Herein lies the work of Supreme Commander Thalkros n'Lochli as he spins the history of Marshal Ixion within the annals of ur'Guard History.

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Preface
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The ur’Guard defines a Knight as someone with exceptional prowess in battle, knowledge of both skills and the lore of the ur’Guard, and complete and utter discipline. While simplistic sounding to the casual observer, there is a deeper underlying understanding to what a Knight of the ur’Guard really is.

A Marshal is excellence incarnate in every facet of their being. When a Marshal steps into battle, they are not only feared but utterly respected. At a glance, a Marshal can determine the battle’s flow and inject themselves into the midst of it, and dictate the course of events in a cold, calm, and calculated fashion. A Marshal can turn the tide of any battle, and as such should have the trust of their fellow ur’Guard as well as their allies completely and without question.

A Marshal may not know everything, but they do know what they know, and better than most others. They understand that perfection is something that they may never achieve, for to be perfect is to lay down their weapons and never strive to be better. That said, a Marshal is far from ignorant and will serve as a wellspring of information to all ur’Guard under them. Tactics, history, theology, and any and all such things are what a Marshal will know. If one does not know something to its extent, then one will make it their goal to see that they is as informed as they can be so that they in turn may pass their knowledge on.

A Marshal is the embodiment of discipline. Their emotions are always in check; if one must be enraged, then one is capable of funneling that rage and using it to enhance one’s own ability. Ego finds no place in a Marshal’s mentality; they acknowledge what is and what is not and do not make errant boasts for their own betterment. A Marshal knows no fear; they will never break in the face of the enemy. Their every word and action is delivered with the sense that they are the pinnacle of what the ur’Guard has to offer, never will one bring it dishonor.

Above all else, they ARE the ur’Guard.

This is an account of a great Marshal, the likes of which may never be seen again. Since the reformation of the ur’Guard in modern times he has been the epitome of what it means to be a warrior, a knight, and an ur’Guard. There are no false facts or boasts written here, everything that you will read is the truth as I have witnessed it. This is the tale of my friend, and my mentor.

This is the tale of Marshal Ixion.

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A Knight’s Legacy
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Marshal Ixion is one of the few in the ur’Guard who can say they saw the guild of modern times come into existence. The ur’Guard as we know it was formally welcomed to Magnagora by Lord Fain in the one-hundredth year after the Coming of Estarra. Roughly a year after its re-founding, Ixion was already appointed to oversee the Security responsibilities of the guild as well as the ur’Guard’s position in Security matters for the Engine. He was in essence the very first Deathguard, and within the same time frame, one of the earliest Marshals. His record for leadership within the ur’Guard is unmatched by any current member today; Ixion has held every position possible within the ur’Guard, multiple times over.

If ever man did mirror Lord Fain, it was Ixion. This is not to say that Ixion thought himself a god amongst men, but simply a powerful leader in his own right. Of the First Circle of the Elders, surely Lord Fain was the greatest amongst them. It is fitting that of the ur’Guard, Marshal Ixion would then in turn be the greatest amongst us. His ability to lead and make others do what needs be done is unquestioned. We are forged and empowered by discipline, and Ixion is testament to what discipline can accomplish. Leadership is ingrained in the core of his beings, just as the Red Masque would have it. In the guild, the field of battle, and even the various Orders of our Pantheon, Ixion is unmatched.

Consider also, our ties to the great Orlachmar and how Marshal Ixion is an example of how we must strive to honor Him as well. As fearless a battle leader as Orlachmar was, so too is Ixion. The tide of battle on countless incursions into aetherspace to fight over the Realms of the Domoth has swung in the Engine’s favor due to Ixion’s cunning and skill. Whole villages have been won based upon the presence of Ixion alone. Orlachmar had a way about Him that drove those around Him to rally and push forward, no matter the odds. He accomplished this by being forceful, by yelling, by chastising, by putting his foot in the arse of anyone who lagged behind. Orlachmar was ruthless, yet His followers and His fellow Elders respected Him because He did it for the sole purpose of making THEM better. Ixion shares this natural trait of command, while he may be harsh at times on his fell ur’Guard and the citizens of the Engine; he does it so that we all may strive for excellence.

Comparing Marshal Ixion to Urlach Himself is almost an act of reflex. Looking past the similarities with Urlach leading his Death Guard during the Vernal Wars, consider just what Urlach accomplished. He raised an army unmatched on the field of battle, and through his great mind and tactical knowledge was able to thwart the advances of the Soulless, even sealing Great Muud. Ixion himself has played a part in battling countless Soulless; twice he has helped raise a True Ascendant of Magnagora to seal back Kethuru, and nearly succeeded in becoming one himself for a third time. Coupled with the foiled uprisings of Muud and Zenos, Marshal Ixion truly stands as a testament of Urlach, and through Him, Orlachmar. Combine these with the staunch discipline and leadership qualities favored by Lord Fain; Ixion truly is the pinnacle of Knighthood in the ur’Guard.

