Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/MLA Characters

The GLA has no command structure. Maybe once there were men who led these fighters and rebels on what might have been a noble crusade to create true nations in the Middle East. Instead, a dozen and a half petty warlords overshadow what few true men might have once held sway in the GLA.

Prince Kassam
"It was never meant to be, brothers. Goodbye."

-Last words of Prince Kassam

Prince Kassam, better known as Kassad thanks to a spy misspelling his name, was a member of the (Jordanian) royal family, one of the younger men of the family who still grew up in opulence and security. In such an environment it would be hard to be noticed, but for the young prince, he seemed to enjoy anonymity, preferring to stay by himself or with a few friends than attend lavish parties or concerts in the capitol's performance houses. It was by his choice to study in the West during his youth, and on his return, he fell in with the (Pan-Arab) movement, convinced that his ancestor's proud history would be revived once Western interference was removed.

This attitude flew in the face of Kassam's father, who needed the Alliance to ensure that the nation's economic status could be ensured against Voshkod sympathizers. Kassam's constant pushing, however, did force the king to make some measures to improve the lives of the average (Jordanian), including highway projects and the development of the nation's industries. While Kassam saw progress, the fact that the Allies still effectively ruled the king's decisions meant that there was still no true freedom. When the earliest cells of the MLA formed, Kassam turned his back on his family, and threw his lot in with the MLA, using his own personal funds to supply "Cobra Cell" with weapons and information.

Kassam was a surprisingly adept leader, utilizing hit-and-run attacks in the same vein as Lawrence of (Arabia). He took steps to form connections with local tribesmen to build a base of support that he could rely on in times of desperation. While a narcissist in terms of how he saw his role as a great (Arab) liberator, his university education made his leadership more strategic in terms of goals and objectives than many of his contemporaries. When the Alliance came for him he vanished, only to reappear and strike in a weakly defended area. His call for a new (Arab) liberation attracted followers, and miniature "Cobra heirs" erupted in various (Jordanian) cities. Kassam eschewed the increasingly radical trappings of other MLA leaders, opting instead for a more humanistic vision of a free (Arabian) state, ruled by jurisprudence and the people (under the watchful eye of the monarchy of course).

Unfortunately for Kassam, his skills at leading his forces were outpaced by his ability to make enemies. He was found dead in his personal quarters one morning, gun still smoking, the body of an unknown assailant sprawled on the opposite side of the room. His cell's medics did what they could, but the weapons that killed Kassam were enough to put him down permanently.

While the Alliance could claim no credit for Kassam's death, it was hoped that this would end the issues in (Jordan). Instead, dozens of newly independent MLA cells erupted, and the (Jordanian) royal family itself is starting to view the Allies suspiciously knowing ACIN's reputation. The largest cell that followshis tactics, known as Whisperwind, being led by one of Kassam's closest friends Tyrande.

Rodall "Demo" Aziz
"You may have defeated me, Tao, but God will avenge me."

-Final radio transmission from Aziz's personal gun truck

Rodall Aziz, though he was known as Juhziz thanks to misinformation, grew up a poor child on the Gaza Strip in Gilneas, his only recognizable skill being his dextrous fingers. Apprenticed to a watchmaker in the city, Rodall learned how to make his hands work wonders. Eventually, he opened his own shop and managed to support his aged parents and siblings. Though few Gilneas actually owned watches, the tourists and pilgrims making their way to (Jerusalem) and other sites in the Holy Land kept their doors open and coffer healthy.

At first, Aziz ignored the MLA and their calls to fight. He was no warrior and considered their shouting a nuisance like most of the other shopkeepers. They were, after all, already free. As far as he was concerned, the Alliance was as distant from his life as Limsa Lominsa. Until one day an elderly-looking Luresian walked into his shop to ask for a repair on an intricate watch, a piece of work unlike any previous timepiece Aziz had ever repaired. The time and effort put into the watch were exhausting, and more than once Aziz wanted to call the customer and tell him that he was unable to complete the task. But he did, and the man paid handsomely. Mentioning that Aziz could do greater things with his skills, the man left a business card for an address in (Jerusalem), and left.

Curious and anxious to find more business, Aziz left for (Jerusalem) only to find the address surrounded by a crowd of protestors. The address, revealed to be the Elsword consulate building in Gilneas, was being circled by protestors calling out for representatives in the Empire Parliament and greater recognition for their own economic struggles. It was obvious MLA agitators were in the crowd that day, but from where he stood Aziz saw the Alliance forces in front of the building readying to do something. When one of the protestors was clearly shoved by accident into the line of blue, it was clear that their intention was to punish the protestors for their disobedience. Tear gas choked the crowd, women screaming in pain, and men being beaten down by the Allied soldiers. Behind the line was the same elderly gentlemen, checking the same watch.

Aziz joined the MLA that day and didn't dare look back. He learned from his new brothers in "Scorpion Cell" that it was an Empire force, known only as the Castanic Nuclear Division, that was holding actual power in Gilneas, with its leader known as Tsing Shi Tao. Aziz could only barely describe the man's face to them, but it was enough to be a start. Aziz found himself as the cell's new bombmaker, his skilled hands able to put out bombs of such precision and power that all the authorities could do when they found one was to clear as many people away as possible and try to contain the blast. Bombings skyrocketed in Gilneas, and Aziz justified the casualties by telling himself that this was for their own freedom.

