Stit, Lord Kuq
The Hon. Stjit, Lord Kaw′ (Shinasthana: 槁君室, kaw′-kljur-stjit; Dec. 2, 1765 – Mar. 2 or 3, 1794) was a Themiclesian aristocrat, politician, and military officer.
Lord Kaw′ was appointed in October, 1793 to replace the Lord of L′jin as General of the West, leading the Themiclesian forces in the Camian Campaign in the Second Maverican War. While L′jin successfully removed the Royal Counsel Rjem, who had sold military secrets to the Camians out of personal spite against Long Lêt, he became excessively strict in disciplining his army and failed to provide progress in what the Government believed was a peripheral and nigh-unopposed front. Lord Kaw′ was thus appointed by the Finance Secretary as L′jin's replacement. The Finance Secretary's motives for appointing him are unclear, as he had no previous military experience; some believe he may have acquired it from his father, who commanded Themiclesian forces in the First Maverican War, 25 years ago.
Arriving to take over form L′jin, he took his predecessor's advice seriously and tried to co-operate with his subordinates. Records suggest he initially showed much respect for them, even though virtually all were from common backgrounds. He attempted to take L′jin's second target, Kan, in Dec. 1793, again without success. Kaw′ began to develop misgivings for his officers, learning that Kan's defence was organized by untrained civilians. Kaw′ wintered in the Camian capital city of Yen-k′ang, where food began to run short due to L′jin's decision to forbid plundering and "purchases" made at very low prices. The new general did not wish to disgrace himself by repealing a popular policy made by his predecessor and so negotiated for additional imports from Themiclesia. The Government agreed in January, 1794.
In early spring, Kaw′ decided to try a new route to take Kan, which overlooked a path key to taking the Camian interior. Grain was still exported from there in support of the Camian Army's efforts in Maverica. While the Themiclesian navy should have been blockading these shipments, it was still under rebuilding in earnest due to the Raid on Rad. For this reason it was Kaw′s mission to stop the grain exports and to apply sufficient pressure on the Camians to recall their army, thus alleviating pressure in Norfeld, Maverica. Shifting the front from Maverica to Camia had the peripheral benefit of improving logistics, since grain shipment was more efficient by sea to Camia than by land to Norfeld.
His new expedition was initially successful until the troops rushed into a trap set by the locals, who forced them to fight with their backs against a cliff. While the Themiclesian forces were better-trained, the Camians reported fought with such ferocity that some Themiclesians tumbled down the cliff, which caused the rest of the invaders to panic and lose ground. Lord Kaw′ also fell off the cliff in the battle that occurred on Feb. 20. Assuming those unaccounted for were dead, the Themiclesians retreated, but Lord Kaw′ regained consciousness with a fractured wrist. Poorly disguised, Kaw′ was arrested passing through the hamlet of Amble. He was sent back to Kan, where he was identified by the militiamen as the Themiclesian commander. In the night of Mar. 2 or morning of the 3rd, he was decapitated by the residents of Kan; his head was sent to Yen-k′ang. The matter reached the Themiclesian government in March, and Lord Grum was appointed in his stead as General of the West.