ɴ/Robert Eddardson

Robert Eddardson (August 2, 2399 – June 19, 2484), also known by his nicknames Bobby and Eddy, was a Ceironian people archaeologist, military officer and politician who served as the 3rd High Marshal of the Ceironian Union during the 9 days transition between the invalidated Hantr Government and the Grigorevich Government during August 27 to September 5 of 2481. Following the inauguration of Vishula Hantr as High Marshal, Eddardson was appointed as the 6th Lieutenant High Marshal and as the 2nd Secretary of Kataric Affairs, serving from 2476 to 2481. In 2471, Eddardson had been elected as the 5th Junior Governor of Hjusoka from 2471 to 2481. During the First Heboi War he served as a General and was Commander of the Hvede-Heboi Assistance Command throughout the second half of the war. Other commands held include the Deputy-Commandant of EUCOM and Commander of QATCOM respectively.

Early Life & Education (2399 – 2422)
Robert Eddardson was born on August 2, 2399, at Province Tozlu's Bokanist Hospital, Kostrome, Hjusoka. He was the first-born son of Gerald F. Eddardson and Valentina Godwinson. His father was a college graduate and archaeologist credited for the discovery of the oldest recorded skeletal structure of a Vyllitareh Vahti and Nagani in Heboi. His nicknames, "Bobby" and "Eddy" are abbreviations of both his fore and surname. Eddardson approved of the nicknames so much, that he allowed people to call him such during even formal settings, along with political opponents.

The family names of Eddardson and Godwinson have been recorded as far back as 1877 and 2258 respectively, with both names originating from Koresa in East Alaxia.

On November 25, 2403, the family moved from Kostrome in Horyuxia to Latango, Imperial Province as Eddardson's father had successfully joined the Imperial Society of Archaeology. Despite having not lived in Horyuxia since a young age, Eddardson had sorely missed the state until he came back to serve out his academy days at the ICMA, fortunately located in Kostroma. Due to his father's job as an archaeologist, he was exposed to the practice at a young age and gained a life-long interest in archaeology. Additionally, as a result of the boisterous and somewhat patriotic nature of the ISA, and his father, he would also gain an interest in military history, becoming an avid reader of books relating to colonial ventures into Qatesh and Acoria along with the near colonisation of Ceironia and Suton by Fazar.

Early & Latter Education
Eddardson attended Faroslav's Junior School, a primary level private school in Hykot, Latango, which served only Humans and progressed through years zero up until six. Eddardson suffered from prejudice by his peers for his Koresan, and thus Alaxian descent, this was despite the fact that Koresa was a historical ally of Ceironia. Nevertheless, he would go onto excel in his academic studies following his graduation from Faroslav's, after signing onto the Imperial Preparatory School of Ceironia. Also located in Hykot, the school was owned by the Daimitov Royal Trust and allowed for students of all species to participate. The secondary school taught years seven through twelve. Eddardson recalls having a much more graceful time at IPS, it also allowed him to begin an academic education into archaeology, starting a course in the subject in year nine. Eddardson also participated in the extra-curricular activity of the Imperial Cadets from age twelve till fifteen, allowing him to take part in week-long excursions that went across Ceironia's metropolitan landmass, most of the time would include trekking, cycling and surfacing mountains. In a 2477 documentary about himself broadcast on CBC 1, he went on to state, "another reason for my delving into studying archaeology and the nature sapient species was because of my interactions with my Nagani, Vahti and Dwarven peers in my youth. I decided to investigate into a Vyllitareh classmate's local history in Heboi, and with that Pandora's box backed by childhood curiosity, it got us to where we stand now, our zenith."

