General Kroy is one of the senior commanders of the Union Army. He's renowned for his bitter rivalry with his colleague General Poulder. He appears in the trilogy and again in the standalone The Heroes.
Appearance and Personnality[]
General Kroy is tall, gaunt, and hard, with grey hair cropped close to his angular skull. He's always immaculately dressed in a spotless simple black uniform, to match his stiff and formal demeanour.
Kroy is quite a competent General, with an aloof and by-the-book style. A pedantic man, he is prone to oppose his superior at every turn. He has a bitter rivalry with the flamboyant and arrogant General Poulder, disagreeing over every subject, no matter how small; sometimes even agreeing with his superiors merely to spite him. His behaviour is actually precisely the same as Poulder, as if they were two sides of a single character.
By the time of The Heroes, he has matured and mellowed, often mediating between the rival factions in the army with an even-hand; in much the same way as Lord Marshal Burr would have.
History[]
Kroy was one of the leading candidates for the open position of Lord Marshal, supported by his uncle High Justice Marovia. However, the Closed Council could not agree, and eventually settled on Burr as a compromise
Before They Are Hanged[]
General Kroy and The Union's army arrive in Angland to bring Bethod, the King of the Northmen, to heel in the First Northern War. At a meeting of the command staff, Lord Marshal Burr outlines the strategy that will split the army into three commands, two to flush Bethod onto the field of battle, and one to guard their retreat led by Prince Ladisla. The Generals and their flunkies seem far more concerned with petty rivalries than with the war to come. Meanwhile, Burr tries to manage his subordinates mutual hostility, by favouring neither.
However, Bethod’s main force eludes Burr, and heads directly south to crush Prince Ladisla's division. Meanwhile, Kroy and Poulder are kept busy with small bands of raiders and the freezing Angland winter.
Finally, thanks to scouting by a crew of rebel Northmen, the Union manages to draw the Northmen into open battle near Dunbrec. General Kroy's division is ordered to proceed down the road to commit Bethod’s forces to combat, while Poulder brings his troops through the trees to take Bethod in the flank. However, during the battle, Poulders forces fail to arrive, having been attacked in the forest. Kroy's troops are hard pressed, and even with the addition of the reserve of cavalry, they only succeed in forcing Bethod to retreat.
The battle ends in a Union victory, but barely. Afterwards, Kroy and Poulder return to Burr’s command post, bickering for the infirm Lord Marshal’s favour over whose failure endangered the battle; unaware that Burr had been incapacitated during the fighting.
Last Argument of Kings[]
Having pushed Bethod’s army out of Angland, General Kroy is ordered to recapture Dunbrec. After weeks of bloody siege, the heavily defended fortress falls through the boldness of one enterprising sergeant.
Eventually, the rebel Northmen leader Dogman comes up with a plan to use Bethod's hatred for the rebels, to lure him into a trap in the High Places, while the Union Army flank them. However, just as the army is prepared to spring the trap, Burr is found dead in his tent from his gut-rot. No soon have Kroy and Poulder paid their respects over the Lord Marshal’s coffin, than the pair begin planning life after Burr. Of course, they cannot advance until the King has appointed a new Lord Marshal.
A week later, Kroy and Poulder are left sputtering, when Colonel West is appointed Lord Marshal, thanks to his friendship with new King Jezal. Lord Marshal West quickly puts Poulder and Kroy in their place, which somehow allows a sort of respect to grow between the pair. Kroy's division is ordered to clear the road to Carleon, while Poulder and the Lord Marshal head to the High Places.
After Bethod's forces are routed in the High Places and his final defeat in Carleon, the Union Army is immediately ordered back to Midderland to lift the siege of Adua by the Gurkish. General Kroy’s division with the Northmen are ordered to attack from the northeast and push west towards the Agriont. At great cost, Kroy succeeds in liberating his part of the city. and the fight goes out of the Gurkish with Bayaz' machinations in the Square of Marshals. When he learns of General Poulder's death, Kroy seems to take it hard, having grown to respect his former rival. The Battle of Adua ends with the Gurkish army utterly routed, albeit at the cost of massive Union casualties and destruction to Adua.
Afterward, General Kroy holds things together in the Army, while Lord Marshal West recuperates from his injuries. Kroy seems much changed, and humbly refuses the congratulations of the Closed Council for the victory, saying that the credit should go to General Poulder and those other who gave their lives. It soon becomes clear that Lord Marshal West has fallen victim to the wasting desease that has spread through the city.
The Heroes[]
Eight years later, Lord Marshal Kroy now commander-in-chief of the Union forces at war again with the Northern army led by King Black Dow, presumably after West died from his sickness. He seems to have matured into a capable Lord Marshal, who cares deeply for his men.
Bayaz shows up in the Union camp; though officially retired, he has come to “observe”. He encourages Kroy to engage Black Dow, rather than continue his cautious approach.
After the defeat suffered by Jalenhorm on the first day of the battle, he stoically accepts responsibility. On the second day, his daughter Finree dan Brock is taken captive by the Northmen by a raiding party led by Stranger-Come-Knocking. She is later released with a peace proposal from Black Dow, but Bayaz insists on continuing fighting when he learns that the Gurkish agent Ishri is helping Dow.
On the third day, Mitterick’s cavalry charge on Clail’s Wall, and Jalenhorm’s assault on the hill called the Heroes, both end in huge losses. Kroy decides that he cannot countenance another attack, and sues for peace, despite Bayaz’ anger.
Lord Marshal Kroy resigns his position, and is replaced by Mitterick.
Sharp Ends[]
He makes a briefly appearance in Kadir, where both he and Poulder had the rank of Colonel and their rivalry could already be seen.