Eventually, the force that controlled Gilneas had enough of Scorpion Cell. Men in armor, masked soldiers with flamethrowers, and men using weapons that cause their enemies to melt to death by radiation. Scorpion fought for all that it had, but it was clear their crimes had finally found them. Aziz, by now the senior leader of the cell, ordered the cell to scatter, keeping a few members to fight and cover the escape. It turned out that Aziz was a terrifying foe for these enemies to face, as his knowledge of clockwork gave him almost instantaneous insights into the method to take down the enemy's vehicles. Unfortunately for Scorpion's fighters, the enemy's infantry wasn't as vulnerable to Aziz's keen eyes, and after hours of fighting a Yan Wang, ridden by general Tao no less, started to destroy the resisting fighters.

Knowing that the cell had to survive, Aziz loaded up his gun truck with as many explosives as he could and wired them to a pressure plate. Ordering the few fighters left to flee, he roared onto the field, shouting into the radio about the freedom of Gilneas and (Arabs) everywhere. The explosion ignited the Yan Wang ammunition, creating a massive explosion that eradicated everything and glassed the ground in a half-mile radius. Scorpion cell fights on today, ever watchful for men in hazmat suits and hell-spewing tanks. With the strongest of the Scorpions, better known as the Terror Cell, being led by Aziz's apprentice Vaseraga.

"Dr. Thrax"
"Try it, you'll like it."

-Dr. Thrax, interrogating a Syndicate prisoner

Whoever Dr. Thrax was is a mystery. Whatever trace exists of his former life before the MLA has been obliterated. Tribes on the (Afghan/Pakistani) border will spend days moving through the harsh mountains rather than risk the chance of encountering Thrax's bases deep in the hills. Even other MLA warlords, haughty men and women with little fear of reprisal, tread carefully around Dr. Thrax.

In truth, the initial ACIN reports about Thrax being a basement-dwelling failure were brought out because, frankly, they had failed to locate him. While this might seem bizarre, there is some truth to the saying that there is nothing harder than trying to find a man who does not want to be found. The initial ACIN report was simply put out to try and calm some nerves among the Parliament. Not that they needed to feel too badly though, as both the KGB and SPIDER also came up empty. This has created a veritable cottage industry of rumors about Thrax, not the least of which is that his only goal is to break into the research labs in Xanadu and take what he pleases.

Thrax first appeared on the world's radar shortly after the "new government" in (Afghanistan) provided for the construction of the Xanadu sprawl. Reports of workers dying of disease and poison became disturbingly common, enough that the Syndicate had to bring in water purifiers and precooked meals to keep construction apace. SPIDER-backed efforts to try and find the culprits often found nothing, or worse, came back hacking their lungs out and begging for help. Examination of the corpses of several victims discovered extremely virulent strains of smallpox and anthrax. Beyond that, there are also samples of what appear to be lethal variants of DDT, recovered from the barely recognizable remains of human bodies and half-melted wrecks of vehicles.

SPIDER has tried making multiple offers to Thrax to work for them instead of just killing their auxiliaries, but Thrax has refused violently each time. Both ACIN and the KGB believe that Thrax might be an Afghan nationalist, but SPIDER disagrees. Their own reports note that Thrax is just as likely to assault his fellow (Afghans) as he is the Legion, as well as other rival MLA warlords that go against his own path to conquest. SPIDER considers him a radical, a mad dog that can't be bargained or reasoned with. Despite trying to eliminate Thrax's operations, the man himself is hiding out in the mountainous terrain on the (Afghan/Pakistani) border. Ill-equipped for a campaign of war in the mountains, the Syndicate is currently trying to justify sending Antivan Alpine Corps to do the fighting for them. Though there are rumors that the leader of the "Nightborne" Cells leader, Thalyssra, is in some ways linked to Thrax.

Mohmar "Deathstrike"
"You may outnumber me now, Wolfgang. But it takes more than numbers to win a war."

-Last transmission from Deathstrike to Wolfgang before their final battle

Out of all the MLA, few are as revered as "General Deathstrike". To the common rebel, he is a leader of men, a pious and zealous fighter against the decadent west in (Saudi Arabia). To the Alliance, he's an enigma, since he was one of the White Guard leaders that rebelled after King Faizal's announcement. To all others, he's a ghost, gone so far into the empty quarter that there's no trace.

Deathstrike was one of the most competent commanders in the (Saudi) military, and his actions against the nascent MLA in his country reflected the psychological profile of a calm, strategic soldier that cared more about fighting effectively than fighting at all. Trained by Fereldan military advisors, Mohmar was also a relatively pious man, living as best he could to the tenets of Islam and as a leader of the White Guard. This is what's most confusing to ACIN since there was never any indication of mental instability in General Mohmar before the White Guard's mass rebellion. Some have theorized that, like the rest of the White Guard, Mohmar is disturbed by how quickly King Faizal threw in his lot with the Alliance out of fear of the MLA, when in reality his own forces were quite effectively putting down MLA cells and activity nationwide.