He would go onto graduate from the preparatory school within the upper band of learners and was approved for enrolment as the Imperial University of Latango for a four-year course in archaeology. From 2417 to 2421 he attended the university and successfully acquired a Bachelor of Science in archaeology. It was given after he provided a thesis on the causation behind the lack of skeletal remains of any species other than Humans dating before roughly 13,000 years ago. His prediction was eerily identical to the later widely accepted explanation on the existence of non-Humans, 'The Origin of the Meridies', which had been published in 2458 by Jahir Chandresh. Of which both the theory and thesis revolved around the notion that of all of the Meridies, that the only natural sapient species that developed on Oikia were Humans. Throughout his last year at the university, he was given an internship at the Imperial Society of Archaeology and was introduced to Albert E. Blackadder, who was a colleague and great friend of his father Gerald.

Archaeology Career (2422 – 2427)
As his year-long internship at the ISA ended, he was inducted as an official member of the society. Eddardson began to work underneath his father Gerald and Blackadder, and together the three would come formulate a robust theory surrounding the Meridies. However, evidence beyond skeletal matter would not appear until the discovery of the first Paleokataric subterranean facility, Bara Chuoi. In the six years that Eddardson spent as a full-time archaeologist, the discoveries made by him, and his colleagues would be the catalyst that kick-started the Renaissance in the 2440s.

Eddardson focused entirely on Heboian archaeology during his career, leading the discovery of Bara Chuoi, whilst serving under Albert Blackadder during the acquisition of the tomb of Emperor Sisamouth. Number of other expeditions took place led by Blackadder which included Eddardson as part of the company. Numerous burial sites, fortifications and settlements were uncovered during these expeditions.

South Heboi Expeditions
Main: Blackadder's Expeditions into Heboi On April 27, 2422, the society would approve the exploration of the largely unsurveyed interior of the Heboian province of Quang An. Journeying on the CN Elgyia and arriving at Port Miragi, the capital of the province. For several months, the team of twenty-six archaeologists and Heboian workers would periodically venture throughout the interior of Quang An, fortunately, the party had been inoculated against the diseases largely present in Heboi. Upon surveying the foot of the Ulithe Ranges, they had discovered several stone huts, largely decayed and without roots, and a minor number of potteries and tools dating to the 700s BKY.

In early 2423, by this point Eddardson's father returned to Ceironia whilst the team continued striving to make additional findings in the southern portions of the Ulithe. On September 11 they had stumbled into a stone fortification built during the 1100s BY, predictably constructed throughout the reign of Haktuka, an Emperor during end of the Sang Dynasty. Within the fort, a mass grave consisting of predominantly Vyllitarehi had been discovered, suggesting that due to the crumbling power of the Sang Dynasty by Haktuka's reign, that the fort was seized by Heboians, or perhaps Echetehi Skurians. A number of the slain included extremely damaged mailed armour, so it was certainly a battle which had taken place. The remainder of the mail was hypothesised to have been commandeered by the opposition. Amongst the Heboian and Skurian bodies, the bodies were separate to the mass grave, with the two species being given individual graves, in a checkered formation set by the species. Eddardson concluded that a coalition between Heboians and the Echetehi had taken place. Another finding just two kilometres from the site, dated at the same period as the fortification, included what seemed like a monument. It was a statue depicting a male Heboian and Echetehi shaking hands, with the tail of the Echetehi wrapping around the feet of the Heboian, whilst the latter held his other hand on the shoulder of the Echetehi. The confrontation and the construction were concluded to have occurred during the Wars of the Three Species which lasted from 1156 to 1181, which resulted in the end of the Sang Dynasty.

Across 2424 an insignificant amount of material had been found beyond evidence of bronze workings along the Phu River, which itself was quite important, but paled in comparison to the mainly youthful, and deluded wishes of the party. On October 8 of the year, the party were called back to Latango due to the outbreak of The Great War, with the society fearing for the party's safety. The findings that had been acquired arrived safely in Latango by early November, and the two Eddardsons, and Blackadder was awarded by the society for such. The rewards included a hefty fund to support further investigation into Heboi, and honourary doctorates in archaeology for the trio were provided by the Imperial University of Latango.

