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General Fury Caraway:

It is perhaps a foolish thing to say we live in historic times. All times are, in a way, historic, and it’s difficult to say how events will look in the context of future generations. But the defeat of Sorceress Edea, and Seifer Almasy, and the victory of SeeD in Esthar are certain to be a major chapter in many future histories. It is with this in mind that it can be a good thing to write up the history of some people who’ve had a major influence on that history. Either through action or inaction.

General Fury Caraway is one figure that one cannot avoid speaking of when one speaks of the history of Galbadia and the western continent. And one cannot speak of him without speaking of the Sorceress War and Vinzer Deling. When Eshtar, led by Sorceress Adel attacked, we were still divided in many smaller nations. Galbadia at the time was just one of many, trying to fight the numerically, technologically and magically superior Eshtar soldiers.

General Caraway was part of a wealthy Galbadian family, and even before the war had proved himself a leader of men. His name was often considered something of an ironic joke, as the man’s leadership style was calm and calculated, focusing on well timed, simultaneous attacks to confuse and defeat enemies. His soldiers gave him the fond nick-name Tick-Tock Caraway, both for his icy calm, as well as his punctuality. He valued counsel of his subordinates, but discouraged much personal initiative, preferring his troops to function like clockwork. He managed to deal Esthar forces a few blows.

Then the election of Vinzer Deling occured. The youngest president Galbadia had ever elected. He was ruthless and cunning, and a gifted orator with far reaching ambitions and violent tempers. Upon his election, it is said that he called General Caraway to him, put him in charge of military operations and asked him what he needed for victory. General Caraway provided a list, and Vinzer Deling said he’d arrange it.

What followed was a ruthless war economy, with many young men drafted, punishing war taxes and rationing.

But the effect was considerate. The Galbadian army grew in size, in technological aptitude and in ambitions. The Esthar army was ambushed, forced to retreat and ruthlessly pursued, inflicting heavy losses. It may be difficult to imagine in these days, but those were times when G-soldiers were a welcome sight, and Vinzer Deling and Fury Caraway were considered heroes.

A brief aside regarding certain publications that try to imply that Vinzer Deling somehow was not in charge of Galbadia during this time: This is nonsense and politically motivated lies. This publication, and this writer, as a Timber has no love for Deling. The fact that he enabled victories of the forces of Sorceress Adel do not excuse the atrocities he committed. However, easily falsified lies do undermine the trustworthiness of those publications who spread them.

This ended when, during a lull in the war, many of the areas that Caraway liberated found that Galbadia had no intent on withdrawing its control. They found themselves under the same taxes and drafts that Galbadia itself was, and all local governments suspended. Timber itself, having managed to use the forests to fight off the Esthar armies sent to claim it, found itself under attack by Galbadia instead. It was General Caraway who broke the Timber Resistance, and during the infamous ‘Timber Murders’ where Vinzer Deling, in a rage, personally executed two Resistance members, General Caraway was present. What he thought of this is unknown.

They were polar opposites, the general and the president. While Caraway was taciturn, disciplined and icy cold, Deling was an easy speaker, rash and passionate. Their relation was cordial however, and sources say that in private, they were on a first name basis. For better or worse, both men had fully supported each other, and both of them were successful because of that.

It was because of this that Vinzer Deling was actually the best man at the wedding between General Caraway and Julia Heartlily. For a wartorn nation, plagued by kidnappings and fearful of the next Esthar push, it was a faiery tale. One of the most beloved stars marrying a well respected military hero. Even the way they met, with Julia often sending him letters inquiring about a missing soldier, and Fury comforting her, managed to melt even the hearts of those who despised Galbadia.

The war ended in a way that seemed confusing at the time. Spies had reported some kind of construction project in Esthar, and one day, all radio traffic was jammed worldwide, leading to massive chaos. General Caraway prepared for an attack, but the attack never came. Esthar completely shut itself off from the world, and no spies could intrude upon them and an uneasy peace happened.

General Caraway worked on preparations for a possible attack, but in those years seemed content to delegate more. Rumours spread that he might seek to retire, and spend more time with his family, who he had neglected during the war. Then of course, tragedy struck. Julia Heartlily died in a car accident at age 28, survived by General Caraway and their five year old daughter Rinoa. A famous photo shows president Deling tearfully and with, history suggests, earnest grief comforting General Caraway whose face was more stone faced then it’s ever been. Those close to him suggest that he never quite managed to overcome the loss.

