Ricter dan Vallimir is a Major and the Master of the King’s Armouries in the Union Army, during the First Northern War. By the time of the Battle of the Heroes he has been promoted to Colonel, and commanding officer of Corporal Tunny.
Appearance and personality[]
Vallimir is a young, plump man with a pale face, who compensates for his lack of military experience, with a towering arrogance, especially towards commoners like Collem West. However, he shows himself to be competent and practical, even earning a sliver of respect from Ferro Maljinn.
By the time of Battle of the Heroes, he remains somewhat incompetent, falling victim to a combination of bad luck, a little indecision, and being less clever than Calder.
History[]
Vallimir is old nobility from a family that goes back nine generations in the King's Own. In Sharp Ends, we see him as a young man in Kadir, at the rank of lieutenant. He's tasked with conducting the civilians to safety, so avoids Glokta's suicidal cavalry charge.
At the beginning of the series, he is the Master of the King's Armouries in Adua.[1]
The Blade Itself[]
Colonel Collem West finds the blacksmiths have stopped working for the day, having already met their quota. West asks Vallimir to re-light the forges to provide more equipment for the Midderland levies heading off to war in the North. Major Vallimir refuses to take orders from a jumped-up commoner, and finally goes too far with a snide comment about West’s sister. West loses his temper and intimidates the Master of the King’s Armouries into relenting[1].
Last Argument of Kings[]
During the Battle of Adua, Major Vallimir leading a patrol that Ferro Maljinn has attached herself to. They are tasked with harassing the Gurkish army as they approach Adua to lay siege to the city[2]. His squad includes Sergeant Forest.
The Heroes[]
Promoted to Colonel in the nine years after the Battle of Adua and given command of the First Regiment of the King's Own under General Jalenhorm, Vallimir finds his cavalry regiment horseless and out of position[3]. He is ordered to lead his one functional battalion through the bogs to the west of the Old Bridge[4] and to take up position on Calder's flank.
Paralysed by indecision (and missing orders), Vallimir does not attack throughout the battle, deceived by Calder into remaining in position[5]. He finally orders a charge[6] but is too late to make any difference, arriving on the battlefield just in time to be informed of the cessation of hostilities.
A Little Hatred[]
Colonel Vallimir has retired from the army, to be a partner in a manufactory in Valbeck with Savine dan Glokta. Savine is suspicious about the sudden profits and insists on inspecting the factory. At dinner the night before, Vallimir wouldn't give straight answers, so Savine quizzed the maid instead, May Broad. Lady Vallimir is unhappy at her loose tongue and threatens to fire her, but Savine insists she won’t see her punished.
The next day the measures Vallimir has imposed to cut costs, prick even Savine's cold-heart; the workers are all children. In the midst of the inspection, the entire workforce rises in armed insurrection, indeed the whole city. Vallimir himself is beaten, then dragged away to join a line of chained prisoners. He is next seen in the courthouse at the Burners' kangaroo-court before Judge and a jury of whores. Vick dan Teufel soon recovers the prisoners, which suggests Vallimir probably survived the Valbeck insurrection.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Blade Itself, Nobody's Dog
- ↑ Last Argument of Kings, The Number of the Dead
- ↑ The Heroes, Old Hands
- ↑ The Heroes, The Very Model
- ↑ The Heroes, More Tricks
- ↑ The Heroes, The Moment of Truth