Alderman Buyal Casani was the civilian leader of Anvegad during the Siege of Anvil Gate.
Biography[]
Siege of Anvil Gate[]
Beginning of the Siege[]
- "This city understands its responsibilities, Captain. You will always have our full cooperation."
- —Casani, to Captain Ranald Sander
In the 62nd year of the Pendulum Wars, Casani lived in the town of Anvegad in Kashkur, and was the leader of the town council. After an explosion caused by Indie saboteurs blocked the Anvegad Pass, the one road that led to the rest of the country, Casani began accounting for the residents of the town to make sure no one had gotten buried in the blast. He and several other Alderman later met with Captain Ranald Sander, who reassured them that everything was going to be alright. Lt. Victor Hoffman then joined them, and told them that a Behemoth was on its way from Lakar to clear the road, but that it would take a few days. Casani was unconcerned, and viewed the situation as no worse than being snowed in. However, Sander and Hoffman told him that the Indies could still launch another attack that might do more than just block a road, and Sander told him to activate the civil emergency procedures as a precaution. Casani agreed, and told them that he and the other civilians knew their duty, and would give their full cooperation to the garrison.[2]
The Worsening Siege[]
- "People are going to die here. Disease. Dehydration. Starvation. We maintain this garrison. The least COG command could do is keep us alive."
- —Casani, to Victor Hoffman after being informed no help was coming
A month later, the fort was under heavy siege, and the river supplying the town was blocked. Casani met with Hoffman, who had taken over as the commander of the garrison after Sander was killed in an Indie attack. They walked the streets of the town, viewing the civilians being given their daily water rations, and Casani expressed his disappointment that the COG had not sent them any help, and that the Anvegad Pass remained blocked. He knew that the invasion of the country had tied up many resources, but he still felt abandoned by the COG. Hoffman told him he was trying to convince his superior to send help, but that there was no help to send. Hoffman asked him if he wanted to evacuate the civilians, but Casani refused, and told him none of the population would want to leave their home. He then asked why the COG had not airlifted supplies to them, and Hoffman told him their range was limited. Casani told him that they needed more supplies before the people became restless, but Hoffman told him they had enough food and water to ration for several more weeks. Casani retorted that they both knew the siege would not be over in several weeks. They continued walking through the streets, and Hoffman told him that they needed to find something to do with the human waste, which was piling up with the sewer system offline. Casani told him they would load it on to trucks, and then drive them out at night to dump outside the city walls.[3]
Dealing with a Thief[]
- "How can I blame him? How can I say I wouldn’t do it myself? He's watching his family die."
- —Casani, to Hoffman after being ordered to execute Geril Atar
Two months later, Casani met with Hoffman again in the council chamber, and encouraged him to surrender the garrison to the Indies in order to end the siege. Over one thousand civilians had died, and many more were sick. Hoffman refused to surrender, and told him that he had never made them stay. Casani told him that the UIR wouldn't let them leave without the fort's surrender. Hoffman told him he couldn't take that offer because of his orders, and then told him that a man, Geril Atar, had been found stealing rations from the garrisons supply. Casani stayed silent for a moment, and then told Hoffman that Atar wasn't a traitor, and was only stealing to ensure his family's survival. Hoffman told him that no matter his reason, he had carried out an act of theft against the army, and that since Casani was the civilian leader, he needed to be the one to carry out the punishment: execution. Casani was horrified, and refused, arguing that the man was his friend, and that he would have likely done the same in his situation. Hoffman grabbed Casani by the arm, and dragged him to where Atar was being kept. Hoffman handed him a pistol, and told him to carry out the execution or he would. Casani refused again, and Hoffman took the pistol back, and after reading out Atar's sentence, executed him. Casani stared at the body, and cried as Hoffman left him alone, confident that Casani would put a stop to any more thefts.[4]
Personality and Traits[]
Casani was described as sober-looking and thin, and that he looked as though he should have been running a bank than a town.[1] He cared deeply for the civilians of Anvegad, and refused to execute one of them, Geril Atar, even after it was revealed that he had stolen from the COG.[5]