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A Knight’s Legacy (Continued)
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With all that has been said, barely the outer layer of Ixion’s legacy has been breached. No man has been as far as Marshal Ixion, and seen as much as he has seen. Ixion has left his mark in every corner of the Basin, his fame is unequaled across all planes and even in the outer reaches of aetherspace. Any quest, any challenge, Marshal Ixion has completed and bested it. Explorer, scholar, warrior, tactician, Ixion surely has earned every one of these titles.

A lot of what Ixion has accomplished may seem like nothing but personal achievements gained for himself. To think this way is to think ignorantly, for Ixion has done just as much for the good of the ur’Guard as he has for his own personal reasons. One matter in particular that stands out is his endeavors in gaining the respect and recognition of the Ancient ur’Guard who reside in the ruins of Shallach.

Long had Ixion and Daevos fought hard over countless years to gain the acknowledgment of the ur’Dead, and for the majority of those years they were outright ignored. When Korath finally did answer the calls of Ixion, he did so with arrogance and dismissal. The ur’Dead would not accept the ur’Guard and themselves as one body. When it became obvious that diplomacy would not work between the two, Ixion challenged Korath to single combat, ur’Dead Commandant against ur’Guard Supreme Commander. Korath, in his prideful arrogance accepted and the two crossed blades in Shallach. The battle was fierce, and at times it seemed that Ixion would not prevail, but he quickly gained the upper hand, and when Korath saw the sheer power of the man claiming to be his equal, he called in his allies to strike Ixion down.

The Supreme Commander would not so easily be defeated, and as he dispatched the shock trooper sent against him, Korath unleashed the power of Urlach himself upon Ixion. He would not be denied. Ixion fought through all that Korath could throw at him, and in the end left him utterly defeated. With that done, the ur’Dead would finally come to accepting that they and the ur’Guard were as one.

Deathguard, Marshal, Champion, Supreme Commander, Commandant, Seal Bearer of War, Marshal Ixion truly has a legacy that is unmatched within the annals of the ur’Guard. Let none say they can measure up to this Paragon of our history, for to compare yourself to him would be to invite failure. Every drop of his blood, sweat, and tears has been spilt for the ur’Guard, so let all who would strive for greatness look upon that which IS great.

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Ixion: My Mentor, My Friend
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To take a step back from the legacy that was made, I must retell my own initial meetings with Ixion. As many younglings, and I say youngling as I was barely in my fifties at the time, Marshal Ixion’s history was little known to me at the time. When I first truly got to know Ixion was after I left the Geomancers to become a Guardian of Nil in the Nihilists. I had fought with him on occasion during raids, village revolts, and on the field of battle over Domoth’s. Yet these fights were large scale and rarely did I have to time to take notice of the man I would later call my mentor.

On my way to becoming the Fist of Luciphage in the Nihilsts, and well after the fact, I fought more closely with Ixion. The very first thing I took notice of was that unlike many warriors of the time, Ixion constantly pushed those around him to become better than they were. Some of my earliest memories of him were forced fights throughout the streets of Magnagora as he pressed me and Hyde to best him outside the security and weakening comfort of the arenas. We lost horribly, but in stark contrast from the warriors I knew, he berated us by telling us how to beat him and pushing us to try harder.

It was at that moment I knew that this Marshal of the ur’Guard would be a role model to look up to. Many battles and years later, I would become better friends with Ixion, and would have the honor of serving with him in the greatest test of skill in the land: A challenge for the Seal of War. Together with Malarious, and under Ixion’s guidance, we cut our way through the competition like a fresh forged katana through a merian’s neck. As it turned out, it would be Magnagora versus Magnagora for the Seal, yet through a fierce fight with our brothers, we lost.

Undaunted, Ixion and I would strive to grow stronger in our own ways. My way ended up taking me to follow in my friend’s footsteps by joining the ur’Guard myself. From the moment my boots touched the ground, Marshal Ixion was shoving me towards becoming a worthy knight. Under his tutelage I took up my axe, and never looked back. All that I know, all that I am in the ur’Guard, I owe to Marshal Ixion. Without his guidance and his encouragement I would be a worthless maggot not fit to hold a place in the ranks. Even when I became Supreme Commander myself, he continued to teach me and push me to be better than I was. To this day I will always look up to Marshal Ixion, and count him the better man I will strive to be every day.

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Conclusion
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I have used many words to describe the greatness that is Marshal Ixion, I have piled his achievements atop each other and expressed all that he has done as best I can. Yet in truth, Marshal Ixion has done nothing more than what is expected of any ur’Guard who would pass through the Ordeals and become a Knight. Through all my years of knowing him, not once have I ever heard him boast of his accomplishments, or belittle those who have fallen short. To Ixion, what he has done over the centuries is simply what a Marshal SHOULD do.

So Grunts, Troopers, and Officers alike, look upon the truest Marshal there ever was. If you take but one thing from this account, make it be the urge to aspire to the level of Marshal that has been presented in these pages. If Marshal Ixion can do it, any of us can.

-Thalkros n’Lochli