Whatever the case may be, General Caraway immediately reversed his course on winding down his operations, throwing himself in his work. He oversaw the construction of the missile base, meant to be a deterrent or retribution in case of Esthar attack. Another project he undertook was arranging for Galbadia Garden to train the Galbadian Army, with Galbadia granting the Garden relative independence. General Caraway and Headmaster Martine by all accounts had a good relations, aided partly by a shared love for Triple Triad.

There were two things that would lead to the General’s downfall later. One of them was the strained relation with his daughter. Staff from the house describe that Fury was both emotionally distant and overbearingly protective. Staff had orders to keep her on the estate whenever she was not at school, and any friends were only allowed after rigorous vetting and never without supervision. Their relation suffered, and as she grew up, Rinoa took the name of her mother in a rejection of him, as well as the increasingly oppressive and tyrannical regime he supported. As she got older and more resourceful, she managed to escape supervision increasingly often, allowing her a summer fling with then SeeD cadet Seifer Almasy.

The short relation inspired her to run away from home to Timber where she joined a Resistance group called the Forest Owls, and attempted to obtain SeeD assistance. This was an embarrassment for General Caraway and put pressure on his relation with President Vinzer Deling. Some suspect that General Caraway might even have pulled strings to put more humanitarian minded troops in charge of Timber, in order to shield his daughter from retribution.

The second one was of course Sorceress Edea. Coming out of nowhere, she gained the ear of Vinzer Deling, and offered greater power. It is known the two men clashed over this. General Caraway had developed a strong dislike, even hatred for Sorceresses during the war and according to witness reports, had advised Deling to execute her.

This of course, did not occur. And so Caraway took matters into his own hands. With the assistance of Headmaster Martine he arranged an assassination attempt on Sorceress Edea during the ceremony where she was to be appointed ambassador. As we all know, the Sorceress instead killed Vinzer Deling, and through magic and terror assumed control of Galbadia. The ill fated assassination attempt ended up involving troops from all three Gardens, but more damning, Rinoa Heartlily, General Caraway’s own daughter. All those involved were captured.

Of course, not all troops were present in Galbadia. And while Vinzer Deling, because of his moodiness and arbitrariness was less than popular among the troops, many soldiers balked at the prospect of serving a Sorceress.General Caraway could at this point likely have caused a civil war if he’d denounced her and assumed command of the army.

Yet with his daughter at her mercy, Caraway did the one thing Sorceress Adel had tried and failed to do during the war. He surrendered. He publicly announced his resignation to ‘spend more time with his family' and asked his troops to 'continue to serve Galbadia as the Sorceress defends it from its enemies.'While Caraway is still well liked among Galbadian soldiers, there are many that have never forgiven this.

The deal was that Rinoa Heartlily was to be brought to Caraway manor, under house arrest along with General Caraway. Irvine Kinneas the sniper during the assassination, was also released, with Galbadia Garden giving up any pretense of independence Both of them refused, and instead broke out their comrades, leading to events outside the scope of this article.

For the rest of the events, General Caraway, the man who had been pivotal in the Sorceeress War, would remain sidelines. Seifer Almasy took direct command of the armed forces, and retained this even after the disappearance of Sorceress Edea. His leadership style was impulsive and rash, leading to severe morale drops, and by all accounts, the only true allies he had were two other SeeD Cadets who joined him, Fujin and Rajin. Reports suggest that General Caraway bears a grudge towards Seifer Almasy even now for those things, as well as to his treatment of her daughter.

Now, with both Sorceress Edea Kramer and Seifer Almasy out of the picture, some think that Fury Caraway should step forward and take command of Galbadia himself. Despite having bent the knee to the Sorceress, many understand the duress he was under, and his service in the Sorceress war is not forgotten. But neither is his role in Timber’s subjugation. Further complicating matters is his daughter Rinoa. Not only is she romantically attached to Squall Lionheart, the commander of the SeeD mercenary forces, but she is a Sorceress. The general’s troubled relation with her and his distrust towards Sorceresses make some people suspect that reconciliation is impossible. Further complicating matters is that a close relation with her would fuel speculation that he might fall under her control much like Deling has.

While General Caraway was sidelined during the events of the last months, he has now entered the field again. And Tick-Tock Caraway might have a few cards left to play. But nobody really knows what card he has on hand, and what card he hopes to win. Rest assured Maniacs, that you will read about it here.

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