Dalma Humphreys

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Between 57 and 65 years old in 3076
Dalma Humphreys
Character Profile
Born uncertain, between 3011 and 3019[1]
Died 3086[2]
Affiliation House Humphreys
Profession Duchess of Andurien
Parents Richard Humphreys (father)
Elala Cisne (apocryphal)
Siblings Steven Humphreys[3]
Danai Centrella (according to rumors[4])

Dalma Humphreys - Free Worlds League noblewoman and political leader of the Duchy of Andurien.

Character Description

In her youth she was described as a determined and pragmatic woman, who by all accounts was a model Free Worlds League citizen. Over the decades of politics, she became more like her grandmother in her suspicion of League politics.

Character History

Early Life & Political Career

Daughter of Richard Humphreys, fifth child of Dame Catherine Humphreys of Andurien, Dalma was born into political dynasty charged in the protection of all things Andurien. Although conflicting sources give the year of her birth between 3011 and 3019, she was in any case born to a very young father; Richard Humphreys himself was only born in 2998.

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

According to the apocryphal German novels Präludium and Gier, Dalma was born ca. 3018/3019 to Richard Humphreys and Elala Cisne. The (very young) couple had considered an illegal abortion, but were found out. Dame Catherine Humphreys separated them, sending Elala to Andarmax in the Capellan Confederation where her livelihood was covertly provided by an Andurien-sponsored job as a reporter, and exiling Richard. She raised Dalma like her own child.

Richard was recalled from exile in 3029 to marry Emma Centrella on his mother's order, but he refused and focused on reuniting with Elala, a quest in which Emma actually helped him. However, when Richard did find Elala on Andarmax, she had become a Capellan citizen and married a Capellan man, and was a member of the Ash Witch cult. Richard was prepared to join the cult to be with her, but when his identity was revealed they tried to abduct him as a hostage against the attacking Duchy of Andurien. Richard was rescued by Emma Centrella in a fight where Elala fired a gun at the rescuers and killed one of Richard's bodyguards. On Richard's request she was later allowed to move into the Capellan Confederation with her husband.

Apocryphal Content Ends

After the Andurien Wars in which her grandmother tried to secede the Duchy from the Free Worlds League but found her realm re-conquered, the League had a federally-appointed governor installed. Catherine Humphreys died before her trial took place, but her son Richard did not succeed her because he was too close to the "Canopus affair", the doomed alliance between the Duchy and the Magistracy of Canopus that led to a costly war. Not having the taint of her family who was involved with rebellion against the League, Dalma actively supported then-new Captain-General Thomas Marik. She was seen as patriotic and stoic individual in deals of the League.[5]

File:Dalma Humphreys 2.jpg
Dalma Humphreys in her younger days

As the Ruler of Andurien

In 3048, Dalma reclaimed the family's title of leader of the Duchy of Andurien. She moved ahead with determination to rebuild her badly mauled Duchy.

Over the course of her reign, she became much like her grandmother before her. By the Jihad, she saw the fragmentation of the League's central authority and its inability to respond to crisis. Consequently, she raised new frontline military forces help defend the Andurien from attack. She initially formed the Andurien Rangers brigade in 3073 marking the 25th anniversary of her ascendance to the throne.[6] Not unlike their predecessor, the Defenders of Andurien, they show loyalty only to the Duchy's needs.

In 3075, Naomi Centrella-Liao visited Dame Dalma, delivering a message of peace and warning to Andurien parliament and her. Where she and Magistry Canopus celebrated their past relationship, hope ties will grow, but also she and her husband's nation are bonds a strong as well. Sending signal that if actions taken by Andurien turn against Liao, they would face two nations, not just one.[7]

In February 3076 Dalma discovered that Word of Blake forces had learned of Naomi Centrella-Liao's unlisted route to return to Sian. She scrambled aerospace forces and moved to rescue Naomi from a Word of Blake ambush in the Furud system. Dalma travelled with the rescue force, to meet with Naomi herself. At the meeting, she chided her lack of proper escort through potential hostile space. She also offered her hand in peace by offering her fighters and ships to properly escort Naomi back to Sian. The Magestrix accepted the offer, trusting Dalma and her people.[8]

By 3079 several regiments of troops from the FWLM had defected to serve the Duchy of Andurien by one means or another. These defections were in great part due to the revelation that Captain-General "Thomas Marik" was in fact a doppelganger, but some of the defections were considered rather surprising; perhaps most notably, the defection of the 5th Free Worlds Legionnaires, a unit which had been fanatically loyal to the League. Having pledged their allegiance to Dalma Humphreys, the 5th would become the 2nd Andurien Rangers and would serve the Duchy with distinction.[9]

Not all such defections were smooth and seamless, or free of bloodshed. The 9th Free Worlds Legionnaires was imploding, with various officers and cadets all trying to wrest control of the regiment and pledge allegiance to various factions; this brief but bitter internal struggle only ended when Dalma intervened personally, ending the struggle before the violence could spread further by persuading the regiment to become the 3rd Andurien Rangers while also allowing those serving within the regiment who objected to joining Andurien service to leave the Duchy peacefully.[9]

Through her negotiations Dalma convinced her neighboring province, the Mosiro Archipelago, to enter in a defense pact which effectively tied the Archipelago to the Duchy.[10]

Family & Legacy

Dalma had no children of her own, but had a brother named Steven. She appointed his daughter as her Heir-designate for the Duchy.

When Dalma Humpreys died in 3086, her niece Evelyn Humphreys inherited the title of Duchess of Andurien.[2]

Titles and Positions

Preceded by Duchess of Andurien
3048 - 3086
Succeeded by

Notes

Canonical information on Dalma's childhood and activities in the years prior to the Jihad have not been written as of this writing. Her father Richard appears in several apocryphal German novels about the Andurien Wars (notably Präludium and Gier), and the childhood history of Dalma as well as the story of her parents is described in some detail.

Game Notes

Using Notable personalities Skills and Special Abilities Rules from Master and Minions, following abilities may be applied when using A Time for War RPG: Due to her warming relations with House Liao and the Magistray of Canopus, as of 3076 characters/forces attempting espionage against her Duchy will receive a +3 penalty against their rolls. Also, when using these rules when playing with the BattleForce game system, Andurien forces are given a lance of Ontos Heavy Tanks at no cost due her relationship with company that produces the design.[11]

References

  1. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 72, states she was born in 3011 and 61 years old in 3076, which is obviously wrong as the numbers do not add up. The apocryphal novel Präludium, p. 9, describes her as ten years old as of 11 September 3030 and the (equally apocryphal) follow-up novel Gier, p. 29, describes her as ten years old as of 22 September of 3029; this suggests she was born between 12 and 22 September 3019.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 49
  3. Full name (with Humphreys surname) spelled out in Field Manual: 3085, p. 80, where he is also referred to as Dame Dalma Humphreys' brother.
  4. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 57 - "The Devil's Brood"
  5. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 82 - The Occupation - Dalma's character is mentioned when occupation of Andurien begun and she was favored over her father.
  6. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 66 Andurien, Mosiro Signs Defense Pact - Year Dalma formed the Rangers is mentioned.
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 31 - Naomi Centrella meets with Dalma and her government and warns against aggression toward her or her husband's nations.
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 76 Crisis Averted - Dalma dispatches a rescue force to save Magestrix Naomi Centrella from Word of Blake terrorists.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Field Report: FWLM, p. 12, "Duchy of Andurien"
  10. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 66 Andurien, Mosiro sign defense pact.
  11. Master and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 256 Rules Annex/Skills & Special Abilities Rules - Abilities to enhance game play in RPG and board game settings.

Bibliography