While not charged with assaulting the king's residence, Mohmar was tasked with tying up those White Guard forces still loyal to the king. During the fighting, he earned the name "Deathstrike", since his forces were able to put V2 missiles down with such accuracy that his foes could only "Huddle together and wait for Death's strike". Despite the failure of the MLA attack, Deathstrike reconstituted the MLA forces that made the assault and retreated. He posted small cells inside Riyadh and ordered much of the White Guard to keep mobile and wait for requests for assistance to come through.

Mohmar would finally meet his end at the hands of General Wolfgang, though he would take the General with him, in what would be known as "The Battle Of Behemoths". It began at (insert) when Deathstrike besieging the Voshkod-controlled city against the fatigued and wounded Vieran Reserves, which had General (Orlov/Fran) in it, and was about to finally break through and end them when Wolfgang's forces came charging in, the General himself commanding in his personal Manticore "Corinna", to intercept Mohmar forces, giving the Vieran reserves enough time for their evacuation helicopters to arrive and give them time to board it. What came next was one of the largest tank battles in history, as the Republic heavy tank divisions formed a line of guns which the more numerous MLA light tanks must break through, with Mohmar himself commanding in his personal Desert Cruiser "Shaitan".

Despite their superiority in numbers Deathstrike struggled to break through Wolfgang's line of tanks, whose superior armor and longer-ranged cannons easily decimated his forces before they got in range, until, by some chance, a Bomb Truck had evaded the attacks and successfully crashed into the line. The explosion severely damaged and stun the tanks, while the damaged ones were killed in the blast, leaving a large gap that the MLA exploited with their faster tanks. But, through his experience in fighting the MLA, Wolfgang had managed to stop them from reaching the city and pulled them in and encircle them, where he comes face to face with Deathstrike.

What came next gave the battle its name. As the Corinna and Shaitan blasted each other with cannons while commanding their forces. Until a lucky shot by the Shaitan struck the Corinna's ammunition storage, creating a large explosion that seemingly killed Wolfgang, but in turn the Shaitan had its tracks heavily damaged in the counterfire. With the Corinna supposedly dead morale plummeted for the Republic and they began to rout. But Wolfgang had survived, though his crew wasn't as lucky, and, staying by his promise to save the city, ordered for a Solaris strike, and when they found out that there was too much dust for the team to take proper aim Wolfgang used the Corinna as a beacon instead. And pouring every last power into the engines and nanomachines Wolfgang charged and rammed the Shaitan and began to push it back, due to the Shaitan's damaged tracks, causing Deathstrikes remaining forces to turn around and fire upon Wolfgang. The remains of Wolfgang's forces tried to come back but were ordered to stand back as the Solaris was locking onto him. And by the time Deathstrike and his forces realized what he was doing it was too late, and the Solaris strikes, incinerating Mohmar, his forces, and Wolfgang. And there are rumors that in his last moments, Mohmar had congratulated Wolfgang for his tactics and dedication.

In respect for his action that day, the MLA forces took the remains of the Shaitan back home and guarded the remains of the Corinna until Republic forces came to take it back. The Shaitan now stands proudly in Deathstrike memorial park, built from the king's land liberated by the MLA.

Anwar Sulaymaan
"..."

-...

Having fought for the (Iraqi) insurgency during the pivotal battle of (Fallujah) as a teenager, Sulaymaan's vicious combat skills and his searing hatred for the West have been sparked at an early age. When the MLA started making headlines in the early (insert), he was among the thousands of frustrated, disenfranchised volunteers that joined the organization's fight against the global superpowers.

His brutal cunning and charisma soon earned him a sizeable powerbase, allowing him to rise through the ranks - more often than not over the dead bodies of his former superiors - which eventually made him the top lieutenant of General Mohmar Deathstrike. Whereas the leader of the MLA was more of a die-hard ideologist and operational mastermind, Sulaymaan used his international contacts to ensure a respectable income from illegal weapons trade. While the MLA conflict was at its height, the "Death Merchant" made profitable deals with many parties regardless of allegiance, selling (Israeli) submachine guns to Gilneas, communist-made bullets to fascists, and much more.

After the demise of Deathstrike in (2032), Sulaymaan used his ever-loyal private army to reunite the warring splinter cells and reshape the MLA according to his own ideas, culminating in the occupation of Central (Africa) where he sought to create his own "warrior paradise", a quasi-nation fueled by the hatred of all the have-nots who had an axe to grind with any haves of their choosing.

Most cynically, he enjoyed subverting the moral arrogance of the West for his own ends, using overseas contacts to launch the viral "Stop Sulaymaan" campaign in order to raise awareness for the MLA's horrible atrocities and gather funds for his capture which, in reality, went right into his own pockets. Now, with Central Africa's vital resources firmly under the control of the MLA, it is only a matter of time before someone would dare to challenge him. Though, being more of a merchant, he chooses to work in the background and lets Malfurion handle military matters.

Abdul bin Yusuuf
"..."

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Tahar Ibrahiim
"..."

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