By June of 2425, it appeared to the society that the safety of Blackadder's party was not at risk in southern Heboi, and on the 23rd of the month, the party embarked on the CN Elgyia again, arriving at Xuyen in the south-eastern province of Dalthiet by July 7. Even though Heboi had been predominantly secured, reinvesting into Quang An province was seen as fool hardy due to the significant minority of Vyllitarehi living in the region. The much more predominantly Human region of Xuyen was elected as adequate enough for both the party and the society. In August, the Sisamouth's Pyramid structure on top of a ridge was discovered in the Zinsa Range this pyramid would house the tomb of the Heboian emperor Sisamouth I.

Tomb of Sisamouth
Main: Tomb of Sisamouth

Discovery of Sisamouth's Pyramid
In August, Blackadder's party began to survey the western facing portions of the Zinsas, having wrapped around the range to try a different portion of it. By late August the party ventured into a valley starting from the 23rd, finding a number of predominantly eroded structures of a village and long abandoned terraces. One of the newly employed Heboian workers, Nguyen Vinh Kahh, came from the region which they had currently been surveying, and provided support to the party. This came in the form of informing Eddardson's group of a road that a couple villagers several years beforehand had discovered but ignored. During that week most of the party spent their time hacking away and using shovels which exposed an extravagant road, made out of marble. By the 27th, the party had tracked the road up most of the north side of the valley, however by the time the pathway had gone into hairpin figures, it was relegated to just cobblestone. Edddardson's group split from Blackadder's and discovered additional structures within the valley, hypnotising that due to the high amount of infrastructure in the area, it must've been a major settlement, if not the place of living for the servants of a Heboian or Vyllitareh emperor at least before 900 KY.

However, the continued uncovering on the ground would be cut-short by the discoveries made along the mountain pathway. Blackadder's group discovered multiple platforms of which the pathway led to, which was placed on top of the northern ridge of the valley. During the 28th they marked the platforms, and it was found to be in a pyramid shape, roughly 90 by 90 metres, and 40 metres tall, the platforms each being roughly four meters high each. On the 29th, the party focused on removing the flora that was shrouding the pyramid and began to probe the entire surface to search for a potential entrance. Across Heboi, most pyramids such as Sereysothea's Pyramid which had been discovered eleven years sooner by Vasily Bugalin would be entered via the top of the structure, which puzzled the party for several hours. On the night of the same day, they discovered an entranced on the western side of the mountain twenty and meters up which had been caved in.

Eddardson elected to recruit several dozen additional workers from the village at Eptao which was seven miles down from the ruins in the valley to clear the cave in. For a week the party removed the foliage and stones blocking the entrance, word was sent back to Latango of the discoveries via telegram The society applauded the effort and ensured the party that if their funds weren't sufficient, that they would make it so. By September 4, the cave-in had been predominantly removed, exposing a mostly intact crypt from within which seemed to travel downwards. Ladders were constructed and the entrance properly secured by the 5th, and on the 6th, they decided to begin surveying the inside of the pyramid.

Discovery of Sisamouth's Tomb
As several members of the party finally entered the pyramid, there was a singular pathway going towards the centre of the pyramid and downwards like a staircase. On this path, symbolic imagery and what appeared to be Old Heboic carved into the walls were everywhere. Due to rainfall over the millennia which the pyramid had existed, water that crept into the pyramid had eroded the staircase, making it risky to traverse. Wooden boards and portions of the stone were carved into to make way for a safe path. Deciding to view wherever the pathway went, the party discovered that the stairs went into a room located at the centre of the pyramid and appeared safe to traverse. Several of them slid downwards on the path, and safely entered the room which was covered in caricatures and text that wrapped around the square walls of the room. At the centre of the chamber was a tomb, this was Sisamouth's Tomb. Fortunately, amongst the party, two of the archaeologists who were also in the crypt had studied Old Heboic and could understand the worded carvings which existed on the sides of the stone. It read, "here lies his majesty and grace, Emperor Sisamouth, first of his name, King of the Vahti, King of Men, King of the Echetehi and sole Emperor amongst all of the Heboi, may his name be honoured within the highest peaks of the great Zinsa."

