Valen McSpiegel

Valen_98 is a Viodoxan General, Diplomat, and Statesman credited for his leading roles in the Rebirth of Viodoxa He typically wears a grey and red soldier's uniform.

Origins
Valen was born in Viodoxa shortly after the return of the founders. Spending his early days venturing across the Cymrian and Svalden Seas, visiting abandoned ruins and empty cities from the days of the Valdreach Imperial Republic, Valen realized that the region he lived in was largely abandoned and that the few towns that remained were dying. It was during this time that Valen was said to have devoted himself to bringing Viodoxa out of obscurity and to become a relevant nation on the world stage.

Early Career
Valen began his public service during the population boom, assisting in the construction of the New City portion of Viodoxa, providing housing and farms for the city's growing population. He was hired as a defensive engineer to design a new wall around the newest portion of Viodoxa, but the rapid growth led to construction being halted indefinitely. Valen was willing to but he eventually decided to venture out from the small Adytum Archipelago to find allies for the City-State.

His most notable journey was to the City of Asahiri, where he met Loic, the de jure King of Paloro at the time. Loic and Valen quickly became friends, with Valen writing back to his Archon about a rising kingdom in the East that could become a great ally. SpikeSpaceCowboy arrived and met with Loic, with the two agreeing to an alliance before instructing Valen to remain behind and offer assistance to the deepening conflict of the Coup of Paloro. As tensions rose, Valen eventually called for soldiers from Viodoxa to stand guard at his embassy and alert him if war broke out. When it became apparent that the Kingdom of Aurora and the Empire of Uldarash would be invading at the end of the holiday Week of Peace to reinstate Keechoo, Loic came to Valen distraught at the destruction of his kingdom. Sensing an opportunity to help his friend and his nation, Valen invited Loic to abandon Asahiri and move to Viodoxa, saving his nation from needless bloodshed. Loic accepted the offer and ordered the razing of Asahiri as Valen returned home to begin laying the groundwork for the influx of people.

The Viodoxan Constitutional Convention
When the Paloran people arrived on the island of Ethreon, the leadership of both sides met to organize a new government. Valen took part in this, offering the concept of the Council of Five, which would serve as advisors and a tie-breaking house of lords to the Archons. His plan was quickly adopted, and Valen was established as the Martial of the Armed Forces. Before the ink had dried, however, a small town rebelled, claiming it was being overrun with immigrants. Valen was tasked with raising an army of volunteers and marching on the town of Sheepyville, but no battle was waged as the mayor surrendered upon seeing the large army.

National Viodoxa
With the Diarchonate of Viodoxa formed, the fledgling nation needed leadership to hold itself together. Unfortunately, Archon Spike grew ill during this time, leaving Loic as the lone active Archon. Valen stepped up to fill the position until Spike recovered, offering advice and assistance to Loic as their people settled the continent and expanded their influence despite their difficulties.

Notably, the cities of Viodoxa suffered rampant bandit attacks from the Soleannen Spirits, with Loic wishing to quickly strike back, but Valen believed the army was too new and needed to be organized and trained before an offensive could be mounted. The two leaders began a rushed training of the army, hoping to overwhelm their opponents with numbers and discipline, even if their soldiers were new and lacking in skill. The bandit attacks ended abruptly, however, when it became apparent that the Spirits were trying to influence Viodoxa away from a war in Akratia. The plan had nearly backfired as Viodoxa leadership had come to the conclusion that involvement in a tertiary conflict so soon would be more destructive than beneficial, but the raids were driving the nation to get involved out of spite. When the issue was resolved, the Spirits paid reparations, and were welcomed into the community, if skeptically.

As the bandit raids were taking place, Valen met with the Free City of Kumaur. The new nation was unique in that it accidentally settled on Aezenfjord's land. Valen met with the King of Kumaur, Breton Aerouant and convinced him to join Viodoxa as a province, but the Kumuur Crisis occurred, though Valen helped to resolve the issue, successfully annexing Kumuur and establishing Aezenfjord as an ally. Valen also met with Owen, the Duke of the Isren Draca, and successfully initiated an alliance between the two countries.

The Vio-Auroran War
Shortly after the Alliance with Isren Draca was signed, a raid began in Valentum. Believing it to be mere bandits and hearing reports that it was over, Valen initially ordered people to stay in their homes and fight defensively. This information was quickly proven false as messengers from Archon Loic reached Valen explaining that the attackers were Auroran and that the attack was ongoing. Valen quickly mustered troops from across the nation and marched to the Valentum nether portal where he waited for the arrival of the Spirits, who had been called for assistance. When the Spirits arrived, Valen began the counter attack, with dozens of soldiers pouring out of the portal and into the unsuspecting raiders. The attackers suffered massive casualties and were driven off, but the coalition wasn't content to be defensive. After receiving orders from Loic to take the fight to the enemy, Valen and the Spirits pursued the Aurorans to their capitol of Fornost. While later battles were fought, the victory of Valentum was a massive morale boost to the Viodoxans and all but ended the war as it began.

Imperial Viodoxa
After the victory over Aurora, the nation of Viodoxa turned its attentions to settling the lands of abandoned Sorvien and internal reformations. Valen is currently set on editing the code of federal laws and setting up administrations to lower the workload of high command for the nation.