that the corpses were desecrated by the Noids points to a people—though I use that word hesitantly— who are both barbarous and ungodly.

Beyond the charges listed against Darian, the precise details of what took place on that fateful day are surprisingly sparse. Perhaps the events were too shocking to document but their absence does raise questions. It is unusual that the Crown has left this void develop, a void that rumour and conjecture have both rushed to fill. Although perhaps we should not be surprised considering how they have botched the naming of the New Land!

In short, precisely what occurred at Templeton remains the subject of considerable debate even today. The one fact that all agree on is that General Darian was never seen again.

Thank you for reading "Whatever Happened to General Darian?" by Liam O'Connor, author of the upcoming 'Elements of Destiny'.