Upon the realisation it was in-fact the tomb of Emperor Sisamouth I, who reigned from 566 – 631, and was responsible for the first unification of Heboi, the six-man group bolted outside to notify the rest of the party of the discovery. Word was immediately forwarded back to the society and both Blackadder and Eddardson implored the society to keep the discovery quiet, but to send several dozen more archaeologists to fully analyse the now fundamentally important site.

From the 6th to the 8th the anatomy of the pyramid was marked and mapped out. Beginning from the west facing entrance, the tunnel leading to the Emperor's Chambers started from about five meters from the perimeter, travelling downwards to the level at which the bottom of the pyramid is and towards the centre. Within the chamber, exists several vents spurring from the bottom of it to allow air and water flow to avoid the flooding of the chamber. Three pathways, excluding the entrance pathway, existed at each side of the room. The north facing pathway led downwards ten meters to the Empress's Chambers which also possessed vents and contained the sarcophagus of Empress Sisajatjamaya. The east and south facing pathways led down similarly to the north facing one, possessing several dozen sarcophagi, of which was verified as being Sisamouth's animal pets.

All of the sarcophagi were carted out of the pyramid throughout the 11th to 13th and delivered by truck to Port Miragi on the 19th. Sisamouth's own and his wife's remains were verified as being Human upon close inspection as expected.

Upon early morning on the 27th, additional society archaeologists arrived and gathered at the Julesa Building, in Port Miragi, the society's national headquarters for Heboi. It was decided that the findings would be publicised to help bolster the morale of the civilian population due to the on-going Great War. On the 29th just over a month since the pyramid discovery, the now party of fifty-nine ventured back to the site, arriving on October 3.

Cave-in and Death of Albert Blackadder
As Eddardson and Blackadder began to check over the pyramid a third time, they decided to begin excavating a portion of the northern side from within the Empress's Chambers. Throughout this, they discovered another room which had been totally sealed. It contained an assortment of clothing, tools, weaponry and pieces of art, most likely belonging to both Sisamouth and Sisajatjamaya. However, upon the completion of their excavation on the 7th, the structural integrity of the northern face of the pyramid gave in. Whilst Eddardson had been on surface during the event, Blackadder was within the Empress's Chambers at the time. During this, the northern portion of the pyramid formed a landslide that went down the valley to the north. Killing Blackadder, three of the archaeologists, and eleven workers, most of whom were on-top of the north side at the time.

In hindsight, the party realised that due to the age of the pyramid, and the erosive nature of tropical rain, that the pyramid had been over-due for a total structural collapse. Fortunately, much of the information within the affected areas were already photographed, so further analysis could still be done within it, and the remainder of the pyramid had remained unharmed, albeit a second entrance to the main chamber was now available. The site was thoroughly photographed, logged and studied throughout the next week encase of any additional collapses. The remaining artefacts were also acquired and brought with the party back to Port Mirage.

On the 23rd, the entire party, including the workers, set sail back to Latango, arriving on November 3 unharmed. Having already informed the society of Blackadder's passing, Emperor Jusutinia IV led the funeral proceedings for Blackadder, the funeral was broadcast on radio. A speech about Blackadder was set, largely praising his work as an archaeologist and explorer, including commemorating the deaths of the fourteen other archaeologists and workers.

Eddardson along with his father Gerald were both very distraught by his passing, albeit pledging to continue their archaeology careers in Blackadder's name. Eddardson and several of the other archaeologists received the Imperial Medal of Service, the highest civilian award bestowable by the emperor of Ceironia.

Discovery of Bara Chuoi
Main: Bara Chuoi